County officials say they were 'blindsided' by cut to Area Technology Center funding; judge to follow up

Commissioners used their reports to highlight workforce training efforts and a newly reported funding cut to the Campbell County Area Technology Center (ATC).

Commissioner Painter and others described a recent chamber event that focused on retaining and recruiting workers for trades and service industries. He named Brady Jolley of Jolley Plumbing and Carolyn (Carol) Stewart, who runs the vocational tech center at Campbell County High School, as participants and said Dr. Figueroa from Gateway Community Colleges spoke about accessible trade training and low student debt for graduates.

During that exchange the judge and an unidentified speaker raised a separate concern: the ATC reportedly learned that its funding would be cut by "like, half." In the meeting an unidentified speaker said, "I can only say that, they think that we're blindsided by it. And it's, very disappointing and, to have to get resourceful and figure out how to move forward. But it's, it's very detrimental." The judge said she would try to find out more about the alleged reduction.

The comment was made in commissioners' reports and no supporting documentation or source for the funding change was provided at the meeting. The matter was not the subject of a formal agenda item and no action was taken; the judge indicated follow-up would occur at a future time.

The remarks highlight local concern about vocational-education funding and the broader regional conversation about trade training capacity and coordination across school districts.