Legislators question Northwest Arkansas Community College's plan for new building

NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF @NWABENGOFF A view of Burns Hall Friday, April 7, 2017, from the Becky Paneitz Student Center at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF @NWABENGOFF A view of Burns Hall Friday, April 7, 2017, from the Becky Paneitz Student Center at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville.

BENTONVILLE -- Northwest Arkansas Community College's plan to open a new building likely will be delayed by a semester after legislators raised questions about the project last week, according to a college official.

The Legislative Council, during its meeting Friday, considered the college's request to spend up to $5.5 million on what's been called an "integrated design" building.

Facility facts

Northwest Arkansas Community College has opened four buildings over the past decade:

• 2014: National Child Protection Training Center (renovated building), 16,500 square feet

• 2013: Center for Health Professions, 83,000 square feet

• 2010: Shewmaker Center for Global Business Development, 42,000 square feet

• 2007: Student Center, 80,000 square feet

Source: Staff report

College officials have said the building would provide space for and encourage collaboration among those in the arts, entrepreneurial and workforce development departments.

A perception the building would be dedicated solely to arts education, however, caused legislators to balk at the college's request, according to state Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs.

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"They didn't say no," Hester said. "They said come back in August and we'll consider it further."

The council's next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 18.

Hester said there is "zero appetite" among legislators to spend $5 million on a building to help students get fine arts degrees. Legislators are more interested in spending on programs and facilities preparing students for jobs where there's a shortage of skilled workers, he said.

Nobody from the college was at Friday's Legislative Council meeting to answer questions about the project.

Jim Hall, the college's director of government and community relations, said he attended the Legislative Council's Review Committee meeting June 14, where the college's project was one of several reviewed for its method of financing.

The committee reviewed the college's project and passed it on to the council with the recommendation it be approved, Hall said.

"Since our project was reviewed successfully without question (June 14), and I had briefed members of the Northwest Arkansas delegation on this committee ... I didn't think I had to be at Legislative Council on Friday," Hall said.

The council's decision to table the matter until August will prevent the college from opening the building in the fall of 2018 as had been planned, Hall said.

"We'll be looking at more of a spring of 2019 opening," he said.

A college committee has selected an architect for the building. Evelyn Jorgenson, college president, wrote in a June 12 memo to board members the committee's recommendation would be presented to the board for approval next month.

The building originally was proposed as one that would be dedicated to the arts at a cost of about $3 million.

College officials revised their proposal after discussions with some legislators, Hall said. They settled on the concept of the integrated design building, which would provide space not only for art classes, but also for the construction technology program.

Moving construction technology into the new building would free space in the Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies for an iron workers apprenticeship program, a component of which is welding, Hall said.

The college's art department and construction technology program have similar needs when it comes to ventilation, which the new building would provide, Hall said.

"Another area is the wet area, where construction technology can do cement work while the art department can do ceramics," he said.

The integrated design building also would free up space to expand the college's graphic design program. There is great demand for graphic designers in the region, Hall said.

"Everything we're doing with this facility can be tied back to job needs in our community," he said.

The college's board approved the concept of the integrated design building by a 6-2 vote in February. The building would be constructed in the middle of campus, just west of the Student Center.

Some Northwest Arkansas legislators, when asked about the project this week, seemed unclear on the building's purpose. Some have referred to it as a "pottery barn," Hester said.

State Rep. Dan Douglas, R-Bentonville, said he was somewhat familiar with the college's proposal, but didn't know what an integrated design building is.

"If they incorporate skills for which there is high demand in jobs out there, that's one thing," Douglas said. "But if it's just pottery, I don't see that as a real wise use of taxpayer money."

The building would be paid for with local millage dollars. The college sets aside one-third of the millage revenue it receives from residents of the Bentonville and Rogers school districts for capital needs.

State Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Sulphur Springs, attended Friday's Legislative Council meeting. He wanted more information about the project, he said.

It's not terribly unusual for the council to defer decisions on matters, Hendren said.

"People are trying to make sure they understand what the vision of the school is," Hendren said. "As long as there are good answers to those questions, I think (the project) will be fine."

State Sen. Cecile Bledsoe, R-Rogers, said she had to leave Friday's meeting before the topic of the college's project came up. Bledsoe said she hasn't made up her mind on it.

If it's going to serve the apprenticeship and construction programs, it's something she might support, she said.

"I think it's an interesting project," Bledsoe said. "I just need to hear more."

NW News on 06/22/2017

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