Ontario armory project on track
Federal funding bill to spearhead construction signed in December
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:08 PM PST
ONTARIO — Construction of a new Oregon Army National Guard Armory in Ontario is now in the Guard’s court since the federal funding bill for the venture was approved by Congress and signed by President George Bush.
The Guard also now owns the land — seven acres it purchased from Treasure Valley Community College on Southwest Fourth Street across from the sports complex — for the proposed Armory.
“All the work has now been completed on the college’s part to complete the final paperwork regarding this land deal,” TVCC Dean of Administration Randy Griffin told the college board Tuesday night.
Griffin said the final paperwork was signed during the holidays, and the Guard has also inked the deal. The sale price was $250,000, minus the city’s local improvement district costs of approximately $55,000, and some minor costs, which netted the college a check in the amount of $193,500. The money was deposited in the building reserve fund. While the land deal was going on, other questions regarding the status of the federal funds for the construction lingered. However, spokesmen for both U.S. Congressman Greg Walden (R-Oregon) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) confirmed the $11 million funding package was approved in the Omnibus Bill passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the president before the end of 2007. Griffin said Tuesday he had been told the money was still waiting for approval. In another part of his report, Griffin said that TVCC enrollment is up and revenue from tuition and fees is running ahead of last year’s amount by more than $100,000 and could end the year higher than last year.
He also said the new residence hall is full for the start of the winter quarter.
“This is the first-time I can remember being full during winter quarter in my 23-plus years at TVCC,” he said.
Attending the meeting was Andrea Henderson, executive director of the Oregon Community Colleges Association, who told the board the governor would request at least $550 million in funding of Oregon community colleges for the next biennium, beginning in 2009, but to expect nothing out of the special session in February.
