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Wright Technical Center director asks Delano board to back $10.5 million bonding request for facility upgrades
Summary
Brian Nutter, executive director of Wright Technical Center, told the Delano school board that the cooperative needs a new roof, HVAC renovations and interior remodeling and is asking for $10,500,000 from state capital bonding; he highlighted program enrollment, employer partnerships and funding through member-district access/usage fees.
Brian Nutter, executive director of Wright Technical Center, told the Delano Public School District board that the cooperative’s facility needs immediate work and that Wright Tech will ask state lawmakers for $10,500,000 in capital bonding this year.
Nutter, who said he took the job July 1, reviewed the center’s 12 technical programs and enrollment for Delano students, noting “there are 68 Delano students participating in the different programs you see listed there.” He described strong business partnerships — including donated and loaned equipment from vendors such as RDO and Ziegler CAT and funding through union apprenticeship relationships — that support hands-on programs like heavy equipment operations and maintenance.
Why bonding matters, he said, is practical: “We are going to be asking for the fourth year, for $10,500,000, to improve our facility,” Nutter said, listing a leaking roof, aging HVAC systems and the need to remodel space now occupied by Head Start and an off-site cosmetology program that was converted from a garage.
Nutter explained how Wright Tech is funded: member districts pay access and usage fees tied to student enrollment; for this year Delano’s share is 11.22 percent, calculated from prior-year enrollment metrics. He also described a $43,000 Minnesota Department of Education grant to enable concurrent enrollment in the early childhood program, which would provide college credits through Hennepin Technical College at no cost to eligible students.
Board members pressed Nutter on why previous bonding requests were unsuccessful. Nutter said competition is fierce: touring committees visit many sites and larger municipal infrastructure needs often receive higher-priority consideration. He added that last year Wright Tech closed a large bond and has reduced its deficit substantially but still needs capital help for renovations.
The presentation concluded with Nutter asking the Delano community to contact local legislators in support of the bonding request; the board did not take a vote on the bonding ask at the meeting.
Nutter’s presentation also covered program highlights and enrollment trends, including an explanation that a large partner district’s reduced participation and a late hire in law enforcement instruction contributed to declines in the law-enforcement program this year.
