Commissioners Hold Appreciation Ceremony for John Lefferdink

Commissioners: Schnabel, Buxton-Andrade, Attorney John Lefferdink and Commission Chair Ron Cook

Attorney John Lefferdink announced his plans for retirement as the county attorney earlier this month, a position he’s held for the past 17 years. In a brief appreciation ceremony on Monday, October 24th, the Prowers County Commissioners presented Lefferdink with a mantelpiece clock in thanks for his years of service to the county.  Commissioner Chairman, Ron Cook, told Lefferdink he knew the county benefitted from the years of expertise that was received by his insight and legal guidance in issues that came before the commissioners.  Commissioner Henry Schnabel, who is also serving his final months as a commissioner as of the end of the year, said the eight years he’s worked with Lefferdink have been insightful and he offered his personal thanks as well as on behalf of all the county employees who have been associated with him.  Lefferdink responded, “I admire the hard work that is done by the Board of Commissioners and I just want to say that the appreciation is mutual.”  Darla Scranton Specht is the current interim county attorney and will be in that position until a full-time replacement is found.

Dr. Linda Lujan, LCC President, informed the Prowers County Commissioners, the school has applied for grants available from the Colorado Community College System to fund three projects. “We’re looking for funding for the Fab-Lab, the Student Success Center project and the Digital Badging Project and expect to hear by December on how well we did in our application,” she said, noting that the college is now halfway through the fall semester of studies.  Lujan said one more cycle for grant requests will be open in February and the college anticipates developing other innovative ideas for improvements for classes at the college by that point.

Lujan noted that funding had been received from the state Attorney General’s office for Haven training at LCC for sexual assault prevention training. “Students will take part in the project, which consists of an online training session on how to become proactive to prevent sexual assault, be an observer and how to be an ally to a student who may have encountered some form of assault.”  She added, “We’re treating this as a potential threat at the college.  Nationally, one in four female students and one in sixteen male students will encounter some form of sexual assault or violence during their student career and we’re intent on preventing this occurring at Lamar Community College.”

The president said some of her outreach program has indicated a healthy interest in the four counties the college serves, of restarting courses in construction trades. “Our academic team is looking at the possibilities with the hope that by this summer or next fall, we can offer them.  There’s been a lot interest from the superintendents from the school districts in the program,” she explained.

By Russ Baldwin