Did the bond measure for the Central Oregon Community College (COCC) pass last November 4th?”
Many said it couldn’t be done – winning voter approval of more property tax dollars in such a tough economy. But Central Oregon Community College did the improbable, if not impossible, passing its $41.5 million bond measure Tuesday night after a strong student- and business-led campaign. The gap widened early Wednesday to an 8-point victory margin, a dramatic improvement on the squeaker loss for a similar proposal that shared a crowded November 2008 ballot (unlike this time, when it was the only item on the mail ballot for a vast majority of voters). COCC board member and Miller Lumber Co. owner Charley Miller, who led the successful campaign, could finally breathe a sigh of relief late Tuesday night as the yes votes pulled ahead. “We definitely understand the tough economic times, and we do appreciate the voters,” he said. “We’re sensitive to that, and we think COCC is a key part of the solution.” “We want to thank all the students and the staff and the faculty for all the work they p
From kohd.com: COCC Timeline for 5 New Facilities After receiving voter approval of its $41.58 bond measure to build five new facilities at locations through its district, Central Oregon Community College is taking the first steps to begin the construction processes. In addition, the passage of the bond measure means that the college will be eligible for $11.47 million in state funding. “The board and I thank all of the voters who put their trust and hope in COCC,” said Jim Middleton, president of the college. “We recognize our responsibility to reward that trust by designing and constructing the best possible facilities as quickly as possible.” “The fun part — and the hard part – begins now,” he continued. “Communicating with our partners, we’ll explore all possibilities, building flexibility into our plans and giving taxpayers the biggest-bang-for-the-buck. Our faculty, staff and administrative team are ready to make it happen.” Facilitie
The results are in, and Central Oregon Community College is about to change. “We really thank everyone for all their effort, it’s really been humbling to see how broad the support has been,” says Jim Middleton, President of COCC. The approval of the bond measure Tuesday night will provide more than $41.3 million in funding to construct new health and science buildings in Bend, a tech center in Redmond and campuses in Madras and Prineville. That’s 2 million dollars less than a similar measure which failed last November. During the campaign, it was students who took a front seat getting out the vote.
