TC appoints Roger Hailey as interim trustee

By Randy Grider
randy@casscountynow.com

The Texarkana Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Roger Hailey as the interim board representative from Cass County at its Monday meeting. The appointment is contingent on Cass County voters approving a proposal to become part of TC’s taxing district.
Hailey, a retired educator, and former Atlanta ISD superintendent, lives in Bivins. He said he believes the TC annexation would have a positive impact on the county.
“From my perspective and viewpoint, I look at it as an opportunity for all citizens of Cass County, but especially the young people who want to pursue a degree or vocational certificate,” Hailey said. “I also look at it as an opportunity for economic development for Cass County.”
If passed, TC students from the Atlanta, Bloomburg, Linden-Kildare, McLeod and Queen City school districts would pay in-district tuition -- a savings of about $795 per semester. TC has committed to operating a workforce training center in Atlanta that will offer certifications in industrial maintenance/multi-craft, licensed vocational nursing, cosmetology, truck driving and welding as well as more dual credit courses for high school students.
Property owners would be accessed an annual tax of 11 cents per $100 of appraised property value. 
Many property owners not in favor of paying more taxes have opposed the proposal.
Hailey said he understands that the TC annexation has been a highly debated topic and he has discussed it with people for both sides.
“As I’ve gotten older and evolved, I’ve realized that you have to give before you get. It’s one of the cardinal rules of life,” Hailey said. “I equate this kind of election to that rule. The citizens of Cass County, if they decide to make an investment in Texarkana College, this will be an investment in our future. It may take awhile to reap the rewards of that investment, but it will come.”
Hailey’s role on the board will be an ex-officio trustee. He will be present at all board meetings and can offer his opinion, but will not have a vote. 
The next mandated election cycle that can include a voting trustee from Cass County will be in November 2018 to begin serving in 2019. The board at that time will contain one guaranteed Cass County representative and two at-large seats. It’s possible for Cass County to have between one and three representatives in the future.
TC President James Henry Russell said the board is grateful for Hailey’s willingness to serve in this capacity should Cass County residents choose to join the TC district.
“We are listening to feedback from citizens and businesses and responding to their needs as we develop our presence in Cass County,” Russell said. “Roger Hailey is a Cass County resident and former Atlanta ISD Superintendent. His appointment as an ex-officio trustee on the TC Board will give Cass County citizens immediate representation and a voice in decisions that affect TC’s service to their county.”
Russell outlined the plans of the proposed site of the Cass County campus, which is located at the intersection of Highway 43 and Highway 77. 
TC has an option to purchase the former Horn Enterprises facilities for $450,000.  
TC will have a total investment of approximately $4 million when completed. 
“I think the site is perfect,” Russell said. “It’s right in the heart of Atlanta. It’s only about seven minutes from Queen City, 10 minutes from Bloomburg, right about 15 minutes from McLeod and about 13 to 15 minutes from Linden. It’s really centrally located from the county’s school districts.”
Russell showed board members the floor plans of the main building and an adjacent building that will house welding classes. 
Russell also presented a summary budget for TC Cass County showing all proposed taxpayer revenue invested in the development and continued operation of the proposed training site. 
Russell said every penny of the $1.6 million collected annually in property taxes will be used to pay off the loan taken out for renovating the existing site and operating the programs. 
Russell also reported that the decision to add the industrial maintenance/multi-craft program to the lineup of courses at the proposed TC Cass County site came as a result of input from regional industry leaders and major employers. 
Representatives from employers including International Paper, Cooper Tire and Domtar serve on TC’s workforce advisory boards and help design curriculum tailored to the needs of their labor force.
International Paper’s Cass County Mill Manager, Matt Barbour, told TC officials that having TC’s industrial maintenance/multi-craft training available in Cass County is exactly what they need to ensure access to a pool of skilled workers. According to regional employment data, there is an aging workforce in northeast Texas and southwest Arkansas with a limited supply of skilled workers to fill job vacancies. 
“This is a big part of what we do at TC. As a community college, we work with our region’s employers and align our programs with workforce needs,” Russell said. 
“Having International Paper and other key employers like Cooper Tire at the table helping us design our training programs ensures they are confident in TC’s ability to prepare students to work with emerging technologies and machines that keep their operations strong and productive in our region.”