(a) In the passage of this subchapter, the General Assembly is cognizant of the fact that the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, acting under the authority of §§ 6-61-101 — 6-61-103, 6-61-201 — 6-61-209, 6-61-211 [repealed], 6-61-212 — 6-61-216, 6-61-301 — 6-61-305, 6-61-306 [repealed], 6-61-401, 6-61-402, 6-61-501 — 6-61-524, 6-61-601 — 6-61-603, and 6-61-604 — 6-61-612 [repealed] and under criteria and standards promulgated thereunder for the establishment of community college districts, has, at the request of interested citizens of Polk County, Arkansas, made a study and has given its approval for the establishment of a community college in Mena, Polk County, Arkansas, if the electors of Polk County vote to establish the district in the manner provided by law and approve a levy of tax deemed by the board to be necessary for providing buildings and other facilities necessary for the operation of the community college.
(b) In order to meet the postsecondary educational needs of the area to be served by a Polk County community college, the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, acting in its capacity as the State Community College Board, has determined that the establishment of a community college district in Polk County should be conditioned upon the assumption by the community college of the off-campus branch instruction now being provided citizens of the area through the Mena Off-Campus Branch of Henderson State University and that the funds now allocated to the operation of the Henderson State University, Mena Off-Campus Branch, be allocated to and made available for the operation of the community college established in Polk County, and has further provided that the Rich Mountain Vocational-Technical School operated by the Department of Career Education be taken over and operated by the Polk County community college, with all properties, furniture, equipment, personnel, and funds now provided for the operation of the Rich Mountain Vocational-Technical School to be turned over to the community college district established in Polk County, to be used in the operation of a vocational-technical program by the community college.
(c) The purpose of this subchapter is to authorize the appropriate officials of the State of Arkansas to take the necessary steps to implement the aforementioned recommendations of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which are conditions for the establishment of a community college district in the event a majority of the electors of Polk County voting on the issue vote “for” the establishment of a community college district in Polk County.