In case it went unnoticed, earlier this week state technical college officials met with local leaders from Baldwin, Washington and Putnam counties regarding a proposal for realignment that could force Central Georgia Technical College out of our area and our local tech school from under the main CGTC campus in Macon’s oversight.

While a final decision is not expected before year’s end, we need to keep our eyes and ears open.

As has been the case so often of late, state budget cuts have been cited for the proposed move, which would put our area technical college under the auspices of Sandersville Tech. Our local leaders must stay on top of this issue as the pros and cons are

evaluated.

Realignment has already taken root in some other technical schools across the state, but our primary focus as the decision is weighed must be how this move will impact Baldwin County.

Technical System Commissioner Ron Jackson and other state leaders need to be specific and frank with local leaders on how this changeover will affect us. There are economic development factors to consider, as local students could possibly have to relocate to find the classes they need if those offered through Sandersville Tech do not correlate with what is currently being offered through Central Georgia Tech.

Questions regarding resources and support must also be answered. CGTC contributes nearly $750,000 to supplement the campuses in Milledgeville and Eatonton, but will Sandersville be able to offer the same level of support to local students and the local college that we already get via the main CGTC campus in Macon?

There are also questions regarding the differences in accreditation. While we are familiar with CGTC’s more widely-known accreditation agent, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), more needs to be learned about Sandersville’s Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE) accreditation. State leaders need to address questions and concerns regarding the transferability between the two accrediting agents, and whether or not the difference will imposition local students who may have to seek classes for the course of study elsewhere.

Sandersville Tech presently operates campuses or adult education centers in Sandersville, Tennille, Warthen, Wrens, Louisville, Sparta, Stapleton, Wadley, Warrenton and Gibson. If realignment does indeed become reality for us, state leaders need to assure us that our campus won’t get lost in the shuffle among Sandersville Tech’s other service locations where a working relationship has already been established.

State leaders must be up front with us on this issue, and be specific in their responses to our questions. The impact of this decision could potentially be too great on us economically for them to skirt our questions. At the same time, local leaders and we as local residents must stay on top of this issue and ask the questions that need to be answered. The bottom line is, we need to know potential benefits and drawbacks.

Definitive plans are not expected until next year, but more meetings are slated. So far, state leaders have not been forthcoming with specifics and more dialogue is certainly needed.

Baldwin County must stay on top of this issue and examine it closely so our economic development needs and our local students don’t get lost in the budget-cutting shuffle.