House approves funding for vo-tech expansion

~ The bill also provides $100,000 for specialized playground equipment for the Parkview State School.

The Missouri House approved a capital improvements bill Thursday that includes $750,000 for the expansion of the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center.

The spending measure also allocates $100,000 toward the purchase of specialized playground equipment for the Parkview State School in Cape Girardeau. The school serves the severely handicapped.

State funding would go a long way toward constructing a 9,600-square-foot electrical shop and classroom building on the career center campus grounds east of the current school building, center director Rich Payne said.

State funding would come from general revenue rather than from the sale of Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority student loans.

The expansion project had been included in the House's MOHELA spending plan. But at the last minute it was added to House Bill 1021 which earmarks $180 million in general revenue for various capital improvement projects around the state, most of it for the Chillicothe prison project.

The move thrilled local lawmakers who said they preferred funding the vo-tech expansion project out of general revenue rather than through MOHELA proceeds which have been an object of strong debate in the House and Senate this legislative session.

The House and Senate have separate proposals on how to spend an estimated $450 million from the expected sale of student loans.

"There is a lot of juggling for MOHELA funds," said state Sen. Nathan Cooper, R-Cape Girardeau.

In addition, the loan authority still has to sell loans to generate money for various college construction projects and other spending items.

The general revenue will be available at the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. "It's immediate money," Cooper said.

State Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, said such funding is far more certain. "You don't have to worry about lawsuits. You don't have to worry about cash-flow issues," he said.

Crowell is optimistic that the Senate will pass the House bill.

Parkview teacher Joyce Horky welcomed the news.

School officials have said it would cost $170,000 in all to develop a playground that includes equipment for wheelchair-bound students.

Parkview's Parent Teacher Organization continues to raise money for the project.

"It puts us a lot closer," Horky said of the House spending measure.

The bill includes money for several career and technology center projects around the state, lawmakers said.

Under state policy, the $750,000 is the most that the state can contribute to the $1.5 million Cape Girardeau project, Crowell said.

The state won't pay more than 50 percent of the cost of construction of a vocational-technical school, he said.

Cooper said the Cape Girardeau career center project was removed from the MOHELA plan and added to the general-revenue appropriations bill after lawmakers discovered the state had more money available to spend.

AmerenUE awarded a $150,000 grant to the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation in January to kick off efforts to raise the money needed for expansion of the center.

The proposed state funding, coupled with the AmerenUE grant, would provide $900,000. Payne believes he can raise the remaining $600,000 needed.

The total cost includes equipping the building.

Payne said the state money would allow school officials to proceed with drawing up construction plans. Construction could begin next spring, he said.

"We will keep it moving forward," said Payne, who hopes the proposed expansion project could be opened to classes by August 2007.

The added building would allow for expanded electrical trades classes which are in great demand, he said.

The proposed expansion would include a 2,300-square-foot shop area, a 980-square-foot computer lab/classroom and four other classrooms. A hillside behind the career center would be leveled to make room for the new building.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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