The Wake Tech 2007 Bond Referendum

Wake County Voters Approve Wake Tech Bonds
Funds Will Allow Expansion and Cover Essential Repairs

RALEIGH, N.C. (October 10, 2007) —  Wake Technical Community College, the second largest community college in North Carolina, will be able to expand and serve the growing needs of the region, thanks to Wake County voters. On October 9^th, voters approved $92 million in bonds for Wake Tech – for the construction of new buildings and repairs and renovations on others. The measure passed by 68%.

“It’s clear that Wake County voters see the value Wake Tech brings to the community,” said Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Tech. “We’re pleased that voters overwhelmingly supported the bond request, so that we can continue to keep pace with the educational and workforce training needs of Wake County.”

Projections show that student enrollment at Wake Tech will grow from 57,000 this year to about 78,000 in 2015, an increase of 40 percent. To accommodate that increase, the college has a $115 million building plan, as outlined below. Bond funds will provide most of the funding; county commissioners will pay for the rest with county funds.

Main Campus
$13.7 million

1. Re-roof Library Education and Mechanical Technology Buildings
2. Replace HVAC systems in Ready Hall/Mechanical Technology Building
3. Convert former Child Care Center into a Physical Education Building
4. Renovate Student Services Building, Technical Ed. and Pucher-LeMay Hall
5. Repave Main Campus

Public Safety Training Campus
$13.9 million

1. Renovate Chapanoke Road facility for law enforcement, EMS, and fire safety officer training

Health Sciences Campus
$37.2 million

1. Construct a new, 100,000 square foot building in which to train more nurses, radiology/MRI technicians, and other allied health professionals

$12.8 million

1. Construct a new parking deck

Northern Wake Campus
$21.9 million

1. Construct a 65,000 square foot building in which to offer additional classes in financial services, pervasive computing, and informatics

$2 million

1. Create parking lots and make road improvements

Western Wake Campus
$12.5 million

1. Acquire property and building design for a permanent campus in the western part of Wake County

This is the second bond Wake County voters have approved for Wake Tech in three years. In 2004, Wake County residents approved a $40 million bond issue, much of which paid for construction at Wake Tech’s Northern Wake Campus, which opened in August of this year.