BLINN TRUSTEES VOICE SUPPORT OF DISTRICT-WIDE MASTER PLAN INITIATIVE

  

A proposal to create planning documents serving the full Blinn College District had the full support of trustees during workshop session Thursday.

The board discussed the potential development of a district-wide facility master plan, and heard presentations regarding the scope and benefits of having a plan. It also discussed proposals to build a new residence hall on the Brenham Campus, as well as a new academic building on the RELLIS Campus in Bryan.

The proposed master plan would cover Blinn’s entire 13-county service area, which includes Austin, Brazos, Burleson, Fayette, Grimes, Lee, Madison, Waller, and Washington Counties, and parts of Milam, Montgomery, Robertson, and Walker Counties.

While Blinn previously has developed strategic and master plans for the Brenham Campus and Brazos County, this would be the first district-wide master plan in the College’s history.

Facility Planning and Construction Director Richard O’Malley said having a plan will help the College create a process for continuous planning, identify priorities and alternatives in allocating resources, and involve community stakeholders in the decision-making process.

O’Malley said there is still a lot to consider for the project moving forward.

 

Each of the trustees spoke in favor of having a plan moving forward, with trustee Jim Kolkhorst saying it would be “foolish” to not have a plan. Trustee Dan Gatewood said this would be an opportunity to establish short, mid, and long-term planning for the College, and added the historical quote from Benjamin Franklin: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”.

There were no action items on the workshop agenda, but action on the plan could be taken at the board’s regular October meeting.