RSCC,TCAT look at merging facilities
It’s early days yet, but “discussions” are underway between the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) and Roane State Community College about a new facility the two entities will share in the I-75 Industrial Park in Clinton.
“Talk are underway about a new facility,” Roane State Communication Director Owen Driskill said this week. “There’s a lot to go over, a lot of planning to do, but we’re looking in that direction.”
If Roane State join forces with TCAT, it would close it’s Clinton Workforce Development Center in the old armory.
“We’ve been really appreciative to be in the old Armory,” Driskill said. “It has allowed us to offer services to not just Clinton and Anderson County residents, but to people from Scott, Union, and Campbell counties. That place has been hopping.
“And we want to keep offering those same services should a move take place.”
Driskill said it’s still unknown how big of a facility will be available, how much space Roane State would using, or when any of this might happen.
But he added, Roane State is “Committed to offering a good workforce development program.”
He noted it could pan out that service offered now at the old Armory could be divided between a new facility and the Oak Ridge Campus of Roane State Community College.
TCAT opening its doors in Norris in September, 2017, and at the time it was noted it was “temporary” home for the facility.
Should the RSCC Workforce Development campus move from the armory, it won’t stay empty long.
There has been a lot of talk about the old Armory being rented or leased to the county at $1 a year to be used as a senior center.
All talk has been unofficial and off-the-record with no one wanting to jinx the probability of the plan.
One city official did say that it would take a minor refurbishing of the old Armory to make it acceptable as a senior center — mainly adding a kitchen area and updating the HVAC unit.