HCC building headed for a public hearing

For months, debate surrounding the price tag of a new Creative Arts building on the Haywood Community College campus has largely pitted the county commissioners against the college board.

But now, on the eve of a key public hearing that could make or break the project’s approval, the college board of trustees have emerged narrowly split over one key element of the design.

The building’s design incorporates several green features, from harvesting rain water to buying Energy Star photocopiers. The feature that has landed in the crosshairs of the controversy, though, is an alternative energy technology known as solar thermal.

Charles Boyd, a newcomer to the community college board, said the technology is “too cutting edge” and is so far unproven.

“My concern is, is it going to be an asset rather than a liability?” Boyd said. “If it isn’t foolproof, the community doesn’t need to pick up the liability for that.”

A vote last month by college trustees was 6 to 5 in favor of moving forward with the solar thermal technology.

There are around 30 other solar thermal projects in the nation installing similar technology, though none are fully up and running yet. Nonetheless, Mark Bumgarner, a member of the college board, believes it has been fully vetted and is satisfied it’s a good deal.

Bumgarner pointed out that two of the five who voted against it are new to the college board, having just been appointed by county commissioners this summer.

“They were very, very new on the board and did not have all the facts,” Bumgarner said.

Under the administration of Dr. Rose Johnson, Haywood Community College has hung its hat on sustainability initiatives at all levels, from the teaching curriculum to campus operations.

But when it comes to the solar thermal feature, it’s not merely a prized eco-perk. College leaders say the measure is needed to meet rigorous new state standards for energy efficiency in state buildings.

The building has an above-average energy load due to power-hungry equipment like pottery kilns and woodworking tools. That in turn requires an above-average effort to bring down the square-foot energy consumption to within state levels.

But how far the college must go to meet the mandate continues to be a matter of debate.

“I personally feel we can meet the green standard without going to the extent we are going,” Boyd said. “We are trying to look after taxpayers money. We have to be real frugal.”

But Bumgarner said switching gears and going back to the drawing board at this point could cost more than it would save. The college considered other energy saving measures, and found this one to have the fewest downsides, he said.

The cost of the solar thermal is between $600,00 and $700,000. Even factoring that out of the equation, county commissioners claim the $10.2 million price tag on the new creative arts building is too high. College leaders, meanwhile, claim they have cut costs all they can without starting over completely or compromising core functions of the building.

County commissioners must ultimately agree to the building’s price tag. Money to pay for the new building will come from a special quarter-cent sales tax approved by county voters two years ago for the sole purpose of funding improvements on the HCC campus. The vote was seen as broad public endorsement of the college’s growth.

But county commissioners question the wisdom of devoting nearly all the sales tax revenue for the next 15 years to one project when the needs on campus are great.

The college has already sent the plan out to bid, and the deadline for contractors to respond was this week. Commissioners have been reserving final judgment until the bids came in, but the college won’t be ready to release the lowest bid for at least another week or two.

Want to weigh in?

A public hearing on the loan application for the new Haywood Community College creative arts building will be held before the county commissioners at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 16, in the historic courthouse.

What is solar thermal technology?

The sun heats water as it flows through giant collectors. The solar-heated water supplies the building’s hot water needs. It also heats the building by circulating through pipes embedded below the floor, which radiate heat upward into the room.

The more complicated, and cutting edge, aspect of the technology involves using the hot water to cool the building, by using the thermal energy to drive an absorption chiller.

Federal money to outfit community college with green teaching tools

A $300,000 federal grant awarded to three community colleges will help ready a Western North Carolina workforce for the rapidly growing green technology field.

Some 400 students are expected to enroll in programs supported by the Appalachian Regional Commission grant at Haywood, Southwestern and Tri-County community colleges.

Since 1998, clean energy jobs in North Carolina have grown by over 15 percent, while jobs in other fields have increased by only 6 percent. Officials say focusing on green job training is already a must in preparing students headed into the working world.

“It is incredibly important for the future of our state and country,” said Janet Burnette, interim president at Southwestern Community College.

Donna Tipton-Rogers, Tri-County college’s president, said this particular field was especially relevant with Murphy located close to major auto manufacturers in the South.

“It fits in great,” said Tipton-Rogers.

At a press conference held at Western Carolina University last week, the $300,000 check was officially presented to the Southwestern Planning & Economic Development Commission, which will work with the community colleges to develop the training program.

Rose Johnson, president of HCC, said the ARC money would be put to work as soon as the next semester begins. In all, $794,000 will be invested in the green training initiative, with local sources making up the difference.

The Appalachian Regional Commission works to promote economic development in 13 Appalachian states.

With a persistently high unemployment rate in the area, ARC Federal Co-Chair Earl Gohl pointed out the important role of higher education in bringing prosperity here.

“In an economic recession, one point that always comes out is the level of education has a direct impact on the level of income,” said Gohl. “It’s essential for a competitive workforce to be well-trained and well-educated.”

U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler emphasized the importance of not only creating green technology, but also creating the workforce necessary to implement it locally.

“We develop it, we produce it, we sell it — all in America,” said Shuler.

Governor Bev Perdue added that the grant would help bring Western North Carolina jobseekers up to speed.

“The world has morphed,” said Perdue. “We have a really deep and abiding commitment to going green.”

Green funding for colleges

The $300,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant will help three community colleges expand training in green jobs. Here are some ideas on how they plan to use it:

• Haywood Community College plans to use its share of the grant to fund equipment and instruction for low impact development, green building technology and weatherization.

• Southwestern Community College will focus on low impact development, alternative fuels, weatherization and sustainable energy.

• Tri-County Community College will invest its grant on teaching students to work on hybrid and electric vehicles.

Watercolor demo by well-known artist

Elizabeth Ellison will do a watercolor demonstration at The Blueridge Water Media Society’s monthly meeting, held at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at Haywood Community College, Building 14.

Ellison will demonstrate her loose expressive watercolor technique that depicts the varied wildflowers, animals, human inhabitants, and landscapes of the Smokies.  

The exceptional quality and individuality of Elizabeth Ellison’s works led to her inclusion in the 1994 Fodor’s Guide to the National Parks and Seashores of the East.

Ellison is a painter, paper maker and owner of Elizabeth Ellison Watercolors, a studio and gallery in Bryson City.

She has exhibited and sold widely throughout the United States for more than 30 years and often teaches week-long workshops at various institutions, such as the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville.

County, HCC still at loggerheads over craft building price

An ongoing debate over the cost of a new building on the Haywood Community College campus lacks a clear resolution, with neither county commissioners nor college leaders budging from their position since the conflict first arose four months ago.

County commissioners claim the $10.2 million price tag on the new creative arts building is too high. College leaders claim they have cut all the costs they can without starting over completely or compromising core functions of the building.

“What’s disappointing is the commissioners have expressed that we want the building costs to come down, but they just keep coming back with the same plan. It’s like they don’t even hear us,” said Commissioner Kevin Ensley.

HCC President Rose Johnson says the college board of trustees went over the design with a fine-tooth comb before bringing it to the county commissioners.

“We had gone through a cost reduction process already, and there was nothing else we could do other than go back and totally redesign the building,” Johnson said.

The college trustees don’t want to do that. But commissioners are questioning whether the trustees have tried hard enough.

“It has always been my experience that an architect can find ways to reduce costs if instructed to do so,” said Commissioner Mark Swanger. “Obviously it is better to be conservative during the design process to keep the costs down, but I have never seen a case where architects couldn’t go back and find savings if instructed to do so.”

Swanger has been intimately involved in the construction of several new schools and county building in his 12 years as an elected leader on the school board and county government.

Terry Gess, chair of the Creative Arts Program at HCC, said it would be a mistake to shortchange the new building. The college has a national reputation for its craft program. Meanwhile, the craft industry has an economic impact of $206 million in Western North Carolina.

Gess said the building will be a showcase for the importance of craft in the region and a source of pride.

“It will maintain Haywood Community College’s place as a leader in the professional craft industry,” Gess said.

Alternative energy under fire

A major sticking point in the debate is over environmental features of the new building. Under Johnson’s leadership, HCC has become a leader in sustainability, from campus operations to course curriculum. Likewise, the new creative arts building incorporates many green features.

Commissioners have repeatedly questioned the cost of those features, in particular the alternative energy components like solar hot water and solar panels.

Johnson told commissioners the technology is needed to meet strict new energy-use mandates for state buildings.

An article in The Mountaineer two weeks ago reported differently, however. The article quoted an associate architect for the project who revealed the building would actually exceed the state’s energy guidelines not just by a little, but by 60 percent. That news caught county commissioners off guard.

“The latest information didn’t dovetail with what I recall being told previously,” Swanger said.

However, there is a logical explanation for the discrepancy, college leaders said.

The building incorporates three alternative energy features. All three together indeed go above and beyond the state mandate.

But one of the three has always been considered optional, namely photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the building. It indeed isn’t needed to meet the state standard — but it wasn’t included in the $10.2 million cost estimate either, according to the college.

“As for the other two, neither goes far enough to meet the state standard singlehandedly. One is passive energy-saving design throughout the building, like using low-energy appliances and orienting windows away from the summer sun. The other is a solar thermal system for heating, cooling and hot water. Together, they exceed the state standard by 20 percent.

“There was no in between step,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the college explored other energy measures to meet the standard without going over, like geothermal, for example. But the 30 wells needed for geothermal would take up too much land, she said.

The new state standards cap energy use for new buildings based on their size. Since the craft building will house energy heavy trades — from power-hungry woodworking tools to super high temperatures required for pottery kilns and glassblowing stations — the college has an extra challenge to offset the high energy consumption.

How far the college must go depends on the estimated energy use of the building in the first place.

“If the starting point is incorrect, then it can skew the entire project,” Swanger said. “I am afraid they may be exceeding unnecessarily. I would feel much better if I had a third party view of it.”

County commission chairman Kirk Kirkpatrick agreed.

“If they are trying to reach something that is greater than what is required by the state, and it costs additional money, then I don’t think that is necessarily a wise plan,” Kirkpatrick said.

Johnson said the creative arts facility is a semi-industrial building with high-load and specialized features, from air ventilation in the jewelry making studios to the dust collection in the woodworking shops.

“When you analyze the projected cost of the building, it is not more expensive than any other building of its type that is being built in the community college system,” said Johnson. The college has offered up square footage comparisons with five other community college buildings around the state.


What next?

County commissioners must ultimately agree to the building’s price tag, something they haven’t done yet. While commissioners have set the wheels in motion to take out a construction loan, they have stopped short of specifying the loan amount.

Swanger said he won’t make up his mind for sure until he sees bids from contractors.

“I want to see actual numbers,” Swanger said. “I need good accurate information and need to know what I am voting on.”

Commissioners feel like the college could be more forthcoming, laying out costs associated with different stages of construction, on what elements the college board has allegedly cut already and, of course, a clearer picture of the energy initiatives.

“They have produced some answers, but everyone is still rather confused about it,” Kirkpatrick said.

Commissioner Ensley, who is most adamant that costs are too high, voted against the loan application despite the caveat that it doesn’t lock in an amount.

Kirkpatrick said the commissioners did not want to cause controversy with the college.

“Do I want to dictate what the college does? That is not my job,” Kirkpatrick said. “As county commissioners, it is my job to ask questions.”

Kirkpatrick said the due diligence should rest with the college board of trustees, whom he trusts are vetting the plans and looking at the same questions.

“I just want to make sure they second guess themselves on what kind of project they are doing and whether it is the most important thing they need to do,” Kirkpatrick said.

Money to pay for the new building will come from a special quarter-cent sales tax. In a countywide election two years ago, voters approved the special tax for the sole purpose of funding improvements on the HCC campus. The vote was seen as broad public endorsement for the college’s role in the community and willingness among the public to invest in its future.

“We voted for the quarter-cent tax and now let’s use it for its intended purpose,” Adam Thomson, a furniture maker who has taken courses at HCC and has now started his own company, told commissioners during a public comment period at a recent meeting.

“I think I can speak on behalf of all commissioners. We certainly aren’t against the creative arts building,” Kirkpatrick responded.

Commissioners are concerned, however, that the college will burn through the lion’s share of the special tax money on one project. The special tax is enough to cover annual payments on a $12 million loan for 15 years. If the craft building is $10.2 million, it leaves little left over for other projects.

“It is my view the entire campus needs to be considered, not just a flagship building,” Swanger said. “In times when money is tight, you would use up a lot of that money.”

Despite the acclaim of HCC’s craft program, the craft building is literally crumbling and too small.

Johnson said it is the college’s most pressing need and pursuing it is “a very wise decision.”


Want to weigh in?

A public hearing on the loan application for the new Haywood Community College creative arts building will be held before the county commissioners at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 16, in the historic courthouse.

Instructor instills lifelong appreciation for art

Many people might say Lilian Parks is a staple to the regional art community. “Lil” as she is known to her students and fellow artists, is originally from San Francisco and has lived in Haywood County for more than 20 years. She came to the mountains by way of New York, Atlanta, Miami, and Hawaii, all the while painting and cultivating a following.

With more than 30 years of experience teaching both private lessons and classes, she is well-suited to teach at Haywood Community College.

“She not only instructs, she inspires,” said Laura Simmons of Community Education at HCC.

Parks says she tries to pass on an appreciation for creating art even if students aren’t pursuing it as a profession.

“This is why I am more thorough in teaching and encouraging the student to develop their own style as an artist,” said Parks. “If a person enjoys creating art, he or she will never be bored. It is a lifetime of learning, and I am still learning.”

Lil is a member of the Blue Ridge Watermedia Society and numerous other organizations. Her work can be found in private and corporate collections and has been recognized locally and throughout the United States.. Lil will soon teach “Journaling for the Artist.”

“You can create a storybook illustrating your travels. It’s a way to capture your memory of what you’ve seen,” said student Wendy Cordwell.

Learn from Lil

Lilian Parks will teach “Journaling for the Artist” from 1 to 4 p.m. June 17 to July 29. Parks will teach Pen and Ink from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. June 15 to July 20; Finishing Your Masterpiece, a new class in which Parks will give students individual instruction in completing and finishing a work currently in progress or help tackling a new challenge, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. June 17 to July 29. All classes are six weeks long and $60 per class.

For more info, call Laura Simmons at 828.565.4244. To register, 828.627.4505 or www.haywood.edu/continuing_education.

HCC building feud persists unresolved

Haywood Community College leaders have chipped away more than $430,000 worth of features from its proposed creative arts building, but the project’s $10.3 million price tag continues to leave county commissioners cringing.

The Haywood County commissioners gave the college the go-ahead on the project last week, without addressing the most contentious issue: its cost.

County leaders voted 4-1 to submit a loan application to the state Local Government Commission, which must approve all debt incurred by local governments — without specifying exactly how much money would be borrowed, admittedly an odd omission from a loan application.

Meanwhile, HCC leaders had asked the commissioners to commit outright to a $12 million loan, which would cover other construction projects along with the cost of the new creative arts building.

The county board stopped short of a full endorsement, sticking to its assertion the college has not done all it can to cut costs.

Commissioners agreed to proceed with the loan application once HCC receives bids on the project, hoping the cost would come in less than anticipated.

A special quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters in a referendum two years ago will fund the project. While the special sales tax is earmarked for construction projects at the college, commissioners say they are obligated to make sure it is spent wisely.

Commissioner Kevin Ensley cast the sole vote against the project, again expressing concerns about the proposed building’s price tag.

“I don’t think I can support the building as it’s designed right now,” said Ensley. “I just think the building they’re trying to build is too expensive.”

The college is attempting to acquire “platinum” level environmental certification for its building, equivalent to the highest level of green building in the country. Ensley says the architects he’s consulted have said platinum buildings cost 20 to 25 percent more than usual.

Ensley has requested correspondence between the college and the state construction office and learned, for instance, the college plans to use rainwater to flush toilets in the building, an endeavor that requires double the plumbing.

HCC Board of Trustees Chairman Mark Bumgarner defended the building’s green features, arguing that the creative arts building is subject to strict state energy requirements.

The energy-hungry pottery kilns, welding equipment and shop tools have made it especially costly to meet state guidelines — forcing the college to install more energy saving features than normal to offset the higher than normal energy use.

Following these requirements happens to coincide with criteria for energy-efficient construction.

“The only thing to reduce would be to eliminate space, and space is the most important part,” said Bumgarner. “We’ve gone through a great deal of due diligence. This is not just something that we said, ‘Let’s be fancy and do more than we need to do.’”

As part of its attempts to lower cost, HCC has replaced exterior and interior stone and wood finishes with less expensive options, reduced the amount of exterior site lighting, removed interior sound proofing finishes in low-noise areas, eliminated exterior seating and tables, and eliminated an interior shower stall, planning to use a classroom safety shower instead.

HCC President Rose Johnson said the cost reductions occurred as a part of routine due diligence during the construction design process.

“We informed county commissioners during meetings that we took that step,” said Johnson. “That step was not a result of their questions.”

Though debates have arisen over construction costs in the last few months, commissioners and HCC leaders all agree that the college needs a new creative arts building.

“The college is pleased that the county commissioners took action on is intent to start the process of securing a loan,” said Johnson.

Bumgarner pointed out that HCC’s creative arts program is a keystone that sets the college apart from other community colleges not only in North Carolina, but the entire country.

According to Bumgarner, the county manager and finance director anticipate revenues from the quarter-cent sales tax to bring in about $1.5 million each year, which in Bumgarner’s view is sufficient to apply for a $12 million loan.

“That’s the level that exists with the current recession,” said Bumgarner.

Commissioner Mark Swanger said he would rather see the special sales tax money stretched further rather than every penny being committed to loan payments.

“Why borrow money if you got that money sitting there?” said Swanger, adding that the county commissioners will have the ultimate responsibility for the loan. “If sales tax money coming in is insufficient to pay debt service, the county would be responsible for using property tax money. I take that seriously.”

Haywood schools, HCC struggle to meet needs as revenues plummet

With Haywood County’s revenues down by 4 percent, schools are looking at another year of disappointing budget allocations at the local level.

Preliminary budget figures show the Haywood County public school system might receive $335,000 in capital outlay funding from the county — a far cry from the $735,000 it requested.

Capital outlay includes any costs related to buildings on school property, from replacing roofs to regular maintenance to new construction.

Meanwhile, Haywood Community College might get $165,000 for capital outlay needs despite its request for $500,000.

To make matters worse, both figures are part of a budget that is short by more than $738,000.

“With revenues as flat as they are this year, we may even have to cut that some more,” said Commissioner Kevin Ensley.

But HCC President Rose Johnson stressed that the college’s capital needs are even higher than the $500,000 it requested this year.

“We are serving a student population of 11,000,” said Johnson. “The stress of doing that in facilities that need major renovations and repair is becoming very strong.”

For example, the college must completely redo its heating and air conditioning system in Building 300, where general education and natural resources classes take place.

Replacing the heat pumps alone would cost $270,000, with the total for the project nearing $560,000, according to HCC.

Recently, the air conditioning went out in the cosmetology building at HCC, which alone will take $17,000 out of HCC’s budget.

Some county commissioners had suggested dipping into the quarter-cent sales tax funds HCC receives to cover maintenance needs for the time being.

Johnson and the board of trustees vehemently oppose the idea, stating that money from the quarter-cent sales tax was passed solely to fund new construction at HCC — and that’s exactly what it will be used for.

Johnson said with a growing population of students, that money should be used to build a creative arts building that meets the needs of today as well as the future.

“If we began to defer funding from that fund, then we are really sliding behind meeting the needs for the campus,” Johnson said.

Commissioner Kevin Ensley said all organizations should understand that the commissioners’ hands are tied.

“This year, we’re just trying to hang on,” said Ensley. “What they receive will reflect what the economy is giving us right now.”

Ensley says a tax increase to bring in more revenues is absolutely out of the question, considering how much citizens are still suffering under the recession. “Having to do with less, we can’t ask for more,” he said.

Commissioner Mark Swanger agreed, stating that he is “confident” that there will not be a tax increase this year. He praised department heads, along with Finance Officer Julie Davis and Assistant County Manager Marty Stamey, for cooperating under a tight budget.

Though public schools receive money from both the county and the state, HCC meets all of its capital needs from county funding alone. Drastic cuts in the county budget means the college is helpless in completing necessary maintenance.

Donna Forga, vice-chair of HCC’s Board of Trustees, said she like many others feels let down with what the county has pledged.

“We recognize the financial situation that the county’s in, that every organization is in right now, these are times that we’ve not seen financially,” said Forga. “While we understand that, we’re disappointed in that.”

A depleting reserve

Haywood County public schools have grown accustomed to seeing money flow in steadily from both the county and the state, but they’ve had to make a tough adjustment since the economic downturn.

Before the recession, Haywood’s school system annually received $600,000 from the county to support its capital needs. In addition, the board chipped in another $135,000 annually to meet its 25 percent match requirement for state per capita funds.

From the state, the school system drew in $500,000 each year in lottery funds, and $500,000 more in per capita funds, which are based on how many students attend Haywood’s schools.

Public school leaders have saved up this money from multiple sources for quite some time, but since county commissioners slashed their budget, they’ve had to dip into the pot.

“If it wasn’t for the lottery and the [state per capita money], we wouldn’t be able to do quite as much as we can do now,” said Tracy Hargrove, maintenance director for Haywood County Schools.

Despite the recession, commissioners have managed to come through with the 25 percent local match for state per capita funds, as required by law.

The county board recently approved allocating $106,500 to replace a flat roof at North Canton Elementary and begin an HVAC and electrical upgrade at Central Haywood High School.

Even though the school system now holds $1.16 million in lottery funds, it has devoted all but $286,000 of that money for two turf projects, according to Finance Officer Larry Smith.

Money is slowly but surely running out.

Assistant Superintendent Bill Nolte said the county has received no state per capita funding this year, and they will likely receive none next year as well.

“There’s just not a lot we can plan for,” said Nolte.

Hargrove said the schools will just have to prioritize with the money it is getting.

“It’s like anything else, you can always use more money,” said Hargrove. “Is there anything that’s live or die that’s being pushed out? No. We can survive.”

HCC comes out on top in Recycle Mania

Haywood Community College shot to the top in a nationwide recycling competition by doing little more than what it already does to promote sustainability.

More than 600 colleges signed up for RecycleMania across the country, recycling and composting more than 84 million pounds of material in just 10 weeks.

In HCC’s first year entering, it ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 19 in the country in its category of Waste Minimization, in which schools compete to see which produces the least amount of municipal solid waste (both recyclables and trash) per person.

By the end of the 10 weeks, HCC weighed in with about 19 pounds of trash per person. In comparison, Ursinus College, which ranked last in the category at No. 199, had a cumulative result of 200 pounds of trash per person.

In the first week, HCC sent more than 1,900 pounds of paper, cardboard, aluminum and plastic to the recycling center, as well as 3,500 pounds of scrap metal.

More than 500 pounds of wood were salvaged from the campus to be reused and over 100 pounds of food waste from the café were added to HCC’s compost pile.

Alan Morrow, HCC Campus Arboretum Team Leader, who led the effort, said the college did not have to start from scratch to succeed in the competition. It already had a compost pile, and students and staff have been trained to use recycling bins, located in every classroom and building.

“Participating in RecycleMania is just another way to highlight what HCC does every day to incorporate sustainability into campus life,” Morrow said.

For more information, visit www.haywood.edu or www.recyclemania.com. Contact Morrow at 828.627.4135.

HCC not taking no as an answer

Haywood Community College remains hopeful that the county will increase funding to the college, despite reluctance by the county commissioners to provide what they see as special treatment to HCC amidst across the board budget cuts.

“I view it as an unresolved issue at this point,” said HCC President Rose Johnson.

During the recession, commissioners slashed capital funding to the college and public school system by two-thirds, cut out nonprofits completely and laid off nearly 40 county employees.

The county had previously promised to pay for two new roofs and a major renovation at HCC with the annual contributions. But now, commissioners plan to dip into a special sales tax fund to pay for the projects.

The special sales tax was approved by voters specifically to fund expansions at HCC — not maintenance, according to college leaders. The college wants the county to restore its annual maintenance budget and reserve every penny of sales tax revenue for new construction and expansion.

Johnson met with county commissioners earlier this month to plead the college’s case and plans to meet with the board again soon.

Community college building costs come under fire

Haywood Community College leaders say county commissioners are unfairly accusing them of overspending on a new $10.2 million complex where arts and crafts will be taught.

Last week, Commissioner Kevin Ensley called it the most expensive building per square foot that he has ever seen in the county.

Now, HCC has dug up research to show that its creative arts building will cost less than similar construction at other community colleges in the state.

Ensley had compared HCC’s cost per square foot to that of recent construction projects in Haywood County, including the new jail, justice center and Bethel Elementary School. But HCC countered that community colleges are subject to stringent new state energy standards that lead to higher expenses. Plus, the craft trades require specialized equipment, from a $15,000 dust collection system for the woodworking shop to a $16,000 pottery wheel.

“I think the main thing is that everyone is talking about the same thing when they’re talking about the cost,” said Debbie Trull, director of administrative services. “It can be complex, and it can be confusing.”

But Commissioner Mark Swanger said Ensley’s comparisons are valid, even though they include different types of buildings.

“Every construction project has special features,” Swanger said. “In a school for example, you have a whole restaurant inside it. The jail, of course, has a complete security system.”

HCC claims that state requirements for energy efficiency could have added as much as 4 percent to the construction cost. The energy-hungry pottery kilns, welding equipment and shop tools made it especially costly to meet state guidelines — forcing the college to install more energy saving features than normal to offset their high energy use.

At a board of trustees meeting last Wednesday, HCC claimed that its new facility would cost $203.97 per square foot. According to HCC’s research, the average total project costs for such buildings are $283 per square foot statewide.

HCC also cited a national study conducted by McGraw-Hill that showed construction at colleges routinely costs 160 percent higher than K-12 schools.

“We need to be comparing apples to apples, instead of apples to oranges,” said HCC President Rose Johnson.

But County Commissioner Kevin Ensley said the college is the one that’s not comparing apples to apples.

“What they are doing is dancing around the numbers,” Ensley said.

To come up with a square foot cost of $203.97, the college omitted architect fees and site preparation and used only the estimated cost of the construction contract. But when taking the total project into consideration, the cost is $245 a square foot: $10.2 million for 41,000 square feet.

As for numbers from other colleges, HCC factored in the total project cost, including architect fees and site preparation — creating an unparallel comparison to its own numbers.

When Ensley was doing his comparison of recent construction projects, he used the total project cost — even if that meant factoring in the cost of buying land and putting in a septic system in the case of the new Bethel school.

Ensley said HCC is pushing the envelope on environmentally-friendly features for the new building and that’s what is driving up the costs. The building as planned would likely qualify for the “platinum” level green building designation.

“I think they want a platinum building, and we aren’t in a platinum economy right now,” Ensley said. “Some of these initiatives are extremely expensive.”

But HCC leaders say that isn’t the case, according to pricing they’ve done on the building with and without the green features.

Trull maintains that the college has already tried to be as cost-conscious as possible, but it won’t initiate a total redesign to please commissioners.

“The design is at the point where it would cost money to go back,” said Trull.

But Ensley said it is not hard for a contractor bidding on the project to provide a baseline cost estimate along with a separate breakdown of extras, Ensley said. Ensley wants county staff to review the construction documents and see if there are potential savings.

“I’m going to continue looking at it,” Ensley said.

Ultimately, county commissioners have to approve the college’s loan on the building. It will be paid for with revenue from a special quarter cent sales tax. County voters approved the special tax in 2008 for the express purpose of funding community college expansion.

It brings in enough each year to cover payments on 15-year $12 million loan, which is more than enough to pay for the creative arts building. But the college has a wish-list of other expansion projects it hopes to fund with sales tax money. Commissioners would like to see the money stretched further.

“I don’t want to see $10.2 million eaten up by this one building,” Ensley said.

Swanger and Ensley didn’t say whether they would hold veto the project if costs aren’t brought down, but they aren’t satisfied at this point. Swanger said he will keep an open mind and is eager to hear whatever new information the college plans to present.

“We all want this to work,” Swanger said. “We want the community college to have good, updated, safe facilities. That’s the reason we are looking closely at this. We want the money to go as far as it can to reach that goal.”

 

Building costs

Haywood Community College researched construction costs at five other colleges that spent far more on their buildings, including:

• Alamance Community College, which spent $301 per square foot for its technology center.

• Catawba Valley Community College, which spent $226 per square foot for industrial and technical building.

• Wilson Community College, which spent $320 per square foot on a heath & technology building.

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