Funding for the SCILL Center in Knox will come from a source other than the county’s CEDIT Fund until an agreement can be reached on an alternate funding source.
The SCILL Center offers Auto Technology, Welding Technology, and Automation Robotics and Equipment Management to students in several counties. This fall, the SCILL Center will offer EMT and Fire and Rescue courses.
Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Larry Wickert asked the commissioners to make their annual contribution on Monday night, but the commissioners asked to find other options to fund the programs.
While the amount of county funding has differed since its inception, the county has paid $80,000 for the SCILL Center programming for at least 15 years. The commissioners and county council members have asked Foundation representatives for several years to find another way of funding programs with no progress.
Commissioner Bryan Cavender suggested asking the school corporations to assist with the funding of the programs.
Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem stressed that the programs that the SCILL Center offers are important for students who are interested in trade skills and who are not on a path to college, but changes need to be made.
She commented, “We need new and fresh ideas for how to provide this education, but just giving money every year just isn’t cutting the mustard as far as I’m concerned. That’s my opinion on it. I think it’s a disservice to the taxpayers if we don’t press you to look into other avenues and other options for getting that money, especially when we’re the only ones paying it. Marshall County doesn’t pay. Fulton County doesn’t pay. St. Joseph County doesn’t pay. And, we’re bringing their students over here and part of our money is going to support students from other counties. It’s not right.”
She suggested that the Starke County Economic Development Foundation use money in CDs to fund the programming until representatives from the commissioners and the foundation can get together to address the changes the commissioners would like to see. She also suggested that for every dollar that the Foundation could get in outside money, the county could match that dollar to help them get started on independent funding. Outside of the commissioners generally agreeing to not provide funding for the SCILL Center, no other decisions were made. Negotiations will be held between the entities in the near future.
