OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Beaverton City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting - December 2, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, December 2, 2025
BodyBeaverton, Oregon
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, December 2, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:08:30

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

To you.

0:02

All right, I'm going to call today's meeting to order.

0:04

Will the recorder please call the roll?

0:06

Counselor Duggar.

0:08

I am here.

0:09

Counselor Hartmeyer Prigg, I am too.

0:11

Counselor Hassan.

0:13

Here.

0:13

Councillor Kimmy.

0:18

Councilor Teeter.

0:19

Yeah.

0:20

Councilor Tivnon.

0:22

Here.

0:23

Mayor Beatty.

0:24

Here.

0:25

All right.

0:25

And for the record, the city attorney asked me to sit here so we can elbow me during the meeting to keep me in line.

0:31

So that's why I'm looking at you guys.

0:33

Just kidding.

0:34

I wanted to be able to look at everyone.

0:36

Okay, so the first part of our meeting today is going to be the assistant city manager, and we're going to be going over our fiscal plan.

0:46

So I'll turn it over to you.

0:50

All right, good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

0:53

So I'm Elizabeth Coffey, one of the assistant city managers here at Beaverton.

0:57

And we'll be talking to you about fiscal sustainability today and giving you an update on our action plan and local option levy questions.

1:09

So we'll just give just a quick second for the PowerPoint to get pulled up.

1:14

So today we're going to be going over a fiscal sustainability action plan review.

1:21

Give an update on our fiscal year 2026-27 strategy, and then we'll cover some local option levy policy questions for your consideration today.

1:32

And you can move to the next slide.

1:36

And the next slide after that, please.

1:40

So the policy questions for you to keep in mind as we walk through today's presentation are these following three questions.

1:48

And we're not asking for any decisions today.

1:51

We're just looking for your initial feedback as we start to dive more into the conversation around a potential local option levy.

1:58

So three things to keep in mind.

2:00

We're curious about feedback if council agrees with pursuing an amount of a minimum of 40 cents per thousand assessed value for a potential levy.

2:10

And we'll talk a little bit more about why that potential amount later in the presentation.

2:16

Second, we also will be gathering your feedback about a couple of different proposed levy packages to start the conversation as we work towards finalizing those.

2:26

And then third, we do want to just check in and see if you want to continue pursuing the potential of a May 2026 levy as opposed to a November 2026 levy.

2:39

So but first we'll kick off with a review of our fiscal sustainability action plan.

2:44

Just wanted to recap.

2:46

You can go to the next slide, please.

2:48

In the October 21st council work session, we talked about a short-term, medium-term, and long-term fiscal sustainability action plan, because the city has made great strides in accomplishing many of the efforts that they had in their last fiscal action plan.

3:07

And so based on council feedback, we have adjusted the short-term actions to also include a transient lodging tax increase.

3:16

And you can see a number of other actions in particular in the short term, which includes exploring a local option levy and services fee, transportation utility fee evaluation, business license fee study.

3:43

Next slide, please.

3:45

So this is a very, very high-level overview of the short-term actions.

3:51

And I think what you can take away from this slide is that we're doing a lot of different things around fiscal sustainability, and we're kind of doing them all at once.

3:57

And so we're working on the local option levy if we do proceed with a May uh potential levy.

4:03

Um we have lots of work to do between now and May.

4:06

Uh concurrently, we will be working on the services fee, and we'll provide an update on that in just a minute.

4:12

We anticipate coming back to you with more information about the transient lodging tax in the spring, as well as more information about the business license study.

4:21

Uh, concurrently, we're also working on the transportation utility fee as well as services prioritization, and we are about to kick off our fiscal 2026-27 budget process.

4:31

So lots of irons in the fire at the moment.

4:36

So, speaking of budget, we're gonna transition and talk a little bit about our strategy for fiscal year 2026-27.

4:44

Um, before we begin discussing the next fiscal year, you can move to the next slide, please.

4:50

Um, I think it's helpful to review last year's uh financial situation and remind uh folks of the strategies that we deployed at that time.

5:00

So as a reminder, last year we faced what we called a financial storm.

5:04

We had a budget deficit of approximately 15.7 million dollars.

5:09

And I think as we move forward to the next fiscal year, it's helpful to think of the deficit like a large hole in our roof through tough decisions like cutting nearly 17 positions and reducing the amount that we spend on materials and services and a number of other solutions that you see on the right side of the screen.

5:28

We were able to repair about half of the whole, about $7.5 million worth of the deficit.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Transportation Safety█████████████████████21%
Fiscal Sustainability█████████████████17%
Public Safety███████████████15%
Procedural█████████████13%
Water And Wastewater Management██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Urban Planning█████5%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Community Engagement██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Beaverton City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting - December 2, 2025

The city council held a work session on fiscal sustainability and the Transportation System Plan update, followed by a regular meeting that included a public hearing on a code maintenance text amendment, a presentation from Clean Water Services, and public testimony on immigration enforcement impacts. Council discussed a potential local option levy to address a projected $15 million general fund deficit.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved unanimously (6-0-1) the consent agenda, which included routine approvals and actions.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Emily Grant, a Beaverton teacher and 18-year resident, testified about ICE enforcement activity in her students' neighborhood, describing students unable to board school buses due to ICE agents. She urged the city to take action to protect immigrant communities and expressed appreciation for the earlier announcement of a state of emergency. The council acknowledged her testimony and noted ongoing efforts.

Discussion Items

Fiscal Sustainability and Local Option Levy (Work Session)

  • Assistant City Manager Elizabeth Coffey presented the fiscal sustainability action plan, reviewing a $15.7 million deficit from the prior year, temporarily closed with $8.2 million in one-time funds. For FY 2026-27, an early forecast shows a $15 million gap. Staff proposed a minimum levy of 40 cents per $1,000 assessed value ($9.23/month for the average homeowner, generating $5.3 million annually) and asked for feedback on three policy questions: levy amount, package options, and timing (May vs. November 2026).
  • Option 1 (Modern Tools Local Safety): Restores four officer positions (bike team, mental health response) and invests in technology (body cameras, tasers, drones) – preserves 13 officers through levy funding.
  • Option 2 (Core Public Safety): Focuses on maintaining current services, preserving 21 officers, but does not restore positions or add technology.
  • Council Feedback:
    • Councillor Hartmeyer Prigg supported 40 cents, preferred Option 1 (storytelling value), and favored May 2026. Noted that one-time reserve use is a temporary solution.
    • Councillor Duggar supported 40 cents and May 2026, but favored Option 2, expressing concern about promising new services while asking voters for money. He emphasized the need for clear messaging and the council's campaign responsibility.
    • Councillor Teter supported 40 cents, May 2026, and Option 1, comparing it to a recent county levy. Asked about technology lifespan (body cameras last ~3 years).
    • Councillor Tibnon supported 40 cents, May 2026, and Option 1, citing the bike team's effectiveness and need for technology oversight discussions.
    • Councillor Hassan supported 40 cents, May 2026, and Option 1, but raised concerns about drones and messaging. Asked if the levy covers the full deficit (only $5.3M of $15M), noting a structural deficit requires ongoing work.
    • Councillor Kimmy supported 40 cents and May 2026, leaning toward Option 1, but questioned whether a higher amount might be needed. The mayor cautioned that polling does not support a higher levy.
    • Mayor Beatty supported 40 cents, May 2026, and emphasized the blended approach (levy + fee). Noted the council has a responsibility to campaign and communicate the three tools together (levy, fee, reductions).
  • The council broadly agreed to continue pursuing a May 2026 levy at 40 cents/$1,000, with further refinement of package details expected at the January 13 work session.

Transportation System Plan (TSP) Update (Work Session)

  • Transportation Planner (lead) presented findings from extensive community engagement (2,800 responses, ambassadors). Key findings: short local trips are common; speed is a major safety factor; crashes causing injury occur every 10 hours, with a serious injury or fatality every 11 days; 42% of pedestrians and 28% of cyclists in crashes were killed or seriously injured. The Shiffler Park map illustrated how high-speed streets (30+ mph) cut off walkable access.
  • Council Comments:
    • Mayor Beatty highlighted lack of safe routes to elementary schools in the Shiffler Park area and urged lowering speeds where possible. Noted state/county roads pose challenges.
    • Councillor Hartmeyer Prigg praised the engagement and emphasized expanding off-street protected trails.
    • Councillor Kimmy asked about crash timing (peak afternoon and late weekend) and the need for lighting and design cues to slow traffic.
    • Councillor Duggar noted the high crash frequency, emphasized network completeness, and suggested exploring policy changes (e.g., construction detours for bike lanes).
  • Next steps: staff will return in spring 2026 with network proposals.

Clean Water Services – State of the District

  • Joe Gall (Chief Utility Relations Officer) and Rick Shanley (Interim CEO) presented on regional wastewater/stormwater services. Highlighted $1.4 billion in planned capital improvements (West Basin), pending permit updates, and a 2026 study on billing (potentially taking over billing from cities).
  • Councillor Duggar thanked them for governance improvements after past media scrutiny. The board members noted ongoing work to restore public trust, including a forensic analysis and policy updates.

Code Maintenance Text Amendment (Public Hearing and Adoption)

  • Senior Planner Steve Regner presented ordinance 4876 (2025 code maintenance), a package of minor updates to the Beaverton Development Code, including state law compliance for childcare facilities, clarification of outdoor eating rules, and streamlined sidewalk standards (transferring authority to the engineering design manual).
  • No public testimony was offered. Council heard staff presentation and questions.
  • Councillor Hassan asked about making code more understandable; staff acknowledged the tension between precision and readability.
  • The council adopted Ordinance 4876 unanimously (6-0).

Key Outcomes

  • Levy Direction: Council directed staff to continue work toward a May 2026 ballot measure with a minimum levy of 40 cents per $1,000 assessed value. Further refinement of levy packages (Option 1 vs. Option 2) will be discussed at the January 13 work session. Council will also consider a monthly services fee and other revenue tools as part of the blended approach.
  • TSP: Staff will proceed with network analysis and return in spring 2026. Council emphasized safety, speed reduction, and network connectivity.
  • Clean Water Services: Council acknowledged the presentation; a billing study is expected in 2026.
  • Code Amendment: Ordinance 4876 adopted unanimously.
  • Emergency Declaration: Mayor announced that a state of emergency was declared earlier that day regarding federal immigration enforcement impacts; council will consider ratification on December 16.
  • Council New Business: Request for a work session on water conservation (landscaping) was declined by most councilors. An upcoming community training on immigrant rights and bystander intervention was highlighted.

Meeting Transcript

To you. All right, I'm going to call today's meeting to order. Will the recorder please call the roll? Counselor Duggar. I am here. Counselor Hartmeyer Prigg, I am too. Counselor Hassan. Here. Councillor Kimmy. Councilor Teeter. Yeah. Councilor Tivnon. Here. Mayor Beatty. Here. All right. And for the record, the city attorney asked me to sit here so we can elbow me during the meeting to keep me in line. So that's why I'm looking at you guys. Just kidding. I wanted to be able to look at everyone. Okay, so the first part of our meeting today is going to be the assistant city manager, and we're going to be going over our fiscal plan. So I'll turn it over to you. All right, good afternoon, Mayor and Council. So I'm Elizabeth Coffey, one of the assistant city managers here at Beaverton. And we'll be talking to you about fiscal sustainability today and giving you an update on our action plan and local option levy questions. So we'll just give just a quick second for the PowerPoint to get pulled up. So today we're going to be going over a fiscal sustainability action plan review. Give an update on our fiscal year 2026-27 strategy, and then we'll cover some local option levy policy questions for your consideration today. And you can move to the next slide. And the next slide after that, please. So the policy questions for you to keep in mind as we walk through today's presentation are these following three questions. And we're not asking for any decisions today. We're just looking for your initial feedback as we start to dive more into the conversation around a potential local option levy. So three things to keep in mind. We're curious about feedback if council agrees with pursuing an amount of a minimum of 40 cents per thousand assessed value for a potential levy. And we'll talk a little bit more about why that potential amount later in the presentation. Second, we also will be gathering your feedback about a couple of different proposed levy packages to start the conversation as we work towards finalizing those. And then third, we do want to just check in and see if you want to continue pursuing the potential of a May 2026 levy as opposed to a November 2026 levy. So but first we'll kick off with a review of our fiscal sustainability action plan. Just wanted to recap. You can go to the next slide, please. In the October 21st council work session, we talked about a short-term, medium-term, and long-term fiscal sustainability action plan, because the city has made great strides in accomplishing many of the efforts that they had in their last fiscal action plan. And so based on council feedback, we have adjusted the short-term actions to also include a transient lodging tax increase. And you can see a number of other actions in particular in the short term, which includes exploring a local option levy and services fee, transportation utility fee evaluation, business license fee study. Next slide, please. So this is a very, very high-level overview of the short-term actions. And I think what you can take away from this slide is that we're doing a lot of different things around fiscal sustainability, and we're kind of doing them all at once. And so we're working on the local option levy if we do proceed with a May uh potential levy. Um we have lots of work to do between now and May. Uh concurrently, we will be working on the services fee, and we'll provide an update on that in just a minute.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com