OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bend City Council Meeting: Legislative Session, Human Trafficking Proclamation, and Key Decisions - January 21, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, January 21, 2026
BodyBend, Oregon
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, January 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:17:27

Transcript — Verbatim
0:08

All right.

0:09

The Benn City Council will now meet in executive session to pursuant to RS 192602 D to conduct deliberations with person designated to carry on labor negotiations and H to consult with legal counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body regarding current litigation or litigation likely to be filed.

0:26

Representative of the news media and designated staff shall be allowed to extend the attend the executive session, except for the part relating to labor negotiations subsection D below.

0:35

Representatives of the news media specifically directed not to report on any of the deliberations during an executive session except to state the general nature of the session as previously announced.

0:45

No decision may be made in executive session.

0:47

At the end of executive session, we will return to open session at 6 p.m.

0:51

Thanks.

2:37

Mike Riley, he, him.

2:38

Melanie Keebler, she her.

2:40

Megan Parkins, she her.

2:41

Steve Platt, he him.

2:43

Great.

2:44

We are all here except for Councillor Norse, who is excused.

2:47

All right, we are gonna start right out with our uh Benn State delegation update.

2:51

We have Representative Krupp and Senator Broadman here.

2:55

Welcome back to the chambers.

2:56

Senator Broadman, if you want to come on up.

2:58

Um Representative Levy wanted to be here, unfortunately had a scheduling conflict, couldn't make it, so Senator Brom is going to talk a little bit about some of her priorities.

3:05

And we will give you the floor both to talk about um what you'll be working on in the short session.

3:11

Thank you, Mayor.

3:12

It's great to be back.

3:13

Uh greetings, counselor staff.

3:15

My name is Anthony Broadman.

3:16

I am the state senator for Central Oregon, Ben Redman Sisters, Black Beat Eagle Crest, most of Deschutes County.

3:22

I have the honor of serving with my two state representatives, Representative Krep and Representative Levy, uh, who both of whom form Senate District 27.

3:32

It's an honor to be back in the chamber with all of you.

3:35

And um I'm exactly one year into my term in the Senate, and I'll tell you I draw on the partnerships that we have working together over the last five years when I was on council every day.

3:46

Um really appreciate all of your partnership as we fight for Central Oregon for affordability for public safety.

3:53

Um I'll share a brief update on my work in Salem and update you my new committee roles.

3:59

Uh I'm now serving as chair of Senate Finance and Revenue Committee as well as budget co-chair for public safety, and um I serve on the audit and the judiciary committees in the Senate.

4:10

Those roles help me put our city and our region at the center of decisions that affect our entire state.

4:18

And um uh my priority remains making sure that Central Oregon is safe, affordable, and a great place to grow up and grow old.

4:27

Um I'll start by talking briefly about Central Caucus because uh I am very grateful for all of your work to help us form the Central Caucus with Representative Krupp, Representative Levy, Senator Mike McClain, Representative Vicky Brees Iverson, Representative Werner Reshke, and Senator Todd Nash.

5:03

And your input into the caucus priorities have been really important in delivering the resources on pediatric mental health care and housing and the policy bills that we work on with you.

5:14

So thank you for leaning in on the central caucus and thank you to the mayor for showing up in her capacity as chair of uh Coco.

5:24

My personal bills uh are um the public lands protection, uh public lands promise is what we're calling it.

5:32

Um and this bill prevents state and local governments from helping the federal government sell off our federal land to private entities.

5:40

It does not change um the city acquiring land from the federal government.

5:45

I want to be really clear about that, but our public lands are under threat now more than ever, and it's um important since they are a critical part of our wildfire resilience, our natural resources, our economic development and tourism and recreation, that we protect them and we stand up.

6:01

That's why I'm running the public lands promise bill.

6:03

I'm also running um a corner crossing codification bill with Senator Mike McClain.

6:10

Public access is a critical part to protecting our public lands, and some of our public lands are locked up right now.

6:16

Um this bill will codify based on a U.S.

6:20

Supreme Court case uh decision in the last year, codify our ability to access public lands from one corner of federal land to another corner of federal land.

6:29

Um the port of Central Oregon is a study bill that um I've really enjoyed working with city staff to ensure that it reflects um the needs of the city and the needs of the region when it comes to economic development and being resilient as we confront climate chaos and wildfire um pre-positioning.

6:50

So the concept for the port of Central Oregon is based on a concept out of Utah.

6:56

It's an inland port of governmental structure that really unites various resources from around our three county region to ensure that we're ready when it comes to wildfire resilience and disaster preparedness and also provide that um economic development arm that we need as a region.

7:14

We continue to be the fastest growing, healthiest economic development region.

7:18

We're growing jobs at a rate that we should all be really proud of as central Oregonians.

7:23

But our um our governments, our local governments, our state government, and our federal government need to be partners in investing in economic development and creating jobs in our region.

7:32

Um I will also be likely uh bringing a concept relating to protecting Oregonians whose constitutional rights, federal constitutional rights are violated by the federal government to ensure that Oregonians uh have a tool to um to confront violations of their rights when those rights are being violated by the federal government.

7:59

Will not touch state and local government.

8:01

Um I'm re-bringing my K Truck bill, which legalizes K-Trucks, an important micro mobility option that we've heard of time and again from Central Oregonians who want to have every tool available to them for affordable transportation.

8:16

And then happy to work with Representative Krupp and we'll continue to work with council on ensuring that our land use rules, land use laws reflect our goals when it comes to complete communities.

8:28

We've had a lot of community outreach over the last year regarding making sure that when we plan for complete communities in central Oregon that our land use laws reflect that.

8:37

And then finally, I'll just touch on finance and revenue briefly since this is actually the bulk of my work in Salem.

8:43

Um as finance and revenue chair, I'm squarely focused on a revenue system that increases affordability and is fair to households, businesses, and drives economic growth throughout our state.

8:54

As we respond to the Trump administration cuts to services, the tax cuts for billionaires, and the Trump tariffs, which are going to cost Oregon households about $3,400 per household if they are upheld by the Supreme Court any day.

9:10

Um we are confronting uh uh a generational crisis when it comes to our budget and when it comes to revenue.

9:18

Um our state revenue system needs to be one that supports the essential education, um, uh public safety and um and health care resources that Oregonians deserve.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement███████████11%
Parking Management███████████11%
Affordable Housing██████████10%
Pending Litigation█████████9%
Economic Development████████8%
Energy Policy████████8%
Public Safety███████7%
Public Engagement█████5%
Transportation Safety█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Bend City Council Meeting Summary - January 21, 2026

The Bend City Council met on January 21, 2026, for a regular session that included an executive session (closed to the public) followed by an open session starting at 6:00 PM. The meeting featured presentations from state legislators, a proclamation for Human Trafficking Prevention Month, discussions on immigration enforcement, legislative priorities for the 2026 short session, a work session on the downtown parklet program, and a quarterly council goals update. Notable actions included unanimous support for joining an amicus lawsuit against federal immigration enforcement actions, approval of the city's 2026 state legislative priorities (as amended), and direction on refinements to the urban renewal agency's financial guarantee (clawback) provisions for affordable housing projects.

Consent Calendar

  • The council approved the consent agenda, which typically includes routine approvals and unanimous actions. No specifics were contested.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Several community members and organizational representatives spoke during the Visitor Section, primarily addressing the proposed climate fee (electrification fee) on new natural gas connections. Speakers included representatives from the Oregon State Building Trades Council, Northwest Gas Association, Local 290 Plumbers and Steamfitters, Bend Chamber of Commerce, and Cascades East Association of Realtors. They expressed concerns about grid reliability, cost impacts on households (citing potential 10-140% Pacific Power rate increases), and the need for more data before proceeding. A Bend resident of 78 years urged the city to maintain its commitment to equity work and called for a full investigation into allegations of a toxic workplace for employees and volunteers.

Discussion Items

1. State Delegation Update

  • State Senator Anthony Broadman (D-Central Oregon) and Representative Jason Krupp (HD-54) presented priorities for the 2026 short session. Senator Broadman is chairing the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee and highlighted bills on public lands protection (Public Lands Promise), corner crossing access, and a study for a Port of Central Oregon for economic resilience. Representative Krupp emphasized the budget challenge due to federal tax changes (HR1) causing an $800 million shortfall, noting impacts on education, healthcare, and public safety. Representative Emerson Levy, unable to attend, sent remarks focusing on three bills: battery recycling (to address lithium battery fires), protecting homeless students (codifying McKinney-Vento), and regulating AI chatbots to protect children's mental health.

2. Human Trafficking Prevention Month Proclamation

  • Councilor Riley read a proclamation declaring January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The proclamation cited national statistics (27.6 million people trafficked globally) and local numbers (48 victims in Deschutes County from 2018-2019, 110 survivors served by the Anti-Trafficking Project in 2025). Representatives from the Anti-Trafficking Project, In Our Backyard, and Soroptimist International of Bend spoke, urging awareness and community action. Members shared signs of trafficking and emphasized that one-third of survivors are recovered because someone spoke up.

3. Response to Immigration Enforcement & Amicus Lawsuit

  • Mayor Keebler delivered a statement criticizing federal immigration enforcement tactics, describing them as a "campaign of terrorizing communities." She confirmed a new internal policy on facility use for immigration enforcement is nearly complete. The council discussed a resolution reaffirming values and providing support to the Latino Community Association (LCA). Unanimously, the council agreed to partner with the Human Rights and Equity Commission (HREC) to draft a resolution, with a target to bring it back by February 18, 2026. Funding for LCA will be part of that conversation. Additionally, the council authorized joining an amicus brief in support of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul in a lawsuit against DHS and ICE for alleged unlawful actions, including excessive force and warrantless arrests.

4. Council Action: Appointment and Letters

  • Council appointed Navjad Hughes to the Human Rights and Equity Commission, moving up from alternate status, approved a letter of support for the Lift Home Ownership Fund (Habitat for Humanity), and noted no objections.

5. 2026 State Legislative Priorities

  • The council reviewed and adopted the city's 2026 state legislative priorities after several amendments.
    • Top Priorities: Local lodging tax flexibility and protecting state funding for shelter and housing services ($207 million previously allocated).
    • Amendments: Added language to protect neighborhood commercial uses in complete communities; specified support for maintaining the 50-30-20 split of state highway funds; added support for a bill (sponsored by Senator Golden) offering insurance discounts for wildfire home hardening and defensible space; changed "support" to "promote" in two sections on climate and energy priorities.
    • Other key areas: housing production, economic development (including recreation liability waiver reform), transportation (autonomous vehicle regulations, payroll tax for transit), water infrastructure, public safety (including automated license plate reader reform), and wildfire funding.

6. Parklet Program Direction

  • Staff presented an update on the downtown parklet program (10 operators, 25 parking spaces used, $11-12k annual revenue). Council provided direction to:
    • Continue the program.
    • Refine code definitions for alleys, sidewalks, and parklets (e.g., allowing alley cafes).
    • Require removal if the business is closed for more than 30 consecutive days.
    • Allow storage of propane tanks/heaters on parklets if used for operations (resolving a code conflict).
    • Keep the program year-round and maintain current fee structure (aligned with construction rental rates).
    • Explore expanding the program outside downtown.
    • Consider establishing minimal maintenance and design standards.
    • Staff will return with code changes by November 2026 for implementation in 2027.

7. Council Goals Update (City Manager's Report)

  • The city manager presented a quarterly progress report on six council goals. Key metrics included:
    • Housing: 1,228 housing units permitted since July 1, 2025, exceeding the pace needed for the 3,900-unit biennial goal.
    • Shelter: 525 shelter beds achieved, with 19 new safe parking spaces added.
    • Permitting: Engineering permit times reduced to 92.7 days (goal: 92 days), meeting the 20% reduction target.
    • Climate: 74.3% of new homes since July 1 are all-electric (data includes multifamily and single-family).
    • Fiscal: Highlighted challenges in funding for public safety and transportation, with plans to discuss long-term options.
    • Community Engagement: Upcoming neighborhood roundtables and an advisory body summit in late February.

8. Urban Renewal Agency (BURRA) - Financial Guarantee Provisions

  • The Bend Urban Renewal Agency (a separate legal entity with the same council members) discussed refinements to the clawback provision for site-specific tax increment financing (TIF) projects. The goal is to ensure affordable housing requirements are met.
  • Staff proposed three options: a flat fee, a phased fee, or a scaled fee. After discussion, the agency directed staff to develop a phased fee: 30% of the remaining TIF rebate for defaults in years 1-15, and 20% for years 16-30. This replaces the current vague recapture language. The new policy will be brought back in February 2026.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimous decision to join amicus lawsuit against federal immigration enforcement actions (exact vote tally not recorded, but stated as unanimous).
  • Unanimous approval (4-0, with Councilor Norris excused) of the 2026 state legislative priorities as amended.
  • Direction to staff to bring forward a resolution on immigration enforcement values and support, partnering with HREC and LCA, by February 18, 2026.
  • Direction to staff on parklet program changes, with code amendments to be presented by November 2026.
  • Direction to BURRA staff to draft phased clawback provisions (30% fee for years 1-15, 20% for years 16-30) for approval in February 2026.
  • Appointment of Navjad Hughes to the Human Rights and Equity Commission (unanimous).
  • The council will continue work on the budget, climate fee discussion (work session on February 11), and transportation funding options (work session on February 25).
  • The next BURRA meeting is anticipated in February 2026 to finalize the clawback policy.

Meeting Transcript

All right. The Benn City Council will now meet in executive session to pursuant to RS 192602 D to conduct deliberations with person designated to carry on labor negotiations and H to consult with legal counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body regarding current litigation or litigation likely to be filed. Representative of the news media and designated staff shall be allowed to extend the attend the executive session, except for the part relating to labor negotiations subsection D below. Representatives of the news media specifically directed not to report on any of the deliberations during an executive session except to state the general nature of the session as previously announced. No decision may be made in executive session. At the end of executive session, we will return to open session at 6 p.m. Thanks. Mike Riley, he, him. Melanie Keebler, she her. Megan Parkins, she her. Steve Platt, he him. Great. We are all here except for Councillor Norse, who is excused. All right, we are gonna start right out with our uh Benn State delegation update. We have Representative Krupp and Senator Broadman here. Welcome back to the chambers. Senator Broadman, if you want to come on up. Um Representative Levy wanted to be here, unfortunately had a scheduling conflict, couldn't make it, so Senator Brom is going to talk a little bit about some of her priorities. And we will give you the floor both to talk about um what you'll be working on in the short session. Thank you, Mayor. It's great to be back. Uh greetings, counselor staff. My name is Anthony Broadman. I am the state senator for Central Oregon, Ben Redman Sisters, Black Beat Eagle Crest, most of Deschutes County. I have the honor of serving with my two state representatives, Representative Krep and Representative Levy, uh, who both of whom form Senate District 27. It's an honor to be back in the chamber with all of you. And um I'm exactly one year into my term in the Senate, and I'll tell you I draw on the partnerships that we have working together over the last five years when I was on council every day. Um really appreciate all of your partnership as we fight for Central Oregon for affordability for public safety. Um I'll share a brief update on my work in Salem and update you my new committee roles. Uh I'm now serving as chair of Senate Finance and Revenue Committee as well as budget co-chair for public safety, and um I serve on the audit and the judiciary committees in the Senate. Those roles help me put our city and our region at the center of decisions that affect our entire state. And um uh my priority remains making sure that Central Oregon is safe, affordable, and a great place to grow up and grow old. Um I'll start by talking briefly about Central Caucus because uh I am very grateful for all of your work to help us form the Central Caucus with Representative Krupp, Representative Levy, Senator Mike McClain, Representative Vicky Brees Iverson, Representative Werner Reshke, and Senator Todd Nash. And your input into the caucus priorities have been really important in delivering the resources on pediatric mental health care and housing and the policy bills that we work on with you. So thank you for leaning in on the central caucus and thank you to the mayor for showing up in her capacity as chair of uh Coco. My personal bills uh are um the public lands protection, uh public lands promise is what we're calling it. Um and this bill prevents state and local governments from helping the federal government sell off our federal land to private entities. It does not change um the city acquiring land from the federal government. I want to be really clear about that, but our public lands are under threat now more than ever, and it's um important since they are a critical part of our wildfire resilience, our natural resources, our economic development and tourism and recreation, that we protect them and we stand up. That's why I'm running the public lands promise bill. I'm also running um a corner crossing codification bill with Senator Mike McClain. Public access is a critical part to protecting our public lands, and some of our public lands are locked up right now. Um this bill will codify based on a U.S. Supreme Court case uh decision in the last year, codify our ability to access public lands from one corner of federal land to another corner of federal land. Um the port of Central Oregon is a study bill that um I've really enjoyed working with city staff to ensure that it reflects um the needs of the city and the needs of the region when it comes to economic development and being resilient as we confront climate chaos and wildfire um pre-positioning. So the concept for the port of Central Oregon is based on a concept out of Utah. It's an inland port of governmental structure that really unites various resources from around our three county region to ensure that we're ready when it comes to wildfire resilience and disaster preparedness and also provide that um economic development arm that we need as a region. We continue to be the fastest growing, healthiest economic development region. We're growing jobs at a rate that we should all be really proud of as central Oregonians. But our um our governments, our local governments, our state government, and our federal government need to be partners in investing in economic development and creating jobs in our region.

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