Any public funding of a planned health and wellness center is at least a year away. In the meantime, Dr. Rick Young, president of East Mississippi Community College, hopes to drum up interest in the project, which he hopes will have regional appeal.
Last year, Lowndes County supervisors agreed to spend more than half a million dollars over a 20-year loan period on building the EMCC Regional Corporate Service and Allied Health Center. Three other counties also agreed to support the project financially. But Oktibbeha County, one of the five primary counties the college serves, didn”t have the funds to commit, spelling the end for the project until at least another budget year.
This fiscal year, which started Oct. 1 for counties and municipalities, things are looking more bleak for the project. And its price tag has gotten higher. Last year, school officials estimated the project would cost between $10 million-$20 million, downscaled from original estimates of $42 million.
Then, the proposal was a 50,000-square-foot to 70,000-square-foot building on Airport Road near the Lowndes County industrial park on land donated by retired architect and developer Wayne Fishback. Current plans call 128,000 square feet — four floors, 32,000 square feet each — at a cost of $29.9 million.
The first floor is expected to house a YMCA fitness center, Baptist health services and a coffee shop; the second floor will house EMCC”s associate degree nursing program; the third floor will house EMCC”s licensed practical nursing program. And the fourth floor will be empty, leasable space. Plans also factor in $750,000 for access roads. With space for several classrooms, labs and a library, the building also will house the school”s emergency medical technician program and various health-related classes. It also would feature a child-care center and an Olympic-size swimming pool.
In Oktibbeha County, which stalled the project last year, the budget is “tighter this year than it was last year,” said Board of Supervisors President Marvell Howard.
“The board is supportive of the project. At this time, our budget is so tight, and we had to do so much cutting, we haven”t been able to make a move on that project,” he said. Oktibbeha County”s budget was slashed more than $200,000, and the county had to spread those cuts throughout.
“Pretty much there was nothing on our budget left untouched this year,” Howard added. “At this point it”s looking more unlikely for it to happen this year.”
Other area supervisors also support the project but haven”t been able to commit funds.
“I know we want to financially support it, but I don”t know when,” said Boo Oliver, Noxubee County Board of Supervisors president. “It”s not in this year”s budget.”
“It would have to wait until next year”s budget (for consideration),” echoed Harry Sanders, president of the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors.
“I think the nursing school is great for EMCC to do, and they”ve got the land that was donated out there in the industrial park, and I think that is a great location,” Sanders continued, adding Lowndes County likely will only support the project financially when all six of the counties served by EMCC agree to do the same.
Lowndes County provides the bulk of the local funding for EMCC, $1.22 million in fiscal year 2010.
Oktibbeha provided $745,781; Clay provided $410,645; Noxubee provided $196,105; and Kemper County provided $157,382; Lauderdale County provided $213,031. (Lauderdale County gives most of its community college funding to Meridian Community College.)
Currently, Clay County might be the only board in a position to help finance the project.
“We do support the (college) any way we can,” said Clay County Board of Supervisors President Floyd McKee.
Clay County is in “good financial shape right now,” McKee said. “We might be where we could help them, but it”s a board decision. But I know that all the board members support the (college) and want to help them any way that we can.”
EMCC has 60 nursing students in its programs and expects 30 or more to begin the RN program in January. Pat Clowers, director of EMCC”s nursing program, expects to double EMCC”s nursing enrollment once the new facility is constructed.
Without funding secured, Young hasn”t put a timeline on completion of the project.
“At this point, we”ve had no commitments,” Young acknowledged. “It”s been well received, but as far as money, I”ve had no commitments.”
The school has applied for grants and made corporate presentations to solicit donations.
“We”re going to do it,” Young said. “I just can”t tell you when.”
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