The Hoodland Women’s Club has made giant strides toward the realization of
its dream to build a new Community Center for the Hoodland area.

Recently, the County Parks Department commissioned two studies that were
necessary for the Women’s Club to have in hand when they go before private
foundations requesting funding for the Community Center project. County
Parks used some of the funds being held for the construction of the new
Community Center to pay for the studies.

Scott Edwards, Architects, a Portland firm, completed the building analysis
and Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc., also of Portland, prepared the site
analysis.

The SEA study indicated repairs totaling approximately $250,000 were needed
for the Dorman Center building. In addition to identifying snow load problems,
wind shear and seismic issues were also of concern.

Upon review by the Hoodland Women’s Club’s attorney, the Hoodland
Women’s Club was advised to terminate their lease at the earliest possible
opportunity. The liability on the building was held by the Hoodland Women’s
Club, and in the process of sequential liability, would have fallen to the
women individually if a problem arose due to the issues raised by the Scott
Edwards report.

The Women’s Club sent the Clackamas County Commissioners a letter of
intent to cancel their lease with the Parks Department, effective July 5. In a
study session with the Clackamas County Commissioners on June 5, the
commissioners chose to close the Dorman Center as of September 15, or, at
an earlier date when the tenants had all been relocated.

The Meyer Memorial Trust, The Ford Family Foundation and the Collins
Foundation have all been patiently waiting for the decision regarding the
Dorman Center to be made.

Now that the decision has been made there are two more items that the
Women’s Club needs to complete in order for their pending grant applications
to these Oregon foundations to be completed.

These are: a Level 1 Environmental Study and the creation of a Request for
Proposal for construction of the Community Center building.

The Women’s Club has sent a letter and also has voiced its appeal at the
recent Town Hall Meeting, that the commissioners intercede on their behalf
with the Parks Department to fund these two necessary elements out of the
same fund that they used for the site and building analysis.

Upon completion of these additional elements, the grantors will have the
documentation they need to send the Women’s Club’s grant applications to
their review boards in November 2012.

The Dorman Center is owned by the Clackamas County Parks Department and
is subsidized by the Hoodland Women’s Club.