Class act: Colusa to get college

A pledge that new college buildings won’t close preceded the Colusa County supervisors approval Tuesday to provide $600,000 toward developing the first permanent college facility in the county.

“Yes, this is a bit of a gamble,” County Supervisor Kim Dolbow Vann said of the contribution of county Tobacco Settlement Funds toward construction of the $4.5 million Yuba Community College District project in Williams.

But Vann said she is “absolutely comfortable” with providing the funds for the new 9,000-square-foot facility.

The Yuba College district closed leased facilities in Colusa County in 2003 for financial reasons and offered a reduced class schedule at local high schools.

The new 4-acre site at Husted Road and E  Street near the California Highway Patrol office is expected to offer classes in spring 2011. The facility will be able accommodate 120 students at any one time.

Colusa County Supervisor Mark D. Marshall praised what he said will be a wonderful facility, but also spoke about the “rocky road” involving the college district and the county. He asked for assurances the previous closing won’t be repeated.

Angela Fairchilds, president of Woodland Community College – part of the Yuba College district and the agency that will manage the new facility – responded that, “This will be a permanent facility owned by the district.”

“I’ve given you my personal commitment,” Fairchilds said. “The services will be there.”

Supervisor Marshall said of spending the tobacco funds that, “I’m comfortable this is an appropriate use of this money.”

The funds stem from the settlement of lawsuits brought a decade ago by states against the tobacco industry and resulting in payments that include money to California counties.

Supervisor Thomas A. Indrieri, reading constituent questions, asked whether the county would be out the $600,000 if the new facility closes in 10 years.

Yes, Indrieri, was told.

Fairchilds said after the meeting that the college district has not closed a facility it owns in the 80-year history of the district.

Ben Pearson, a Yuba College district trustee who linked his election last year in part to his support for improved college facilities in Colusa County, praised the county supervisors decision.

“The county is going to get so much back from their investment,” said Pearson.

 Fairchilds said of the planned October groundbreaking that, “I’m just so excited to get that first shovel in the ground.”

The Measure J funds that will help pay for the project can only be used for facilities construction, Fairchilds noted. Voters in 2006 approved the $190 million bond measure.

Steve Tofft, project manager for developer V & R Land Investments of Williams, said of the facility that, “We’re going to have a real special place.”

“What’s happening here is historic,” Tofft said.

The resolution approved by supervisors states that Colusa County is one of only eight counties in California without a community college educational facility.

“Students are going to have a home,” Alan Flory, a trustee for the Yuba Community College District, said after the trustees decision.

Contact Appeal reporter Ry­an McCarthy at 749-4707 or rmc carthy@ appealdemocrat.com.