WC NEWS

The Weatherford College Board of Trustees approved a proposal from Erwin Water Well Drilling at their Thursday meeting for a new 550-foot well on the Weatherford campus.  

The board previously tabled this item to receive more information on the need for the well and cost comparisons.  

Dr. Andra Cantrell, WC’s executive vice president of financial and administrative services, provided background on the college’s irrigation needs to the board.  

The college dug two wells in 2002 to service the baseball park and surrounding area. Since then, one of those wells has collapsed, and the college has needed to access city water many times to make up the shortfall.  

In 2013, two additional wells were dug in conjunction with the construction of the Academic Building and Don Allen Health Science Building and new grass was planted across campus. Those wells were placed near the Coyote Village Student Housing complex with the water piped to the irrigation holding tank at the top of the hill.  

“Over the last two years, these three wells have been inadequate to produce the amount of water needed to irrigate the grounds on the main campus,” Cantrell said. “The wells could not keep up this last year, and as a result, we lost many trees, shrubs, and flowers due to the lack of water in the tank and the Texas heat.”  

The new irrigation well will double the amount of water to 144,000 gallons per day, which is 34,000 gallons more than is currently needed.  

“But it’s important to look at the future,”’ Cantrell said.  

The college is preparing to plant 56 new trees to replace those taken down for the construction of the new Vickie and Jerry Durant Hall. And there is a proposed greenhouse in this year’s budget that will need access to irrigation.  

The board approved the proposal from Erwin Water Drilling for $370,000, along with the options to use a sand separator at a cost of $5,500 if necessary and an additional $57,200 should the work need to be conducted after normal business hours and on weekends so as not to disrupt students in class.  

The current plan is to have the well drilled over the winter break when classes are out.  

In other business, the board:  

• Approved the minutes of the Sept. 21 meeting.  
• Approved the financial reports ending Sept. 30.  
• Approved revisions to the approved 2023-24 tuition and fees schedule related to health science programs' clinical placement fees.  
• Approved the chief executive office annual report on reports received by employees related to sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking from Sept. 1, 2022, through Aug. 31, 2023.  
• Approved a certificate of piano performance to provide training to advanced pianists in concert repertoire, technique and artistic presentation that will prepare them for the professional concert stage, auditions and major piano competitions.  
• Approved a contract quote from Flair Data Systems on network equipment for Vickie and Jerry Durant Hall.  
• Received written updates from WC Wise County, academics and student services.  
• Received the annual report on access and affordability.  
• Received the annual Clery Art report on campus crime statistics.  
• Listened to a report on the college's international study abroad program.  
• Adopted a revised employee salary structure change following discussion in executive session.  

In his President’s Report, Dr. Tod Allen Farmer:  

• Congratulated piano professor Dr. Hyeyoung Song on her recent induction into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame.  
• Announced WC’s Kaydence Tindall won the Women’s All-Around Title recently at the Vernon College Rodeo, and the Coyotes took first place in three events. Previously, Trent Sorey set an arena record in steer roping at the Sul Ross State University Rodeo in Alpine.  
• Announced the defending conference champion Weatherford College volleyball team remains in first place in the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference. WC will host the regional volleyball tournament beginning on Thursday, Nov. 2.