James Sprunt to apply for grant for public safety building
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on February 25, 2009 1:46 PM
KENANSVILLE -- The Duplin County Board of Commissioners has agreed to let Dr. Lawrence Rouse, president of James Sprunt Community College, apply for a $90,000 grant to have plans drawn up for a new public safety education building on campus.
Commissioner Frances Parks moved to sign off on the grant application. Commissioner Zettie Williams gave the second. The vote was unanimous among the five members who were present at the commissioners' regular meeting Monday. Commissioner David Fussell was absent.
The vote came after the board had approved, then deferred the matter during previous meetings because of concerns over the county's responsibility to provide $94,000 worth of upkeep and operations. Part of the grant application involved the county making a commitment to provide those things once the building is constructed and opened for classes.
But Mrs. Parks said the county is always responsible for providing upkeep and operation expenses for any building on the school's campus.
"This is not anything new," she said.
The action taken Monday gives Rouse a right to proceed with applying for the grant.
Rouse said the college is "basically out of space due to the economic situation."
He said the $90,000 in grant money would be used for design work on a new building is ready and waiting to be used.
"We can lose it," he said.
Commissioner Harold Raynor objected to tying maintenance costs in with the grant application.
But Commissioner Reginald Wells said it's going to take more than five years to build with the way the economy is.
The $94,000 figure is just an estimate, Rouse said, and the county is not locked in to that figure.