Moran tours new CCCC tech building

Cloud County Community College president Amber Knoettgen led United States Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and other visitors on a tour last Friday of the new $18 million Technical Education and Innovation Center that is currently under construction on College Drive.

The 33,725-square-foot Technical Education and Innovation Center will house Cloud County Community College’s (CCCC) renewable energy, nursing and allied health, agriculture, welding and CDL programs.

“We really need the facilities that match the stature of our programs,” Knoettgen said.

CCCC did an economic impact study prior to beginning the process of raising funds for the new facility. 

The college provides $68.5 million to the economy of its service area and over 70 percent of the students who graduate stay in that service area.

A grand opening ceremony for the new building, which is being constructed without local taxpayer dollars, is scheduled for August 2 at 1 p.m.

“We are really, really proud that this project is 100 percent fundraised. So there are no taxpayer dollars going into this building,” Knoettgen said.

Moran said that the project at CCCC and the construction of the new North Central Kansas Medical Center are examples of good things that are going on in Concordia.

“There is a lot of effort to make good things happen here,” Moran said.

Moran said that Knoettgen was interested in lobbying him because, three years ago, the United States House of Representatives decided to return what used to be known as earmarks, now called congressional designated spending.

“We participate in it. I am an appropriator and I have a chance to try to designate funds that go to things that we think are important. I would be less interested in doing so if we were spending more money or causing more money to be spent. But the money is going to be spent somewhere, and it seems to be my job to see that the taxpayers in Kansas get a return on money they send to Washington, D.C., just like somebody from some other state, if their member of Congress is finding ways to get that money home. I don’t want us to be left out,” Moran said. “She (Knoettgen) is attempting to make the case today that there is something here we should pay attention to, and we will.”

Moran said that there is almost no money for construction projects, but there are opportunities to help fund equipment, training and educational programs.

“Equipment here is something we will take a look at,” Moran said.

CCCC is in the process of formally presenting a proposal to Moran’s office.

“We will work to be helpful,” Moran said.