The School Board has scheduled a virtual meeting for this Friday at 3:15 pm to issue their “Direction to Staff” on Oppenlander. This meeting follows a closed door Executive Session held April 21st.
The link for the virtual meeting will be on this linked District web page by Friday noon.
The City made a full-priced counter offer to the District on March 21st requesting some flexibility to allow a public private partnership that would allow some of Oppenlander to be retained as a City-owned park … flexibility any developer even without park preservation would need.
Based on the “direction to Staff”, we expect to learn Friday if the District is accepting the City’s offer or will be seeking an open market offer.
Remember, the decision is made … but if you want to send an email, perhaps about how you might react if the District does not accept the City’s full-price offer, click here. No live public comments are being accepted.
MAY SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION
Ballots for the May election were mailed today. Board member Kirsten Wyatt is up for re-election. Friends of Oppenlander PAC has endorsed her opponent, Christi Lanz, as a fresh face with excellent insight and perspective … especially on finances and how the School District can do better while serving the community and being transparent. Kelly Sloop, a consistent supporter of the City’s effort to acquire Oppenlander, is running unopposed. Chair Taylor is stepping down from the Board with two good candidates running.
NOVEMBER BOND MEASURE
The $140M November bond measure is being characterized as a “fix critical issues” bond. The money from the Oppenlander sale is not going to fix critical issues and reduce this bond, it is not going to land banking for future generations of students, rather it will “disappear” first as a part of a reserve fund and then it will likely trickle into general School District operations.
We need and want good schools … and we want them to be efficient, and focused on the children and the community. Accountability and transparency are critical to make this happen.
BACKGROUND
On March 21st, the School District made an offer to the City allowing them to purchase Oppenlander. The District refused to discuss the offer with the City calling it “firm and non-negotiable final offer.” The City replied on April 4th with a counteroffer stating they would pay the District’s full $7.875M price and requesting some adjustments with two primary and reasonable concerns with the District’s proposal.
The City is preparing to purchase Oppenlander under a public/private partnership with ICON Construction, a West Linn-based developer to optimize the preservation of approximately 3 acres of the park, and hopefully some of the trees. The City will provide $3.5M from the bond measure, ICON will provide the balance of funding and do all of the required improvements and relocation of the park, and Friends of Oppenlander will raise additional fund to save additional trees and green space.
However, the District’s sales agreement needs to allow for the City to be the sole purchaser from the District while the City closes a simultaneous sales transaction with ICON to sell some of the some of the property including improving the remaining park space.
In order for ICON to be a 3rd party to this transaction as a developer, ICON needs approximately six months to perform due diligence and to attain preliminary-approval for a formal set of plans from the City … which, by the way, will be a requirement of any other developer.
The alternative to this three-way public/private partnership with be at least 65-70 middle-density homes.
The ICON public/private proposal is 44 middle-density home, preservation of a senior-sized ball field, a running water bathroom, paved parking, and some play equipment for little children (based on the current plans).
BOTTOM LINE
The City’s offer gives the District their full asking sales price, a portion of Oppenlander is saved, the transaction closes in approximately 6 months – the same time it would take any developer to close (the District does not need the cash for Oppenlander for any immediate expenses so this costs them nothing), and Friends of Oppenlander is able to raise funds to preserve more park and trees.
Best regards,
The Friends of Oppenlander team
WE CAN STILL SAVE OPPENLANDER WITH YOUR HELP! Preserve and extend Oppenlander’s 40+ year legacy of community park, senior baseball fields, add a new playground and restrooms. While there will be some development, we don’t lose the entire park or all of the trees. Without your help, and a School Board closing date extension, it will all become homes.
