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Davidson County officials tentatively back $3M participation in DCC public-safety campus

Davidson County Board of Commissioners · January 8, 2026

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Summary

Davidson County Community College presented plans for a regional emergency-response training center with state funding of roughly $16 million; commissioners signaled preliminary support for a $3 million county participation for water/sewer site work and authorized staff to place the item on the Monday agenda for formal action.

Davidson County Community College on Jan. 8 presented site plans and a funding request for a regional emergency-response training campus that would include an indoor firing range, a live-burn building, a Class B fire tower and flexible classroom space.

Ginny Varner, representing Davidson County Community College, said the project has roughly $16 million from state legislative allocations (federal COVID-relief funds repurposed for emergency preparedness) and that the college seeks county participation for site water and sewer development and selected repairs at existing campus buildings.

"We will be able to break ground this year," Varner said, describing the facility as a multipurpose regional training center for law enforcement, fire and EMS that will serve local agencies and students.

Staff reported county cash needs for participation would be about $3.0–3.4 million for the campus contribution and an additional roughly $950,000 for immediate facility repairs (boiler replacement and rooftop units). County staff proposed a plan to place $3.0 million in county cash for participation and to include the repair work in a budget amendment.

Commissioners discussed duplicating specialized training resources in neighboring counties, potential economic benefits of hosting regional training, and whether local fire chiefs should be consulted on tower and burn-building specifications. Several commissioners expressed preliminary approval of a $3 million participation, subject to follow-up with fire chiefs and a formal action placed on the Monday agenda.

No final appropriation was made at Thursday’s meeting; staff said they would return with a formal agenda item for Monday night and prepare the requested budget amendment.