1996

Community coli ge leaders concerned o er fate of funds By Lynnetta Cooksey The Merid•an Star He ~aid most of the $50 million would be used to renovate or replao older buildings.

E t Central Commumty College in Decatur is one of the colleges that would like to replace an older building. ECCC pre~ident Eddie Smith said the school had a:;ked for approximately $2.6 million to build a oev; tudent scrvic~c bwlding. As much as we've grown. we've become quite cramped in our pre:.cnt area," he said. Smith :oaid the school de~perately needs more udv nnd lounge space for its large number of com– muti:T sludents. He said the new building would be a big asset to the :c.chool. Both pre,ident.., remainro hopeful about the future of the $50 million. Scaggs said he wao; "optimistic'' about receiving the fund,. He said the Legislature traditionally waits until late in the session to work on large bills like this one. He ~aid they want to be able to see everything they have to work with before making a final decision. Smith said Friday afternoon he was pleased with t l' way thin~s had gone in the Legislature during the la.'lt few days. He said the outlook for themeasure was much better tha n i~ was earber in the week.

Local community college~ could :-uffer if ilie Etate Legislature does not allocate the $50 million rn fun.ds for junior and communitv college renovations. Hou"e Ways and Means Committee chairman Rep. Charlie Williams said Thursday the bond money could be hurt by an anti-bond attitude in the Lecislature and a ~hortage of fund.::. Mendian Community College president Bill ggE said Friday afternoon the portion the coll.:ge ba5 asked for would help complete a needed renova 1 MCC will soon begin renovating its 30-year:fJIB ~\'Y Hall. The project will renovate the theater and gym– na~ium and build new office spaces and a book.:tore Scaggs said l\tCC bad asked for approximately ~ million to complete stages two and three of the pro– ject. ''Two-year colleges have expenenced a lot of growth in the p~st five years that has really stretched us,• he said Scaggs said thot while MCC was a re~tivcly ne\\ campw;, some of the state's other commuruty co leges had buildings much older than 30 years.

APPEARED IN: CARTHAGIND\N_________ NESHOBA DEMOCRAT_~----- NEWTON RfCORn_____ CLARION-LEDGER.______

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