Serving East Linn County since 1929
The Latest

Lebanon school board weighs facility priorities

byBrandon Cominsky
September 15, 2026
Facility needs dominated the Lebanon Community School District Board’s Sept. 10 meeting, with board members discussing aging school buildings, the Waterloo property, and a possible Lebanon High School stadium rebuild. The district is entering the school year with about $1.1 million projected in its capital improvement fund, but board members said it will not cover all district needs. “A lot of this is budget-driven. I mean, almost the whole thing is,” Board Member Mike Martin said. Superintendent Jennifer Meckley told the board the district needs to identify its priorities before deciding how to spend the money. “There are a lot of moving pieces. There are a lot of needs,” Meckley said. “There’s not a right answer. I don’t think there’s a right answer for any of this because there are too many answers.” Martin said the board needs more specific cost estimates before making those decisions. Board Chair Lorlee Engler also asked how the district should approach the available funds, saying, “What is the best way to use this $1.1 million?” Meckley cautioned that the amount may sound larger than it is when compared with the district’s overall facility needs. “$1.1 million sounds like a lot of money, but it doesn’t go very far at all,” she said. The board also discussed whether the district should eventually sell its Waterloo property if it moves operations to Seven Oaks. The discussion followed earlier conversations about facility needs and focused on the property’s current use for storage and the district workshop. A proposed permanent addition at Seven Oaks could replace the remaining Waterloo space. The district’s capital plan lists a potential $250,000 addition to the Seven Oaks facility to eliminate the Waterloo space. If the district sells the Waterloo property, it could list it for $400,000 to $500,000, with another portion of the property estimated at $100,000 to $150,000. The board did not decide on the Waterloo property. After discussing additional information, members said they would bring the issue back for further discussion in a specialized work session later this fall. The board then moved to a proposed policy addressing what staff should do if federal immigration authorities enter district property for immigration enforcement purposes. The policy is tied to House Bill 4079, which requires Oregon school districts to adopt a policy for providing notice when federal immigration authorities are confirmed to have entered school property for immigration enforcement. The district’s proposed policy is based on an Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) model policy. The OSBA model policy states that, “absent a judicially authorized subpoena, warrant, or court order, staff should not allow federal immigration authorities access to district records or nonpublic facilities for immigration enforcement.” It also directs staff to route requests through the district-designated immigration liaison and superintendent rather than handle them independently. The OSBA model procedure states that staff should not provide records or information, confirm a person’s presence, make a person available for questioning, or allow access to nonpublic areas unless authorized under the district’s procedure. Martin asked that the policy be pulled from the consent agenda for further discussion, asking about staff safety and what would happen if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) entered a school. “There were some safety concerns regarding staff and enforcement if ICE entered our buildings, and what exactly are they supposed to do?” Martin said. “We need to make sure that’s clear.” Meckley said individuals or school employees would not decide whether federal agents should be allowed into a building. When asked whether staff should confront an immigration enforcement officer, she replied, “No, absolutely not.” “We don’t want building staff to make decisions on whether the enforcement officer should or shouldn’t be there. We want that burden to be placed on our office and on our attorneys,” she said. School Board Vice Chair Clyde Rood asked Sup. Meckley what would happen if an officer arrived with a warrant while district administrators were still contacting attorneys. Meckley said the district would verify the warrant before allowing any access into a building. “So, we would get our attorneys, and we would just ask them to please wait while we verify,” she said. The OSBA model policy also calls for the district to provide notice when federal immigration authorities are confirmed to have entered school property for immigration enforcement. The notice would go to students in seventh grade and above at the affected school, parents or guardians, impacted school staff, and community-based service providers who have requested notification. The notice would include the general location of the activity and whether classes or school operations were impacted, while excluding personally identifying or legally protected information. Earlier in the meeting, Sup. Meckley said Green Acres Elementary would be the first stop in the district’s “Walk the Halls” campaign, intended to give the board and community a closer look at facility needs. The visit would help shift the discussion from broad funding concerns to specific building issues. Meckley said the school’s most urgent problem is its plumbing infrastructure, including a failing main sewer line beneath the building. When Meckley visited Green Acres and asked staff for feedback, they identified HVAC upgrades, roof repairs, and additional space for the Life Skills program as top priorities. Meckley said Green Acres’ facilities are not adequate. “We do our best, but you know they’re not modern,” she added. “It’s a very charming school, but under the paint there are some problems.” The Green Acres Walk the Halls tour is scheduled for Sept. 16; parents will be sent an invitation on ParentSquare, and the invitation will be posted on social media as well. The board also received an update on the possible rebuild of the Lebanon High School stadium, shifting from immediate facility concerns to a longer-term project. That discussion moved the focus to planning and fundraising for the future rather than the district’s more urgent needs. Meckley said the booster club is interested in helping fundraise for the project, with preliminary concepts ranging from $1.1 million to $2 million. The larger stadium would include a full cover over the yard lines and seating areas, plus another press box. The district is also considering building new concessions and restroom facilities near the main entrance. Steven Prososki, Director of Financial Services at Lebanon Community School District, estimated the district’s portion of the project at roughly $250,000 to $300,000 and said about $80,000 to $100,000 could remain from previously raised funds. He said the district could also consider another $100,000 to $120,000 from capital projects, and that a prefabricated building could take about nine to twelve months once the project moves through permitting and selection. Rood asked if the district could share that information on its website so the community could see the larger picture and stay informed as the project develops. “Absolutely. And that is the plan,” Meckley said. The district also formally welcomed and swore in student board representatives Braden Pruett, Chloe Regalado, and Scartlett French for the 2026-2027 school year. With facility projects ranging from immediate repairs to long-term rebuilding, the board left several decisions for future meetings and focused on the district’s needs. As Rood summarized during the capital discussion, “Probably more information is better than less.” Meeting recap Consent agenda: Approved unanimously after the immigration enforcement policy was pulled out for discussion. Nichole Piland was absent from the Sept. 10 meeting. Waterloo property: The board discussed potentially selling the property if operations can be relocated to a permanent facility at Seven Oaks. The estimated listing range is $400,000-$500,000 for the main property and $100,000-$150,000 for an additional portion. Immigration enforcement: The policy was removed from the consent agenda for discussion, with Meckley explaining that staff should not confront federal immigration officers and should instead contact district administrators and attorneys. Capital projects: The district projected about $1.1 million available for capital priorities, with discussions involving LED lighting, fire alarms, Seven Oaks, boilers, roofing and other aging infrastructure. Walk the Halls: Green Acres is the first school featured, with the first tour scheduled for Sept. 16. Plumbing, HVAC, roofing and Life Skills space were identified as major needs. Stadium: Preliminary rebuild concepts range from $1.1 million to $2 million, with the district considering a separate concession/restroom project. Student representatives: Braden Pruett, Chloe Regalado and Scarlett French were sworn in as student board representatives for the upcoming school year. Photo by Brandon Cominsky

Facility needs dominated the Lebanon Community School District Board’s Sept. 10 meeting, with board members discussing aging school buildings, the Waterloo property, and a possible Lebanon High School stadium rebuild.

The district is entering the school year with about $1.1 million projected in its capital improvement fund, but board members said it will not cover all district needs.

“A lot of this is budget-driven. I mean, almost the whole thing is,” Board Member Mike Martin…

Share
Tweet
Share
Total
0
Share
0
0
0