Oregon Coast Community College **An architect’s rendering shows what the proposed Center for Trades Education could have looked like before Oregon Coast Community College dropped a planned bond measure from the May ballot.**

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews

Oregon Coast Community College, which had planned to ask Lincoln County voters in May to approve a $32 million bond to build a trades building, announced Thursday it is pulling the measure off the ballot.

Thursday was the deadline for candidates to file for election or local governments to seek money measures in the May 16 election.

The college and its board had proposed the bond based on a 3-year-old commitment from the state for a $8.14 million grant to help build the center. College officials said Thursday they learned this week that the money was no longer available.

“Recently, it became clear those funds have been reallocated and previously authorized projects for three community colleges, including Oregon Coast, were not carried forward as expected in the Department of Administrative Service’s budget request,” Dave Price, the college’s vice president of engagement said in a news release Thursday.

He said the college — with the help of Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, and Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City — would try to get the $8 million match in the state’s budget now under consideration by the Oregon Legislature.

The college hopes to put the bond request on the May 2024 ballot.

Price said that the because the matching funds have appeared on the college’s ballot title and explanatory statement, and that potential voters have already attended one or more of the college’s public presentations, it decided to reschedule the ballot measure.

“These folks have heard our commitment that their tax dollars … would be matched by $8 million in state funds,” he said. “If there’s any chance that we wouldn’t have been able to deliver on that expectation, we felt an obligation to wait for the next election cycle.”

With the college’s withdrawal and a couple of last-minute filings, the lineups are set for the May 16 special election.

Despite slow initial filings, there ended up being contested races for two seats on the Oregon Coast Community College board, for one seat on the Lincoln County School District board and potentially interesting races for the Port of Alsea board.

School boards and special service districts elect board members not in the busy November election cycle where they can get lost in the shuffle of big-name politicians or issues, but in off-year May elections where voters can focus on the small districts that provide many local services.

For large districts such as schools or the college, board positions are elected by geographic zones.

The mail election is May 16. If a board seat is not filled via an election, then a majority of the service district board can fill it by appointment. A list of districts and positions open is available on the county clerk’s website.

Now there are two money measures on the May ballot:

Renewal of a 20 cent per $1,000 assessed property tax levy to fund the chief’s position at the Seal Rock Fire Department; and
A proposal by the Southeast Nelson Wayside Drive Special Road District just east of Waldport for a five year, 50 cent per $1,000 assessed property tax levy to care for the road and its right-of-way.

Below is a list of major districts, their board openings and final filings as of 5 p.m. Thursday:

Oregon Coast Community College: Four of five zoned board seats currently held by Jeff Ouderkirk, Nancy Osterlund, Alison Baker and Debbie Kilduff are up for election. Osterlund will face Jake Moose of Toledo for the Zone 4 position, while Baker is being challenged by Marion Mann of Newport. Paul Schuytema of Depoe Bay was the only person to file for the Zone 3 position held by Ouderkirk. Kilduff of Waldport is unopposed.
Lincoln County School District: Two of five zoned board seats – Position 1 held by Megan Cawley and Position 2 held by Liz Martin are up for election. After saying publicly she would not run, Martin filed for re-election Thursday and is unopposed. Mitch Parsons and Michael Nelson, both of Lincoln City, have filed to challenge Cawley.
Port of Alsea: Challengers emerged this week for two board seats. Board chair Rob Bishop is now being challenged by Moose Lodge manager Jim Sehl for Position 2. Jan Power is being challenged by Mike Gatens, the owner Shrimp Daddys who ran unsuccessfully for Waldport mayor last fall, and Chrissie J. Myers of Waldport. The community is embroiled in a fledgling campaign seeking signatures to force a recall election of four of five board members, including Bishop and Power;
Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue District: Because of the recall of two members and the resignation of a third in 2022, all five board seats are up for election. Jon MacCulloch, who was appointed last year, filed for a two-year term on Position 3 and Waldport city council member Rick Booth has filed for Position 4, a four-year term, now held by Kevin Battles who is not running for re-election. Waldport city council member Greg Dunn has filed for Position 1, which is held by Ray Woodruff, who was appointed last year. Board appointee Zach Akin has filed for Position 2 and incumbent and board chair Reda Eckerman has filed for Position 5;
Seal Rock Fire District: Four of five board seats are up for election and all four incumbents filed for election and are running unopposed. David Pelligrinelli and S.D. “Skip” Smith, who were both appointed in 2022, have filed for election, as have board president Karl Kowalski and Mike Burt.
Yachats Rural Fire Protection District: Two of five seats are up for election — Position 1 held by Drew Tracy and Position 2 held by Katherine Guenther. Both filed for re-election and are unopposed;
Southwest Lincoln County Water PUD: Three of five board seats are up for election and incumbents Larry Anthony and Roxie Cuellar have filed for election. Bill Gulacy filed to run for the Position 4 seat held by Frank Sherkow;
Seal Rock Water District: Two of five board seats are up for election and incumbents Rob Mills and Glen Morris have filed;

There are also board positions open on the ports of Newport and Toledo, the Lincoln County Library District, the Pacific Communities and North Lincoln health districts, which oversee hospital properties in Newport and Lincoln City, and fire districts in Depoe Bay, east Lincoln County, rural areas east of Newport, North Lincoln and Siletz.

There are also positions on seven other water district boards, 12 road districts and three sanitary districts.

Important dates to remember: