The Verdict is In
The jury deliberated for just over a full day on the facts and information shared during the six-and-a-half-day trial. They found in favor of the School District on “most” of the 11 claims.
I was not present in the court when the verdict was read … all I know right now is that “most” of the 11 claims went in favor of the School District.
The City has not decided whether they wish to appeal – it’s a bit soon for that discussion.
Also, our battle to keep Oppenlander a park is not done. The voters of West Linn put their money where their desires are with a 2 to 1 Bond vote to pay for Oppenlander, so we will keep fighting. More on this soon, too.
I am leaving the settlement footnote here for the time being. While the Jury attacked the City’s Good Faith efforts, it was not able to be informed about the City’s repeated Good Faith contract resolution and settlement efforts. For the School District to turn its back on these multi-million-dollar offers is definitely not good faith.
More to come …
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SETTLEMENT FOOTNOTE
As a further reinforcement of the City’s efforts at good faith with the School District, we note for the readers that settlement discussions are not allowed to be shared at trial, i.e. the Jury does not know about settlement discussions. But we want you to know that last December the City offered to “start over” with two separate independent appraisers (per the PSA) and use the averaged appraisals as a new appraisal. That averaging process would have made the sales price at least $3M – the School District declined. And a second multi-million dollar counter offer from the City made earlier this month was also rejected by the School District.
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Oppenlander Fields, paid for in the 70s primarily by West Linn citizens, has been an active community resource for over 40 decades with three active softball fields and a walking path. The School District decreed the land surplus property and signed a sales contract with the City. The School District required the land to remain a park as a term of the signed sales agreement and was to be appraised as such. It was. But now the School District is getting cold feet and wants to tear up the contract and sell to developers for up to 60 homes to be built, all of whom will be demanding new park space. Oh, and that extra developer money will likely primarily go into Wilsonville schools.
Here’s a link to the city’s Oppenlander web page, which has all of the transaction’s details, including copies of key documents.
Without this purchase by the City, Oppenlander will become either 35 single-family R-10 homes or up to 65 duplex units per the new Oregon law requiring cities to increase housing density, regardless of a R-10 zoning. All these residents will be looking for more park access – and we will have just eliminated the only full-sized athletic fields in the central and north sides of the city.
Please continue sharing and asking your friends and neighbors to come alongside the 2529 of your neighbors who have already signed at SaveOppenlander.org
