Representatives of the City of St Helens urged the school board to pause an anticipated sale of 10.76 acres on Ross Road and instead discuss a joint feasibility study to determine whether a multi-field sports complex shared by the city and district could be viable.

Mayor Jennifer Massey told the board the city is not asking for immediate financial commitment but requested a pause on the sale so the two governments can evaluate a joint-use approach. "We respectfully ask the district pause the sale of the 10.76 acres on Ross Road, and instead partner with the city of St. Helens to complete a feasibility study exploring whether [a] joint-use sports complex can serve a long-term revenue-generating asset for the district and the community," she said.

City Administrator John Hall and other city representatives told the board the two properties combined would create about 27 contiguous acres and pointed to examples in other Oregon cities where sports facilities generated tourism and recurring revenue. The presenters said a preliminary analysis suggested a potential revenue-share scenario that could recoup the lost sale proceeds over time.

Board members did not vote on the request during public comment but asked staff to research the proposal and return with options. District staff and trustees noted the district's immediate fiscal pressures, the one-time nature of a property sale and the need for a formal feasibility study and partnership framework before any commitment could be made.

The city presentation included conceptual site uses (baseball/softball fields, multipurpose field) and a request to be added to a future agenda for a formal presentation and review of conceptual materials.