Vernal campus in Huntsman budget

VERNAL — Goodbye trailers, hello brand new $14.4 million educational facility. Funding for a proposed building project that will open up new courses and new classrooms and provide a presence in Uintah County for both the Uinta Basin Applied Technology College and Utah State University Uinta Basin is included in Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s 2006 budget.

The governor is recommending that state lawmakers approve $9.9 million for construction of a facility to serve as the joint Vernal campus for the two schools. The approximately $4.5 million remaining in funds needed for the facility will be made up by Uintah County and through local donations.

"I became convinced of the need for this building on a trip during the summer when I visited the Uinta Basin," Huntsman said. "The industry and economic development in the Uinta Basin is vital for our state's long-term well being. We need the UCAT (Utah College of Applied Technology) facility to help promote a consistent and well-trained work force."

The building project that has experienced its ups and downs for close to a decade now could very well break ground this summer. The new educational facility would be constructed just east of Uintah High School near the current UBATC administration building and would take about two years to build.

Technology college classes are held in trailers and a remodeled building near Uintah High. USU Uinta Basin classes are held in the former Ashton Energy Building next to the Weston Plaza on Vernal's west end. Both locations lack the necessary space and amenities for growing student enrollment.

The governor's 2006 budget is an enormous piece of good news for local officials who have pitched the project in front of legislators for the past five years and stood before state building committees without success for nine years now.

"All the pieces are coming together," said USU Uinta Basin director Guy Denton, who was "ecstatic" over the governor's announcement.

"The problem in the past was the state's committed funds," said Denton, "with the reduction in tax revenue (in the state budget) there had only been a handful of buildings done. I think it's our turn now, I feel good about it."

The combined UBATC/USU Uinta Basin building is one of only three higher education facilities the governor has recommended that lawmakers fund in the 2006 Legislature.

Out of all proposed capital improvement projects throughout the state, the UBATC-USU Uinta Basin building is ranked second in priority, said Paul Hacking, UBATC president. The highest the building project had been ranked in past years was eighth, he said.