The Bend City Council met on March 6, 2024, starting with a work session at 5:00 p.m. on the transportation fee following listening sessions, followed by an executive session on real property transactions, and then a regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. The regular meeting included proclamations, public comments, approval of the consent agenda, a memorandum of understanding with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and the removal of a member from the Human Rights and Equity Commission (HREC).
Okay. Ready? All right. So we will call to order the Ben City Council regular meeting. We're gonna go through our roll call. Start with you, Councillor Campbell. Barb Campbell, I prefer she and her pronouns. Ariel Mendez, he, him. Anthony Broadman here. Melanie Keebler, she, her. Megan Perkins, she, her. Mike Riley, he, him. Megan R. And then we have our um opening statement and lightning calls from Councillor Campbell. Thank you. The Ben City Council would like to thank the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs for offering this land acknowledgement for us to read during our meetings. We encourage everyone watching to learn about the indigenous people whose homelands we occupy. We would like to acknowledge that the beautiful land known as Bend, Oregon, north to the Columbia River, is the original homelands of the Confederated Tribes of Dwarm Springs. The Confederated Tribes ceded this land in the Treaty of 1855 while retaining regular and customary hunting, fishing, and gathering rights. The Wanalama or Warm Springs and Wascu or Wasco and Northern Paiu people inhabited this area in certain seasonal times that clearly established their presence. It is also important to note that the Klamath Trail ran north through this region to the great Salilo Falls trading grounds. This trade route expanded the impact of commerce between tribal nations. We acknowledge and thank the original stewards of this land. It is our hope that guests continue to honor and care for this land. Thank you, Councillor Campbell. So we will move into our good of the order, and the first item is our absolutely incredible Kid Day proclamation. Um so I think we have Nadia and I don't see Keisha, so Joey. And Joey, hi. Um, if you guys want to come up and get seated up here, I'll go ahead and read the proclamation. So this is for Campfire's Absolutely Incredible Kid Day. Whereas on March 21st, 2024, the National Youth Development Organization Campfire, joined by Campfire Central Oregon, will celebrate the 28th annual Absolutely Incredible Kid Day. And Campfire provides a nurturing, encouraging, and fun environment for young and people to for young people to explore and discover their skills, passions, and unique attributes. And as part of the celebration of children on this day, adults are encouraged to write and post letters of love and appreciation to young people in their lives. And the Campfire Mission pledges a firm commitment to provide the experience youth need to discover who they are. And parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, mentors, and adults alike are urged to participate in absolutely incredible kid day and make a difference in the life of a child. Now, therefore, we the Benn City Council do hereby proclaim March 21st, 2024 to be absolutely incredible kid day in the city of Bend. I live to accept this proclamation. Second. Okay. Moved and seconded. All those in favor? Thank you, everybody. Um Joe, if you want to say a few words and talk about what's happening on an incredible kid day. Yeah, uh, first of all, thank you so much for recognizing the important role that we all play uh in the future of our youth and our young people. Um this proclamation provides an opportunity to celebrate and tell a young person in your life why they matter. Our words are powerful, and uh absolutely incredible kid day is a chance to say to a young person in your life, you matter, you are an incre you are incredible, and here's why. Uh in celebration of absolutely incredible kid day, Campfire Center Oregon. Uh, would like to invite everyone to join us on Wednesday, March 20th at the pavilion in Bend from 1 to 345 p.m. for ice skating activities and cake. Uh and be sure to get there early because Campfire will pay for the cost of skate rentals for the first 200 young people uh ages 18 and under.