I am very pleased to have this opportunity to publicly thank the Adams County Board of Supervisors for their action on Monday, locking in county support for Co-Lin’s future building program.

Copiah-Lincoln officials met with the board of supervisors earlier this year to request action to secure future funding for our building program, but the board was not in agreement on the best way to provide that support.

After obtaining an opinion from the Attorney General’s office recently, the board has agreed by unanimous vote to rescind a previous resolution which had limited the number of years building funds could be provided, allowing the current funding to continue indefinitely into the future. I think it is important to note that Monday’s action will not result in an increase in taxes for Adams County taxpayers.

Following the action taken by the Adams County Board of Supervisors, the Co-Lin Board of Trustees, at its regular meeting on Thursday, took action to acknowledge the action of the board of supervisors and to rescind a previous resolution requiring the board to stop the building funds at the end of the current obligation to pay for the Tom Reed Academic Building.

Thanks to the Adams County Board of Supervisors, the college can now begin planning the construction of the much needed health sciences building for the Natchez campus. That building will house all medical related programs taught at the Natchez campus, as well as other classes which support those programs. The college currently operates health related programs in respiratory care, licensed practical nursing and nurse assistant. In addition to providing for an appropriate environment for these programs, the college can now make a good case for State Board approval of new programs for the Natchez campus in such areas as physical therapy assistant.

Also, very importantly, the new Health Sciences Building will allow the college to free up current space which can be adapted to workforce related program needs, such as Building Trades, etc.

Those programs are needed to address new industry which will be coming to Adams County within the next several years. Finally, the Natchez campus can continue to grow in program offerings to the extent necessary to accommodate increased student enrollment in the foreseeable future

All in all, Monday was a Red Letter Day for Co-Lin.

On behalf of the Co-Lin Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and staff and, in particular, students, thank you Adams County Board of Supervisors for this far-reaching action for Higher Education in Adams County.

Be sure to thank members of the board of supervisors for their support of Co-Lin Natchez the next time you meet them on the street.

Dr. Howell C. GARNER is president of Copiah-Lincoln Community College and a former dean of the Natchez campus.