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Mt. Hood Community College seeks school board support for $136 million May bond; district bond oversight updates follow
Summary
Mt. Hood Community College President Lisa Scari asked the David Douglas board to consider endorsing a $136 million bond measure that would appear on the May 2025 ballot; district staff then updated the board on bond program construction progress, including the David Douglas High School CTE building and summer renovation plans.
Mt. Hood Community College representatives told the David Douglas School Board on Feb. 13 that the college board voted Jan. 15 to place a $136 million capital bond measure on the May 2025 ballot and asked for school board support and outreach to constituents.
Lisa Scari, president of Mt. Hood Community College, summarized outreach and priorities: modernizing career and technical education (CTE) facilities, upgrading classrooms for workforce training and addressing safety and accessibility. She said the measure would cost about 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value — roughly $5 a month for the average homeowner in the district — and emphasized local economic benefits including graduation counts and workforce placements supported by the college.
Why it matters: MHCC serves many district graduates and provides dual‑credit and workforce training that feed local employers. A successful bond would fund campus facility improvements, career training expansions and sustainability upgrades that benefit students and the regional economy.
Bond oversight and district construction update
After the MHCC presentation, the district’s bond oversight committee provided a construction and schedule update. Adam Cormack, representing the oversight team, and district staff reported continued progress on the David Douglas High School construction, including a recent topping‑off ceremony and visible structural progress at the CTE building. Staff said the target turnover of the new high‑school space remains on schedule for the winter break/December timeframe. District staff also outlined 2024 completed renovations, planned summer 2025 projects and early design work for 2026 projects, and noted that a handful of 2024 projects produced savings that the program will reconcile and place into contingency (staff estimated “a couple million” dollars).
Board reaction and next steps: Board members thanked MHCC for community engagement, and district leaders said CMGC procurement, permitting and contractor mobilization will continue ahead of summer projects. MHCC requested individual school boards’ endorsements outside the meeting’s formal agenda process; district staff indicated any formal endorsement would follow usual board procedure and be placed on a future agenda.
Sources: MHCC presentation and bond oversight committee update to the David Douglas School Board, Feb. 13, 2025.
