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When energy giant TXU announced that it would construct a coal-fueled power plant between Bremond and Franklin, many Robertson County leaders and residents backed the plan.
Opposition came from Robertson County: Our Land, Our Lives, an environmental group that has pushed for more stringent regulations at the sizable plant. But it seemed that most residents endorsed the project, signing petitions, passing resolutions and even filling buses headed to Austin for environmental hearings.
Robertson County Judge Jan Roe says she thinks it is time for companies and organizations charged with building the plant to return the favor by offering training in Hearne.
"First and foremost, the power plant is a Robertson County development. Robertson County residents and taxpayers are carrying the weight of the development right now," Roe said, referring to the increased traffic and road damage that goes along with such large developments.
"By virtue of carrying the weight, they should also reap the benefits -- educational opportunities as well as job opportunities. That's why we pursued the development."
Blinn College announced last month that it had obtained a nearly $2 million grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to train more than 1,000 workers who will help build the power plant in Robertson County and reconstruct another plant in Milam County.
The money will be used to train carpenters, masons, electricians, pipe fitters, welders, ironworkers, millwrights, boilermakers and other skilled workers. Those workers will be employed by Fluor and Bechtel corporations, which are working on the two plants.
Upon completion of their work, many of the workers will stay on with the construction companies or will be hired by TXU's Luminant division, which will operate the coal-fired power plants, Blinn College officials have said.
Blinn will administer the funding but will share instruction duties with Texas State Technical College, Temple College, McLennan College and Navarro College.
Lobbying for education
Roe is working with Hearne Economic Development Director Kent Brunette to lobby Blinn College and the construction companies to offer training in Robertson County and to hire local residents. The county judge acknowledged that offering training in Hearne would be an economic boon for the county. But it also makes sense logistically, she said, noting that the town of about 4,700 people is squarely between the Robertson and Milam county plants.
"Hearne is also within a 200-mile radius of 80 percent of the total population in Texas," Roe said. "That's fairly central in my book."
Both Roe and Brunette said it seemed silly for workers to move from another city or state to Bryan or Waco for training, only to relocate again, to Robertson County, once they were ready to begin work.
"Why not just move here?" Brunette said.
Roe and Brunette met with Blinn College officials recently to discuss possible training options. Courses focusing on specific skills could be offered for adults and teens by way of dual-credit classes. These classes could be offered through Hearne High School and could draw students from surrounding towns, the pair said.
The college officials seemed receptive, the two said.
"All kids deserve opportunities," Roe said. "It would not just be for Hearne ISD. It would be for Hearne, Calvert, Franklin, Bremond, Mumford, as well as Gause, Milano, Cameron and Bryan. [Hearne is] basically a half-hour commute from several districts."
Roe and Brunette also mentioned a more remote possibility that would involve establishing a Blinn satellite campus in Hearne. The campus could offer core classes as well as technical training. But such a development would be far off.
Training could take place in soon-to-be vacated Hearne school district buildings, Roe and Brunette said. The district is nearing completion of new schools called for in a recently passed $13.9 million bond issue, and school administrators have offered the older buildings.
"It's perfect timing," Roe said. "To have the facilities ready and available and centrally located ... I think it's paramount to the equation."
Giving priority
Blinn College Grant Administrator Milton Radke acknowledged that anything is possible. But, he noted, education remains a business, which means any solution must be considered a "win" for both parties.
"I certainly understand Robertson County's concerns. They lobbied for the plant. They've done a lot of things trying to get some activity up there," Radke said. "But the bottom line is, they're limited in what we can do up there."
The location of the training is likely to be driven by where workers are recruited, Radke said. Ultimately, that will be up to the construction companies, he said, explaining that Blinn has no say in the companies' hiring.
Radke also noted that Blinn has already offered a few classes -- including welding and nurse aide certification -- in Hearne, but there haven't been many takers. The college held town hall meetings in Franklin and Hearne, but just 20 or so people showed up at each meeting.
He acknowledged that could be a money issue. Some residents in rural counties can't afford to take a class or take off work to attend a meeting, he said.
"That's kind of why we're working with the elected officials to try to bring some assistance, some help. My guess is, sometime down the road, it's quite likely there would be a facility there," Radke said.
Blinn College is working to offer technical training to high school students. Administrators also are trying to garner funding that would allow them to create a sort of technical institute that could have small satellite locations in Hearne and other places throughout the region.
"I think they would be very wise in looking to the future," Radke said. "This project started out to be 10 or 12 power plants. That was based on future power requirements. Those demands are still there; it's just a matter of permitting. That's going to happen."
County Judge Roe said Blinn College officials seemed receptive to the county's plea. But she said she was upset to see that the construction companies have advertised the job training in and around McLennan County, where residents fought the power plant.
Roe said she didn't think the companies were trying to spite Robertson County. Rather, she said, they likely were just advertising in the market where some of the training would occur. But that doesn't make the offense any less egregious, she said.
"For their residents to reap the benefit of the development with priority over those that fought for the project, that's insulting," Roe said. "I don't begrudge any human being the right to work wherever they are, but I expect priority when it comes to these jobs."
• Holly Huffman's e-mail address is holly.huffman@theeagle.com.
