It’s a college that Oconee hopes to keep

In recent years there seemed to be little traction to persuade the powers-at-be that the time had finally arrived for Oconee County to have its own campus of Tri-County Technical College.  That changed today with groundbreaking at the Industry and Technology Park on highway 11.  Oconee businessman John Powell. Tech commission chairman, noted there have been other colleges in Oconee County, but none were able to stick. “After today,” Powell said, “students will be able to further their education, make more money, and spend it in Oconee County.”  Powell today was not the last of the ceremony speakers to commend the project for its co-location aspects.  To follow the Tech campus will be new Oconee School District career and adult education centers.  It’s conceivable that students will be able to work apprentices at the adjacent Baxter Manufacturing or at other plants that locate in the park. The Tech campus building will be 37,000 square feet to cost $7.25 million and paid for by state-appropriated funds.  Oconee County provided land site preparation worth $2.75 million.