Latest news with #trainingfacility
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
City may seek more voter funding as cost of Dallas police training facility balloons
One year after voters approved millions in bond funding for a new Dallas police training facility, city leaders are now considering asking the public for additional funds as project costs rise sharply. According to briefing documents presented to the Dallas City Council on Tuesday, the total estimated cost for the project has grown to $275 million, nearly double the $140 million approved by voters in May 2024. Original plan raised concerns CBS News Texas Three months ago, council members directed city staff to revisit the original plan after concerns emerged about its scope and effectiveness. The initial proposal would have left new police recruits training at the outdated Red Bird facility, which many on the council viewed as inadequate. During a March council meeting, Council Member Paul Ridley expressed frustration upon learning that the basic police academy would not be located at the new facility on the University of North Texas at Dallas campus. "But let me confirm what I'm hearing," Ridley said. "The basic academy will not be on the UNT campus. We're going to retain the leased space, the substandard training academy, to continue to train recruits. Is that what I'm hearing?" Space limitations prompt redesign City staff confirmed that was the case at the time, citing space limitations at the UNT Dallas site, which could not accommodate a vehicle training course or firing range. The revised plan now includes two separate facilities: a Dallas Police Department Law Enforcement Training Center at UNT Dallas and a City of Dallas Public Safety Training Complex. The UNT site would host classroom instruction and recruit training, while the second facility — still in the planning phase — would house the vehicle training course and firing range. Funding shortfall remains significant The city has secured $25 million from the Texas Legislature and about $21.5 million in private donations or pledges. However, with construction costs rising, the city faces a projected shortfall of approximately $124 million. Council vote expected next week The council is expected to vote next week on an agreement with UNT Dallas to move forward with the training center. Tuesday's meeting was limited to a closed-door executive session, and no public discussion had taken place as of late afternoon.
ABC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Parramatta Eels unveil $70m centre of excellence in Kellyville
Parramatta has officially launched its centre of excellence in Kellyville with the Eels opening the doors on the largest facility of its kind in rugby league on Thursday morning. The $70 million site is spread across 11 hectares and includes five full-size rugby league fields, a community centre, an indoor training centre, a gym and infrared sauna, rehabilitation pools, the club's offices and NRLW-standard match facilities with a capacity of 5,000. The venue is the first fully integrated NRL and NRLW training facility in Australia and a far cry from the Old Saleyards the club used as a training base when CEO Jim Sarantinos first joined the club back in 2016. "The gym was spread across three small little demountable modulars, the ice baths were out on the balcony, the first space I walked into was a team meeting room … but the chairs that were in there were plastic chairs from Bunnings, and it was so tight that players were kind of falling off and stumbling off the chairs," Sarantinos said. "Credit to them, the coaches and the players never used it as an excuse for performance but at some point it does have an impact. Funded by the NSW and federal government, the Hills Shire Council and Parramatta Leagues club, the Eels searched far and wide across professional sport, touring Premier League and NFL facilities to hone the design of the facility. There was also a special focus on integrating the club's history. The theatre room is named Jack's Bus, after the bus coach Jack Gibson used as a meeting place during the club's premiership years in the 80s. Former Eels from those premiership sides like Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Peter Wynn, Mick Cronin, Eric Grothe and Ray Price all donated memorabilia to the club to give the new building a true blue and gold feel. "We brought a number of players along for tours at different stages of the build and the biggest thing they were blown away by was just the size and the scale, particularly compared to the facilities that we were operating in," Sarantinos said. "We picked up a lot of ideas from looking at facilities in Australia, the US and Europe as well. "When you're going overseas, you're dealing with organisations that are on a different scale from a financial perspective, but it is about picking up things, different ideas that can be applied in our context." The accompanying community centre and grandstand will allow the Eels to play NSW Cup, junior representative and NRLW trial games at the venue. Sarantinos is hopeful the club could also host NRLW competition games in the future. "Once we set the facility up and we're up and running we'll be able to have the capacity to accommodate somewhere between 3,000 to 4,000 people for a game," he said. "Obviously, we'd love for the NRLW to grow where facilities like this are too small to accommodate NRLW games, but whilst we're still going on that growth trajectory … there's no reason why our facility wouldn't be able to accommodate games."
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mitchell Board of Education to consider construction bid for Mitchell Tech power line training facility
May 11—MITCHELL — A new training facility on the campus of Mitchell Technical College could take another step toward reality Monday when the Mitchell Board of Education considers a bid for construction of the proposed facility. The board is scheduled to meet Monday, May 12, in Room 10 at the Mitchell Career and Technical Education Academy. The meeting is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. According to the agenda for the meeting, bids were opened for a new 34,000 square-foot power line underground training facility on April 22. The district received eight bids for the project, which ranged in cost from $4,483,031 from Gil Haugan Construction of Sioux Falls to $5,396,300 from Henry Carlson Construction, LLC. Joe Childs, superintendent for the Mitchell School District, recommended in his agenda notes that the board accept the Gil Haugan Construction bid. "Eight bid proposals were submitted, all coming in under budget. I recommend the acceptance of the bid from Gil Haugan Construction in the amount of $4,483,031," Childs wrote. Other bids received for the project included a bids of $5,060,700 from Peska Construction, Inc., $4,981,500 from Lloyd Construction Company, $4,956,000 from NuAge Construction, $5,552,000 from Beck and Hofer Construction, $5,114,000 from Schmitz Construction and $4,734,227 from Puetz Design and Build. Those bids include the base bid and alternates. The Powerline Underground Building will be a cable equipment training facility on the Mitchell Technical College campus. The school announced in September that it expected the new facility would give a boost of about 75 jobs in the region. In addition, students in the Powerline Program will gain the advantage of a modern educational environment for their studies that will be accessible year-round, including during frosty South Dakota winters when the ground is frozen. The new facility is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026. Also at the meeting, the board is expected to consider the following personnel moves: * The new certified hires of Kelsey VanLoah, assistant 8th volleyball coach, $2,397; Jeremy Borgan, head 7th grade football coach, $3,237 and Abby Brunsing, head 8th grade volleyball coach, $2,876. All hires are effective for the 2025-26 school year. * The transfer of Kayla Hohbach, 9-month para to 12-month position, effective June 1. * The resignation of Trista Herren, paraeducator at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary, effective May 23. * The retirement of Deb Briggs, custodian at Mitchell Middle School, effective May 23. * The new Mitchell Technical College hires of Ryan Anderson, diesel power technology instructor, $72,000, effective Aug. 1; Alison Day, general education instructor, $61,000, effective Aug. 1; Jacob Doering, summer welding intern, $18 per hour, effective May 12; Lauren Hofer, summer LPN simulation tech, $15 per hour, effective May 12; Mercedes Jarding, summer LPN simulation tech, $15 per hour, effective May 12; Sydney Storm, financial aid — assistant director, $5,073 ($52,000 prorated until June 30), effective May 12 and Tessa Weidenbach, summer welding intern, $18 per hour, effective May 12. * The Mitchell Technical College retirement of Mike Puetz, power line construction and maintenance instructor, effective May 31. Also at the meeting, the board is expected to: * Enter into executive session for the purpose of preparing for contract negotiations or negotiating with employees or employee representatives. * Consider approval of K-12 salaries for the 2025-26 school year for administrators and personnel not included in the MCEA or MEA agreements. * Consider approval of the Mitchell School District and MCEA negotiations. * Consider approval of the comprehensive special education plan for the district for the 2025-26 school year. * Hear board member reports. * Hear the superintendent report, including information regarding equipment salvage and demolition of the current Mitchell High School building. * Recognize accomplishments of several student organizations, including HOSA, FBLA, Skills USA, FFA, Pro Start, FCCLA, Robotics and Educators Rising. The meeting is open to the public. The Mitchell Republic will livestream the meeting on its website.
