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Council discusses partnership with Southwestern Christian College for criminal-justice classes and police academy planning
Summary
Council reviewed plans to fund criminal-justice classes at Southwestern Christian College and to develop a campus master plan that could support a future police academy; $30,000 is budgeted for classes while a comprehensive campus master plan is estimated at about $250,000 and would require separate funding.
City staff and Southwestern Christian College representatives updated the Terrell City Council on March 25 about a multi-step partnership to expand criminal-justice education and explore a police academy on the HBCU's campus.
College President Dr. Seamster (identified in public remarks) thanked the council for support and described Southwestern's effort to expand its degree offerings. City Manager Mike Sims and staff outlined two near-term items: a $30,000 budget allocation in the city's public-private partnership fund to support criminal-justice classes that are now accredited at the college, and the need for a campus master plan to guide longer-term facility, infrastructure and site decisions for a police academy.
Staff described the master plan as a more complex, later-stage project requiring an estimated $250,000 for visioning, site analysis, public outreach, and infrastructure planning. That plan would be subject to board approvals at Southwestern Christian College and subsequent council review. Council members discussed the relationship of this request to other funding options, including possible involvement from the Terrell Economic Development Corporation (EDC) for workforce-development funding.
Why it matters: The partnership aims to create a pipeline for local recruits into law enforcement and other public-safety careers, and to locate workforce development at a local HBCU. Council members voiced support while also urging caution about committing general fund dollars and asking staff to explore alternative funding sources.
Next steps: Staff said a memorandum of agreement will be drafted for the $30,000 class-support item and return to council for approval. Funding sources for the more expensive master plan will be researched before a future request is made.
