The State Land Board and Department of State Lands are finalizing a plan to change the way state lands are managed in hopes of boosting contributions to Oregon's Common School Fund.

State officials will be at the North Bend Library from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday to solicit public comments for a draft asset management plan. Written comments can be sent in through May 26.

In 2005, Common School Fund distributions to Oregon's 198 public school districts received nearly $43 million. The strategies identified in the draft plan are expected to conservatively generate $5 to $10 million in gross revenues from land sales alone over the next five years, and $20 to $25 million over the next decade.

The 2006 update of the asset management plan will replace the original plan developed in 1995 which has guided the work of DSL and the Land Board.

Public comment also will be taken in May in three other Oregon communities: Bend, Wilsonville and Burns.

Following the public meetings, DSL staff will revise the plan and present it to the State Land Board for adoption later this year.

Contributions to the school fund come from state business activities such as leasing rangelands for grazing; harvesting timber on state lands; and leasing waterway areas for such uses as sand and gravel removal, houseboat moorages, marinas and log storage.

Twice a year, the agency distributes fund investment earnings to support K-12 public schools.

The State Land Board consists of Governor Theodore Kulongoski, Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and State Treasurer Randall Edwards. DSL administers diverse natural and fiscal resources.