We have done our best with embedded email links. They work for most folks, and we can’t figure out how to make them work for the rest of you (please copy & paste email text at end of this note). In either case your emails are important!!
Good Afternoon,
The School Board will be meeting in Executive Session at 4:45 on Monday 4/21. The Superintendent sent an email to District residents on Thursday that appears to be posturing for the Board’s upcoming discussion. In that email the District misconstrued one of the City’s counteroffer’s key requests and ignored the other.
Click to Send an email to the WLWV School Board to help clarify and encourage a vote to Save Oppenlander.
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 District gets 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.
ACTION
The School Board is meeting Monday 4/21 at 4:45 to consider the City’s full-price counteroffer with a closing date extension. We continue to ask the public to weigh in and ask the Board to approve this extension.
Click here and we will create an email for you pre-addressed to the Board. One more click and it’s sent – and better yet, change the subject a little so it doesn’t look like a form letter and add your personal thoughts in the body of the email before sending.
There is not enough funding to purchase all of Oppenlander at the District’s asking price. We have worked with the City and ICON Construction on a public-private partnership to save about a third of Oppenlander, including one senior-sized baseball field (one of only two in the City), the installation of running water bathrooms, a play structure, and to save some of the trees. ICON will be subsidizing the park reconfiguration and some of the improvements. Friends of Oppenlander will use the extension time to fundraise to expand the trees saved and also to potentially expand the park size. The balance of the property will be developed by ICON.
This downsized proposal is consistent with today’s economy and represents a reasonable compromise. While not what we all wanted, this compromise is consistent with the heart of community’s desire to save Oppenlander.
The City is proposing a firm signed and binding contract with a deposit. It will execute a contract with the District and simultaneously another with ICON. All three parties will be formally obligated. This extension costs the District nothing and allows it to show the deposit cash as a Reserve asset, and the pending sale cash as an asset on its books as they close this fiscal year, another goal of theirs.
The District has stated that the Oppenlander funds will be transferred from the Land Banking account to a Reserve account. As such, those funds are not committed or needed for immediate spending so a delay until later in the year to close the sale does not affect School District operations. The District has already acknowledged this longer due diligence close provision would be necessary for any developer that the District would sell the property to if the City did not buy it.
The Board’s Monday meeting is in Executive Session so we cannot attend. Your emails are the only way our voices can be heard. Please take 60 seconds to let your voice be heard.
YOUR ACTION will help to save as much of Oppenlander as is practical …
Click to Send an email to the WLWV School Board by mid-day Monday if you want to assure Board members see it before their 4:45pm meeting.
Best regards,
The Friends of Oppenlander team
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TEXT OF EMAIL TEMPLATE if the buttons and links do not work. Please customize
mailto:[email protected]
Subject: Accept the City’s Oppenlander Counteroffer!
Dear Board Chair Taylor, Vice Chair Wyatt, Board Members Sloop, Vidal, and Schumaker, Superintendent Ludwig, and COO McGough.
The City of West Linn has offered to close a sale directly with the District at your full asking price to preserve Oppenlander Fields.
A public-private partnership has been established to protect about a third of the acreage as a park, including a senior-sized baseball field, running water restrooms, parking, perhaps a small playground, and some of the trees. Friends of Oppenlander will work to raise funds to preserve more trees and, depending on the funds raised, expand the size of the preserved park.
HOWEVER, the District’s proposed closing date requirement is artificially short.
The District has already recognized that ANY DEVELOPER purchasing Oppenlander must perform due diligence, ensure the parcel is partitioned into appropriate developable lots, obtain preliminary development approval, etc. This process takes approximately 6 months. Further, Friends of Oppenlander needs the same additional time to raise funds to expand the preserved park’s acreage.
The City’s full-price counteroffer reasonably requests this extension and provides for the simultaneous closing with a local private partner, ICON Construction.
From the District’s perspective, the sales transaction will be with the City.
The District has indicated they want to use the Oppenlander funds for Reserve Funds, so a minor closing delay should not impact short-term District operations or finances. With a signed PSA and deposit in hand, the District can with reasonable certainty, show the fiscal 25-26 budget with additional reserve funds (deposit) and significantly more pending under contract.
Please, on behalf of the children and the adult taxpayers of West Linn, accept the counteroffer, and let’s all get Oppenlander sold in June.
Thank you!
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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.
I don’t suppose most folks know about Paul Marcy Oppenlander and his family, including his parents Herman & Lila and sister Dorothy, as well as their connection to that 10-acre parcel…
Only saving three acers? Disgusting.