SB518 heads to governor; administrator says $2 million grant could fund Richland County two‑year campus work

The administrator told the Richland County Campus Committee on Dec. 5 that SB518 cleared the assembly by a 95‑2 vote and is headed to the governor’s desk, a development that could make a $2,000,000 grant available for the county’s two‑year campus.

The administrator said the bill includes amendments requiring a 20% local match and 20 letters of community support before funds are released. The administrator also said the legislation would allocate an additional $20,000,000 overall for other two‑year campuses facing similar transitions.

Committee members said the governor’s approval and grant‑release steps are separate from system funding. The administrator clarified that the $2,000,000 figure is the maximum grant amount under the program and that the grant is independent of the system’s internal funds.

On project timing, the administrator reported that representatives from WCA, Mr. Brewer, Supervisor Williamson, Derek and county staff met with Venture Architects to discuss project plans and scheduling. Venture Architects, the administrator said, anticipate beginning on‑site work as soon as March if the contract is approved by the full board.

The administrator also described a recent campus walkthrough that found staff beginning to clear chemicals and mark items in the chemistry area; they characterized that activity as an early step in preparing the site for reuse. The administrator said the committee has received requests from outside entities to use campus grounds and that those requests are being forwarded to Carolyn Keller for review and approval.

The committee later moved into a closed session to receive a legal and negotiating update on the UW campus; attorney Wendell attended the session. When the committee returned to open session, the presiding member reported that no formal action was required based on the closed‑session updates.

Next steps the administrator outlined include awaiting the governor’s action on SB518, finalizing the contract with Venture Architects (pending full board approval), and scheduling a committee meeting before the next board meeting if Venture requests further discussion.

The committee adjourned after setting those follow‑up items.