By Allison Peck | North Platte Post
Listen to the full interview with Ryan Purdy and Daniel Stinman on our Kubota Podcast
North Platte, Neb. - The Mid-Plains Community College Board of Governors took action on property purchases, major equipment investments, facilities needs, and scholarship funding during its meeting Wednesday evening in North Platte.
MPCC President Ryan Purdy and Director of Marketing and Public Relations Daniel Stinman joined North Platte Post to break down the Board’s decisions and what they mean for students and the broader community.
Prior to the regular meeting, the Board held three public hearings related to the potential purchase of lots on Iron Eagle Court. While no public comment was offered during the hearings, Purdy said the properties play a key role in both short- and long-term planning for MPCC’s building construction program.
The lots are used as training sites where students build homes as part of a hands-on educational lab. The program typically completes one home per year, allowing students to work through electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and finishing components that aren’t always possible when homes are constructed for immediate occupancy. Purdy said securing additional nearby lots ensures the program can continue for the next several years while keeping training sites close to campus.
The hearings opened a required 30-day public comment period, after which the college can proceed with closing on the properties if no concerns are raised. The process is mandated by state law for real estate transactions involving public entities.
As part of its regular financial oversight, the Board approved more than $1.3 million in bills for November. Purdy said the amount falls on the lower end of MPCC’s typical monthly expenditures, which often range between $1.8 million and $2 million. The expenses include utilities, equipment purchases, capital projects, housing operations, food service, and student-related costs, all within the approved budget.
The Board also approved several sole-source bids tied directly to workforce and technical education. One of those included updated Code Blue medical simulators for MPCC’s mobile health occupations truck. The simulators will be used for training in rural hospitals, schools, fire departments, and emergency response settings, as well as for student exploration in nursing and other health programs.
Additional approvals included electrical equipment for the new Electrical Technology Building’s automation control lab, selected to align with industry partner standards, and the replacement of an air handler in Brooks Hall following damage believed to be caused by a lightning strike.
Scholarship funding was another highlight of the meeting. MPCC received $15,000 from the Nebraska Public Power District Open, part of a long-running partnership that has generated more than $416,000 in scholarship support for MPCC students over 34 years. Purdy said the endowment structure of the program allows the impact of those funds to extend well beyond the annual contribution.
Student engagement was also front and center, with student trustees from both the North Platte and McCook campuses providing updates on campus activities, athletics, and student involvement. Purdy noted strong participation across events and said the Board is exploring the possibility of including students in future legislative advocacy efforts at the state level.
Departmental reports highlighted several priorities moving into the spring semester, including expanded articulation agreements with four-year institutions, strategic enrollment planning, housing capacity challenges, workforce funding programs, and continued focus on retention and completion goals.
Looking ahead, upcoming Board reports will focus on facilities planning, financials, technical programs, and student success. Purdy said budget development and tracking will be a major emphasis in the spring.
Stinman also shared several upcoming deadlines and events, including the start of the spring semester on January 12, nursing program application deadlines on January 15, and the institutional scholarship deadline of March 1. He also noted the MPCC Rodeo Banquet is scheduled for March 14 and highlighted strong national rankings for the college’s rodeo teams.
MPCC campuses will close at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve and reopen with normal hours on January 5, with classes beginning January 12.