Oregon City residents will decide whether to fund capital improvements for the community's six elementary schools this November.
During its Monday, July 8 meeting, the Oregon City School Board voted to approve putting a capital construction bond on the November ballot. If approved, the school bond would raise $163 million to improve the district’s six elementary schools, the third phase of a long range facilities improvement plan that began in 2000 with the rebuild of Oregon City High School.
“I’ve been involved in the bond discussion since the beginning, on the bond development committee, we’ve gone on a lot of tours, talked to a lot of people, talked about the needs in the district and I am very excited to vote yes on going forward for a bond in the fall,” board member Alex Halpern said during the Monday meeting.
The new school bond would raise tax revenue of $1.23 per $1000 of assessed value for district residents, adding onto the existing $1.22 per $1000 of assessed value.
“If approved in the 2024 November election, 100% of the bond funds will be allocated locally for Oregon City Schools. These funds will be used to enhance safety and security across all elementary schools, address critical needs like installing new HVAC systems for improved air temperature and quality, and update and repair aging and inefficient building systems in six elementary schools built between 1948 and 1975,” the district said in a press release on Wednesday, July 10.
The school bond will transform the district’s six existing elementary schools into 21st century, state-of-the-art facilities. The district’s two oldest elementary schools, Beavercreek and Redland, were built 76 years ago in 1948.
The district’s six elementary schools are Beavercreek, Candy Lane, Gaffney, Holcomb, John McCloughlin and Redland.
A major portion of the school bond renovations will include expanding student capacity so that Oregon City elementary schools no longer need modular spaces. The bond would also improve building access controls, restrooms, flooring, air quality, playgrounds and common spaces.
"These schools have original building systems such as heating, plumbing, and air conditioning that are failing. If passed, this bond will address these basic needs to create safe, secure, and efficient buildings for our community's youngest learners," Michael Sweeten, director of operations and capital improvements, said in the press release.
In addition to the elementary school improvements, part of the $163 million would go towards new investments in career and technical education (CTE) programs and infrastructure at OCHS.
“I think that Oregon City is a place that people come to stay,” said board member Pamela White. “We want people, we want our kids to be able to take on the future by having the facilities that we need them to have so they can learn about themselves so that they can get the right kind of jobs and can support their families and their communities.”
The bond development process began with the long range facilities plan, which outlines the facilities needs at district properties. The community bond planning committee prioritized these recommendations after they conducted cost estimates, polled the community and held “listening and learning” forums.
If the bond passes in November, the bond program will be managed by a citizens bond oversight committee appointed by the school board. Oregon state law limits how general obligation school bond revenue can be spent, so the funds raised can only be used to improve the facilities outlined in the bond statement.
For more information about the proposed bond program and schedule, visit https://www.ocschoolbond.org/.
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