Board member Patrick Crippen presented a proposal for an airframe-and-powerplant (A&P) training program during the board-communication portion of the Nov. meeting, reporting meetings with Jason Busey and Colleen of Lecanto Technical College and urging a formal presentation next month.

Crippen said Colleen and college staff indicated the school already has an approved A&P curriculum. “Colleen was very interested in it,” Crippen said, and he asked that Jason and college representatives present to the advisory board at the December meeting so the board could vote on whether to recommend county commissioners pursue the concept further.

Crippen described potential sites including the technical college campus, airport hangars and a partially completed corporate hangar that had previously been discussed for training use. He said the program could be accelerated for veterans and produce job-ready A&P graduates: “these kids can come in at 11 grade and come out… and make $60,000,” he said, citing program projections outlined during prior meetings.

History and next steps: Board members recalled the advisory board wrote a letter of support to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in 2022 for a similar effort. Regan and others agreed to search county records for the prior grant application and to convene a small preparatory meeting with key participants (board member, Jason, Colleen and county staff) before the Dec. 11 agenda presentation so the larger board would have background and avoid duplicative public discussion.

What the board asked for: The advisory board requested a short history of past grant actions, confirmation of any existing funding or allocations, and clarity on where curriculum, classroom and hands-on activities would be located. The December meeting will include the full presentation and, potentially, a board recommendation to forward the concept to the Board of County Commissioners.

Next step: Crippen and staff will arrange a smaller pre-meeting to summarize past activity and agree the format for the December presentation.