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Mt. Hood Community College bond team asks Gresham-Barlow board for public endorsement of $136 million measure
Summary
Mount Hood Community College representatives asked the board to publicly endorse a proposed bond (approximately $136 million) to modernize facilities, expand career and technical offerings, improve safety and invest in sustainability; the district placed the endorsement request on its retreat agenda.
Representatives of Mount Hood Community College asked the Gresham-Barlow School District Board on Feb. 5 to endorse a proposed bond measure that college presenters said would cost about $136 million and was estimated to raise the average homeowner’s property tax by roughly $5 per month.
Ed Matson, a Mount Hood Community College board member, and Dana Stroud, another college board member, said the bond is intended to modernize aging classrooms, expand career and technical education aligned with local job needs, improve campus safety and accessibility, and fund sustainable, cost‑reducing operational upgrades.
"This bond is not about new construction; it prioritizes upgrades to existing facilities and program spaces that connect directly to workforce needs," Matson said. The presenters said the bond was designed to focus on essentials and cited examples of recent program graduates: 236 healthcare program completions (including 66 nurses), 27 cybersecurity specialists, 18 automotive technicians and 47 childcare workers.
College staff estimated the bond would cost about $0.25 per $1,000 of assessed value, or roughly $5 per month for the average local home. The presenters said some projects — such as covering an existing pool structure rather than building a new pool — would use bond dollars combined with other funding sources when appropriate.
Board members asked clarifying questions about the bond amount, whether turf fields were included (presenters said turf was not in the proposal) and past bond results; college representatives confirmed the tax-rate estimate and said they would return with additional details. Superintendent John Cook placed a request for the board’s public endorsement on the agenda for the district retreat on Feb. 28 so trustees can review materials and vote if they choose.
