— courtesy VGCC
Vance-Granville Community College is gearing up to begin renovations that will improve masonry rooflines, walls and bridges at the Main Campus using the funds allocated by the Connect NC State Bond.
Renovations to restore, repair and waterproof masonry will be placed out for bids in April with work scheduled to begin in May, according to a report delivered to the VGCC Board of Trustees at its bimonthly meeting on Monday, Jan. 22.
Trustee Donald C. Seifert, Sr., chair of the board’s Building Committee, reported that funding will come from $1 million of the funds allocated by the Connect NC Bond passed by North Carolina voters in March 2016. A remaining balance of $69,000 from county resources that has been used for structural renovations to roofs and masonry will also be available for the project.
Bids will be going out in March for the renovation of 3,200 square feet of space in the college’s newest building, Building 10, to accommodate a practical simulation lab for the Basic Law Enforcement Training, Fire/Rescue and Emergency Medical Services programs housed there. Connect NC bond money will be combined with a private donation to complete the project. The renovation may provide an opportunity for the college to expand the training it offers for public services.
At the Franklin Campus in Louisburg, the Welding Technology lab is being renovated to add eight welding booths with plans to complete that project this month. A demonstration area in a Welding classroom, adjacent to the lab, will be renovated and ready for use this summer. This project is being funded with Connect NC bond money.
In a general discussion on the college’s services to the community, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president, cited efforts to help area business and industry.
For example, she noted, the college met with leaders of a new industry, Mako Medical Laboratories, to address their educational needs.
The college will begin meeting the needs of the newly announced industry through its Histotechnology and Medical Assisting curriculum programs, she said, with plans to add a Medical Laboratory Technology curriculum.
Mako, a Wake County-based medical diagnostic testing company, announced in November a decision to expand with the location of a facility in Henderson and the eventual creation of more than 150 jobs. The company is locating in the former Harperprints building with an initial 30 to 50 jobs, according to the announcement last fall.
“Our Histotechnology and Medical Assisting programs will be a great start for them,” she added. “We’ve been able to sit down with them. We had about 10 of our employees with the college meet with their senior leaders and talk about how they are going to grow and how Vance-Granville can serve them.”
“It’s a great company,” she added. “I think we are very fortunate to have them.”
In other action:
• In her report to the board, Dr. Williams highlighted recent accomplishments and opportunities at the college, citing in particular recent efforts of VGCC’s Pharmacy Technology students leading service projects to provide relief to people in the Caribbean who were affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria and a partnership with police and a pharmacy in Creedmoor for a drug collection event for people to dispose of outdated and unused prescription drugs. Similarly, Dr. Williams noted, college students collected school supplies and books for children affected by domestic violence, citing a service project by the Alpha Sigma Chi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.
• The board gave approval to Mid-Year Amendments to the 2017-2018 Budget as presented by Trustee Abdul Rasheed, chair of the Budget Committee. The adjustments were made to account for $1,834,568 in carryover funds from the previous year and grant funding.
• In the reports of the Curriculum Committee, chaired by Trustee Barbara Cates Harris, approval was given to a course to be offered at correctional facilities in Butner, Bunn and Manson, and an Accountability and Integrity Plan for Workforce Continuing Education was approved by the board.
• Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., chair of the board’s Investment Committee, reported on continued growth of the college’s investments.
• An informational report on new employees, retirements, resignations and changes in positions was provided by Trustee Sara Wester, chair of the board’s Personnel Committee.
Board of Trustees Chair Danny W. Wright presided over the meeting.
The Board of Trustees will hold its next regular meeting on March 19 at the Main Campus.
— VGCC —