Gillette College trustees question lack of state support as Enzi Center costs increase

Gillette Community College District trustees are frustrated by the lack of support they’ve received from the state in their effort to construct a building named after late federal and state lawmaker Mike Enzi, as the project cost has increased more than $5 million.

Rough estimates first pegged the project at about $33 million. The price tag now is about $40 million, with additional hikes of 5%, between $2 million to $3 million dollars, for every year of construction delay.

The project narrowly made it through the Legislature this year with no state dollars going toward its construction.

The college district plans to fund the building with private fundraising but sought state approval in order to qualify for state maintenance funding in the event that trustees increase the district mill levy to 4 mills. The district currently taxes less than 4 mills, disqualifying it from state dollars.

In a Tuesday workshop, Robert Palmer, college board trustee, voiced frustration at the lack of state involvement with the Enzi building and also the absence of any state building in Gillette, Wyoming’s third-most populated city and county.

“Dammit, it is time that the state of Wyoming puts some money into a state building (in Campbell County),” Palmer said. “And we can share the building with a state office if that’s what they’d like to do but we need to have a state building that the state of Wyoming’s willing to put some money into.”

He also asked Gillette College President Janell Oberlander if it’s possible to still receive state funding for the Enzi building.

“Have we closed the door from the capital construction to go back to the state and get more money?” he asked.

Questioning support

During the workshop, trustees received an update from Martin Woulfe, college facilities director, and Jake Schrickling, a project manager with the State Construction Department. In the update, the two gave details about next steps in the process, including design plans that cost between $175,000 and $250,000.

The plans would conservatively take between six to eight months to complete.

Construction documents and blueprints would follow the design plans at a cost of $3.5 million to $4.5 million, adding more months to the process. In total, Woulfe said the cost of the Enzi Center, which includes a major renovation to the main building, jumped to $40 million in the past year due to inflation and higher construction costs.

Palmer and trustees Tracy Wasserburger and Nello Williams shared disappointment about the lack of support they’ve received from state leaders for the building.

“This may take special legislation to receive funding,” Palmer said. “And again, Trustee Williams says it best. What better way for the state of Wyoming to honor a past servant of the state, city and United States than to put some money into this facility?”

Wasserburger agreed, referencing other buildings the state’s named in honor of national leaders.

Palmer went on to describe state buildings located in communities across Wyoming but not Gillette or Campbell County.

“We’re the third largest community in the state of Wyoming,” he said. “Can you name one state facility — and I’m not talking about workforce development and I’m not talking about DFS — but can you name one state building that is in the third largest community in the state of Wyoming?”

Williams spoke to the wealth of funding Campbell County has paid to the state throughout the years. The school district alone has sent more than $1 billion dollars back to the state in the last 40 years to equalize funding for students statewide.

Much of Wyoming’s tax revenue still comes from the coal, oil and gas industry, historically rich industries within Campbell County.

“Who sends more money to the state than Campbell County?” Williams said. “And so look what the state’s done with these facilities that you’re talking about. How many of these facilities are supported by the funds from Campbell County?”

Oberlander said she’s had conversations with local lawmakers and federal delegations about the project but she’s open to having more of them. She added that trustees can voice their concerns with local legislators at a breakfast meeting she’s tentatively planning for June.

Next steps

College foundation members plan to select a capital campaign consultant at their board meeting next week. The consultant would work with a committee to lead a fundraising effort to raise money for the project. The fundraising goal remains unclear.

“We’re going forward with a capital campaign but does anyone know how much or is that to be determined?” asked Josh McGrath, college board chair.

“I think that’s part of the consultant’s work is how much they think they can raise through the capital campaign,” Oberlander said.

Dollars for the next phase of design work could come from the foundation or be included in the college’s upcoming budget, Oberlander added. That’s something college leaders will consider in upcoming months.

The idea for the Enzi Center is not new. Similar plans for an academic building were submitted to the state five years ago. In Old Main, the library area is filled and science labs built decades ago are now outdated.

The new building located on lots leased from the city of Gillette between Thunder Basin High School and the college’s health sciences center includes space for new labs, a modernized and expanded library and an area to honor Enzi with his own relics and personal items.

The library and labs would move into the new center and the Old Main spaces they filled would receive a facelift through renovation.

“So it’s really almost a two-step project,” Woulfe told trustees.

Woulfe has worked with the state through its capital construction process, although Schrickling said the process doesn’t need to be followed since the project’s using private dollars.

However, Schrickling said he recommends following the state’s guidelines. Since Woulfe now knows state protocols, it gives a leg-up for work in the future if the college does receive state funding through the capital construction budget for future projects.

“He’s getting ahead of the game and getting these procedures in place so when you guys do start getting major maintenance dollars and capital construction dollars, everything’s already in place and you’re off and running,” Schrickling said.

This story was published on April 20, 2024.