Lawmakers surprised by college funding request

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — The question is: if lawmakers vote to endorse a plan to spend $50 million on the college, are they required to come through with the money? That was the central issue between Sullivan County Community College President Mamie Golladay and county lawmakers at a meeting at the government center on December 6, and it sparked a disagreement.

Golladay presented the college’s master plan, which is required by law, and laid out a wish list that would include major renovations and improvements to existing buildings, as well as new facilities such as the Center for Advanced Science and Technology (CAST) building, which would theoretically be used to train students to work at the green technology park being planned.

The total price tag came to $50 million. Under state law, the State University of New York (SUNY) provides half the money for such expenditures, and the county provides the other half, which in this case could amount to $25 million.

During the extensive back and forth, Golladay repeatedly said that endorsing the plan would not mean that the county was committing to funding each of its projects, but rather that each specific project would be presented to the lawmakers in the future for funding authorization.

Lawmakers were skeptical. Legislator Leni Binder said that lawmakers had approved the last college master plan in 1996 with the same understanding, and officials from Albany later took the position that the county had approved the master plan and was, therefore, expected to provide funding.

Golladay pointed out that the county’s share of the previous plan was $15 million, and the county only provided a total of $6.4 million. However, much of the reason the full funding was not provided was because the state did not come up with its full share.

Legislator Jonathon Rouis said there was a change of priorities in Albany, and “…if SUNY came up with the full $25 million, we could not come up with our $25 million.”

With the county looking at the construction of a $100 million state-mandated jail in the next few years, the possible expansion of the landfill, the upkeep of roads and bridges, which is falling behind, and with lawmakers having already committed to spending $7.5 million on the new CAST building, several officials said the county could not afford to endorse the large spending plan.

Officials also expressed dissatisfaction with the level of cooperation between the college and the county and the timing of the presentation. Golladay said she needed the endorsement by the end of the year to satisfy SUNY requirements, leaving lawmakers a relatively brief time to consider the matter.

County treasurer Ira Cohen said, “There’s a major disconnect between the county and the college.” He said the college negotiates contracts with outside agencies or companies, without input from the county, and then expects the county to provide funding to cover those contracts. He said, “We can’t continue to do business this way.”

Lawmakers put off a decision on the matter and will consider it again at a meeting on December 13.