The Bend City Council held a work session beginning at 5:00 p.m. followed by a regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. on November 6, 2024. The work session covered formation of a Youth Advisory Committee, a housing strategy update focusing on infill development, and a transportation fee update for Phase 2 implementation. The regular meeting included proclamations, public comments on traffic safety and land use code changes, adoption of a consent agenda, public hearings and first readings of ordinances, adoption of a houseless services grant program, second readings of four ordinances, and council reports. Councilor Barb Campbell was excused.
Alright, so we will begin our Benn City Council work session here this morning. We're all here, Council Campbell is excuse, and we are starting with Council Riley has a schedule request. Yeah, um wanted to talk about the youth advisory council that we've been talking about, and um I think it's just making sure that we're gonna talk about it some more at the next stewardship subcommittee meeting. I know there's been some additional discussion with a potential partner campfire, Central Oregon. Um they've come back with a proposal, and so it's really just sort of reviewing the proposal and looking at a time frame whether it's something we want to start in the beginning of 2025 or not, or start later in the year. Um if there might need to be a discussion about some kind of a budget adjustment to or whatever we need to do in terms of starting some of the funding because we would be potentially helping to fund some of the startup costs to get going. Okay, and Eric, did you have any other information about it? Um I think we this is uh an item that I think is being picked up. So we we talked with Kempler like six months ago with this idea. I think they've since kind of refined their approach. So I would appreciate knowing if there's interest in moving forward. We have uh tentatively booked the November 15th stewardship subcommittee, uh as Councillor Riley said to kind of hear more. We've I've seen a draft of that proposal. I think it's um there's a couple of different options about how to approach it that we can talk about. Um I think they their sensitivity to timing with kids in summer. They don't really want to start something in the summertime, so we either probably be this next fall or there's some relationship building. I think what we've heard from them is to take a slow approach and do um build those relationships and build some infrastructure and have the youth involved in shaping it before we just form a committee. So not forming a committee for another year, year and a half or so based on their timeline. But I think we can get into those details if council is interested in talking about it at stewardship. Is there an interest from from council in having stewardship discuss this item? Absolutely. Yes, I think that's great. My only hesitation is just this this sounds like something that could be part of our goal setting process. Um, so we're kind of kicking it off now, but I would appreciate the subcommittee just thinking about how do we pull this in so that we're um continuing that work into the next by annium for sure. Yeah, and I think it fits into the goal about um you know, around looking at new ways to engage in the community, that's how I see this fitting into the current goal framework. Right. This is part of that, engaging new audiences as well. Okay, sounds like there's support for that. Great, and then next we have our housing strategy update unlocking infill development. All right, I'm gonna just um embarrass Lynn for a moment. So the housing director is going to kick this off, and I just want to recognize Lynn's over seven years with the city of Ben. You might have heard it was in the news that she is taking a role as the executive director for housing works, our uh Central Oregon Housing Authority. Um really um proud of the work that she has done and proud of the work that she will be doing and continuing to be a strong voice uh in Central Oregon. So we know we're comforted that she's gonna not go too far and we'll I think all will all benefit from uh Lynn's uh experience and as she stepped into into this new role and to continue to amplify um our need for uh affordable housing. So I'll let Lynn um take the floor, but just wanted to personally thank her for her service at the city of Benz and her leadership. Thank you, Lynn. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Um so yeah, this is my final meeting with you all as housing director. I'm definitely a little emotional already, and um Eric or Russ, one of you too made the mistake of suggesting that I get in front of the mic and now they can't take it away. Um so lots of bitter sweet here. Um I'm really proud of what we've accomplished together. That parks meeting that happened a week or so ago where all of you were so unanimous in coming together to work with the districts in a different way. Like we we went away after that saying they really get it. This is the council that everybody in Oregon wants. Um, and so just wanted to recognize you. I think um what makes Ben successful as our community and the folks that live here, and we have such an invested and active community that's so important and that makes us uh really thrive. And you know, in the events that have taken place in the last 24 hours, made me think about what do we do here as one city amidst this gigantic universe that we're in, and how do we move the needle really? And I think from my perspective, we have what it takes here to do so much work. And the future council, the current council, so many great things in play.