Construction work to renovate and expand the Student Success Center at Richland Community College in Decatur can continue now that original funding for the project has been restored. On Aug. 24, the Capital Development Board (CDB) sent a notice saying work on the project can resume.
The project had been put on hold since June 15 due to the state’s ongoing budget impasse; however, State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) successfully fought to restore the funds in the most recent budget negotiation that was signed into law June 30.
“This is not only good news for students at Richland Community College, but for Decatur as a whole,” Rose said. “This construction project provides a shot in the arm for Decatur’s economy and jobs sector, while the building, once completed, will bolster Richland Community College’s already impeccable reputation for helping students achieve success.
“Our community college system provides countless Illinoisans with an opportunity to access good-paying jobs with benefits. We cannot survive as a state, or a nation, without a highly-trained, educated, and skilled workforce. This type of investment is a necessary component of a multi-pronged approach to increasing employment not just in Macon County, but across the state of Illinois. It brings immediate construction jobs to the area and in the long-term, will help educate future employees to access highly-skilled and in-demand job opportunities in the Decatur area,” Rose concluded.