NEOUCOM School gets state funds for renovations to lab

A Huron company will provide dental care for prison inmates in Youngstown.
By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- The state is giving more than $239,000 to the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine for architects' and engineering fees to help rehab a laboratory/learning space at the school.
NEOUCOM offers a combined bachelor's/medical degree program with the University of Akron, Kent State University and Youngstown State University. In addition to these institutions, Cleveland State University makes up the educational consortium for the doctor of pharmacy program.
Over the objection of one member, the State Controlling Board voted 6-1 Monday to release $239,085 to cover architectural and engineering fees for the $3.3 million project.
Made up of six state lawmakers and a representative of the governor's office, the board has the final say over some of the state's larger spending requests.
Hasenstab Architects of Akron was selected for the design services contract, the state said.
Project plans
The project involves 15,300 square feet of space. Among the improvements planned are updates of interior finishes, and updates to the heating and cooling systems, plumbing and electrical systems.
State Sen. John Carey, a Wellston Republican who sits on the board, registered the lone objection.
Carey, who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he objected to NEOUCOM's assertion the institution would seek reimbursement from the state of about $1.47 million in the next two-year capital appropriations bill.
Carey said the bill has not yet been introduced.
"They're spending money that hasn't been appropriated yet," Carey said. "I don't think that's a good practice."
NEOUCOM official questioned
During the board session, Carey asked John Thomas, NEOUCOM's interim director of campus operations, what the institution would do should it not receive an appropriation.
Thomas said institution officials understand they would be responsible for generating the funds but was unable to provide details.
Patrick Crowley, a NEOUCOM spokesman, said that the medical school has filed the necessary paperwork with the state and that the school expects to be reimbursed in the upcoming capital bill.
Papers filed with the controlling board say the NEOUCOM project is to be funded, in part, through $1.346 million in the two-year capital appropriations bill adopted by the Legislature last year.
Those same papers say the remainder of the project would be funded by a federal grant of $491,000; $15,242 in local funds and $1.473 million in local funds "to be reimbursed with 07-08 appropriation."
Prison dental services
Also, the board, without comment, unanimously approved a $186,513 contract with a Huron, Ohio, firm for comprehensive dental services at the Ohio State Penitentiary on Youngstown's East Side.
The pact with Health Care Benefits Inc. is for $46,628 for the fiscal year that ends in June, and $139,885 for the next fiscal year for dental services.
The prisons department chose HCB for the contract from three firms that returned requests for proposals.