January 15-16, 2004 

ITEM 122-2016-R0104   Authorization to increase the current unrestricted fund authority of Fire Services Training School by $41,697.56 and $5,119.04 for FY 04 and FY 05 respectively to accommodate the funding that will be transferred to the agency from MSU-Bozeman.

THAT: MSU-Bozeman will fund the costs of moving, communication set-up and rent costs for FY 04 and FY 05 beyond the $49,000 provided by the movement of a one-time appropriation from the 2003 biennium to the 2005 biennium for Fire Services Training School. The total costs are estimated to be $66,197.56 for FY 04 and $29,619.04 for FY 05. The one-time appropriation to FSTS provides $24,500.00 for each year of the biennium to partially offset these costs.

 

EXPLANATION: In 1999, in Great Falls, the MSU-Bozeman College of Nursing moved, along with some programs from MSU Northern, to join the College of Technology and the Fire Services Training School in order to place all MSU educational programs under one roof. Because of the dramatic growth of enrollments at the MSU-Great Falls College of Technology and MSU-Northern and the modest enrollment increase in Great Falls of the MSU Bozeman nursing program, between 1999 and 2003, it was determined that, even in a one to three year horizon, it would no longer be possible to accommodate all MSU partners with the anticipated continuing enrollment increases and current space constraints. It was also determined that, because the College of Nursing and the Fire Services Training School are distinct programs, they could separate from the other programs with a minimum of disruption.

The Fire Services Training School has been located at Great Falls College of Technology since the construction of the current facility in 1976. Since shortly after that time, FSTS has not paid rent to the COT. Its current space needed to be vacated to make way for an expansion of the Library/Learning Center services at the COT, a move made necessary by rapidly expanding enrollments. Alternative space configurations were explored, but did not provide a real solution for the COT. Movement to a location in the Great Falls area was explored and a suitable space was found. Fire Services Training School leased space at 750 6th Street Southwest, Suite 205, and moved to their new location in August 2003.

MSU-Bozeman agreed to fund the costs of moving, communication set-up and rent costs for FY 04 and FY 05 beyond the $49,000 provided by the movement of a one-time appropriation from the 2003 biennium to the 2005 biennium for Fire Services Training School.