McMinnville officials are on board with providing Warren County High School students with advanced robotics training.
Mayor Jimmy Haley, Vice Mayor Ben Newman and Aldermen Everett Brock, Mike Neal, Steve Harvey, Kate Alsbrook and Ryle Chastain unanimously voted to donate $30,000 to WCHS for the center. Being an ordinance, one more passing read is required.
The city approved the donation at the request of Todd Herzog to help establish the training lab. Finance Committee members previously approved the allocation and sent the measure to the full board for consideration.
According to Herzog, the start-up cost is $114,099. With the city’s donation of $30,000 the school will have everything it needs to add advanced robotics to its curriculum.
“We needed $115,000 as a minimum to place a robotics lab at the high school,” said Herzog to Finance Committee members. “I’m requesting the city help us with $30,000. I realize that’s a lot of money but this is a very important project and it means a great deal to our future.”
Also pledging to donate were: Warren County School Board $50,000, Bridgestone $10,000, Miniature Precision Components $10,000, McMinnville Electric System $10,000, and Herzog family members $5,000.
The funds would purchase:
• One robotic work cell with STEM cart and vision system at $41,584
• Seven MotoSlim software sets at $37,765
• Two video kiosks at $13,000
• Freight at $1,750
• Training for two instructors at $15,000
• Curriculum and instruction books at $5,000
Offering advanced robotics at the high school will go hand-in-hand with the advanced robotics training facility to be constructed at Motlow. According to preliminary design plans, it will be a 12,500-square-foot facility that has five classrooms. It will be located off Vo Tech Drive next to Tennessee College of Applied Technology on 4.3 acres that was donated by the county. The state recently awarded a $5.5 million grant to fully fund the project.
The next regular session of the board is Dec. 27.