Document text
RCC eyes bond for technical center Doubling enrollment prompts discussion of White City facility By Dani Dodge Rogue Community College officials have been meeting with business and county leaders, quietly gauging public support for a bond measure to fund an RCC technical center in White City. "The reason is the huge growth in enrollment," said RCC President Richard Levine. "We are just hitting the tip of the iceberg for the training and education people want." The college had talked about developing an advanced technical center in the past and had garnered strong support from the business community. A trained work force would attract more high-tech companies, as well as boost the work forces of the ones already here. But never before has there been discussion of a bond. Levine said the college�s growth and the community�s economic needs are nudging the college toward the bond measure, very possibly this November. The college has more than doubled its enrollment since coming to the county three years ago. And if the facilities were available, the student population would more than double again to about 17,000 students, Levine estimated. The Rogue Technical Center would be located next to the Veterans Administration Domiciliary on land donated by the Dom and local businessman Mike Burrill, Levine said. It would have partnerships with the Oregon Institute of Technology and Southern Oregon University. It would provide training for a variety of fields, including electronics, computer technology, fire science, diesel mechanics, truck driving, criminal justice, and emergency medical technology. The college currently has technical programs in some of these areas, but they are scattered throughout White City at leased sites. The college also has a downtown Medford campus. Levine estimates the bond issue for the technical center would be between $24 and $32 million. Gordon Safley, the executive director of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc., said the technical center is important to the future of Jackson County. "I hope that people will see it�s to everyone�s benefit to have that technology center and work force training," Safley said. "As a parent and a business person here, my hope is the upcoming generation will have the ability to get a good job with good pay and be able to move up a ladder without having to go to San Francisco or Portland." Levine said a bond is the best way to get moving on the project quickly. "Given our growth, a bond is pretty much the only way we could see possibly building something pretty quickly," he said. "If we decide to go in November, then we estimate construction will take 24 months." And although county commissioners are very enthusiastic about the technical center, they are concerned the college bond may conflict with their desire to pass a bond measure to fund a county juvenile center. "Our No. 1 priority is to get the juvenile bond measure passed, should it be on the ballot in November," Commissioner Jack Walker said. "To throw a whole bunch more bond measures on there, I can�t say I support. "If there�s too many on there everyone votes no on them all." Levine said the college board hasn�t decided whether to put the bond measure on this November�s ballot or to wait until November 2002. But, he said, officials are leaning toward this fall. They want to begin providing opportunities as soon as possible. "I think we need both need this and the juvenile center," Levine said. "I look at them as compatible issues: We need the juvenile center because of the situation in the county, but if you provide good healthy programs maybe there are fewer residents there." Levine said the board will continue "testing the waters" for the next month or two before making a decision to put a bond on the ballot in November. "So far people have been very encouraging to us," he said. "It�s not only beneficial for the students, but also for the economy." Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA