Voters approve trades education proposal

According to votes tallied as of Tuesday evening, May 21 (8417 to 4653), voters in Lincoln County appear to have approved Oregon Coast Community College’s proposal to construct a trades-education facility and upgrade and protect existing campus facilities. Votes cast after around 2 p.m. on May 21, and those that were mailed close to or on election day and have yet to arrive at the County Clerk’s office, will be tallied in the coming days.

The proposal will fund the projects by issuing new bonds after existing bonds retire in 2005 – those existing bonds were approved by voters in 2004 to fund construction of the College’s current facilities. The measure on the ballot this May will keep property taxes at their current rates, and will secure $8 million in matching funds for the county from the State of Oregon.

“While the final vote tally isn’t complete, things certainly look good for our measure and for our future students seeking careers in the construction trades,” said Dr. Birgitte Ryslinge, currently serving her tenth year as President of OCCC. “Since I arrived in Lincoln County, I’ve heard consistently from folks from all walks of life some version of, ‘what this county really needs is more trades education.’ Those folks stepped up, and voted to fund this work, and to invest in their county’s growth and development. We are humbled and deeply moved by their support. Further, I want to recognize the courage and leadership of the elected volunteers that serve on the OCCC Board of Education; these dedicated individuals are the reason this proposal reached the ballot, and they will be there to welcome and congratulate its students when we open the doors.”

Ryslinge added that Lincoln County needs more choices and resources to deliver modern, career-focused trades education. “We believe we’ve planned the facility and programs to accomplish that. Work will begin immediately in planning this new facility, but at the same time we’ll continue developing trades programs using the facilities and leveraging the partnerships we already have. When it comes to providing those programs that simply require the purpose-built facility, those will be developed as the building is constructed, while we work diligently with partners and our elected officials to build sustainable funding around them.”

Ryslinge noted that one example of trades programming the college is already developing is the new Pre-Apprenticeship for Construction Trades (PACT) program, launching on Sept. 6, 2024. That program will be taught at locations across Lincoln County and successful completers will exit the program with OSHA-10 Workplace Safety Certification, as well as certifications in CPR and forklift/scissor-lift-truck operation, as well as enhanced skills in right-angle trigonometry and blueprint reading, among others, making them more prepared and more competitive when applying for local unions’ apprenticeships.

“We’re excited to see from results tonight that, like the College, Lincoln County residents are committed to bridging the trades-education gap in Lincoln County,” said Dave Price, OCCC’s Vice President of Engagement. “And, we knew going into this that our county, like much of rural Oregon, tends to have a natural negative reaction to measures that involve property taxes – even in cases like this one, where we were asking voters to maintain current tax rates, rather than increase them. Even so, the measure performed remarkably well and our message reached voters – and for that we owe a debt of gratitude to the group of supporters who stepped up to advocate for the College and trades education, the ‘Friends of OCCC’ political action committee. We thank Dr. Patrick O’Connor, Patrick Alexander, Dr. David Bigelow, Billie Jo Smith, and Guy Greco for their tireless support of our effort for the past 15 months. They’ve attended dozens of public meetings, from city council sessions to Rotary and Kiwanis meetings, to meetings of the Lincoln County Republicans and Democrats, as well as the League of Women Voters, among many others. The PAC received generous contributions from individuals across the county as well as from the Yaquina Bay Economic Foundation and the OCCC Foundation, and we sincerely appreciate the work of all involved.”

Ryslinge, who is retiring this Fall, said that the College’s Board of Education and administrative team is determined to progressing quickly through the planning, bidding, design, and construction phases that lie ahead.

Presently, Oregon Coast Community College’s combined levy paid by county residents to support the college’s operations and fund its buildings, is the lowest levy in the state. The proposal apparently approved by voters on May 21 will result in the college’s levy being unchanged, and still the lowest in Oregon.

Meanwhile, work continues as OCCC busily recruits candidates for the position of President, given Dr. Ryslinge’s pending retirement, which she announced to the board in January of this year. The College is also preparing for its Commencement Ceremony, planned for June 14, 2024, at the Newport Performing Arts Center, while it manages continued growth – enrollment at OCCC is up over the prior academic year by more than 11 percent, a growth rate among the highest among Oregon’s community colleges.

Learn more about Oregon Coast Community College at oregoncoast.edu, or visit one of its centers, situated in Waldport, Newport, Toledo, and Lincoln City.