Director Charlie Eastham asked the Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors on Aug. 26 to consider additional community engagement and a review of plans before relocating West High’s baseball field as part of the district’s FMP 2.3 work.

Eastham said he had visited the West High site and wanted the board to “incorporate the ideas and the concerns of people in the neighborhood, parents and staff” into planning for a facility relocation.

Superintendent Matt Degner and Deputy Superintendent Kristen Ravey told the board the district already plans follow‑up with neighbors and that Chief Operating Officer Kurt is coordinating that outreach. Degner suggested the board’s next step could be to receive the plans presented previously to the community along with the district’s rationale—cost, student access and other factors—and then decide whether the board wanted further outreach or other steps. “We can do that, and then you guys can determine from there any additional work you want to give us,” Degner said.

Board members agreed that returning the plans and an explanation of site selection factors would be an appropriate first step; the board asked staff to present those items at the Sept. 9 operations meeting. The discussion was characterized as direction to staff to report back with plans and with the district’s recommended next steps, not as a change in the project scope or a formal vote.

Eastham said he was not advocating for or against a specific alternative at this time but wanted a process that included neighbors, parents and, if appropriate, student input. Ravey and Degner said staff will detail existing neighbor follow‑up and, if the board requests it, present additional parent engagement options.

No formal motion or vote was recorded on the field location during the meeting; the board set the item for further review at the next operations meeting.