NCMC project included in $1.3 billion supplemental appropriations bill

Karly Graham, The Petoskey News-Review
·2 min read
If Gov. Gretchen Whitmer approves the passed bill, North Central Michigan College will get $10 million to fund a Career and Technical Education Enhancement project.
If Gov. Gretchen Whitmer approves the passed bill, North Central Michigan College will get $10 million to fund a Career and Technical Education Enhancement project.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Northern Michigan is directly benefiting from a $1.3 billion supplemental appropriations bill passed in the senate Tuesday.

The passed bill will allocate $10 million to help fund North Central Michigan College's Career and Technical Education Enhancement (CATEE) project.

Money for the project will go towards a total renovation of the 59-year-old technology building. The renovation will allow for additional machinery and technologies to be held in the building. The state-of-the-art machinery upgrades will include technology related to robotics, engineering, automotive diagnostics and repair, CAD and CNC machining, mechatronics, welding and construction, according to a release.

“CATEE will transform our ability to offer world-class education in areas that are critical to Northern Michigan and the entire state,” said North Central President David Roland Finley in a release. “Michigan’s future depends on a highly educated, well-trained workforce in areas including nursing, allied health, automation, mechatronics, robotics, and many of the skilled trades that drive our economy.”

The multi-million dollar project will also include a renovation and expansion of the Health Education and Science Center. The plan will help accommodate the growing nursing program, while allowing the college’s health care graduates to meet regional and statewide demands.

The $10 million request was included in House Bill 4016, sponsored by state Rep. Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township). The senate passed the bill with a 22-16 vote, including support from John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs). In addition to the support going to North Central, the bill included $630 million to Ford Motor Company for an electrical vehicle battery plant near Marshall and a $3.75 million for Northwestern Michigan College's aviation project.

A group of students check out the North Central Michigan College Mobile Digital FAB LAB.
A group of students check out the North Central Michigan College Mobile Digital FAB LAB.

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“Over the past several weeks, I have been fighting for funds that will help our region and the state and working with whoever I can in Lansing to represent our district well,” Damoose said in a statement. “First and foremost, I am proud to have been able to secure nearly $10 million for North Central Michigan College in Petoskey for the creation of the new Career and Technical Education Enhancement Center. This funding will help address the serious workforce development challenges throughout our region.”

After passing in the senate, the bill headed to the House of Representatives, who passed the bill Wednesday with a vote of 59-49, with two members not voting.

At the time of writing, the bill has been enrolled to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk, meaning she has 14 days to sign or veto the bill. If Whitmer approves the bill, funding will become available immediately.

— Contact education reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: House, Senate approve bill with $10 million in funding for NCMC