HAMILTON - Back in 2020, 67% of voters in Ravalli County showed interest in a local community college but today, the future of a school in the area is uncertain.
The Bitterroot Valley Community College (BVCC) Board of Trustees attempted to pass an operational levy in 2022 that would begin the first steps towards realizing the project.
But voters turned out 58.6% against the levy, leaving the board to question their path forward.
The BVCC Board of Trustees has worked over the past year to develop a comprehensive business plan, which details their programming plans, budget and benefits to the local community.
“We were asking them to pass this levy, without giving them a great deal of information on what it is that they were going to be paying for,” BVCC communications committee chair Jean Butler says.
Butler joined the board after the failure of the 2022 levy, frustrated that the community didn’t see the value in the project as she did.
“I very happily voted for it, and then to read the news in the paper the next day that it had been voted down in a pretty dramatic fashion, I was shocked. I couldn’t believe that happened,” she says. “If ever a community needed the benefits of a community college, it’s Ravalli County.”
The rest of the board was just as shocked with the levy results, but they refused to give up.
They are launching an “Ask and Listen” campaign for the summer, where they will reach out to community members and local employers to see what they would like to see at the school.
“Clearly we got it wrong,” BVCC Board of Trustees vice-chair Paul Ashcraft says. “We need to find out what we can do better, and if people really do want a community college.”
For Ashcraft, it’s important to see a local community college separate from the University of Montana System to ensure the longevity of the program.
"There's nothing holding them for a permanent presence here, it’s up to them to do what they want,” he says. “Whereas a community college would be driven by the voters and the community and be more of a permanent fixture of the county.”
Ashcraft, along with the other board members, remains open-minded.
Last year was the second time an operation levy failed for BVCC - they also attempted to pass one in 2020. So, they want to make sure the county is still looking for this project.
“This is an ask and listen campaign, not a campaign of ‘this is what we think you want’,” Ashcraft says.
The board is made of all volunteers, so each person has a passion for seeing the project through, according to BVCC Board of Trustees chair Carrie Guarino.
“We all have a personal testimony of what a community college can do,” she says.
Guarino attended a community college herself and knows that it can be a great option for graduating seniors who may not yet know what they want to do.
Plus, for those students living in the Bitterroot Valley, a local community college can cut costs on tuition and travel.
According to their business plan, commuting to Missoula College from Corvallis for one semester would equate to around $1,706, compared to $218 to BVCC.
Guarino also pointed out the benefit of localizing programming to benefit community employers.
“The thing that is going to be very important for us is to talk to employers here in the county, find out exactly what kind of trade programs they are most interested in. And maybe even partnering with us,” she says. “Even local unions, if there’s a training program that an apprentice needs to have, then we want to know what that is.
The Ask and Listen campaign will last through early fall.
Board members wearing Bitterroot Valley Community College t-shirts will attend local events — including Hamilton's Celtic Festival — and ask people a few questions about their views on the college.
Members of the public are also invited to attend their regular board meetings, which can be found on their website.
