Horticulture Workshops, Conferences & News

Field Day
* September 10, 2010

Ag. Education Day
* September 9, 2010

Southwest Center FFA Workshop
* March 11, 2010

SW CTR Grazing Dairy

Ag Preparedness

Research

Newsletter

People

Contact us
Email: Southwestcenter@missouri.edu

Superintendent:
Dr. Richard Crawford - Bio
14548 Highway H
Mt. Vernon, MO 65712-9523
Phone: 417-466-2148
FAX: 417-466-2109
Email: crawfordr@missouri.edu

No New Building In Foreseeable Future

After several years of ups and downs in our journey to construct a large addition to the Southwest Center office building, the project has come to an unfortunate and disappointing end. Funding for the "Learning and Telecommunications Center" as well as other Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative (LCDI)projects across the state was vetoed from the state budget by the Governor in late June.

The idea for a building addition actually began back in 2001. The existing meeting room at the SW Center can accommodate up to 90 people seated at tables or 120 seated in rows of chairs. Yet this modest capacity is one of the larger facilities in the area, unless you look to Springfield or Joplin. The central location in the region and easy access from I-44 make the SW Center a favorite location for Extension, agency and other meetings.

While we recognized a need for larger facilities, funding for such a project was not immediately identified. The prospects of us raising several million dollars seemed daunting. In the mean time, a number of conferences and meetings, including a variety of horticulture conferences and workshops and the Missouri Dairy Grazing Conference had to be turned away from the Center due to our limited capacity.

In 2007, Senate Bill 389 and House Bill 16 created the Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative with $16 million in funds for a dozen projects at MU, most of which were at outlying research centers and farms. The Southwest Center project was one of the larger ones at approximately $3 million.

Working with MU campus Planning, Design and Construction and the architectural firm of Bates and Associates in Springfield, MO, plans began to take shape. The new addition would include a 6,000 sq ft auditorium, a catering kitchen, several computer classrooms, a smaller conference room, and a lobby with reception area and additional rest rooms.

I was overwhelmed with the level of detail required for a project of this scope. After several lengthy meetings and re-designs, all the t's were crossed and the i's dotted, and invitations to submit bids went out January of this year. By January 15, we received 13 bids, all of which were under budget. Flintco Inc., submitted the low bid.

On Jan. 27, the University received a letter from the State Office of Administration explaining that due to the downturn in the economy, funding for the LCDI fell short of anticipated levels. As a result, several projects were suspended and 10 others (including the SW Center's project) were "under review." Two weeks later, we were notified that the projects that were under review were now suspended indefinitely.

On April 21, House Bill 19 was introduced; this bill proposed using Federal Budget Stabilization Funds to fund a long list of projects, including the LCDI projects that had been suspended. No action was taken on the bill, however, hopes were raised once again when a similar measure, HB 22, was passed and sent to the Governor as part of the state's budget package.

The final blow came when the Governor, in balancing the estate budget, exercised his line-item veto privilege and removed funding for the LCDI and other capital projects.

To the many of you who gave your support to this effort in so many ways over the years, I extend my heartfelt thanks. I know that you recognized the tremendous benefit the Learning and Telecommunications Center would have offered not only to the SW Center but to the entire region and the state. I am cautiously optimistic that funding will eventually be forthcoming, and that this "ready to go" project will ultimately come to fruition.

Site maintained by people at AgEBB
agebb@missouri.edu