Takedown Report

Mid-Plains Community College … Adds Wrestling at North Platte Campus

Mid-Plains Community College will operate under a $63.5 million budget for 2026-27 after the Board of Governors approved the budget and a $5.79 million property tax request Wednesday night.
The board approved a property tax request of $5,791,384 and the 2026-27 budget, which includes expenses and transfers totaling $63,492,004.
No members of the public spoke during either of the two public hearings held before the meeting on the property tax request or the college’s budget.
MPCC President Ryan Purdy said the college’s property tax situation has changed substantially over the past three years. “Over the past three years, our property taxes have went from that $0.08 levy down to a $0.02 levy with the future fund going on,” Purdy said.
He said MPCC previously collected roughly $17 million in property taxes, compared with approximately $5.7 million under the current system.
Purdy said the current capital levy is particularly important because it is essentially the college’s funding source for capital projects across its campuses. “We get the capital fund, which is $5.7 million on a $201 million physical plant across all of our campuses,” Purdy said. “And anything that won’t cover, then we have to go privately fundraising.”
Purdy also addressed the more than $22.7 million in unused budget authority the board approved carrying forward from previous years.
He emphasized that the figure does not represent money sitting in a college bank account. “It is strictly authority,” Purdy said. “We don’t plan on using it. But if a new governor comes in or whatever, and they say we’re going back the way it was, then we would have the ability to shift it back to the way we were funded previously.”
The board also approved the addition of men’s and women’s intercollegiate wrestling at North Platte Community College beginning with the 2027-28 academic year.
Purdy said the decision is tied to the college’s broader strategic enrollment efforts and an effort to keep students from the MPCC service area close to home.
The college looked at athletic programs that are growing and have strong participation throughout its service area. Purdy said there are currently 29 boys wrestling programs and 25 girls wrestling programs in the MPCC service area. “Women’s wrestling is the fastest growing sport in collegiate athletics, regardless of division,” Purdy said. … more at … https://northplattepost.com/posts/6d228376-b1e5-4a32-95dc-3cf2a5101dc6?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

September 29, 2026 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | education, news