Jeff McDonald//March 24, 2014//
Clackamas Community College officials will decide by the end of June whether to place a $90 million bond measure on the November ballot.
The Oregon City-based college would use the money to invest in all three of its campuses, and target workforce development in high-growth areas, said Joanne Truesdell, the college’s president. Targeted areas would include STEM (science, engineering, technology and math) and industrial technology – including advanced manufacturing, water research and environmental technologies, she said.
“Our community wants us to provide affordable education and job training in high-demand and high-wage careers,” she said.
Truesdell was asked by the college’s board of directors to form a draft concept plan for the bond measure, which would need to receive the board’s approval before it could be placed on the ballot, she said. A project list has not been finalized; however, several possibilities are being discussed.
One would be replacement of an aging Harmony Community Campus building near Clackamas Town Center with a new workforce development facility.
Another would be construction of an industrial/technical learning center at the Oregon City campus. The center would benefit skilled trades and apprenticeships, including electricians, welders and plumbers, according to Clackamas Community College.
The Wilsonville campus could gain upgrades including classroom renovations with benefits for engineering and art students, particularly those in digital media, she said.
Other projects at each of the three campuses could include electrical, HVAC, seismic, and health and safety improvements, Truesdell said.
Matching state money for the projects would include $8 million for the industrial tech center in Oregon City and $8 million for the workforce development facility at Harmony.
The Clackamas Community College Foundation also has a $5 million fundraising goal, Truesdell said.
Community meetings will be held in May at the three campuses to determine what the final measure would look like, Truesdell said. She will present her draft concept plan to the board of directors at a June 25 meeting.