Successful Bond Levy Campaign : From Passage of Vote to Construction

1. Successful Bond Levy Campaign: From Passage of Vote to Construction Rural Community Colleges Alliance Conference October 7, 2008

2. Panelists • Coordinator: John Noel, VP for Finance and Administration, noelj@nicc.edu • Penny Wills, President, willsp@nicc.edu • Ken Vande Berg, VP for Economic Development, vandek@nicc.edu • Tracy Kruse, Director of External Relations, kruset@nicc.edu

3. Outline • Overview of NICC (Penny Wills) • Community/Economic Development Activities (Ken Vande Berg) • Bond Levy Strategies (Tracy Kruse) • Facility Planning and Construction (John Noel) • Lessons Learned (All) • Questions and Answers

4. NICC District

5. Planning Measures

6. Economic Impact • How NICC demonstrated its economic impact to the constituents • Yearly financial impact of the college and its students • Partnerships and relationships with communities • Impact of business and industry relationships and training • The payoff

7. Economic Impact • Yearly financial impact of the college and its students • College service area economy receives roughly $235 million each from college and student expenditures (3.1% of the area’s total income) • $21.1 million for local purchases and wages • $88,000 in student spending from students outside the district • $215,329,100 in past student productivity

8. Economic Impact • Area taxpayer sees a 10% return on every dollar invested in NICC • For every dollar a student invests in their NICC education, they receive $7.60 in higher future earnings over their career • NICC graduates add 36% to the area tax base

9. Economic Impact • Partnerships and relationships with communities • Active membership in 7 county development organizations • Active membership in 1 urban/regional development organization • Active membership in 11 Chambers of Commerce/Commercial Clubs • NICC Centers in district communities

10. Economic Impact Impact of business/industry relationships & training Iowa New Jobs Training Program(260E) • 208 projects with 136 industries • $41,230,000 for industry training • Creation of 10,748 new jobs Iowa Jobs Training Program(260F) • 239 projects with 128 industries • $2,273,081 for industry training • New or enhanced skill training for 6,207 incumbent employees Iowa ACE(Accelerated Career Education) program • $367,000 annual allocation for career and technical program creation or expansion • Industry sponsorship

11. Leveraging our Impact Feb. 2007 – Our first bond levy defeated How do we do things differently? Clarus Study results showed low community awareness and name recognition We needed to maximize our relationships and demonstrate our impact

12. First Campaign in Feb. 2007 • A lower profile campaign – Grasstops vs. Grassroots • Media Relations = A couple press releases and a handful of letters to the editor • Our Message = How the money would be spent, the buildings we would build, etc. • A small committee with limited involvement from outside of the college • Very little marketing dollars spent – only one direct mail piece and a brochure

13. Second Campaign in Dec. 2007 • A second campaign can almost never be “lower profile” • Grassroots – we reached out to the community and even neighborhood level. • People outside the college were involved at all levels • More faculty and staff involvement – a larger oversight committee w/ more subcommittees • Marketing dollars increased significantly (from <$10,000 to nearly $150,000) • Most importantly, our message changed.

14. Ballot MeasureCentral themes • Educational Campaign • What the College is? (inclusive picture) • What the College does? • The important role the College plays in educating students AND the communities it serves. • Make it personal • What does this mean to me personally • What does this mean for my community

15. Ballot MeasureCentral Educational Themes • NICC educates a majority of our nurses, EMT’s, medical technicians, police, human services workers, firefighters, etc. • NICC’s annual impact on our district is estimated to be $235 million • 1 out of every 6 Northeast Iowa residents has used NICC’s services in the past year • Provided over $40 million in Business and Industry Training that created over 10,000 new jobs • 87% of NICC Graduates live, work and pay taxes in Northeast Iowa.

16. District-wide Marketing • By the Numbers Brochure and insert • Popcorn bags • Buttons • Movie ads • Billboards • Newspaper/magazine ads • Radio ads • Cable TV • Door Hangers • Yard signs • Career Focus Magazine Examples of all items at: http://web.nicc.edu/files/levy

17. County Specific Materials • In addition to district-wide materials, each county committee had its own county-specific materials including: • County-specific economic impact poster • Testimonial posters featuring county and community leaders • County-specific “By the Numbers” brochure • Newspaper insert with “By the Numbers” info, community testimonials and county polling sites • News releases featuring area students, graduates and businesses benefiting from NICC

18. External Community Initiatives • Community events/activities (ex. t-shirts) • Perkin’ with Penny events • Advisory Committee meetings • Meetings with newspaper editors • Speaking engagements with community/civic groups, staff groups, neighborhood associations, school boards, boards of supervisors, etc. • Provide chambers, economic development, etc w/ information for dissemination to members • Provide materials to business & industry (ex. packets with pledge cards) • Displays in libraries, banks, grocery stores, schools • Very active mailing and calling campaign – 5 mailers, 3 robo calls and 2 “live” calls

19. The Results • A 54% positive vote in Feb. 2007 to a 63% positive vote in December 2007 • All counties increased yes % -- two counties by 17% • An increase of nearly 4000 votes cast, all positive • Renewal of Instructional Equipment Levy in September 2008 with 67%

20. After the Vote: Facility Planning & Construction • Why a Construction Manager? • Lack of in-house expertise • Multiple projects • Multiple locations • Multiple phases

21. Construction Management • Has not been commonly used • Construction manager (CM) represents the owner • Brings construction expertise to project from the very beginning • Replaces general manager • Assumes some on-site responsibilities of architect

22. Our Experience So Far • Selection of architects • Reduction of costs during design phase • Preparation of bid documents • Pre-bid and pre-construction meetings • On-site management of project • Participation in meetings with Steering Committee and with architects

23. Advantages of CM • Reduction of change orders • On-site foreman working for owner, not general contractor • Potential for participation by greater number of contractors • Coordination of effort across multiple projects

24. Lessons We Have Learned • Lessons we have learned • Questions • Thoughts • Thank you!

25. Contact: Penny Wills, President Email: willsp@nicc.edu Phone: 563.562.3263 ext 201 Ken Vande Berg, VP for Economic Development email: vandebk@nicc.edu Phone: 563.562.3263 ext 221 John Noel, VP for Finance & Administration Email: noelj@nicc.edu Phone: 563.562.3263 ext 202 Tracy Kruse, Director of External Relations Email: kruset@nicc.edu Phone: 563.562.3263 ext 251 PDF samples of work can be found at: http://web.nicc.edu/files/levy/