Originally, I thought I wasn’t going to be able to attend the Community College Forum last night at the Unitarian Universalist Church but, as things worked out, I ended up with a free evening so, what I heck, I thought I go check it out.

I arrived at just about 7:00 p.m. on the nose and the parking lot was packed, as was the nave.  I recognized a handful of people, including Gary Horton, Joe Schember, Cindy Purvis, Dale McBrier, Father Jerry Priscaro, Diana Ames, and two of the panelists – Barry Grossman and Sue Weber.  I was not familiar with the other two panelists – Steve Bishop and Keith Farnham.

The evening began with an introduction by the pastor of the church, who, from what I heard, probably gives a pretty good sermon.  He was interesting, entertaining, and an effectual public speaker.

Two of the panelists, Steve Bishop and Barry Grossman, spoke in favor of the community college in Erie; one panelist, Keith Farnham, spoke against the Community College; and Sue Weber spoke in favor of having the Butler County Community College open a branch campus here in Erie instead of Erie having its own Community College.

Steve Bishop, Executive Director of the Corry Higher Education Council

• Our state tax dollars already go to help support 14 community colleges
• Erie has three times the state average of people attending career/trade schools
• No current educational opportunities for poor and middle class
• For profit trade schools are interested in profit
• Community college mission is to serve its community
• Community college is preferable to a trade school because the cost of attendance is lower and the credits are transferable to a four-year institution

Keith Farnham, retired from Zurn Industries

• No acknowledgment from community college  supporters of the CAMTech fiasco
• County still owes $700,000 on the CAMTech deal
• Believes the ReThink Erie study has statistical errors
• Behrend started out as a community college funded by Hammermill
• Jamestown Community College is now part of the SUNY system
• Does not believe the financial figures given by others
• Does not believe the ReThink Erie survey is legitimate

Barry Grossman, Erie County Executive

• Studies show that the biggest missing link in Erie is a community college
• GE CEO Lorenzo Simonelli asked where the community college was
• Out of the top 20 businesses/employers in Erie County, 16 of them are asking for a community college
• We spend hundreds of millions on buildings (hotel, runway, Tullio Center, etc.) but spend nothing on people
• Northwest Pennsylvania is the largest Pennsylvania population without a community college
• There will be no bond issue nor a tax increase to support the community college
• There will be $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 from gaming funds, $1,000,000 from ECF, and private funding
• There will be no or very little cost for buildings, as there are already building in existence that can be used

Sue Weber, Erie County Controller

• Believes we should bring a branch campus of the Butler County Community College to Erie
• Highlighted Erie County’s current debt, including CAMTech and bond debt
• Highlighted possible future debts such as fixing problems at 911 Call Center, a new geriatric center, reduced future gaming revenues, 2012 property reassessment, state pension crisis

At then end of the panel discussion and question & answer session, audience members were permitted to approach the microphone and, for one minute each, verbalize their thoughts on the community college, including a “yay” or “nay.”

There were several intelligent, thoughtful comments from audience members such as Dale McBrier (“going to bat for the poor”); Gary Horton; and a retired professor from the Butler County Community College, who offered that the same thing that’s happening in Erie with regard to the debates and arguments, also happened in Butler before they started theirs.

There was also a gentleman who said he was from Texas and that “if a kid can’t do nothing else, join the military.”

One issue was rather interesting and a little comical:  Barry Grossman asserted that he spoke with a representative of the Butler County Community College and was told that Butler has no intention of coming to Erie.  Sue Weber stated that she spoke with the same person, who told her if Erie wanted them, they would come.  During the audience participation segment, Father Jerry Priscaro stated that he also spoke with that same individual from the Butler County community College and he, like Mr. Grossman, was told that Butler has no interest nor any intention of opening a satellite campus in Erie.

Another very interesting comment was one made by Mr. Farnham (unfortunately, I didn’t get the entire exact quote, but everyone around heard the same thing and we were all completely puzzled by it).  When talking about tuition costs, Mr. Farnham indicated that soon Gannon and Mercyhurst will “get the cost down to zero.”  It’s possible I misunderstood him but, if I did, there are other people who also misunderstood him in exactly the same way.

While I didn’t perform an actual count of the yays and nays (not everyone present got up to speak, so it wouldn’t have been an accurate count of those attending), it seemed to me that there were more in favor than against.

So, that’s the Community College Forum in a nutshell.  And since there’s no one minute time limit on comments here… have at it.