Northern back on track for new auto building
Tim Leeds
The proposed $7.9 million automotive-diesel technology building at Montana State University-Northern is back on the state Legislature's list of projects to be funded. 
The project got left out of the first go-round. 
Greg Kegel, Northern's dean of technical sciences, said Thursday he believes the bonding bill, which includes several university buildings as well as other state construction projects, has a good chance of passing. 
The cost of the bonding bill comes to about $98 million with Northern’s project included. Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, who supports the Northern funding, has warned that it may be difficult to pass the bill in this Legislature due to the price tag. 
But Kegel thinks it could work. 
“The thing is, though, that this building has huge support around the state, ” he said. “It is a building bill, it contributes to state assets and it stimulates the economy by putting workers back to work in construction. ” 
Northern Chancellor Frank Trocki also is optimistic. 
“If it passes the House I think theres a good shot at it, ” he said. “At least, I hope there”s a good shot. ” 
Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder, drafted the amendment to include Northern’s request on the bill. He said he expects executive action next week. 
“My major focus is to get it attached before it hits the full house committee, ” Belcourt told the Havre Daily News. “I believe I have the votes to add it. ” 
He said the bill had tremendous support. 
Kegel, who testified about the Northern building at the Legislature Wednesday with Trocki, said there was tremendous support specifically for Northern’s building from major industry leaders, who hire Northern graduates on a regular basis. 
Those included Caterpillar, the Dennis Washington Group and Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway. 
Northern Montana legislators also spoke well in favor of the building, he said. 
Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, said during a video teleconference Wednesday that the legislators will continue to fight for the funding. 
“We all see the value of what Northern provides up along the Hi-Line and literally around the state and the world, with the jobs they’re creating, ” he said. 
Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, said she testified about the great need for the facility, as well as safety concerns if the current building is not replaced. 
“I would not support the bill and will not vote for it if the amendment to include … Northern is not included. However, I feel confident that Northern will be included in the bill, as there was a wide array of support for the amendment from industry as well as from the university system, ” she said. 
Kegel said the plans for the building are ready. The Legislature appropriated $800,000 for planning and design, and the designs are completed, although $500,000 of that appropriation was taken back last fall. 
It would house three of Northern’s most successful programs: diesel, automotive and farm technologies. They now have about 250 students, near a record, and they are crowded in the old, deteriorating structure — which did not meet the needs when it was constructed decades ago, he said. 
That also makes it harder to recruit students to come to the programs, Kegel said. 
Trocki said the building has served its purpose, but needs to be replaced.
“It has served us well. Thousands of people, literally, have used that facility …, ” he said. “If we invest again in it that will, again, last 50 or 60 years. ”

The proposed $7.9 million automotive-diesel technology building at Montana State University-Northern is back on the state Legislature's list of projects to be funded. 

The project got left out of the first go-round. 

Greg Kegel, Northern's dean of technical sciences, said Thursday he believes the bonding bill, which includes several university buildings as well as other state construction projects, has a good chance of passing. 

The cost of the bonding bill comes to about $98 million with Northern’s project included. Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, who supports the Northern funding, has warned that it may be difficult to pass the bill in this Legislature due to the price tag. 

But Kegel thinks it could work. 

“The thing is, though, that this building has huge support around the state, ” he said. “It is a building bill, it contributes to state assets and it stimulates the economy by putting workers back to work in construction. ” 

Northern Chancellor Frank Trocki also is optimistic. 

“If it passes the House I think theres a good shot at it, ” he said. “At least, I hope there”s a good shot. ” 

Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder, drafted the amendment to include Northern’s request on the bill. He said he expects executive action next week. 

“My major focus is to get it attached before it hits the full house committee, ” Belcourt told the Havre Daily News. “I believe I have the votes to add it. ” 

He said the bill had tremendous support. 

Kegel, who testified about the Northern building at the Legislature Wednesday with Trocki, said there was tremendous support specifically for Northern’s building from major industry leaders, who hire Northern graduates on a regular basis. 

Those included Caterpillar, the Dennis Washington Group and Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway. 

Northern Montana legislators also spoke well in favor of the building, he said. 

Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, said during a video teleconference Wednesday that the legislators will continue to fight for the funding. 

“We all see the value of what Northern provides up along the Hi-Line and literally around the state and the world, with the jobs they’re creating, ” he said. 

Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, said she testified about the great need for the facility, as well as safety concerns if the current building is not replaced. 

“I would not support the bill and will not vote for it if the amendment to include … Northern is not included. However, I feel confident that Northern will be included in the bill, as there was a wide array of support for the amendment from industry as well as from the university system, ” she said. 

Kegel said the plans for the building are ready. The Legislature appropriated $800,000 for planning and design, and the designs are completed, although $500,000 of that appropriation was taken back last fall. 

It would house three of Northern’s most successful programs: diesel, automotive and farm technologies. They now have about 250 students, near a record, and they are crowded in the old, deteriorating structure — which did not meet the needs when it was constructed decades ago, he said. 

That also makes it harder to recruit students to come to the programs, Kegel said.

Trocki said the building has served its purpose, but needs to be replaced.

“It has served us well. Thousands of people, literally, have used that facility …, ” he said. “If we invest again in it that will, again, last 50 or 60 years. ”