Collins interim Northside head
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

BONNIE COLLINS

The Northside Education Center has named an interim executive director - Bonnie Collins - who was hired by the center's board Oct. 22.

She takes over the position effective Nov. 1, and will stay until a full-time executive director is hired.

The distance-learning center, opened on the refurbished grounds of the original El Campo High School at 707 Fahrenthold, is home to several adult education programs to help workers land good jobs, hone their office and customer service skills and brush up on computer programs.

Longtime Executive Director Irene Barr stepped down Sept. 1, prompting the center's board to ask the City Development Corp. of El Campo to move to the center rent-free and handle calls until Barr's position was filled.

The CDC agreed to the move - which will save it between $600-$800 per month in rent - Oct. 23, and that move is scheduled to be effective tomorrow.

Collins, at the time of Barr's resignation, was in her seventh year of running Wharton County Junior College's GED program, housed at the center, but stepped in part-time to help.

"Because of my work with the GED program, I was pretty familiar with Northside and how it was run, somewhat," Collins said. "I was filling in temporarily after Irene left and was carrying on her duties. I told the (Northside) board I was willing to do it on an interim basis, but that I wanted to work part-time."

Barr ran the nonprofit organization as a full-time employee, but Collins will not.

"Now that the CDC is going to house here, they will take care of making sure the building is open and some other duties," Collins said. "Other than that, I will take care of all Northsiderelated business. I'll be able to do that now since they'll be 'officing' here 8 to 5."

Northside Board President Gordon Sorrell said the center is still seeking a full-time director to replace Collins.

"Bonnie's doing a great job, we would love to keep her on there, but she was quite clear she was on board only in an interim capacity," Sorrell said.

Collins, wife of city attorney Ronny Collins, is a former elementary school teacher who taught courses at Wharton County Junior College until taking her GED position here seven years ago.