Committee sets Gillette at $6 million, Jackson at $750,000 in HB 11 compromise; NC STEM cut fails

The Joint & Standing committee reconvened to consider amendments to House Bill 11 (the CAPCOM bill) and adopted a compromise on two community-college allocations, the committee chair said.

At the start of the session the chair outlined outstanding items in the bill: a previously adopted language change, an agreed change addressing a parking-lot/green-space issue at the University of Wyoming, and two remaining projects—finishing a building in Jackson and funding the NC Center at Gillette.

Representative Groves raised procedural questions about the funding mechanism and then offered a compromise motion to set Gillette Community College’s NC Center allocation at $6,000,000 and Jackson Community College’s project at $750,000. The motion was seconded and, after a voice vote, the chair announced it passed on a 5-to-1 tally.

Earlier in the discussion Senator Giroux moved to reduce funding for the NC STEM research facility from $16,000,000 to $8,000,000 and make that the committee position. That motion was moved, seconded and put to a vote but failed, the chair said.

Aaron Taylor of the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees addressed the committee to clarify how major maintenance and capital projects are handled in the bill. "All of the major maintenance for all of state buildings is in this bill," Taylor said, and he described the ‘‘L triple C’’ item as a capital-construction exterior renewal that had been added on the House side. Taylor also distinguished a roughly $19,000,000 inflation-related item as a separate consideration.

A committee member advocating for Gillette College urged inclusion, saying Gillette historically paid for and maintained its own facilities and that bringing it into the larger system would make it a net payer once it reaches four mills. In the discussion he described the compromise as "a net win" and said the approach levels the colleges despite using some general-fund dollars; he added, quoting from the record, "I think it's $1,314,000,000," in reference to an amount he said Gillette has paid from its own account.

Several members asked for clarity about the matching and incentive structure for capital projects. The chair explained the use of 1-to-1 and 2-to-1 matches and described such requirements as common practice to secure local investment before state funds are granted.

The committee also voted to reinsert previously stricken language for the University of Wyoming in section 3; the motion to reinstate that language was moved, seconded and approved with no recorded opposition.

With the outstanding amendment positions settled, the chair closed the session and members exchanged thanks for compromise. The committee adjourned.