Under the recently passed state budget, Southwestern Community College was allocated $20 million by the N.C. Legislature to attend to various critical community and institutional needs.
A significant portion of the funds, $10 million, is earmarked for the construction of an indoor firing range at Southwestern’s Public Safety Training Center in Franklin. This facility is designed to cater to the training requirements of local, regional, statewide, and federal law enforcement officers and recruits. “The indoor firing range has long been a necessity in close proximity to our Public Safety Training Center,” emphasized Don Tomas, SCC president. Presently, the only firearms training option available at SCC for law enforcement officials is an outdoor range in Dillsboro, which necessitates a 30-minute drive from the PSTC.
The outdoor range will continue to be operational, enabling recruits and officers to undergo essential training in environmental conditions they are likely to encounter in the field.
The remaining $10 million will be utilized for expansion and renovation initiatives at SCC’s Sylva campus, commencing with an addition to Oaks Hall. This move will facilitate the relocation of Holt Library to the heart of the campus. Currently situated at the far northeastern end of the campus, the relocation aims to enhance student access to the library’s resources and services between classes. Additionally, one of the proposed projects involves transforming the existing library building into a dedicated space for Workforce Continuing Education classrooms.
