The Kaskaskia College Board gave the green light Monday night for bids to be sought on the $1-million renovation of the Vandalia Education Center which will include the addition of the Alice Hudders Memorial Art Gallery.
FGM Architects will now proceed with preparing construction documents and beginning the bidding process.
College President George Evans hopes construction is underway in the spring with completion by next fall.
“Long overdue and thanks to the donated funds from the Mary Albert O’Neil and Davis estates we are able to fund this through donated dollars only. Looking at about a million dollar renovation that will include a large art galley with access to the public that will be able to provide educational opportunities to our students, local schools, art organizations or any member of the public.”
Evans calls this a ‘feels good project’ as the college staff, KC Foundation, and a Vandalia art group all came together to make the project a reality. The money had originally been donated for a Phase II of the Vandalia Education Center which was later determined not to be needed.
The college board approved a court settlement with USDI in connection with the flooding of the Kaskaskia College Education Center a few years ago. USDI will pay the college $175,000, half of what it cost to replace carpeting and walls. USDI was boring gas lines for the city at the time and reportedly had dumped some materials in a ditch near the Westgate Shopping Area. USDI did not admit any guilt in making the settlement payment.
In personnel action, the board approved the appointment of Jessica Foster for the 100-percent grant-funded position of Data/Budget Analyst in the Adult Education and Literacy Department, Shelby Guthrie as Assistant Professor of Nursing, Sara Foley as Assistant Professor of Sociology and Sara Hanks as Controller. The board accepted the resignation of Holly Sallee as Executive Director of Development of the Kaskaskia College Foundation.
