ARPA Funds To Help Start Regional STEAM Center

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

A new, up-and-coming Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) Center is coming soon to Mesquite fully equipped for 21th century learning, thanks to the City of Mesquite.

Last week, the Mesquite City Council approved a request to direct $100,000 in American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds to furnish and equip the new center, which is a central project for the Mesquite Works nonprofit organization.

The learning center will be located on the west side of the Mesquite Plaza shopping center at 312 W. Mesquite Blvd. Last September, the entire shopping center was gifted over to the Mesquite Works organization by the Frias Trust, with the condition it be used as an innovative center for STEAM learning. The property gift was valued at more than $2 million.

“The reason that the Frias Trust gave it to us was that they are very much engaged in communities who come up with innovative ideas,” explained VVHS principal Riley Frei, who is also a member of the Mesquite Works board and a key advisor in establishing the STEAM center.

Frei said that the idea for the center began with the recognition that the city of Mesquite already does great things as far as athletics and recreation is concerned.
“But we do nothing in this community for innovation for kids,” Frei added. “I think we have a responsibility to do that. Some communities place that on the schools. I love the Clark County School District, they pay my bills and I am very loyal to them; but I will tell you that there is very little by way of innovation that happens in our schools.”

Frei explained that the STEAM center has been established to be perpetual in its funding. Mesquite Works earns monthly rental income from the rest of the Mesquite Plaza commercial property. That goes to fund the expenses of running and staffing the STEAM center on an ongoing basis.

But the organization needs funds for technology, furnishings and learning supplies and equipment in order to open the center. This was what was being requested of the City in last week’s meeting.
“You can’t just take a blank building that has no furniture, no fixtures, no equipment, no supplies; and start a STEAM center with no money to begin with,” Frei said. “So that is really what this money is designed to do. Just help us get started.”

The Council had been provided an extensive list of items needed for the center. The list included everything needed in an innovative learning center including computers, 3-D printer, large screen TV, touchscreens, robotics equipment, anatomy models and more. It even included detailed small items like crayons, pencils, cotton balls and pipe cleaners.

Frei explained that the list had come from a cooperative efforts of a group of local educators including school teachers, administrators and more.
“We toured learning centers like this in our region to see what programs were already there,” Frei said.

“We did quite a bit of research on what is out there. But we also have ideas that we think are unique to Mesquite that we can do better than other centers out there. So this list comes from that process. It is very specific as to what we want to do here. It includes just what we need to get off the ground with it.”

City Councilman Brian Wursten expressed concerns about the oversight of these funds going to a private non-profit organization. He felt that the money should first be filtered through the city’s charitable trust which is customarily used to grant education money to local schools. In that function, the grant funding has always been vetted by the Virgin Valley Community Education Advisory Board (VVCEAB).

“We set up that charitable trust for a reason and this is exactly the type of thing that we want in the charitable trust,” Wursten said. “I would much rather give the money to the CEAB and let them decide whether or not these funds need to be used for that; and whether they are comfortable with it.”

But City staff members recommended that the federal ARPA funds not be directed into the city trust.
City Finance Director Nikki Thorn emphasized that the necessary checks and oversight are already in place with the federal program to ensure that the money is used properly.

“Receipts will have to be submitted and we would have the opportunity to vet each of those receipts,” Thorn said. “Then we would reimburse them those expenses. Everything would be subject to all of the procurement requirements of the American Rescue Act. We would certainly not just be writing a $100,000 check to anyone.”

“The city’s trust was designed for more private donations and funds, rather than federal funds,” added City Manager Peter Jankowski. “Those Rescue funds are very detailed in their requirements to report back on how they are used.”

Mesquite Mayor Al Litman pointed out that the use of ARPA funds for this type of educational purpose has been common among municipalities across the country.
“We are not treading new ground with this,” he said. “This has been done in numerous cities using American Rescue funds, it has been verified. Giving money to a 501c3 with this purpose in mind is certainly not new.”

Speaking to Wursten, Frei expressed willingness to do whatever it would take to make the councilman comfortable with the idea.
“We can give you a tour of the facility and we are happy to open the books to you to see how everything is budgeted,” Frei said. “And if CEAB needs to be the vehicle to dispense the funds, we would be thrilled about that. We will comply to anything and everything you would like us to do. We are just encouraged that the City would be behind this because we know it is going to be huge in our community moving forward.”

VVCEAB Chairwoman Jodi Thornley spoke in favor of the item. She said that the new STEAM center would have potential to serve more than 7,000 students in Mesquite, Moapa Valley and Beaver Dam, Arizona. She also said that her board would be willing to be involved in vetting the expenses if that was what was required.

“I have been an educational advocate in our community for over 25 years,” Thornley added. “This is one of the best investments I feel into our community. One of the best assets we have is our youth; and talk about a huge return on your investment!”

Do It Best Mesquite General Manager Gary Loosle, who also serves on the Mesquite Works board, commented in favor of the proposal.
“What we are doing now with this STEAM program really gets me excited for the kids,” Loosle said. “These kids need stuff to do. So I hope that you will vote for this and approve this money. The STEAM center does need the funding to get the program going and help the youth in this city.”

Councilman Wes Boger made a motion to fund the request using the city’s ARPA funds. He added a stipulation that if federal grant money is not approved for any of the listed items that Mesquite Works would reimburse the City for the difference.

The motion was approved with a 3-1 vote. Wursten was opposed. Councilman George Gault, who also serves as Chair of the Mesquite Works board, abstained from voting.