Editorial

Bond approval would ease
college's growing pains

Bond approval would ease college's growing pains Clackamas Community College is like somebody who is staring age 40 in the face.

It feels pretty good, but it has got a few aches and pains to take care of. If action isn't taken, it worries its health will worsen, both significantly and quickly.

The community college is 35 years old and is struggling to keep up with recent growth, which has seen student enrollment numbers rise by 25 percent in the last five years.

Now, like some other thirtysomethings, the 27,000-student college needs a facelift. The college's last bond issue was passed by voters in 1989. At that time, college administrators promised not to go out for another bond for at least 10 years. They kept their word, and the time is now up.

Clackamas Community College is proposing $47 million in bonds to pay for renovating five buildings on its Oregon City campus, for adding classroom space, and for upgrading technology programs.

If approved by voters May 16, the bond would cost homeowners about 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or about $30 per year for the owner of a home valued at $150,000.

About $15.5 million of the proposed maintenance bond would be spent on upgrading science, nursing, computer science, computer-aided drafting and other course offerings.

A further $14.5 million would be spent on building and equipping a multipurpose classroom building to be used for variety of curriculum offerings.

We believe the community college offers a wide array of educational programs and courses, and we are encouraged by the fact that later this year it will begin holding computer and business classes at the new Canby Telecommunity Center on North Grant Street.

We also know the college is important to many local high school students who want to take advanced college credits, as well as community members at large. Countywide, enrollment statistics show only Oregon City residents use the college more than Canby residents on a yearly basis.

Canby people use it. Canby people like it. Canby people need it. We want current and future generations to take advantage of the nearby higher education institution, just as many thousands of local graduates have in years past.

As Clackamas County continues to grow - two-thirds of the Portland metro area's anticipated growth during the next 25 years is slated for the county's northern echelons - we will need and want a viable, healthy and comprehensive community college. We see it as an important investment in both the county and the city, and we hope you will support its bond measure, too.

Next week, the Canby Herald will outline its reasons for endorsing the Canby School District's $30.8 million maintenance bond.

Letters to the editor

Vote No on school bond,
or don't vote at all

I do not want to spend $400 to $500 per year for the next 15 or 20 years paying for things that should have come out of the operating budgets of the past five years and the next five years. (No, I don't have a $100,000 house. Do you?)

Maintenance is an ongoing process that should have been relatively easy for the School Board with the large number of PERS retirees and any kind of will or commitment to maintenance as an ongoing, necessary part of the total program.

Regardless of what the actual current budget is, $288,000 for maintenance is only about 1 percent of the total. I would say that 2 to 3 percent of the operating budget applied over time would have alleviated many of the current complaints.

Finally, I would urge a No vote on the school bond measure. In addition, if you are a regular voter and inclined to vote No, I urge you to look seriously at not voting at all. By not voting you will actually vote twice since the double majority is in effect for this election.

If 200-300 of us don't vote, it could be enough to tip the election regardless of the yes or no count. Ron Fullerton
Aurora

Community should be
proud of fine production

I would like to thank Mr. Don Feely, all the supporting staff and parent volunteers of the recent Ackerman Middle School's musical production of "Oliver!" We have a very talented community of students.

The students gave their all, whether they were acting, singing and dancing or behind the scenes helping in makeup, stage crew, lights or creating the charming backdrops.

It was a treat from beginning to the final curtain. Marsha Chez
Aurora

Rodney Hopkinson is the
best man for the office

As law enforcement personnel, professionals and citizens of Clackamas County, we have endorsed Mr. Rodney Hopkinson for district attorney because he is the best man for the job.

He has kept his promise and carried on a positive campaign. In his debates he has only addressed the issues that are important to the citizens of our county, the Office of District Attorney and the safety of our community.

In short, he's focused on making our county a safer place to live in. His 10 years as an active prosecutor is proof of that commitment.

For those who know him, no further explanations are necessary.
Dave Ratto
editor Oregon City Police
Employees Association newsletter

Our kids deserve a good
learning environment

I have lived and worked in the Canby community almost my entire life, and have always taken great pride in the educational opportunities our community provides to its residents. This is why I feel strongly about the upcoming ballot measures.

The mail-in ballot will soon be delivered to each residence in our district. There will be two "money" issues represented on this ballot: one for the Canby schools and the second for Clackamas Community College.

The money allotted by the passage of these ballots will be used for needed repairs and remodeling of existing structures, new construction demands and purchase of property (exact details of these measures are public domain.)

I'm sure that my distaste for increased taxation is equal to that of most of you, but when it comes to school funding I stand firm in my resolve to support education. Providing a quality learning environment for every child in our community is crucial to ensuring a future for us all.

Many readers of the Canby Herald are aware that I was part of a group of concerned citizens who actively opposed the purchase of the Canby Care Center for use as an administration building for the Canby School District.

We opposed this purchase because we felt it irresponsible for the school board and previous superintendent to spend more than $1 million on office space when the schools have desperate and unresolved needs.

The recent article in the Canby Herald mentioned that our stance might have facilitated the failure of the previous bond proposal.

To clarify, our group was not in any way working to undermine the schools in our district. And, although it was unfortunate that we had to go to battle against the school board's decision, we had only the best interests of the schools themselves at heart, and we felt the board and previous superintendent were grossly neglecting these issues.

Let's all now move into the future together, as a community, putting the needs of our children - and therefore our future - first and foremost. I urge each of you to make your commitment heard by mailing in your ballot.

Whether you agree with my viewpoint or not, we need at least 50 percent of eligible voters to participate in this upcoming election in order for any of our votes to count. Thank you for your time.
Larry Wright
Canby

John Horton is the top
choice for county D.A.

As a longtime Clackamas County resident, former state legislator and former county commissioner, I have played an active role in finding fresh, enthusiastic, qualified candidates to run for public office in our community. Right now one of these candidates is running for Clackamas County District Attorney. His name is John Horton.

John Horton is an experienced prosecutor with both trial and legislative experience. He believes strongly in the rights of crime victims, the aggressive prosecution of crime in combination with the protection of our civil liberties, and juvenile crime protection.

One of the best things about John Horton is that he can give specifics about his vision for better law enforcement. John understands that we must do more in the area of juvenile crime prevention, and he has a five-point plan to help our youth.

John knows that fraud against senior citizens is on the rise, and he intends to help both seniors and consumers by establishing a consumer protection division. And John intends to streamline the justice system for crime victims by establishing a Victim's Information Network.

I wholeheartedly encourage any Clackamas County resident who believes we need new leadership in the D.A.'s office to vote for John Horton. It's time for a changing of the guard and new ideas - and I believe that John Horton is the best choice for district attorney.
Ralph Groener
Oregon City

Horton has integrity,
vision required for job

As a Welches resident, and as the surviving relative of a murder victim, I want to encourage any Clackamas County resident concerned about our D.A.'s office to vote for John Horton.

When my son-in-law was murdered in the line of duty eight years ago, our family came to understand the importance of the D.A.'s office. It is crucial to have somebody in office with integrity, vision, and the leadership ability to bring it all together. That's why I am supporting John Horton.

Not only is John Horton a good prosecutor, but he has fought hard for crime victims. He helped write the provision of our state Constitution that give crime victims rights in the courtroom - and fought hard for their passage.

Believe me, any person who has been a crime victim understands how very important it is to have somebody with a commitment to crime victims in the local D.A.'s office.

Here in Clackamas County, we have a unique opportunity right now to put aside all the politics that has fractured the D.A.'s office. Let's move forward and elect John Horton as our next district attorney.
Anne Meeker Crockatt
Welches

The community must
support its schools

Five years ago, we finished the first version of "Canby by Design." The document was a vision statement with goals and outcome measures for the Canby of the future, that also reflected their values and dreams.

A very strong element of that document was reflective of our commitment to the youth of Canby. It recognized they are our future, and our failure to invest in them today would hurt the Canby of the future.

We have just held our first youth summit in an effort to identify the needs and resources our community currently provides and how we can address any shortfalls. Again, the message I heard loud and clear was that Canby cared about its children and their future.

Beside being the mayor of Canby, I am an assistant director with the Oregon Department of Corrections. Daily, I see the cost, both economic and social, of dealing with individuals who made poor choices.

The cost is not only the housing of these individuals, but the ongoing costs of the victims, the community and the inability of these individuals to effectively compete in the world we live in. The greatest common element these individuals share is lack of education.

I have spoken with members of the Canby School Board, citizen participants and the students who attend our schools, and all concur that the buildings and infrastructure we have are in serious need of repair.

I know from a variety of personal experiences that the cost to maintain infrastructure is almost always less expensive than the cost of replacement after the equipment fails.

The current school bond measure has been reviewed by countless individuals, tours have been held, information session have been made available and it should be apparent the costs are real and the needs exist.

Canby has always been proud of its schools and the quality education children here receive. We, as citizens, have voted in a number of initiatives that have moved funding from a local control issue to a state allocation issue.

Part of being a citizen in a community that is a great place to live is to ensure that the quality of life issues we value are maintained.

There can be little debate that the quality of our schools affects more than just the children. It affects who wants to live in this community, what the property values are, the type of recreation and social activities we value. Even if you have no children in school, the quality of education and facilities affects you.

This bond measure is one of those moments where we, as a community, confirm with our vote that the quality of education is important to us and that the environment where we educate is not only acceptable but provides competitive advantage to our youth.

The cost of the bond is low compared to the costs of doing nothing today and paying the much larger bills later. As we work to achieve the vision outlined in the Canby by Design effort, it is critical that part of our foundation be a community that can invest in its future.

I hope you will join me in voting yes on the school bond measure.
Scott Taylor, mayor
Canby