ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
Tuesday morning, Seward County Community College welcomed U.S. Senator Jerry Moran to its new West Campus in the former Walmart Neighborhood Market building on Western Avenue in Liberal for a town hall meeting.
Moran discussed federal funding for the college among other topics, and he had some good news for SCCC as part of its trucking program, which will soon occupy part of the West Campus.
“When the Republicans took the majority in the House three years ago, they reinstated something that used to be called earmarks,” he said introducing money in a line item sponsored by the senator. “It’s now called congressionally designated spending. It’s the opportunity for members of Congress, if they choose, to try to meet the needs of some of the communities in their states or congressional districts. I believe Washington D.C. spends too much money, borrows too much money, and I’m not really interested in adding to spending.”
However, Moran said he wants to make sure Kansas gets the money the federal government can provide and spend that money in a wise way. As part of congressional designated spending, Moran has focused on trying to help communities grow existing businesses and bring in new businesses.
“In other words, create more jobs for more people, better paying jobs for more people,” he said. “My view is Kansas, including Liberal and Seward County, is poised for significant opportunities for more businesses who find this way desirable.”
Moran pointed to Panasonic choosing to build a new plant and employ 4,000 people, saying bigger communities have become unliveable and too expensive to locate businesses.
“The one thing we need to make certain we do in order to take advantage of people looking for opportunities in Kansas is to have a highly motivated, trained and educated workforce,” he said. “Our universities, they’re important, but I think too often, we’ve forgotten about community colleges and technical colleges. “
Moran added he wants to focus federal spending on finding ways to help community colleges and tech schools meet the needs of the students and the communities they serve.
As for the trucking program and building community college and tech school education, Moran said challenges still exist, and federal leaders are working with the Kansas Department of Transportation and local officials to try to meet those needs.
In appropriations for Fiscal Year 2024, Moran said money has been appropriated, passed by the House and Senate and signed by President Joe Biden, and proceeds are currently in the paperwork process for part of a line item to bring SCCC $1.2 million to expand its commercial driver’s license program.
Moran said this will help the school further meet the needs of Southwest Kansas, as well as the rest of the state and country when it comes to the need for people who professionally trained to drive.
“Congratulations to Seward County Community College,” he said. “Thank you for doing your work so well.”
SCCC President Brad Bennett said it has been a journey to get this far, and there is still work to be done before the West Campus comes to full fruition. He also thanked Kansas 125th House District Representative Shannon Francis and 38th District Senator Ron Ryckman for their work in Topeka.
Bennett talked about the nationwide shortage of truck drivers, something he said is felt more in Southwest Kansas than other parts of America.
“Our goal was to be a part of the solution to the problem,” he said. “With this expansion, we’ll grow from 55 graduates a year to 225 graduates a year – a massive growth. Additionally, we’ll have an expanded update of the diesel tech area, as well as square footage saved for USD 480 to have a partnership and get more students into technical education.”
Bennett praised the work of Moran not only on helping the college, but for everything the federal lawmaker does.
“Senator Moran makes time to listen to our concerns and needs at any given time,” he said. “It is rare in today’s world to find a U.S. senator who is universally respected. It is a great honor to welcome the senator to our new West Campus and thank him for being an advocate for Kansas, but especially for his support for community colleges.”
Bennett then began reviewing what will be housed in the West Campus, starting with the north side of the building, which will be used for CDL classrooms. He added the truck driving school is set to be in place by Sept. 15, with the next phase of the project planned for the diesel technology department.
“In that time, we will put repair bays and wash bays to the north,” he said. “This building’s 42,000 square feet and 12 acres. The north side’s a little more expensive because we put bathrooms in the back. We’re doing some outside work. When all is said and done outdoors, we’re looking at $128 a square foot on the north side of the building.”
Next on the south side, Bennett said this will be used as part of a recent partnership SCCC started with USD 480.
“We’re really looking at a microlab concept to get freshmen and sophomore high school students involved in technical education, take those classes when their juniors and seniors and become productive members to our community and Southwest Kansas as a whole,” he said.
A brief break was taken for pictures for construction workers and architects on the project before Moran began the actual town hall, where he discussed some of the issues federal lawmakers are addressing in the nation’s capitol, starting with immigration.
“I have no doubt our country faces significant risks of terrorist activity, and part of it is a result of the ability of people to come to the United States so easily,” he said. “The FBI picked up individuals who were on the terrorist watchlist who crossed the southern border a month ago.”
Moran said those on all sides of the immigration issue agree the system needs to be fixed, and this is something in which he has not seen much change.
“We need a better immigration system. Liberal and Seward County would be a place that would understand the value of immigration,” he said. “One ought to be able to demonstrate their health circumstances, their national security issues and have a process by which people who are legally entitled to come to the United States can do so.”
Moran said work continues to get a customs and border patrol office in Southwest Kansas to allow area residents easier access to those federal agencies. He added the challenges the nation faces with immigration are quite real.
“While we are arguing amongst each other, China, Russia, Iran and others are doing things that are designed to make sure the United States does not remain the leader of the world, and we ought to be working together to make certain we don’t allow that to happen,” he said.
With the current Farm Bill set to expire Sept. 30, Congress is working under an extension, and Moran said some in Washington do not seem to be taking the need for a new bill seriously.
“Several months ago, the chairwoman of the Senate Ag Committee announced she was satisfied with the Farm Bill the way it is now,” he said. “It sufficiently met the needs of nutrition programs and green energy. We will not pass a Farm Bill that does not include things related to nutrition and food programs, and this administration is clearly aligned with green in agriculture.”
Moran said the lack of concern for a new Farm Bill is unprecedented in his time as a legislator.
“Never in my time I’ve been in a Congress in which we’re dealing with a Farm Bill has the chairperson of the Ag Committee in the House or Senate indicated we’re satisfied with what we have, we don’t need to work any further to get something different or new,” he said. “That was a change, and my point to my colleagues has been the world of agriculture, production agriculture in Kansas and across the country is in significantly different circumstances than it was five years ago when we passed a Farm Bill.”
Moran said data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates farming is expected to be 43 percent less profitable than it was five years ago, and that does not include increasing input costs.
“The world is different today than it was five years ago when it comes to diesel fuel, natural gas, fertilizer,” he said. “We are beating the drum to make certain we get a good Farm Bill and we actually get a Farm Bill.”
Moran then talked briefly about the importance of ethanol and the capabilities it has to make good things happen locally, particularly in the aviation industry.
“There are opportunities coming our way in Southwest Kansas to help the airlines have renewable fuels,” he said. “It’s true here, and it’s true in Coffeyville, Cherryvale and other places in Kansas where there’s a growing and budding interest in industry in making aviation fuel from agricultural commodities.”
Seward County Commissioner C.J. Wettstein asked Moran about the progress being made to upgrade the Massoni Bridge west of Kismet. The senator said a committee hearing has taken place, and expectations show something should happen soon with the project.
“We have received our top line numbers for FY ’25, and we will mark up the appropriations starting July 25,” Moran said. “We would expect and hope in that markup, there would remain my request for $2.376 million for replacement of the Massoni Bridge on Road T southwest of Kismet. We have had conversations with the railroad, the Kansas Department of Transportation and you all trying to figure out how to make this project come together.”
