Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
The Bend City Council convened on October 21, 2026, for a business meeting that was largely devoted to the mass shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School on October 15, 2026. The council issued a joint statement, received detailed briefings from emergency management and school officials, and heard extensive public testimony. The meeting concluded by approving consent agenda items and a resolution regarding a shared framework with Bend Park & Recreation District. A notable discrepancy in the source material involves the consent agenda: the agenda listed minutes for approval, but the minutes document provided stated "[No minutes available]".
All right, good evening, everyone. Welcome to our Bend City Council meeting. Uh, we're gonna go ahead and do roll call, and then I will talk a little bit about how the meeting is going to work tonight. Start with your and counselor Platt. Steve Platt. Megan Noyas, she her. Megan Perkins, she her. Melanie Keebler, she, her. Mike Riley, he. Gina Franzosa, she her. Thank you. We are all here. So just for folks here, here is kind of how the meeting is going to work tonight. We're starting with an item around supporting Silver Rail Elementary. Um, I'm gonna start by summarizing a briefing that the governor held here earlier, and then we're gonna have a council joint statement that we're gonna read, as well as individual statements from counselors. Um, Chief Krance is going to speak to us and the public. We're gonna hear from Ben Schools, uh, Superintendent Steve Cook and School Board Chair Amy Tatum are here. We're gonna hear from our business community. Sarah is here from the Chamber of Commerce, and we're gonna hear from our emergency management director Carrie Carl about community resources and ways to volunteer and contribute. Um, and then I'm gonna wrap up that item with a few closing remarks before we get into our business meeting, which just has a couple of items, the consent agenda and the uh a resolution. Um, we will also have visitors section after we conclude with the Silver Rail Elementary part of the agenda. Uh we're really glad that you're all here, everyone here and everyone watching. Um we have been with our community the past week, and you're gonna hear from us more about how we're feeling about what's happened and what we can do going forward. Um, I want to thank the governor and our state and federal representatives for being so supportive the past week. We all sat in this room today to hear from the governor and to hear from our staff and to talk and start to think about how we work together on issues that we know our community is very concerned about because of the event that we're gonna be talking about tonight. So I'm grateful for the governor's leadership and for the participation of all levels of government in coming together for Bend right now. Um I wanted to note that we do have a box out in the foyer that um if you want to write a note to the silver rail community, you're welcome to do that and drop it in the box, and we will get it to them. I also want to note that we are doing some translation tonight, both ASL and Spanish translation. So you may hear us trying to remember to speak a little bit slower and to pause sometimes. Uh the translation is simultaneous, so we're not gonna be stopping and uh pausing, but if you slow down and speak clearly, that is very helpful for our translators this evening. So um I'm gonna give it over to Mayor Pro Tem Perkins to begin with reading our joint statement from the city council. Six days ago, an unfathomable act ripped through our community. Four families lost their children, their siblings, and their grandkids. Our community lost neighbors and friends. We extend our deepest sympathies and share in your grief. We wish them strength and healing, and we stand with them and their families as they navigate the profound impact of this tragedy. We would also like to express gratitude to all the heroes who risk their own lives to prevent further harm to others. We honor you. Thank you for your bravery and your care. In this case, we found out who Bend is. A community that cares and takes care of each other. National media is telling the story of a city we don't recognize. And yes, that sense of safety has been shattered.