Trying to add a payment method? You can do this on the 
Jeffrey Cooper
Zone 1
Age: 50
Brief biography: I have deep roots in Junction City as a dad, coach, referee, and my work with Paramount Ironworks. I serve as Chair of the Lane Community College Advanced Tech-CTE Advisory Committee. I attend trade fairs and regularly engage with students. I am active in my church. I know what is on the hearts and minds of people in our West Lane communities because I listen and learn every day.
Current employment: Fabrication Division manager, sales/marketing, Paramount Ironworks LLC, Junction City
Connection to Lane Community College: I serve as the chair of the Lane Community College Advanced Tech-CTE Advisory Committee. In my work, I attend trade fairs at LCC and local high schools and regularly interact with students.
Why are you running? Community colleges are an important part of our future to equip our workforce for success and help our communities thrive. I will bring much needed common sense, hands-on experience, and a commitment to West Lane County to the LCC board.
Priorities:
- Building connections with rural Lane County communities and high schools to ensure we are providing appropriate LCC access and services.
- Meeting employers’ needs in program offerings to contribute to our economy.
- Engaging students to provide an effective and efficient experience for their course, degree, and certification needs.
Challenges:
- There are always finite resources in a budget, especially for a public entity. Community colleges serve a unique and increasingly important purpose both in equipping our students for their future success and in meeting the needs of the area for a trained workforce. I would look at budget decisions and advocate for priorities through this lens. I think I would offer a fresh set of eyes in looking at the budget. I love to ask questions and look at new ways of doing things efficiently and effectively.
- Many community colleges, including LCC, operate with little input from parents and local community members, despite being taxpayer funded institutions. This disconnect can lead to policies and programs that do not align with the values and needs of the community. I would work to increase transparency and community involvement in decision-making. This includes hosting open forums where parents, business leaders, and local citizens can voice concerns and provide input on curriculum, spending, and campus policies. I would also push for greater accountability on how taxpayer dollars are spent to ensure they are used to directly benefit students rather than funding bureaucracy and other ideological programs.
Board effectiveness: I would develop and adopt a code of conduct that emphasizes respect, active listening, and constructive dialogue, if not already in place. This would create opportunities for board members to voice concerns or ideas in a safe, nonjudgmental environment, such as premeeting briefings. I would also model respectful behavior, especially from leadership, to set a positive tone.
Endorsements: Ken Wells, mayor of Junction City; Ryan Ceniga, West Lane County commissioner; David Loveall, East Lane County commissioner; Boomer Wright, state representative; Arlen Rexius, Rexius, business owner; Robert Carp, Florence city councilor; Robby McCoy, mayor of Veneta.
