By Allison Peck
Listen to the full interview with Daniel Stinman and Ryan Purdy on our Kubota Podcast
North Platte, Neb. — The Mid-Plains Community College Board of Governors met Wednesday evening at North Platte Community College’s North Campus to start the 2026 year with officer elections, financial approvals, and updates on campus projects.
Cindy Duncan of Broken Bow was elected board chair, Kim Korgan of McCook as vice chair, Kurt Crowley of Broken Bow as secretary treasurer, and Matt Rose of McCook as assistant secretary treasurer. Kent Miller of North Platte and Tyler Pribbeno of Imperial will continue representing the college at the Nebraska Community College Association. “They all do a great job in their roles,” said MCC President Ryan Purdy. “Kent and Tyler have a little more work outside of the regular board meetings as they represent Mid-Plains on a state level.”
The board approved consent items, including minutes from December board meetings and the December financial report. Bills for the month totaled $2.54 million, slightly higher than usual due to pay app requests. “Outside of that, it would have been pretty similar to what we would expect for a normal month,” Purdy said.
Two campus projects were also approved. The Barrel Vault Roof at the Walsh-Brady Building in McCook, damaged by last summer’s hailstorm, will be replaced by Weathercraft. Purdy described the temporary repairs as “lots of duct tape looking patches all over the thing,” and added, “It is a translucent panel, so it’s right over the stairwell when you walk in the building. Got to get that fixed.”
The board also approved new security camera software to connect and manage cameras across all campuses, including North Platte, McCook, Valentine, Ogallala, Imperial, and Broken Bow. “The last year has been a struggle sometimes being able to get the footage that we needed,” Purdy said. “This system will work with all the existing cameras, which is a huge benefit when you look at the cost of other systems.”
The meeting also highlighted faculty and student achievements. Dr. Courtney Johnston recently earned her PhD in psychology, and early entry programs continue to grow, increasing more than 20% over previous years. “It’s about the people,” Purdy said. “We’re here to educate students—they’re not buying widgets, they’re buying knowledge.”
Looking ahead, the next board meeting is scheduled for February 18, beginning with a ribbon cutting for the new Electrical Technology Building at 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
Additionally, the MCC Theater Department, in collaboration with the North Platte Community Playhouse, will present Arkansas Bear February 2 at 10 a.m. and February 3 at 7 p.m. at the McDonald-Belton Theater on the South Campus. Admission is free. Students are also encouraged to apply for institutional scholarships by March 1.
Public Relations and Marketing Director Daniel Stinman added, “That’s a great way for students to get a head start on their education, save some money, and pursue their passions right here at Mid-Plains.”