Beaverton School Board approves Westview High synthetic turf contract over one dissent

The Beaverton School Board voted to approve a contract authorizing installation of a synthetic multiuse baseball/softball turf at Westview High School, with six members supporting the measure and one member opposed.

Board Chair Sunita Gar announced the item and the vote. The motion to approve the contract was moved and seconded and carried with six board members voting yes and board member Dr. Tammy Carpenter voting no.

Dr. Tammy Carpenter spoke against new installations of artificial turf, citing research and health concerns. “The players, professional players, unions, work really hard to try and get turf removed because of the orthopedic injuries associated with artificial turf,” Carpenter said, adding concerns about microplastics and potential environmental and health impacts.

District staff member Casey (title not specified in the meeting record) said the turf installation was included in the 2022 bond and that Westview is the last of six comprehensive high schools in the bond program to receive the baseball/softball fields. Casey said the district is not aware of additional injuries tied to similar installations and that no state bans or violations prohibit turf fields.

The board’s approval completes work authorized under the district’s 2022 bond for high school athletic fields. The contract vote was taken after the item was pulled from the consent agenda earlier in the meeting for separate consideration.

Board action and next steps: district staff will proceed with contract authorization and scheduling as permitted under the bond program and the contract terms already presented to the board.