Tigard City Council Meeting - January 6, 2026

This meeting of the Tigard City Council included the swearing-in of appointed Councilor Tom Anderson, the re-election of Council President Maureen Wolf, a presentation of police awards, a discussion on cost reductions for community special events, and an update on the economic development strategic plan. The council approved the consent agenda, provided direction on event savings and fireworks, and offered feedback on the draft economic development vision and mission.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved four consent items unanimously: a resolution supporting a Metro grant for tax incremental financing district study, an intergovernmental agreement with ODOC for an Oregon Community Path grant for trail safety improvements, a contract for street light replacement, and a contract for ADA ramp improvements.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Three written public comments were received by the Monday noon deadline. Topics included concerns about increased traffic on 99W and Bull Mountain Road due to proposed housing, special events, and the Fanno Creek trail crossing at O'Mara and Hall Boulevard. No in-person or phone/video testimony was offered.

Discussion Items

• Police Awards Presentation: Chief McDonald Fowler presented multiple life-saving medals, a unit commendation for accreditation work, a commendation medal for officers involved in two September 2025 shootings, and awards for Supervisor of the Year (Sergeant Northcote), Officer of the Year (Officer Colton Fink, who made 79 impaired-driving arrests and 1,200 traffic stops in 2025), and Professional Support Staff of the Year (Records Specialist Melissa Black). A Distinguished Service Medal was awarded to retired Officer Nick Nunn.
• Special Events Cost Reductions: The council discussed proposed cost savings for four community events: Juneteenth, Pride Festival, El Tigre Fest, and Fourth of July. Staff presented options to reduce spending, seek sponsorships, and for Fourth of July, choose between fireworks and a drone show. Councilors expressed support for continuing all four events and for fireworks rather than drones. Councilor Shaw noted fire risk concerns, while others cited the community survey preference for fireworks. The council directed staff to explore proportional spending based on attendance and to consider selling t-shirts and seeking sponsorships, with the option to revisit events if sponsorships are insufficient.
• Economic Development Strategic Plan Update: Economic Development Manager Danelle Horter and Eco Northwest Project Director Matt Craig presented the draft vision, mission, strategic pillars, and guiding values developed from community engagement. The council discussed the vision statement, preferring a more declarative and confident tone (option two) or a modified version using “will become.” Feedback included ensuring the vision reflects Tigard’s role in the regional economy and acknowledges current challenges. The mission and strategic pillars received general support. The next workshop is scheduled for January 15, 2026, with a draft plan expected for council review on February 10, 2026, and adoption on March 24, 2026.

Key Outcomes

• Councilor Tom Anderson was sworn in as an appointed council member.
• Maureen Wolf was re-elected Council President for a one-year term by unanimous vote.
• The consent agenda was approved unanimously.
• The council accepted the proposed cost reductions for the four special events and directed staff to use fireworks for the Fourth of July, explore proportional spending based on attendance, and consider sponsorship outcomes before finalizing budgets.
• The council provided feedback on the economic development strategic plan’s vision statement, requesting wordsmithing to make it more confident and grounded in current realities. Staff will incorporate this feedback into the next workshop.