Gresham-Barlow board asks superintendent to draft response to city’s downtown urban renewal plan

Gresham-Barlow School District board members on July 2 directed Superintendent Tracy Klinger to draft a district response to the City of Gresham’s proposed downtown urban renewal plan and to circulate it for board review before the city’s July 10 comment deadline.

The board’s action followed a presentation on the city’s notice and plan, which would create an urban renewal area covering downtown Gresham and parts of adjacent neighborhoods. Mr. Cook, one of the presenters, told the board the plan would “collect and take an additional portion of our local property taxes to fund some of this work” but that any lost local school funding is “backfilled for us by the state,” referring to the state school fund. Mr. Cook said the district’s total dollar amount received from the state would not change, but the tax-collection structure would be altered.

Why it matters: Board members said the plan could affect district-owned property within the proposed boundary — including the district office, Gresham High School and the West Gresham property — and could have implications for student safety and facility capacity. Board members emphasized the need to be at the table as the city finalizes projects and oversight so the district can raise concerns about safe routes to schools, sidewalks and potential impacts on building capacity.

Discussion and specifics

Dr. Tracy Klinger, superintendent, flagged several concerns for the board. “None of the money that is going to this…