Legislators Tour CCC’s Stimulus Project

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Members of the state Legislature learned first hand Wednesday of the benefits provided to area businesses and contractors through the Oregon Stimulus Package funds allocated to Clackamas Community College.

Speaker Dave Hunt, Sen. Martha Schrader and Rep. Brent Barton toured deferred maintenance projects under way at the college funded through the stimulus dollars.

"All across Oregon, community colleges are upgrading facilities and putting Oregonians back to work. I am very pleased that right here in Clackamas County we have an exceptional college that is continuing to expand and upgrade to meet the needs of our local residents. The Legislature's jobs stimulus package touched all 36 counties, all seven universities and all 17 community colleges. That's helping Oregon move forward even in these tough economic times," Speaker Hunt said following the visit to CCC.

Work on the “Go Oregon” projects, intended by the state Legislature to create jobs and stimulate the economy, must begin on or before May 1. CCC identified projects from its deferred maintenance list that address safety, energy improvements, general maintenance and replacing the college’s antiquated telecommunications system.

“These contractors are coming in and thanking us for the jobs the stimulus funding is providing,” said Joe Austin, dean of Information Technology at CCC. Contractors the legislators encountered during their tour personally thanked them.

“The stimulus package is creating jobs and sustaining jobs. It’s doing exactly what we asked for,” said Sen. Schrader.
In addition to the jobs the work has sustained, the projects will enable the college to replace aging systems with energy efficient and green systems that will save CCC thousands of dollars in utility costs each year.

For more information, please contact Janet Paulson at 503-657-6958, ext. 2307.