The Oregon City School District board on July 14 approved a contract to install artificial turf at Oregon City High School and heard a detailed bond-program update from project staff on design, permitting and contractor selection. The board’s vote authorized replacement and renovations for varsity baseball, varsity softball and the JB football field, and staff said the work fits within the bond’s fields-and-grounds budget.

Board members and district staff told the board the turf contract will move forward this summer and fall as permitting and site work allow. David Hobbs, the district’s bond program manager, said nine construction-manager/general-contractor (CMGC) teams submitted proposals for phase 2 work and interviews are underway; the board is scheduled to consider CMGC contract awards at a special session on July 31.

Hobbs said land‑use applications for field and site amenities — including restrooms, concessions, walkways and drinking fountains — are under review by Oregon City Planning and Public Works and that those permit timelines will shape when work can begin. He warned that some projects, notably Pioneer Stadium, may be pushed into 2026 because of the narrow windows around sports seasons.

In a focused presentation on the turf project, district staff identified local soil and drainage as the main drivers of the turf contract cost. Because the high‑school athletic complex sits on dense red clay that does not drain well, the approved design includes buried modular stormwater tanks (three tanks in total) and extra excavation and rock drainage to capture and manage runoff. Mr. Hops (project presenter) said the tanks will be buried beneath the finished surface and will not be visible once work is done.

Board members asked about alternates and cost scope; staff replied that the base proposal was accepted and that most alternates in the original bids were not included. Hobbs said the additional drainage measures and tanks were not anticipated in pre‑bond estimates but are the appropriate civil‑engineering solution for the site.

Staff also recapped community engagement and schedule items: architects posted concept designs for all six elementary schools, the team is finishing schematic design for phase 2 schools, and detailed design and cost refinement will follow once CMGC partners are on board. Hobbs said the work will be refined over the summer and early fall and that some early site work or demolition packages may start as contractors propose phased approaches.

The motion to approve the field‑turf contract was made and seconded during the meeting and carried. During roll call on the turf item, Director Pink, Director White, Director Kinsey and Chair Katie Wilson recorded “Aye.” The motion carried and staff said the turf work stays within the fields‑and‑grounds budget allocated in the bond program.

The bond update also covered program elements beyond fields: staff said they have land use work in progress for athletic site amenities, are coordinating with coaches and school operations about temporary disruptions, and are meeting with technology, nutrition services and CTE staff to finalize operational design standards for the renovated facilities. Hobbs said a BOLI pre‑apprenticeship approval for a manufacturing pre‑apprenticeship at Case is the first in the county and that plumbing is the next trade under consideration.

Board members asked to see additional detail at the July 31 special session and the July 28 work session. Hobbs recommended parents and community members follow the district bond web page for updated concept designs and schedule information.