Tigard City Council Meeting - January 20, 2026

The Tigard City Council held a regular meeting on January 20, 2026, which included community updates, council liaison reports, an appointment, a joint budget committee pre-meeting, and a project update on the "Building a Better Tiger" police and public works facility. No public comments were received.

Public Comments

• No written, in-person, or phone comments were submitted.

Community Updates

• Tigard Chamber of Commerce: Board Chair Sarah Tanners reported on the Leadership Tigard program, government affairs committee moving online, the small business sustainability fund, the 2026 farmers market, Good Morning Tigard events, the Civics Bee, and the Shining Stars event. She thanked the council for attending chamber events.
• Tigard High School Envoy: Student representative Becca Kosrov Vanin updated on the winter-themed charity week, sports updates, and noted a student-led walkout against ICE involvement in schools, which she said demonstrated student leadership.
• Police Chief Jeremy McDonough: Reported December statistics, including 141 houseless-related calls and 215 contacts by community officers, with 2 exclusions and 3 arrests. He presented 2025 year-end data showing a significant increase in calls for service (over 2,000 per month from June onward) while crime rates remained relatively flat. He highlighted efficiency gains possible with a new facility.

Council Liaison Reports

• Council President Wolf: Mentioned audit committee, chamber, WEA board, and water provider consortium transition.
• Councilor Shaw: Reported on TCAC review of River Terrace 2.0, upcoming Washington PAB meeting, and economic development workshops.
• Councilor Kuducy: Noted library board HVAC improvements, warming center needs, and mile marker cost-benefit data.
• Councilor Schlack: Mentioned upcoming meetings on homelessness, planning commission, and Willamette River Water Coalition.
• Councilor Robbins: Recapped Water Advisory Board meeting on emergency preparedness and budget review, committee on community engagement moving to monthly, and attendance at immigration response coordination calls.
• Mayor: Reported meetings with regional leaders, noted county budget shortfall, TriMet service cuts (6% in August with more to come), and mentioned TriMet board representative to present in March.

Appointment to the Water Advisory Board

• The council unanimously appointed Marie Walkowitz as an at-large member of the Water Advisory Board. Councilor Schlack praised her experience.

Budget Committee Pre-Meeting

• This item was a joint meeting with the Budget Committee to start the Fiscal Year 2027 budget process.
• Elections: The committee elected Kelly Pement as Budget Committee Chair and Aaron McCool as Secretary.
• Subcommittee: The committee appointed William Lewis, Derek Lawson, Councillor Robbins, Councillor Shaw, and Councillor Schlack to the Social Services and Community Events Grants Subcommittee.
• Financial Overview: Finance Director King and Budget Manager Kennedy presented the city's financial condition, including a review of Measure 5 and Measure 50, property tax rates, and revenue sources. They highlighted a structural deficit in the General Fund, projecting a $10.5 million gap for FY 2026, narrowing to $4-6 million when factoring in vacancy savings, but still requiring budget reductions or revenue increases. The presentation noted that Tigard has a low permanent tax rate compared to neighboring cities. Medical inflation and COLAs are pressuring expenses.
• Discussion: Councilors raised concerns and requested historical data on vacancy savings and a benchmark of Parks and Recreation fees. The city manager noted a hiring slowdown but no formal freeze.

Building a Better Tiger Project Update

• The city team presented an update on the planned police and public works facility project, including design, cost, and schedule.
• Design: Architect Jeff Dunn (Scott Edwards Architecture) described the schematic design, emphasizing functionality, seismic resilience, and sustainability goals. The style was described as "Industrial Zen" or "Early Modern Tigard."
• Cost: Project Director Dave Linz and Construction Project Director Drew Carter reported a total project budget around $155 million, with $28 million in contingency allowances. The design includes a site with a parking structure (cover for police vehicles) and an outdoor shooting range (relocated from inside), which improves efficiency and reduces travel costs for training.
• Schedule: The bond election is set for May 19, 2026. Schematic design will be completed, with construction documents and early site work starting after the bond. Groundbreaking is targeted for Q2 2027.
• Ballot Title Discussion: Staff presented potential themes for the ballot title caption (10 words), question (20 words), and summary (175 words). Council members offered feedback, suggesting inclusion of "emergency operations center," "first responders," "improved public safety and public works services," "outdated/overcrowded facilities," and "necessity." Staff will bring a draft ballot title for consideration on February 3, with final referral possible on February 17 or 24.

Key Outcomes

• Appointment: Marie Walkowitz appointed to Water Advisory Board (unanimous).
• Budget Committee: Kelly Pement elected Chair, Aaron McCool elected Secretary.
• Grants Subcommittee: William Lewis, Derek Lawson, Councillor Robbins, Councillor Shaw, and Councillor Schlack elected.
• Project Direction: Council provided initial input on ballot language; staff to prepare draft for February 3.
• Next Steps: Final polling results on the bond measure to be presented February 10; council to consider referral on February 17 (or 24 if needed). Budget committee will continue meetings through May.