By Betsy Finklea
Northeastern Technical College Board Chairman Dan Bozard appeared before the Dillon County Council called meeting on Friday to talk about the approximately $114,000 that they have been getting each year from council for a number of years.
Bozard said it was their understanding that the money budgeted for this budget year may not be available by June 30th and that it may not be in the budget for next year and that is a concern of NETC’s.
Bozard said NETC had their budget meeting, and they will have a shortfall if they don’t get the $114,000 they normally sent NETC and will have to increase an additional $3 per credit hour for all NETC students not just those in Dillon County.
Bozard said he will get “blow back” from Chesterfield and Marlboro County from his fellow board members, students, and legislative delegations.
In 2016, Chesterfield contributed $313,400 and Marlboro County contributed $256,276, and Dillon County contributed $185,733. Of this $185,733, Dillon County Council contributed $114,000 and Dillon County Board of Education contributed $71,733. The Board of Education has one mill designated for their contribution. He said both of these counties are contributing a great deal more than Dillon County.
Bozard said they are not going to close the school down over $114,000, but that he is concerned about the message it sends with the Inland Port coming, to existing companies thinking about expanding, and to companies thinking about coming.
Bozard said the Dillon County Technology Center does a good job of getting students exposed to employment and potential businesses, but that today’s manufacturers require more than a high school diploma to meet their needs.
Bozard said NETC are the people that help people get those technical skills to work in the Wyman-Gordons and Wixes.
He said this is the reason there are 16 technical colleges in the state. He said they are there to meet the needs of business in terms of training whether it is manufacturing, distribution, logistics, etc. He said the average tech student is about 27 years old, been working a few years, has a high school diploma, and has car payments, house payments, etc. and realizes that they need additional skills to be financially secure. He said that is what Northeastern does. They help those folks get in that secure position. Bozard said they were committed to training the workforce in Chesterfield, Marlboro, and Dillon counties.
He spoke about the industrial training centers being developed in Pageland and Bennettsville.
Bozard said these industries coming need a trained workforce. He praised council for their efforts in encouraging companies to locate in Dillon County.
Bozard encouraged Council to help them on what they had already planned on for this year and next year and in the future.
Bozard said they think that Dillon County is the growth area for NETC.
Bozard said the biggest challenge that we have in Dillon county is to move the have-nots to the have status. He said the road from poverty to prosperity runs through the school house.
The floor was then opened for questions. Chairman Archie Scott said he had some questions. A. Scott asked how long NETC had been in existence in Dillon County. Bozard said the college had started in 1969 and had been in Dillon County about 20 years. A. Scott asked how many students they have in Dillon County. Bozard said approximately 200 students -142 for credit and 58 for continuing education. He said this training took place in various locations. A. Scott asked how many graduates they had per year from Dillon County. Bozard did not have the answer, but said he would get that figure. A. Scott then asked how many of their students had gone to work at Wyman-Gordon since it has been in existence. Bozard said about 25-30. He said they will do whatever the company asks them to do training wise. A. Scott said the reason he asked was because he rides by the college quite a bit, but doesn’t see much activity. Bozard said some of the training takes place at the high schools, at the technology center, and at night. Bozard said they are also in the process of hiring a recruiter. A. Scott then asked if the money from all counties was collaborated together. Bozard said they look at it as a three-county service area.
Councilman Harold Moody asked about the status of the bond bill for a facility and equipment for Dillon County. Bozard said the bill had been moved to January.
Councilman Robbie Coward asked that due to the spending that had gone on with the inland port and everything that was going on, would it help if the county gave NETC half the money. Bozard said they would take whatever they could get. He said he wasn’t there to make demands. He was there to say let’s work together as a partnership. Coward said he felt like all of council wanted to help them and noted the county administrator was working hard on the budget. Bozard said he wanted the council to ride along on any success they may have.
County Administrator Rodney Berry said this body here really went on a limb to create opportunity for every citizen in Dillon County thus will create opportunities way beyond the county lines. He said this group wants to partner and collaborate with all entities. This is what we’re faced with. When you put out $2.4 million dollars, which is skin in the game, that is a hefty amount in an $18 million dollar budget, and they did that knowing it is going to create widespread opportunities so never let the statement be that we don’t want to collaborate because we do. We value our technical schools. I know what technical schools do for training our workforce, Berry said. These guys know it’s always been a matter of how we are going to do it. He said he wanted that to be resounding.
Bozard said they understand that and they are not going to close the doors, but they want Dillon County to be a partner.
At this point, Councilman Jack Scott made some remarks. (See related article.)
After J. Scott’s remarks, Bozard thanked everyone and said there were many positive things going on they were going to do everything they can to move the have-nots to the haves.
J. Scott said Bozard and NETC was mentioned in the conversation which was the reason he wanted Bozard to hear it.
In other business:
-Councilman Coward asked that they table the discussion of the forensic audit until Mr. Richard Gaddy was there and could discuss it in more detail.