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Chemeketa Community College seeks voter renewal for May bond to fund workforce training
Summary
Chemeketa Community College officials presented a renewal bond measure to the council, saying the measure will not change the property tax rate and will fund workforce, health-care and facilities improvements at the Yamhill Valley campus.
Chemeketa Community College officials asked McMinnville leaders to support a renewal bond measure appearing on the May ballot that would fund career and technical programs, classroom upgrades and campus safety improvements. Jessica Howard, Chemeketa's president, and Brigitte Riesling (Friends of Chemeketa) briefed councilors on the measure and the outreach strategy after a failed ballot effort in November.
Howard said the May measure is a renewal that will not change the tax rate paid by property owners; she emphasized the college's workforce-development role and noted a strong local return on investment metric cited by the college. "This is a continuation of the investment our community has made in education, in workforce development, and economic opportunity," Howard told the council. Brigitte Riesling added that state matching funds (an $8 million match noted by Riesling) would augment local investment if voters approve the bond.
The presentation outlined proposed uses: expanded career and technical education (including paramedic capacity), upgrades to teaching and lab spaces, enhanced safety and disaster-preparedness facilities, and student-support improvements such as tutoring and lab spaces. Howard said the college heard lessons from the November election, where voters confused the renewal with a new tax and where turnout and heavy statewide ballot measures made outreach difficult. Survey work showed 40% of voters did not realize the measure was a renewal and 20% said they did not understand what the bond would fund.
Councilors asked about programming that would primarily benefit McMinnville (HV campus upgrades, career/technical program expansions) and outreach plans; college leaders said the May timetable and lower expected turnout in May make paid outreach dollars more effective. Several councilors expressed conditional support and asked the college to pursue local endorsements; Councilor Cunningham and others suggested stronger local hospitality and culinary program connections.
No formal council endorsement was recorded during the meeting; the college asked for support and said volunteers and endorsers will be needed for the May campaign.
