By Jessica Skaggs
Former trustee Robert Drummond was elected on Oct. 1 at a special board meeting, to fill the seat of Melody Rayl who resigned at the end of July.
The board narrowed a list of 13 candidates to four on Sept. 26. The other candidates were: Karin Brownlee, independent contractor, Michael Lally, vice president of Olsson Associates, and Stephen Wolf, CEO of Wolf Properties, LLC.
Drummond is eager to work with the board to begin to tackle the college’s biggest issues; from slipping enrollment to budget cuts.
“I hope to be able to work with a very committed board, [and] to compliment the skills already present in the board,” Drummond said. “[To] help guide the college through challenging times.”
Drummond, who has served previously on the board from 2009-2013, is currently President and CEO of KidsTLC, a local nonprofit organization that provides services and resources to families and children struggling with the difficulties of mental health and other wellness issues.
During the election process, the four candidates were allotted five minutes each to address the board and then expected to answer 15 minutes of questioning. All candidates were present for the meeting, except Drummond, who phoned in.
In his interview, Drummond said if elected, he would guarantee to be a responsible, accountable member, who would work to move the college forward.
After the interview portion, the trustees cast secret ballots. No one on the first ballot received four votes, prompting a second ballot to be cast. In the second ballot, the results were tied between Drummond and Lally.
In the final ballot, the board voted for Drummond five to one, with trustee Gerald Lee Cross Jr. as the lone dissenting vote. At the time of press, Cross was not available for comment.
According to Deborah Williams, president, Faculty Administration, the staff reaction to Drummond’s election has been mixed, although generally positive.
“All in all I think that faculty are not opposed to having Bob back, they were just surprised after the election, and given the number of applicants that in the end it turned out that he ultimately was back on the board,” Williams said. “They also see that he is experienced, and he works very well with the current board.”
Based on the past Williams agrees with the decision.
“I’m happy to have him back […] his voting experience has always been faculty friendly and he is very sensitive to the student issues and academic need,” Williams said. “He comes from a background where he has a lot of experience with education and so all in all I think he is a very solid person to have on the board, because he is very familiar with academic, student and faculty issues.”
As the budget continues to be an ongoing issue facing the college, Williams is confident in Drummond’s ability to lead the college in the most humane way possible.
“There are many challenges ahead of us and as many of said of him and as I have observed, he is a man of integrity and has a wealth of experience in academe and so I think he’ll be just fine, perhaps serendipitously having a person with his background and experience will serve us well,” Williams said. “In times of great struggle with issues it’s good to have familiarity and to openly discuss challenging issues, so I think he will serve us well and serve the Johnson County community well, given his integrity and his experience.”
Drummond says his vision for the college includes not only striving to improve the financial situation, but also maintaining a standard of excellence.
“My vision to continue to move the college forward in reputation,” Drummond said. “The classroom is what it’s all about; it’s where the students’ lives are positively impacted.”
Drummond will be in attendance for the next board meeting Monday, Oct. 17.
Contact Jessica Skaggs, managing editor, jskaggs4@jccc.edu.