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Resident urges West Linn to press school district on Oppenlander Field sale
Summary
A West Linn resident urged city leaders to oppose the school district’s recent sale letter regarding Oppenlander Field, called the district’s nearly $8 million asking price out of step with preserving the site as a park, and said Friends of Oppenlander will seek private fundraising and a public forum with the city.
A West Linn resident urged the City Council on Jan. 21 to push back on what he described as the school district’s decision to treat Oppenlander Field as a developer asset rather than a community park.
"I'm Dean, I live over Miles Drive here in West Linn," the resident said during public comment. He told the council the school district’s recent offer letter, which he said sets a sale price near $8,000,000, "is certainly a developer price. It is not a park price." He said the district appears to be using reserve accounts to respond to a budget shortfall and called that conduct "improper." The resident also referenced the district's concerns about Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) costs, saying the district has side accounts but nevertheless wants to use land proceeds to shore up short-term reserves.
The speaker identified himself as the founder of Friends of Oppenlander and said the group helped pass a ballot measure that contributed roughly $3.5 million toward preserving the field. He said Friends of Oppenlander plan to pursue private fundraising to fill the newly disclosed gap and asked the city to publicly object to the district’s offer letter. "We object to the school district's offer letter. It was not a negotiation. It is a stake in the ground," he told the council.
Council members thanked the speaker for his work and said staff will follow up. City leaders said they expect more engagement on the issue, including a community forum; the mayor and council discussed arranging a joint public meeting or community forum to inform and involve residents.
The remarks were made during public comment; the council did not take action on the Oppenlander matter at the Jan. 21 work session.
