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��������������������������������� September
21-22, 2000
ITEM 108-401-R0900���� ���� Creation
of Day Care Center/One-year Early Childhood Education Program, Physical Therapy
Assistant Program, and Movement of Career�
Development and Job Services Offices to the Second� Floor of Converted Veterans Hospital in
Miles City�
THAT:����������������������������������� FOR
INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY
Three years ago
it was decided to cut back services of the�
VA hospital in Miles City.� Only
the bottom story of the four-story structure is now being used for medical
services.� A committee of local people
including representatives from Miles Community College was formed to seek funds
to remodel the three vacated floors of the building to ensure that it would not
be destroyed.� The plan proposed by the
committee would
have Miles Community College occupying the second floor of the former hospital
for new programs and for relocation of offices of Career Development and Job
Services from the main campus.� The
expanded curriculum would address three acute needs of the institution; provide
much needed training opportunities, provide child-care for children of college
students, and provide adequate office space for an ever-expanding Career Development
program currently housed at the College.�
The V A complex is located across the street from the College campus, so
students would be able to use both facilities without difficulty.
A four million
dollar grant application has been written to the Federal government to fund the
expansion of college programs as well as provide dollars to remodel and develop
the third and floors of the hospital for private office space and assisted
living quarters for the elderly.�� Nine
Hundred Seventy-five Thousand ($975,000) is reserved for new college programs
and office expansions.� Data is being
compiled to defend the request and will be included in the grant
application.� The grant specifies that
money for leasing of space, development of programs, and remodeling and
equipment will continue for three years until the programs cited will be
operational and self-sufficient from tuition, fees and state support coming
from increased FTE's.� The County
Commissioners, private enterprise, and State and Federal politicians have
supported this effort.� Senators Burns
and Baucus and Representative Hill have been instrumental in the development of
legislation to support this grant application and are very supportive of its
passage.�� If the community were
successful in this effort, the only new program being proposed is physical
therapy assistant.� The early childhood
education program would be offered in conjunction with the program now being
offered at Dawson Community College.�
Details about each of the programs and the dollars necessary to support
them will be offered at a later meeting.