Save Our Fields @ Gordon Faber Recreation Complex
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My name is Dirk Knudsen. Earlier this year, the City Council in Hillsboro, Oregon took Executive action without the advice and input of the Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Commission. Pressured by the Hillsboro Hops and Major League Baseball, the Council voted and approved a new stadium for the Hops and, in doing so, are giving them at least $25 Million in our money for free. Even worse, the City Council approved tearing out 3 of the 6 fields that were built for our Children & adults to use for baseball, softball, and other sports. This is WRONG!!
I have filed an appeal to the land use approval granted by the Hillsboro Planning and Zoning Hearings Board for this new Stadium! I need your help!
What I am doing and why I need your help:
- I have filed an Appeal of the new stadium Approval.
- Our City Council will have to hear our arguments and publicly face the decision they have already made in private.
- We believe the current Stadium should be remodeled instead of tearing our cherished fields out- Fields 4, 5, and 6 can now be removed unless we win this appeal.
- I want them to complete crucial and required Traffic Impact Analysis, which they have refused to do. They contend that a 6,000-8,000 spectator new stadium will not cause any new or increased traffic at US 26 & Cornelius Pass. WOW- incredibly hard to believe. Human lives and safety are on the line. The Hillsboro Codes require a Traffic Impact Analysis for almost any small development. THIS IS NOT RIGHT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE!
- They should NOT have circumvented our Parks Commission. A Commission who now has asked our Council to make the Hillsboro Hops pay to replace the fields they are tearing out (4,5,6). We need the council to support that and require that!
- I have hired Land Use Attorney Jeffrey Klineman, who is an expert on these matters. I have agreed to pay him to represent this matter. While my name is on the appeal because someone had to do this, I believe many of you are with me.
- IF YOU SUPPORT ME AND STAND WITH ME all $$$ goes to Jeffrey and the administrative costs to fight this. I am personally responsible for thousands in costs already - and I need your help!
- REMODEL the RON TONKIN - The Hops use 2,000 seats on average a game- It can hold 4,000 and more - This is the only way to have a Win-Win for the Hops and Our People and especially our kids! WE DO SUPPORT THE HOPS!
- Only 1 Bid was given to Remodel the existing Stadium - The City Council chose not to seek competitive bids, but instead chose M.A. Mortenson to be the exclusive bidder/builder. This company has a Regional Executive on the SPORT OREGON Board of Directors, with KL Wombacher, General Manager, of the Hillsboro Hops. This is improper and wreaks of insider dealing. The Denver paper posted this story in 2020 of a bid-rigging scandal - this should have us all appalled as to what happened and what is happening here.
It is my Goal to make the City of Hillsboro comply with the laws and:
- 1) Get the input and approval from the Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Commission to build or not build this new stadium.
- 2) STOP the City of Hillsboro and the Hillsboro Hops from ripping out our beautiful 10-year-old Baseball and Softball fields.
- 3) Complete a Traffic Impact Analysis on this new stadium and seek a new approval and a new set of hearings.
- 4) Get a proper decision to Remodel the Ron Tonkin Stadium and SAVE OUR FIELDS FOREVER!
There is much more to this story, and you can find it all at Save GFRC
PLEASE DONATE AND SUPPORT ME- ANONYMOUSLY OR NOT -
We will also need your voices on Social Media, at future events, and more! Without YOU I can not succeed. This fight will likely go beyond Hillsboro City Hall to Salem where an impartial body can decide on matters of Code.
This, my friends, I ask of you! Please help me Save Our Fields!
Gratefully;
Dirk Knudsen- 5 decade Resident - Hillsboro, Oregon
Organizer
Dirk Knudsen
Organizer
Hillsboro, OR