CC eyeing wind farm on campus

Dateline: February 26, 2009

CC eyeing wind farm on campus

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Five electric wind turbines might be located on the campus of Clarendon College someday if contract negotiations now underway prove successful.

CC President Bill Auvenshine says the college is currently negotiating with US Wind Energy LLC concerning the possibility of locating the turbines south of the Livestock & Equine Center.

“We have about 50 acres that are being unused and have no plans for,” Auvenshine said.

The deal, which was a topic on last Thursday’s Board of Regents meeting, would be beneficial to the college in two ways.

“We would get a sizeable lease plus the opportunity to train our students in our wind energy program on these towers,” the president said.

The college currently has 12 students enrolled in its wind energy program at the CC Childress Center.

Auvenshine said the energy company has presented Clarendon College with a contract, and it is now being reviewed by the college’s attorneys.

In other college business, the Board of Regents last week approved a contract with an Amarillo company, Run Solutions, to improve and expand the college’s information technology department. The college director of that department will remain in charge, but the company will help expand the use of the current system, Auvenshine said.

The board also continued to discuss building prospects in Pampa. Auvenshine said the college is looking at possible building sites and is in talks with the Gray County Commissioners Court about the possibility of the county carrying the bond to build facilities and then leasing them back to the college. The lease would be paid for with funds from the Gray County Maintenance Tax for Clarendon College, which was approved by voters in that county last year.

Auvenshine said the alternative to that plan would be for the college to form a public facilities corporation to borrow the money for facilities and pay it back with the Gray County Maintenance Tax.

The board also reviewed and approved the college calendar and college catalog for the next two years; approved the purchase of a new nursing mannequin at a cost of $15,362; reviewed a draft of the college’s five-year plan; and authorized moving its March meeting to March 12 to prevent conflicting with Spring Break.