A requirement that community colleges match the funding provided by the state for capital construction projects stands in the way of Central Oregon Community College putting to use the $5.3 million it received in the Oregon Legislature’s 2013-15 capital construction budget.

The money is intended to allow COCC to acquire the use of a facility currently leased by Oregon State University-Cascades Campus, which has 17 years remaining on its 30-year lease. The building, Cascades Hall, was completed in 2001 on COCC’s Bend campus.

The $5.3 million would allow COCC to pay off the remaining debt from the building’s construction. COCC hopes to use the building to house classroom space and student services.

The state typically funds capital construction projects at community colleges through bonds, though the state will only pay up to half the cost of a project, requiring the community college to secure matching funds.

COCC spokesman Ron Paradis said state lawmakers from across the college’s district lobbied the state to provide the money in a manner that would not have required COCC to provide matching funds.

“We wanted money to pay off the remainder of OSU-Cascades’ lease, allowing them to move to their own campus, and to save the state money by not asking for the construction of a new building,” Paradis said. “OSU would save money, the state would save money, and we would save money.”

Paradis estimates a new building would cost around $11 million. Under the current form of funding, COCC would only be able to use half of the $5.3 million allocated to it and would have to raise an additional $2.65 million to meet the matching requirement.

“We’re hoping this is only a temporary hard place we’re stuck in,” Paradis said.

COCC President Jim Middleton said there are three possible paths the college could take to acquire the match funding.

“First, it could come from lottery funds, but there don’t seem to be a lot available,” Middleton said. “Second, the state could provide cash, which is attractive, as it’s a fairly small amount of money, and it would cut down on interest repayments. Third would be looking at locally provided match money through COCC or OSU and OSU-Cascades, but we think that will not be necessary.”

Any money provided through the recently passed bonds will not be available until late 2015. Furthermore, OSU-Cascades will not be able to relocate until 2015 at the earliest, Paradis said.

“Because of the timing, we don’t need to rush to a solution,” Middleton said.

While COCC has no immediate need for new classroom space, Paradis says the college is eager to relocate its tutoring and testing center and CAP Center from the basement of its library into Cascades Hall. Paradis describes the current situation as “fairly cramped.”

The tutoring and testing center administers make-up exams and offers students outside tests, such as the GED. The CAP Center provides students with career, academic and personal counseling.

“The important thing now is that the project of taking Cascades Hall was approved,” Middleton said. “We need to continue working with local legislators. It’s not unusual for the state to have to adjust projects dealing with capital construction.”