MPCC considers buying property to alleviate student housing concerns

If all goes according to plan, MPCC will look at purchasing this property at 1109 E. Third to remedy the student housing crunch at McCook Community College. The 50 by 140 feet property, adjacent to the MCC parking lot, includes a house built in the 1940s and a garage, according to the Red Willow County Assessor's office. (Image courtesy/redwillow.gisworkshop.com)

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- Plans are moving forward for Mid-Plains Community College to purchase real estate at 1109 E. Third in McCook, Neb.

At the North Platte Community College campus, a public hearing was conducted Wednesday night to officially open a 30-day notice period required by state law, on the the college's possible entrance into a purchase agreement for a tract of real estate at 1109 East Third in McCook. It preceded the regular meeting of the Board of Governors.

If no objections are received in the 30-day period, MPCC can move forward and begin action on the purchase agreement at the the board's January meeting, said Chuck Salestrom, MPCC Director of Communications.

The house and property, adjacent to the McCook Community College parking lot, will be used for housing students attending MCC. Currently, MCC dorms have capacity for 140 with housing needed this year for about 25 additional students. Salestrom said. The college leased houses this fall to accommodate the overflow, he said.

According to the Red Willow County Assessor's office, the property is owned by Randall and Kimberly Korgen of McCook and is assessed at $32,716.

In other business, the board approved the elimination of the word "extended" from the Ogallala, Imperial, Broken Bow and Valentine Campus names.

That's because those campuses are no longer considered "extended," with classes held in library basements or back rooms, but now have physical buildings, Salestrom said.

Two new facilities were updated and two other buildings were built in those communities, he said, using $200,000 from MPCC and grants from the communities. They include five classrooms each, along with technical buildings.

Other action the board took Wednesday night included:

* The low bid of $61,724.70 from Eakes Office Solutions for furniture for the new Valentine Campus building.

* The purchase of distance learning equipment from CDW*G at a cost of $74,613.