By Thomas Lynn
The Board of Trustees met Sept. 20 at the Flagler/Palm Coast campus to approve the extension of parking and addition of a new facility there.
The trustees had a hard time ignoring the stark differences between this meeting place and their usual venue at the Daytona campus. When Steven Eckman, Director of Facilities Planning, produced the Master Site Plan construction for a new two story building along with an extension to the insufficient road and parking at the Flagler/Palm Coast campus, the board approved it unanimously. A state designated requirement for the college to update its facilities, the Master Site Plan is estimated to cost up to $600 million when finished. For the new additions to Flagler/Palm Coast, Eckman said, it will cost Daytona State College $7.5 million and be complete in two years. One year is for planning and blueprints, another for construction.
“Yeah, you can say that it’s an optimistic goal,” Laughed Eckman. He expects that by 2014, the students will be able to enjoy the new space.
After a year and a half of discussions and proposed agreements, the board has eagerly approved an endowment with Mike Curb, a Nashville music producer. The Mike Curb Family Foundation will donate to DSC $500,000 over the course of 5 years — $100,000 a year. This money will be used for scholarships to students in music, entertainment and arts in exchange for something being named in his honor. With the end of the Curb endowment nearly in sight for DSC’s board, there is only one thing standing in its way. His name is Jon Kaney of Kaney & Olivari, P.L. Attorneys at Law.
Kaney has the last say over how the agreement is worded, if he disapproves with the wording of the agreement, it will be sent back to the Board. Brian Babb, general counsel for DSC, said Kaney has seen some versions but not the latest, which will be sent to him for review. The board is using Kaney as a precaution to avoid reliving the previous arrangement with Curb back in 2008, which never received board approval and then spiraled out of control.
A slight hitch in the agreement is due to the Halifax Media having naming rights for the News-Journal Center. The College cannot guarantee Curb that there will be a sign on the outside of the building, as originally agreed to. Board chairman Dwight Lewis said a plaque will have to be placed on the inside.
“This is a good man who has a good name,” said Lewis and Curb understands, he added, the naming limitations the college faces.