College board ends financial exigency

The state of financial exigency (EX-i-jen-see), which has been in place in the Northern Wyoming Community College District since last July, has ended.

College district trustees voted to end the exigency at their meeting earlier this week. Dr. Walt Tribley, president of the district that includes Sheridan and Gillette colleges and Sheridan College in Johnson County, said the declaration of financial exigency is no longer appropriate.

Dr. Tribley said his plans are to bring the trustees a fully balanced budget with a little bit of cushion for the coming fiscal year that starts on July 1. He said provided the state stabilizes and doesn’t reduce revenues to the community colleges, the district’s financial future looks bright for the next five years.

Asked about the programs that the district ended last year because of the exigency – and in particular the athletics programs – Dr. Tribley said he isn’t putting a timeline on when to bring back any of those programs.

He said a return of programs would have to make sense financially. He said among other factors, the state has to stabilize in its funding to the community colleges.