Lake Oswego board interviews four candidates for two legal budget committee seats

The Lake Oswego School Board on Feb. 24 interviewed four candidates for two open citizen positions on the district's legal budget committee, a panel that reviews the district's budget under Oregon's local budget law and must approve any property tax rate before the school board can increase it.

Phil Arts, a retired healthcare finance administrator and grandfather of three students in district schools, said his prior experience on a school budget committee and his background in hospital and physician-practice finance would let him review detailed budgets and listen to differing views in public meetings. "I tend to be more of a listener than a speaker," Arts said, adding that he hopes to help keep meetings efficient.

Lucas Sommer, a local small-business owner and volunteer coach, described experience with financial modeling, data visualization and tax returns and said he would bring technical spreadsheet and forecasting skills. "There's nothing in Excel I can't do," he told the board.

Russ Warner, who said he works in corporate real estate and facilities, emphasized communications and community advocacy as strengths and noted experience running budgets for facilities. Allison Lisonbee, an instructional coach and longtime educator, highlighted experience with academy- and building-level budgeting and the academic return-on-investment process used in school budget decisions.

Board staff reminded candidates that the legal budget committee is a fiscal advisory body that meets with the five elected board members to form the 10-member legal budget committee required by Oregon statute. Finance staff reiterated that a tax rate or levy approved by the legal budget committee cannot be increased later without returning to that committee.

No appointment was made on Feb. 24. Finance staff said the board intends to take formal action on candidate appointments at its March 10 meeting and will notify candidates afterward; the two selected members will take part in a short onboarding process before participating in the spring budget review meetings.

The interviews also included questions about the district's strategic plan, measuring outcomes, and what priorities stand at risk amid operating budget reductions. Candidates frequently cited a desire to contribute accounting and budget-review experience, and several said they had family connections to district schools.