Published: August 27, 2008 08:57 am      

Work could soon begin on Garrett tech center

OAKLAND — The Garrett County Career and Technology Training Center could soon be under way as the request for proposals for the architecture and redesign of the building has been completed.

“Hopefully, we’ll award it late September or early October,” Frank Shap, assistant director of economic development, said. “The criteria we’re looking at will include experience in building flexible technology education buildings.”

Last month, the county received a $1 million grant from the state to establish the center, with an additional $500,000 from county government already in the fiscal 2009 budget.

Shap said at the county commission meeting Tuesday that the courses offered at the center would be driven by both the board of education and Garrett College. The goal would be to provide programs to students that would complement existing ones or allow them to be shifted to the new center, which will be located in the old Phenix building in Accident where the Garrett Engineering and Robotics Society is located.

County commission Chairman Denny Glotfelty asked whether it would be possible to incorporate some of the programs located at the high schools at the new center. Shap said that decision would rest with the board of education.

What will be offered specifically has not been decided, Shap said. There are hopes that the welding program at Garrett College will be offered at the center and because a painting area still exists, there is the possibility for automotive painting classes.

County Commissioner Fred Holliday questioned what classes would be taught at the new center.

Shap said the offices inside the building will be converted into classrooms, but he is not certain what would be taught in the classrooms or in the practical areas of the building.

“It is dependent upon what they see the needs to be,” Shap said. “I don’t know what one year from now looks like, let alone five years from now.”

Classes and vocational instruction that could be offered there range from nursing to carpentry, but it is possible that one might be taught one year or one semester but not another.

Duane Yoder, director of Garrett County Community Action, said he recently visited a similar center and in order to provide the programs that were needed in the area at any one time, they were constantly changing what was offered.

He said Garrett County is too small of a community to design the building with classrooms and areas that could not be used for another purpose if needs shift.

Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@times-news.com.