FAA's determination of hazard hangs over college wind turbine

By Jessica LeDuc
Blade staff writer
Cloud County Community College board of trustees heard Tuesday night that a determination of hazard by the Federal Aviation Administration still hangs over the college's Nordtank wind turbine.
Early last year, the college was informed that the turbine was too tall to meet FAA specification. Last night, college President Danette Toone said she has been working with staff members in Sen. Jerry Moran's office to find a resolution to the issue.
Toone said the hazard has been mitigated and that the turbine poses no danger to pilots flying into the airport. However, the FAA's determination of hazard is still on file, which means the college cannot receive grants related to the turbine.
She told the board that staff in Moran's office have been very helpful, and recommended she participate in a conference call with the FAA, Moran's office and the Department of Energy.
Toone said she has also talked to two companies who have provided almost identical price estimates to lower the turbine.
"We think it's a positive way to go because of the determination of hazard, but we want an engineer's opinion first that they will still be structurally sound," Toone said.
Board Chair Dave Clemons said he would like to have a special meeting before Toone participates in the conference call so board members could discuss the possibility of lowering the turbines.
Tom Tuggle said he did not want to spend money lowering the turbines until every option through Moran's office had been exhausted.
"We're always going to have a determination of hazard on those turbines unless we lower them," Toone said. "Yes, we need to run every avenue we can through the Senator's office, but in the meantime, it doesn't hurt us to look at lowering the towers."
Clemons said the board wasn't spending money yet, just time in studying the possibility.
"We just need to be informed and have a plan B in case we need it," Clemons said.
Also during Toone's message to the board, she said streaming the meetings live on the internet had hit another snag.
The sound in the room where the board meets is not adequate for videotaping, and Toone said they had received a $3,000 bid from Tom's Music House to update the system.
Clemons said he had not been in favor of videotaping, especially if it was going to cost the college money.
"Early on, I wasn't in favor because I didn't think we needed it, especially if there was a cost," Clemons said. "Now I'm back to saying I'm not in favor of it."
Tuggle said he thought the board was doing a disservice to the community by not offering to broadcast meetings. He suggested moving meetings to Cook Theater, which already has its own sound system.
"I think it's important," Tuggle said of broadcasting meetings. "Based on what I hear from the public, I'm in favor of moving forward with it."
Kim Krull, vice president for academic affairs, said it was possible to schedule meetings in Cook Theater. But, she said, the venue is larger than the current meeting room, which also has better lighting.
Bob Maxson, vice president for administrative services, said improving the sound in the room would benefit more than the board. He said the room is used for in-services and other meetings, calling it one of the most-used rooms at the college.
Larry Henry and Ellen Anderson both said transparency by the board is important to the community.
"I'm very supportive (of videotaping)," Anderson said. "Transparency is very important, and I think we need to do it as economically as possible."
The board will revisit the issue at the February meeting.
After a 15-minute executive session, the board approved extending Toone's contract to June 30, 2015 – changing it from a two-year contract to a three-year contract.
Also in personnel matters, the board accepted the resignation of Nick Elniff, director of information technology, effective Jan. 17. Maxson said two candidates to fill the position will be on campus for interviews in February.
During the financial overview, Maxson told the board that enrollment for this year has not reached the targeted two-percent increase. Because of that, Maxson said, he has asked for all departments to cut one-percent of their expense budgets.
Maxson also told the board that the college and Glassman Corporation, the company that oversaw the replacement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the college, received an award of excellence for the project at the Associated General Contractors of Kansas convention earlier this month.

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