Chemeketa Hopes Voters Will Pass $89 Million Bond Levy in November

Chemeketa is one of 82 percent of national nursing program that lack the capacity to meet enrollment demand.

Chemeketa students Photo by: Tim King

(SALEM) - Chemeketa Community College’s Board of Education has approved a resolution asking voters to approve an $89 million bond levy in November that will finance capital construction and improvements to existing buildings.

If voters approve the levy, the estimated cost to taxpayers would be 27-cents per $1,000 of assessed value. For a taxpayer with a $150,000 home, the estimated cost would be $40.50 per year.

“We believe that Chemeketa is making a real difference to the citizens of Salem, and these facilities will help meet our area’s education and training needs over the next several years,” said JoAnne Beilke, Chairperson of the board.

If approved by voters, the bond levy would fund the following projects:

Health Science Education Center. This new building would provide training for more students in high demand jobs in nursing, detal science, pharmacy, and other health care fields.

Emergency Services Training Facility. This new building would provide a place for on-the-job training for the regions firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency services personnel.

Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Information Technology. This building would provide labs and classrooms for students in electronics, engineering, computer science, drafting, manufacturing, and welding. This would be the schools first new building for trades and technology since 1974.

New building for Chemeketa in McMinnville. This building would be located near Willamette Valley Medical Center and provide for the expansion of health sciences programs and better access to college nurses.

Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry. This facility would house the Training and Economic Development Center and provide additional space for the college’s developing programs that assist economic development partnerships and small business.

New classroom building. This building will replace the deterorating portable trailers, which were purchased used 35 years ago. Two of the modulars were vacated this year because of problems with mold. The new building will include classrooms and computer labs.

Help refurbish the college’s existing buildings and grounds, making sure that it remains in compliance with state and federal safety, health, and energy regulations.

“We’ve been good to the taxpayers and their money,” Beilke said. “We promised we wouldn’t come back for another bond levy for at least 10 years, and we kept that promise.”

Chemeketa’s student population has grown 31 percent since the last levy passed in 1996.