Citing student, facility and community workforce needs, the Lincoln Land Community College Board of Trustees discussed a possible $33.8 million construction program during a recent fiscal year 2009 budget workshop. New construction under consideration includes a workforce training center and student life space on the main campus along with improvements to LLCC regional centers in Taylorville and Jacksonville. Also under discussion is a $4.5 million project to fund roof replacements on Menard Hall and Cass Gymnasium, along with tuck-pointing of older buildings. The construction projects were first discussed at the Board's April meeting and were again discussed and reviewed at the May board meeting, following a master planning update from Springfield architect John Shafer of Shafer and Associates. The building program would be financed through funding bonds, to be retired through a combination of: extending a bond rate that is set to expire at the end of this year; issuing Protection, Health and Safety (PHS) bonds for the roof replacements/tuck pointing project; and reducing the annual PHS tax levy. The building and repair projects are both expected to be completed with no increase in the tax rate levied by LLCC. “Property tax rates should not go up due to these projects,” said new LLCC Board Chair Andy Ramage. “With state funding continuing to decrease and no capital funding on the horizon, LLCC financial administrators were able to suggest a plan with maximum, positive effects on student learning and community workforce needs, without adversely affecting individual taxpayers. “In tough economic times such as these, education and workforce training are the keys to creating and keeping jobs and bettering lives for students of all ages,” continued Ramage. “However, limitations in LLCC facilities are currently hampering efforts to expand programs and initiate valuable new ones. We feel confident these new and improved facilities will impact students and the LLCC district in a very positive way and will serve as a catalyst for the entire region in advancing workforce development.” Specifics of the building program under consideration include construction of a new workforce training center, including expansion of the current truck driver training lot and a new, second entrance/exit to the main campus, with an estimated cost of $26.1 million. Also in the plan is construction of a two level, 11,000 square foot connecting link between Sangamon and Menard Halls, providing much needed student study and gathering spaces, at an estimated cost of $4.5 million. At LLCC’s Eastern Region Education Center in Taylorville, two aging modular classroom buildings with two classrooms each would be replaced and four additional classrooms constructed, at an approximate cost of $2.9 million. At LLCC’s Western Region Education Center in Jacksonville, a permanent classroom, wet lab and offices would be constructed with an estimated cost of $312,000. LLCC Vice President for Administrative Services Richard Vertrees said funding for these vital projects would involve a combination of replacing a retiring bond levy, reducing the annual PHS levy and issuing funding and PHS bonds, with a net effect of no increase in the tax rate. At its June 25 meeting, the board will discuss designation of these building projects as top facility priorities for the college. Board members will also consider engaging the services of a financial advisor and bond counsel as the college continues to review financing alternatives for the projects.
Posted on Monday, June 16, 2008
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