Recording in progress.

Good evening.

Happy New Year.

It is January 12th, 2026, and this is our first Twalton work session of the new year.

Our first item on the agenda tonight is board and community summit summary report.

Megan George will be presenting.

Welcome, Megan.

Hi, everybody.

Good to see you in 2026.

I'm Megan George, Deputy City Manager in Twalton, and I am here this evening to provide the summary report for the board and committee summit.

So we held what we believe is Twalton's first ever board and committee summit on December 10th of 2025.

For you all were there, so you'll recall, we had dinner at 5:30, and the event lasted from 6 to 8 p.m.

at the Juanita Poll Center.

We closed the place down for the evening.

Of the folks who were invited to attend, there were 58 potential attendees, and about 37 people attended, not including yourselves or city staff that were there to support, so we had a really nice turnout.

The permanent boards and committees that are appointed by the council committee are appointed by the city council and are interviewed by the council committee on advisory appointments were those who were invited for this first ever event.

And those are listed up on the slide.

We had at least one representative from all committees with the exception of the core area parking board.

As articulated at the event and before, we had four goals.

The first was to provide the city council, so you all with information directly from board and committee members who are charged with advising you on matters of interest to the city.

Two, to connect board and committee members to the city council's 2030 vision.

Three, to provide an opportunity for board and committee members to interact with each other and the city council, and four, to show appreciation for board and committee members and enhance the positive sense of community and service in Twalleton.

So we'll come back to those four goals at the end, but I wanted to set the stage for what we were hoping to accomplish before we get into the summary of the event itself.

Fairly simple agenda.

Throughout the presentation, I've got additional photos from the event.

We had uh several really excellent photographers that specialize also in being an attorney, but you know, photography.

Really strong suit there.

So please uh enjoy those throughout the presentation.

So for our seven small groups, we each gave them a confidential folder of information that included four questions that we asked them to pick three to answer.

The questions were trying to assess Twalton's strengths, um challenges or concerns, opportunities, and priorities.

But they were all different.

And then we asked each of those groups to document their results on chart paper, and then we asked them to share out to the larger group as a whole.

So on these slides and in the summary report, I included brief synopsis of some of the themes that came up from each of those questions.

The full accounting from each of those small groups is included in the appendix of the summary report, which is included in your packet.

So jumping into the first question.

If you were putting together a resume or cover letter for the city, what would you highlight as Tualton's special skills?

Um, I don't know about you, but I don't necessarily have a special skills section on my resume anymore, but I I thought it would still hold up.

Um, some of the themes that came out of that were friendly and welcoming community, family-friendly, safe, parks, green spaces, the Tualton River National Riverway, the Ice Age Trail, community support for city services like the library, parks, public safety, the Juanita Pole Center lunches, good governance, stable government, fiscally responsible, events, library arts, high quality of life, and the transportation network.

And specifically what folks meant by this is that it's easy to get everywhere.

We're in a metro area, you can get to the coast, you can get to the mountain.

For question two, what are the most pressing challenges we are facing as a community now?

And what do you expect to be the challenges in 2030?

Is the list different?

Largely, people had the same items on both of their lists for present day 2025 and 2030.

Some of the things that came up there were the lack of a downtown, traffic, transportation, and lack of public transit, as well as traffic signal light timing, the cost of living, housing availability, housing costs, senior housing, accessibility, lack of local businesses, employment opportunities, lack of community gathering spaces, places to display public art, new technologies, preserving community identity as development occurs, diversity in past mistakes and harm, environment, and education and school district boundaries.

Question number three if you could apply a dose of innovation to a community challenge, what challenge concern would you choose?

Senior housing, community engagement, healthcare affordability, especially for seniors, third spaces, safe spaces, gathering places at Rhymes, underused or empty lots, food carts, farmers markets, community gardens, and other local food, environment, cost of transportation, cost of living.

The fourth question, what have you observed in other cities that you'd love to see implemented here in Twalton?

Farmers markets, food carts, incubator space, small business support, more diverse businesses, enhanced storefronts, community center, indoor recreation space, event space, performing art space, less parking, an active, vibrant downtown, better utilization of the lake, more events or festivals, protected bike lanes, pedestrian bike bridges over high traffic areas, mental health response, senior living community, and a population that lives and works in the same community.

Alright, the second set of questions, five through eight.

Number five, when you travel to other parts of the country and talk to locals there, how do you brag about Twalton?

We're assuming that you do, in fact, brag about Twalton.

There's no do you.

Traffic and transportation issues, bike connections, safety, gun range noise, downtime revitalization, events, gathering places, affordable housing, housing supply, creating and supporting neighborhood amenities, not just downtown.

All right, question seven what are things outside of the city's control that impact the community's experience in Twalton?

Gun range, state mound dates for housing and parking, immigration and customs enforcement or ice, cost of living, housing, utilities, major highways and roads, the Twalton River watershed and Bull Run watershed, being part of a Portland metropolitan area, community and regional growth, climate impacts such as weather, indoor recreational amenities, there's only private ones available right now, and better restaurant and dining options.

Then the final question we asked is what current city project or program are you most excited about right now and why?

We got three answers.

One, downtown road development, shocker, two, the new riverfront park, and then three, uh, parque las casitas.

So that takes us to our human spectrum exercise.

Um, and I'll share.

So for the staff members that we had attend the event, we gave them a chart paper or handout and asked them to represent how people stood along the human spectrum so that we could take them back and recreate these spectrums.

And between the six different charts that I received, there was quite a spectrum of representations of people along the spectrum.

Some were very detailed and some were just a blob.

So, anywho, I think our graphic designer did a nice job trying to show those.

So we asked six questions.

The first question was intended as somewhat of a not a joke per se, but a gut check.

Um, I know that I've used this line quite a few times when talking to community members, but the number one complaint I hear from community members is about traffic.

And you can see based on how the spectrum is represented that the majority of folks agreed that that is the number one complaint that they hear about.

Some of the comments we received are I agree, but there are other issues too.

I agree that the Twalton High School parking lot is awful.

Anybody remember who said that?

Came up a few times.

Um I agree, I don't hear any other complaints.

And finally, I agree, traffic connects to a lot of other community issues.

Second question, we should focus on issues impacting the community now rather than 20 years in the future.

Um, most folks disagreed, although there was one in particular who strongly agreed in a few sprinkled throughout.

So comments included, I disagree, good planning now for the future helps to reduce future issues.

Disagree, focusing on the future prevents disasters.

Somebody felt in the middle.

Now is urgent, but the future matters too.

Somebody else in the middle said focusing on now makes the community feel heard.

Somebody else said we can and must do both with I added an exclamation mark there.

Finally, the agree individuals said we live for today.

The third question.

Most of my neighbors have a good idea of what's happening in Twalton.

You probably recall for our community surveys, we ask a few custom questions at the end.

And for the last three surveys, we've asked a version of this question as well.

And it's it's pretty interesting to see what the responses are in terms of where they get their information and how connected they feel to information.

But this uh chart I think is pretty representative of what our community survey also shows, which is that folks largely disagree that uh they don't feel as if their neighbors know have a good idea of what's happening at Twalton.

Some of the comments uh disagree, people are busy and are connected with different groups and organizations, disagree.

I'm shocked by the lack of understanding.

Disagree, it's hard to find information.

Um, I tell my neighbors what's going on, therefore they're in the loop.

Uh, and finally, agree.

Um, this is an active community, and we text all the time.

The fourth question, Twalton should be innovative and take risks to achieve the 2030 vision.

Um, people were spread throughout, although probably more on the strongly agree end of the spectrum.

Uh comments included disagree, there are budget risks to being innovative.

Is Dawn in the room?

I don't know, don't see him.

He's in Zoom, yeah.

Um, middle, sometimes taking a risk is worth it.

Middle, fail fast, learn fast and iterate.

Middle, be innovative in strategic ways, and then agree taking a big risk can mean a bigger reward.

Okay, the fifth spectrum question was we can influence the issues that are most pressing to the Twalton community.

Um folks were spread throughout.

Um, one said, I agree, people are responsive.

One said, I'm in the middle, some issues we can influence and some we can't.

Another said um we can influence some issues, but it's limited.

Another said we can influence issues, but there's a lack of understanding about what the issues are.

And one said, I disagree we can't influence the issues that people care about.

And for the final question, um, this was also intended to be a bit of a gimme.

I made the assumption that everybody would in fact be excited about the next five years in Twalton and thank goodness they were.

Would have been awkward otherwise, I think.

Um folks said, I'm excited about the downtime revitalization project.

I'm excited about our parks, I'm excited about our library, about our ability to influence housing issues, and I'm excited about community activities.

All right, so um, we wanted to share the summary with you all this evening and get your general feedback on the event and then specifically check in on those four goals and ask whether we accomplished those and whether you'd be interested in doing something like this in the future.

So with that, I'll turn it over to you, Mayor.

Floor is open to answer biggest questions.

President Pratt.

Well, I'll just start out with I thought it was great, and it was great to make that connection, and I'd be very interested in doing it again.

And then I'm just gonna make a comment on the one where they the neighbors are well informed, those people that were kind of in the middle to yes.

Um, I think everybody here was that group, so we talked to our neighbors.

But I was actually quite surprised at how big a group was on the other end.

Counselor Sacco.

Thank you.

Um I thought it went very well, and thank you for all who participated in coordinating and getting it together.

Um I think it was um it was validating for a lot of the things that we're working on and the goals that we have.

Um I did have somebody come up to me afterwards and asked if I um if I learned anything new.

And in the moment, you know, it's really hard to um to come up with something, but I reflected on that question, and I think the spectrum exercise was very helpful because we did hear a lot of the same themes come up with the prompts as we were sitting in our group, but the spectrum um, you know, helped um see those questions in different ways, and not only the spectrum, but hearing why people chose different areas.

I think was very, very helpful.

It kind of felt like a fun, silly exercise, but I got a lot out of that exercise in particular.

So thank you.

Councilor Brooks.

I enjoyed it too.

Thank you for all the work.

I've mentioned this before, but I want to just be on the record.

I think that it might have been interesting to hear from the Spanish speaking community, especially in this moment.

And I don't know exactly how that looks, but I think that you guys are always good at figuring things like that out.

Thank you for all your work.

Other comments.

Councillor Hillier.

I too enjoyed the evening greatly, not just getting to connect with community members on a different level that's not so scripted and on the record, if you will.

I think it created a further trust in our governance, and I think it's important when we are all together like that.

And I I really appreciate being with community in such a fun and innovative way.

Provide an opportunity for boarding committees, members to interact with each other also, because I do think a lot of times committee members I I heard the architectural review board, or usually, you know, that because a little more formal setting, and people appreciated they're like too bad we weren't at the same table, and we all understand maybe why we weren't.

Uh however, I think again it creating those connections and the network in the community was really important and continues to be, and people seemed very pleased about that.

Um and then I um I think getting to show them our appreciation, maybe um I'm guessing, I mean they got gifts, but in the future I'd love to be able to help sign cards or something like that to make it a little more.

I just would like to be able to find a way to um I think this body would probably agree to be able to take that extra step to show our appreciation.

And then the only thing I wonder because that that isn't in here is the evaluation from the community members.

I see that isn't necessarily part of this, and so that I'm just curious about that.

But overall, a great unless I misunderstood.

Okay.

Uh uh just thank you.

I think this was time well spent.

Thank you.

I can speak to the evaluation.

So we did send out a survey following the event to board and committee members.

It did not ask questions specifically about the summit, but it did ask about their overall experience serving on a board and committee, um, which we've implemented exit surveys over the last few years, which have not been very popular as somebody's exiting the committee.

I'm not sure that taking a survey is on the top of their list any longer.

Um so we wanted to solicit feedback, and so that survey is live right now.

I think it's due next week, Nicole.

It's due this Friday.

Um, so we're hopeful we'll get a lot of good feedback from folks then.

Great.

Thank you very much.

I look forward to seeing it.

Other comments.

Thank you very much.

I would have to second that what all the council members said it's wonderful.

I would want to see it happen again.

That's it's very nice to be accessible to the to the committees and for them to all come together and know that they're not alone in all this work that they're doing for all of us.

So thank you for sharing, and I would want to do it again.

Um with the previous comments.

The two things I got out of it was the validation part that we're all used to hearing from the same same usual set of people about what the priorities of the city were should be.

And with a bigger group, we got validation that yeah, we're we're not in a cloud or a bubble that we're you know, we're pretty much aware of what the community is looking for, so that was great.

My surprise was on that question about risk.

How so many people were willing to take a little bit more risk than I thought they would.

Um, you know, we're always trying to be safe in the city, financially prudent, uh not do things super controversial, and it was kind of interesting to see people say, hey, maybe every once in a while take a risk.

And I'll say, okay.

I guess it's depending on what risk it is.

Strategic well-timed only going to succeed, Ris.

Exactly.

Consensus.

But but the willingness to accept it was kind of interesting.

Yeah.

Well, thank you very much.

Appreciate your time.

I thank you.

All right.

Next up is the city council, City Council 2025 priorities update.

Sherlin, welcome.

Sorry about the ducks.

Sorry.

Because uh I didn't think it was I don't send them the beam.

For the first player, I was like, this isn't gonna be good.

Kudos to Indiana.

All right.

2025 priorities update.

So I'm excited for the opportunity to review the status of your 2025 priorities.

We're gonna go fast tonight, but I wanted to make sure and touch on all of the actions and their status.

You will be meeting on the 17th.

Uh you should know that to set your priorities for 26.

So this slide deck will be in your packet for the advance, and you'll have it in front of you so you can refer to it.

One of the things you'll be doing on the 17th, or an activity that you'll be doing on the 17th is one, determining which of the actions and priorities to take off the list, either because they're they're completed, or it's oh dear.

Um, or the priority has changed, perhaps.

Uh, two, determining which of the priorities or actions um are moving forward in 26.

And then three, think about what's missing uh from the list.

So there won't be a lot of opportunity tonight to kind of um think through it unless we get through it fast, and then I'm happy to, of course, um hear your any of your feedback, but just as a preview for what's to come on the 17th.

Oh, did you do that?

Oh nice.

Sure.

Like point two.

Placemats are in front of you, I believe.

And so your vision statement, your seven vision statements are on that.

Um, you know, honestly, I so I have a new employee a lunch, um, a lunch for new employees that um every month, and there's usually about one or two, maybe three new employees, and we talk about uh the council vision statements, and one of the things that I love about the vision statements is that they're broad, but they're specific enough to give us good direction.

And so kudos to you for uh for having you know these having the foresight to have these vision statements that are that are specific and give good direction, but they're broad enough that we're able to maneuver in them.

I can do it, it's fine.

Oh my goodness, uh it's been a day.

Uh there are seven priority topics that um each with actions nested under them, and then each of them have an outcome statement that are again higher level than the actions but um meaningful outcomes.

So we'll go through each one of those.

So the first one, the first focus area is I'm fine doing it actually.

Okay.

Uh the first focus area is neighborhood engagement.

Um, and the outcomes speak to outreach and relationships and quality of life and livability.

There are eight actions in this area.

Three are ongoing.

The others range from not started uh to complete.

So let's dig in.

1.1 is complete.

Both the street tree inventory and the adaptive street tree list are completed.

This will be incorporated into the sidewalk street tree backlog project that is moving forward.

We'll talk about that in just a second.

Actions 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 are kind of all rolled up together.

Uh, and they have to do with sidewalk maintenance and the sidewalk street tree program.

So you gave approval for the backlog project in September.

Uh we are out on the street right now with a request for proposals, and we'll be back to you within the next few weeks.

I don't know if it's the next council meeting or the next one uh for approval for that contract.

1.5 is working with the community involvement organizations.

This is an ongoing effort, as you know, with our with an annual work session that happened in August, and then support for their regular meetings.

Uh Megan is our um our main liaison with the community involvement organizations, but honestly, a number of staff are engaged and involved.

1.6 speaks to our changing community and ensuring the CIOs are serving those needs.

There is a subcommittee of the CIO leadership working on this, and we anticipate a proposal later this spring or summer to update the boundary map.

1.7 is a little broad and ambiguous.

So continue efforts in neighborhood investment around the city.

It's definitely an ongoing effort.

Two examples there on the slide are specific investments that came out of understanding neighborhood needs.

I think the actual action is continue efforts in neighborhood investment around the city, including building relationships, understanding neighborhood needs, and celebrating investments in Twallaton's neighborhoods.

There are a number of examples that can be spoken to along the way.

The final action in this section is also an ongoing effort.

As you know, we have a vibrant community and gate community emergency response team program here that we provide a pretty significant amount of staff support to.

Outcomes speak to a variety of options available, that Twalaton is good at is at the table, pushing for good housing policy, and that we're a welcoming place for folks in the housing process, either builder builders or livers.

Not like your liver organ, but your liver, the livers of in houses.

Sorry, I'll stop.

Three are ongoing.

One is complete and the other is just starting.

2.1 is now underway as we were awarded a grant to conduct a housing capacity analysis.

That work will begin this quarter, and I'm looking forward to that coming forward and looking at how do we create an incentivized diversified housing.

2.2 was crafted as we were going into the 2025 legislative session, although we're we are looking at the legislation that was passed for any compliance issues that we need to be aware of.

So that's why we we set it as a hundred percent, but like because it was how it was crafted.

2.3 is a weird font, but um it's ongoing as new development comes online.

Um investigate options to address addition of green space and making sure that green space is maximized.

2.4 is also an ongoing action that I know you are engaged in and you know, think a lot about.

The housing forum at the end of last month was a powerful opportunity to hear from staff, our partners in the community.

Um several of the outside agency grant program applications came from homeless service providers, family promise, and just compassion that you funded, although not at the level that you know they asked for or that they probably need.

Um more work and the effort is definitely ongoing.

Uh 2.5 is certainly related to the previous one.

Um we have hosted Washington County recently, and Clackmas County was supposed to come that same night that Washington County was here, but um they were sick, and so they've been rescheduled tentatively for the end of February.

And I know you've stayed up to speed on Metro's supportive housing services program and the changes there that have been less dramatic than what were originally proposed.

Economic development is our third focus area, and of course, an important component to a thriving community.

There are eight actions here, three are ongoing efforts.

Three are ongoing efforts.

One action has yet to be started, and the other four are either underway or completed.

Starting with downtown revitalization, which you've all been engaged with, gosh, what an exciting transformational opportunity we have here in Twilaton.

It's attracting good staff.

It's attracting a buzz.

I I think I told you that I got to kick off a um an exec team work like a an out like an event, like a their advance, their goal setting for a neighboring city.

And they were a buzz about our downtown redevelopment and said, you know, their eyes are on us and how exciting it is.

So as you know, phase one, you got a presentation for the community identity report from Seville, and that was presented in December.

We've entered phase two with the University of Oregon.

That's a mouthful sustainable city year program.

And then 7.7 is the food carts that's in the culture and identity, but we included it here because it's really a part of the downtown revitalization efforts, I think.

3.2 came out of the zoning work that happened in Basalt Creek, and you wanting to ensure that the Leviton area is reaching its full potential.

Talking to Aquila and Sid, if business interest arises, we are at the ready to look at options.

But with everything else going on, this just has not taken on specific priority status of revisiting that zoning option in the in the Leviton area.

3.3 is our mindset.

Like if there's a business that's looking to do something, we have a problem-solving mindset, that's one of our values here in the city, and reviewing opportunities for making tweaks or changes to support businesses staying in town and expanding.

So it's ongoing.

And then 3.3 uh we've staffed up in urban renewal and economic development with Sid and Quinn in place, and we're doing really good engagement work.

So I marked it as 100%, like, but it is sort of ongoing, right?

Like so.

So it's been started.

Our summer intern Jill, who came before you maybe the end of November regarding tourism, uh, did an inventory of all our wayfinding signage and did some research into other programs.

And then another thing that we're working on is new parking signage for the core area lots, which will include some wayfinding signage as well.

That was actually one of the things that came up that was a request of the commercial CIO is looking at uh new parking signage for the core area lots.

So being responsive to them.

As you know from what Megan talked about in the board and committee summit, uh, traffic and transportation are a big deal here in town, um, have been as long as I've been here, and it's always been on the priority list.

The outcomes here speak to strategic thinking and advocacy in relation to our transportation goals.

There are six total actions.

There's a typo here, um, because if you count up the NA25 and 100, it comes to five.

But there are three ongoing, sorry for the typo, uh, and uh two have been completed and one is underway.

Just trying to keep you on your toes.

So uh pat yourself on the back.

You adopted the transportation system plan last August.

It was a certainly a heavy lift and a major accomplishment that included a lot of community input and business input and certainly a lot of uh staff effort.

We are now in the process of prioritizing those projects that came out of the TSP.

We've entered we're entering into a contract with Fair and Pair Fair and Peers to help prioritize those projects that were included in the TSP.

That work is just beginning and it will continue in 26.

So working with Thorn Run, you and staff advocated for funding and transportation projects that impact and are important for Tualeton.

Well 4.4 is ongoing as we utilize Thorn Run to effectively help us.

You adopted the legislative agendas in September, and of course, the short session starts in February, and there'll be I think plenty to do.

4.5 is specific to making sure bus service is available in the Basalt Creek area, which there is a shuttle, I mean a shelter and a stop there.

So check.

However, this landscape is changing, as you know, and I think 26 will definitely include your and staff time advocating for service in Towalleton.

I think that's probably a captain obvious comment.

4.6 is ongoing.

Staff have been in front of you numerous times this year.

Thank you for your continued leadership and guidance in these transportation updates and the programs that are that are happening and ongoing.

I think the neighborhood transportation safety program is another way that we build trust in the organization, you know, like soliciting the community's desires and then figuring out a way to get them funded and on the ground.

So your fifth focus area is the environment, and the outcomes speak to being strategic and focused.

Three are completed, one is underway, and one's not yet started.

So let's talk about those.

So round of applause.

Your leadership led to a braided set of sources of funds to support this important work.

So thank you for your leadership in that.

Again, yay.

Amanda Watson started with us in December.

She'll be formally introduced during tonight's 7 p.m.

meeting.

Actions 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6 are all ongoing efforts.

Support environmental resiliency via planning and programmatic endeavors.

A number of things come to mind.

Our in-pipe micro turbine project is one, our 108th reservoir, which will add to our communities resiliency, water resiliency.

The energy trust work we're doing with some strategic energy management that we got a grant for.

So a number of efforts are underway on that action.

Backyard Habitat, you received a presentation.

We're working with them, they're just gaining more and more what do they call them?

Customers or like people that are participating in the program.

And of course, our B city efforts are ongoing.

Action 5.7.

Um reviewing the tree ordinance has not yet been started with everything else in queue.

It just hasn't happened.

So I don't have an update.

Again, it would take more than it would it's gonna take resources and time.

Finally, thanks to your efforts, we were granted over a million dollars.

I think it was a million two five for the seismic valves, which will support our resiliency efforts.

A small hiccup with the state cuts.

The outcomes speak to accomplishing projects, having programs available and funding that support that are seven actions.

Two are completed and four well on their way.

Oh, sorry.

We work really hard to communicate early and often.

And but I guarantee you that and commit that we do think hard about how to communicate and provide high value content on what's going on.

Expanding our recreation program has been a priority for you.

The long wait lists are just indicative of the demand out there, and I don't think we're alone.

I it just there's a desert of high quality programs and recreation, especially summer summer programs available.

We're working with the consultant on this currently and expect to be in front of you next month with an update.

This is not so different than the previous one.

We are looking at a number of our programs against our comparators.

Where are we behind?

Where are we ahead?

What options do we have?

And we plan to re be in front of you this quarter for further discussion and action.

I I think there's a lot of growth opportunities in our programming.

Excited about where this one's gonna go.

Of the specific projects listed here in this action, all have been completed.

So we're gonna take the win and say it us 100%, even though of course there's lots of other projects, but we have a draft integrated pest management program that is being reviewed even without an official adopted IPM integrated uh pest management program.

Um the practices we have in place are compliant, and um we um Dustin and the team think uh about this a lot.

So we're well on our way to having an adopted integrated pest management.

You approved a new data tool in our budget that has been purchased and is in place now.

It's called city data.

We're working with the data to see how it can be used to quantify our event successes and then perhaps get use that data for grants and for budgeting and potentially for maintenance uses of like where to uh where should we focus our maintenance efforts.

So we think it's a really good tool.

Again, we're working with a consultant on a parks replacement fund model.

Um we're we put 75%, we're probably a little further along.

We're planning on a presentation of that in February for you.

The final focus area speaks to who we are as a community, how we interact, and how we're known.

So there's seven total actions.

Uh, three are ongoing, one has not been started, and three are well underway.

One has not been started, and three are well underway.

7.1 speaks to your desire to have a um inclusion, diversity, equity, and access committee connect with other committees, including the CIOs who isn't who aren't an official committee, but are certainly a community group or community members.

Excuse me.

This effort is ongoing.

Their annual report will be presented at tonight's business meeting and includes a discussion about their work in 2026.

The police department received a grant last year for a train the trainer training related to being a trauma-informed organization.

Train the trainer training.

Related to being a trauma-informed organization.

And they have led our staff through three of the four of the four trainings with the final ones scheduled this quarter.

They've been they've been great, um, very insightful, and um I think have um uh validated some of the work that we're already doing and given us new tools in our toolbox uh to um be an organization that is welcoming and is um helps every employee be their best self as well as treat um the community and our patrons um that way as well.

Neither 7.3 nor 7.4 have gotten very far off the start line.

Um 7.3 developing a strategic communications plan.

Our intern commute completed research into a communications plan.

Um honestly with the website and just everything else on our plate, um it is it just hasn't gotten off the ground.

Um and we most likely need budget authority to continue um with the action.

The comprehensive plan work has also not gotten off the ground with staff changes this year.

Kim's retirement, Steve leaving, Aquila coming on, we have a new planning manager.

It just has um and then other workload constraints, it has just not risen up.

We are almost done with the website.

Almost hallelujah.

Um it's been a heavy lift with many unanticipated roadblocks.

Um we are further into the year without launching than we expected.

Um but we do have the end in site and um the launch date coming shortly.

We are planning some user testing that we would love to include you in, and um Megan and her team will um make contact about that.

Finally, flexing our strategic planning muscles has been an ongoing effort this year and will continue.

There's a number of examples that um uh but being mindful and I appreciate your leadership on this and uh your modeling that we've done some training and um we've hired a consultant to do some um strategic planning efforts in our what we're calling our gaps and needs analysis that is where are the gaps in our in our departments and where are we not um where are the gaps in services and how to fund that and in other ways we're flexing that those muscles and um I look forward to that continuing.

We got through that sooner than I expected.

That was like 55 slides.

All right.

Questions for Sherylin, keeping in mind that we're gonna be seeing this again on Saturday.

Council Brooks.

I just had one this last gaps analysis.

Are we gonna be seeing the results of that too so that we can kind of an idea of where that um data landed?

Yes.

I yes.

I don't have we don't have a timeline at the moment.

We're still like working through it, but yes, that's gonna come to council.

And then when is council gonna be starting with the trauma-informed?

Oh, that's a good question.

Um I I do not know the answer to that, but I'll I'll touch base and thank you.

Council President Pratt.

I just have a comment.

I would just want to thank you for um doing this refresher because I think we'll be more prepared and reminded of everything we did last year as we go into the advance.

Um thank you for this.

I'm not sure what to say right now.

I do have some things I want to mention, but if we're gonna go in detail, can I kick this off right now?

Do we have time for that?

Is that okay?

I I have a few minutes.

So I didn't what I wanted to check in is I didn't hear about uh the park maintenance budget as a priority.

I know we had talked about that several times.

That instead of doing special instead of doing increased dues and fees for maintenance work that we maintain our parks, can we set up a budget for that?

I think that's we brought that up a couple of times.

On the climate action plan, I didn't hear anything about water conservation strategies for irrigation credits for efficiencies as a low-hanging fruit that could be done right now.

Umservation strategies on our house, which is the city.

If we adopted a climate action plan, we just did a roundup fee for all of our constituents, but I'm not seeing what the city's doing in-house.

What are we doing first to demonstrate those commitments versus just for lack of a better word push it on to our constituents?

I didn't hear anything about that.

Um promoting incubator systems would love that to be the heart information for the food card as a and encourage that.

I didn't hear anything about residential parking and around apartments.

We we heard a lot of problems around that where apartments are increasing limiting parking for cars and increasing fees for them.

I didn't hear anything around that for what what are we doing about that?

Zoning for Lebanon, it is it is it is it a deterrent that has not been adopted or changed to the people potentially looking to get in there, but look at our current zoning laws and say, ah, it's too much.

Is that a deterrent?

Um the CI involvement I love that we put in there that we want the CIO to work with our DEI committee and other committees like the Chamber of Commerce, awesome.

And when it comes to proposals, my hope is that we're not going for the lowest proposal.

Because throughout my tenure as councilperson, I've seen many change orders around bids.

Can we just get a bid without a change order and and and not promote that?

We're accept change orders.

A true bid is correct.

That's what I would look for.

So just to kick things off.

All right.

Other comments?

Council Hillier.

So I again appreciate seeing all the incredible work, and it's just kind of overwhelming in an amazing way to see it on paper, right?

So if we have things that we think about, um, should we email you ahead of time?

How would you like to receive that information best if we just have thoughts after tonight?

I'm fine with an email.

Um I do think we will have good amount of time on the 17th to talk through stuff.

Thank you.

I don't have anything.

I was just curious if I have a thought, because some sometimes I think awake.

I do, yes.

I mean, I think hanging on to it and bringing it to the 17th, and um yeah, thank you very much.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Other comments.

All right.

Uh I guess you're just gonna stay put and for pre-approval, the pre-approval of proclamations for 2026.

Right.

New binder.

Uh yes.

Um I don't believe we have a uh there's no presentation.

Presentation.

Um please forgive me.

Yeah, so you have an approved um proclamation policy that creates four tiers.

And um tier one proclamations include subject matter related to the city of 12 and organizations, city-sponsored programs.

Those types of proclamations don't require your approval, they show up on the agenda.

Um you you proclaim.

Uh tier two are those from a branch of government or an organization that the city is funding.

And so like domestic violence that comes from the domestic violence resource center.

Um that is one that you fund that you don't have to give uh uh for uh prior approval.

Uh tier three include requests from community partners.

Um these proclamations do require council approval before being placed on an agenda.

And then tier four are all the other things that come up, um kind of random ones.

So there are a number of proclamations requests that are recurring, but that kind of fall into that three and four category.

Um so I we listed them in the packet, um, but um Black History Month, for instance, um, is a tier four that has come up before that you've proclaimed.

Do we put it on or do we just wait for that to come up?

Um gun violence awareness month is another one that has traditionally been requested but falls under three uh under four.

Uh Pride Month is another one, Juneteenth is one, although that's now a city uh holiday, it could probably go under number one.

Um 9-11 remembrance day is another uh four that has been requested, especially when council falls on 9-11, it seems appropriate.

Hispanic Heritage Month is another one that has been requested and then has been proclaimed, but it technically falls under number four.

Red Rib Ribbon Week, also a little hard to roll off the tongue.

Um three, it comes from a community partner, and um, but it has traditionally been approved by you.

Native American Heritage Month, and then uh small business Saturday is one that the chamber has traditionally requested.

So again, tier one and tier two proclamations are assumed to be approved, those are listed there.

The ones that we're planning on bringing, um those will be scheduled at the appropriate council meeting.

The remainder of the proclamations need to be requested in advance or sponsored by a city councilor and then placed on an agenda.

However, if you want to give prior approval to any or all of these, we can schedule them.

Right, discussion.

Council Hillary first.

I won't thank you.

Thank you so much.

Um I just had a question this year.

This last year we had NAMI of Clackhamus County for the National Mental Health Awareness, I believe that was also um in May.

And so I just wondered as I understand they had done that for many years, and then there was a gap, and they're doing it again.

So I'm just wondering if that's something we should consider as part of this list.

I I don't have an opinion solidly one way or the other.

I just wanted to point that out.

Did we have them?

Did they have to request approval or did I believe yes?

It was the gentleman I think that's right.

I can't think of his name.

From Clackamas County uh NAMI.

If you would like to add that to the list as a number three or four and get pre- of approval, that we'll add it to we can add it to the list.

I think so.

That's making an assumption that he goes back to his annual request.

So I I'm not I don't know because I think there was some history of that prior to my time on council, so I just would I wanted to put that out there as all.

Okay.

Councilor Sako.

Um to that um to that same now.

Um I think we are we're also missing um the trans day of visibility that we did last year.

Um so I think that would would that fall under a four then?

Something that we've done previously that yeah, that would be a four.

I think that's in March.

I think we left it off because the idea committee would consider the proclamations they were.

Okay.

Okay, so it doesn't need to do that.

Well, that was a request from the idea committee they brought forward.

Yeah.

I maybe Darianne can speak to we are working on a draft which is going to be presented at the meeting tomorrow.

So I'm anticipating them to bring it forward as requests.

So is this list not then include things that we've done previously?

I guess I'm a little confused.

Yeah, year after year.

So when does it get on this list?

I don't know.

It's a judgment call.

Okay.

I I guess the conversation could be like the value of having a committee bring forward a request and you know, and talk about it as opposed to like pre-approval.

But I I don't know if there's value in that from your perspective, or if they bring it if they want to do it since it's been approved in the past, we just automatically put it on the agenda.

Council Brooks.

Um I support pre-approving these because um last year when we were discussing it.

If someone doesn't come forward, for instance, like to forget Black Heritage Month and remember another one feels not good.

And there's a way that they are requested that takes time.

So it's run we've run into that before too, where it feels uncomfortable to talk to the constituents that are requesting it if they're behind with these volunteer organizations that we're working with.

I'm thinking about the moms, people and things like that, because they're so busy.

Um I'm kind of in favor of that.

If somebody's reworking a proposal, I totally understand letting them edit it and then considering it for pre-adoption in the future.

Um but in my mind, it helps to just like if we're doing these to be doing them.

As far as for me with National Mental Health Month, whether NAMI brought it up or not, I think it's a really important conversation, especially right now.

There's an incredible amount of stress and numbers that we've never seen before with kids in schools suffering from mental health issues.

So I'm not attached to the organization on that one myself.

Um anyway, so that th those are my thoughts.

Thank you.

So it has my support.

All right.

Councilor Gonzalez.

Um can we consolidate some of these proclamations when I can think of pride and transgender recognition day?

Could those not be on the same same proclamation?

Why does it have to be two separate ones?

I don't think those were how they were um requested.

Can I say something to this?

Um I don't think that we have the transgender um one in front of us right now, so we wouldn't be able to consider combining them until we had that pro proclamation in front of us as they rework it.

So I think right now we have the list that you mentioned, and I think that conversation comes in the future from my perspective.

Sounds like for as far as the national mental health awareness one.

It sounds like it should be added.

Yeah.

And right now it's a tier four.

I mean, that's easy enough.

Yeah.

But Sherilyn's question on the rankings of the ones that are now fours and threes.

Do they stay fours or do they change to a one or a two?

Or you you know, or you leave the list as is and I gotta go back to what one and two.

I thought we were just doing pre-approval.

Well, tier four of the year.

Like t tier four, uh like Black History Month is tier four.

Yeah.

Um those require council approval being before being placed on the agenda.

We just know it's coming, but it still does require council approval to get on the agenda.

It's not uh it's like like a number one.

I thought the question was tonight we're pre-approving for the year.

Right.

So then the council would be approving it.

But it's pre-approving the list of the what we have already.

And then I'm at my question is do any of these you want moved out of tier four to one and two?

Okay.

Go ahead.

Well, okay.

So tier two, one are directly related to the city of Tewallatin or city sponsored program.

Tier 2s are from the branch of government that the city is funding.

So I don't think a lot of these could qualify as tier one or two.

The way we've got them now, anyway.

The only one that might is Juneteenth, because you we proclaimed it like a a holiday.

Um that could move to a one.

I think everything else is categorized as it should be, just as the whether you move it forward with the pre-approval.

So if so it will get put on the agenda.

I see what yes, I'm I'm reading a lot the final sentence now.

Sorry.

The tier three or four proclamations to determine whether to approve them in advance without requiring.

Okay, gotcha.

No.

No, I'm better.

Sorry.

Sorry.

Yeah, you're looking at me like, what are you hell are you talking about?

Should have explained that.

It's almost maybe in the future we should consider like tier three, two levels of tier three or something with ones that recur.

So is everyone good with this list with the addition of the NAMI slash mental health.

I see one no.

I'm good with the pre-approval.

And maybe that we should have the pre-approval um process like codified and not worry about the tiers.

You know, in the beginning of the year.

Councilor Sacco.

I agree.

I um I agree with this list.

Um and but also I just I guess I'm still concerned that we that we're that we could miss something.

Um and to Counselor Brooks' point, if an organization gets busy and it falls off and it is important to us and we've lost visibility of it, us as a if it's important to us as the council, we've lost visibility to it.

I just I would hate for something that we've done in the past to fall off.

Um if it's not on this, and I don't know if it's on this list just as we've done it.

I don't know that we need another tier, but something just that we have visibility to it.

So examples would be like new ones.

Well, I'm thinking like the trans day of um visibility that we did that last year.

And I know that that the idea committee is working on another version, but let's just say it's a committee that maybe isn't city related or something that's that we've done in the past that we lose visibility of is my concern.

I don't know if there's any uh other ones out there.

There could not be and I don't know what I don't know.

Council Hillier.

So if you include them on the staff report, like the additional ones that don't fall into each year on the staff reports for next year, but not on the list, and then you choose to does that make sense.

Like I can easily give you a list of all the property.

Right.

Right.

And I think that way if there is somebody that we haven't heard from, we could maybe nudge them proactively to say is this something that you know, that's something that we're still interested in having a proclamation for is this you know okay.

Council Hillier.

Clarifying question, please.

Um this us approving this list tonight, pre-approving potentially doesn't preclude an uh a group to come forward and request it correctly still.

So I mean we're not shutting people out for the year.

So I just okay.

Thanks.

I didn't want to clarify that.

Thank you.

Like there's a proclamation request on your agenda.

Yes, in a minute.

Yeah, in a minute.

I think we call it the veterans' memorial veterans memorial.

I think that was a proclamation as well.

Veterans, if not this.

I don't think we've ever had a veterans proclamation.

I don't think we've had.

Yeah.

Could we have the Veterans Day breakfast?

Memorial Day.

We have the Memorial Day service.

Yeah.

I don't know if we've had a proclamation though.

I don't think so.

Or like Memorial Day or 11.

Okay.

So again, general consensus, the list is okay.

All right.

All right.

Thank you.

Another proclamation.

Uh so we've got a proclamation request.

From the Vietnamese community of Oregon asking for a Vietnamese lunar new year proclamation, which is February 21st.

Uh as noted here, this is a tier four request, hasn't been uh on our list before, and they're looking for uh council approval so they can add it to agenda.

So discussion.

Council Brooks.

Um I am in support of this.

I was just in a different country, but in Asia last year, and the amount of celebration over the new year is phenomenal, and I understand why um cultures would want to have their greater community understand more about what they're up to and what they um what they hold in their in their hearts and minds.

Thank you.

Council Hillier.

I'm just curious if we know if there are um residents connected to this particular not that I think it's necessary to pass it, but I just am curious if we have community members that are attached to this.

He came last year, um came last year again.

But I don't know if there's specific.

I just was the community outside of the thank you.

Yes, he was quite a character as I remember.

Thank you.

Counselor Gonzalo's my question on the same line as Councilor Haley, is if our population of this community that number is small and there's a connection.

I'm not gonna be opposed to it, but I just want to get clarification on that.

Can you ask them to present it?

Yeah, I mean, do are they gonna have time to present you?

So I would I know it says some a little bit in the proclamation, but um in the sample proclamation, um a little bit about the history of it.

Um but maybe that's maybe that's enough.

Maybe I should back up.

I would I was just thinking it'd be fun to have more information about it and maybe um what's what events are going on locally or something.

It's usually yeah, when we have a proclamation request, usually someone majority of time, vast majority of time someone's here to accept it, and usually give a small presentation, not all the time, but you know um, he he was here last time.

He's great.

And he was great, yeah.

Yeah, he's great.

Yeah.

That irritates me sometimes is we'll do a proclamation for a request from a group, and then they're not here to accept it, receive it, even give comment.

Um so if if we've spent our time to do this, then those folks requesting this should be here, you know, to receive it and or give a presentation or just a short uh about why it's important to them and what why the community should be aware of it.

Yeah.

Not not that I'm assuming he's gonna do it like you said he did last year and was fantastic, but Council Brooks.

I'm up for doing it either way.

Um I don't think that we have to have people show up to tell us about Christmas or tell us about things that are that we're already aware of in the mainstream community, and I think that um our Asian community is the third largest community um after when you look at the census numbers if I recall correctly, which I'm pretty sure I'm right.

Um so I think that understanding our greater community is really important and what's really important to them, and uh I just think make it easy for people, and I feel like he's gonna show up anyway, and that there's events going on all around the city.

So whether somebody shows up or not, there's so much great stuff going on, and people can remember to take a look and see where things are happening.

Council President Pratt.

Well, I'm just gonna make a last c I I do think it's nice when people show up because it's just makes it more special.

But I mean the gist of this proclamation is that we're showing our support to the Vietnamese American community, so I don't see the harm in doing that.

No.

All right, so thumbs up.

Yep.

Okay, all thumbs up.

All right, scroll back up.

So that's it for our items one through four.

Uh so council agenda meeting review, counselor Hillier, you're up for the Pledge of Allegiance tonight, I believe.

Yep.

Uh and then uh doesn't we have no proclamations tonight.

Um any questions on the consent agenda, concerns on the consent agenda.

All right, seeing none, uh, we'll go ahead and do our council round table, and I'll start with Sherilyn.

She's scribbling.

Keep me on my toes.

I did Don in the middle and last time I really threw him off.

Oh, he'd be nice to Don.

He was like standing in for me.

Um, let's see.

A few things.

So uh community development block grant uh application process has um it's a big deal in the county, and um we made an application for under the public facilities and infrastructure uh category, and our presentation is on January 29th, so um before the next council meeting.

We've requested two additional rapid flashing beacons, uh one at Boons Ferry and Nasoma, and then at Sagart between Martinazzi and I-5.

Um so um we are hoping that the committee will be gracious to us, and if you know anybody on the committee, maybe you could um advocate.

Our own counselor Brooks is on that committee.

Um let's see.

Picnic shelter reservations are open.

If you can believe it, it's crazy.

Community park at Folity, Jurigins, and IBAC are all available for uh renting space there.

Uh we have lovely opportunities.

It's on our recreation page, so on the City of Twilight and homepage, and then go to recreation and you can reserve your picnic shelter.

The riverfront property.

Exciting, lots of stuff happening.

We've had hazardous waste removal and then demolition started last week.

If you drive past, you'll notice that the A-frame is down.

There are two other houses that are still to be demolished, but those are coming down this week or next.

And so we'll have a clear site.

So it's very exciting.

If you've been on our website, you may have seen a scrolling banner.

So we're doing some work in the police lobby, taking out the flagstone in the lobby and pouring a skim coat over the top, which cannot be walked over.

So our lobby will be closed to all access Thursday, January 15th, this Thursday through Sunday, the 18th.

So we posted information on the city website.

Our record staff will still be in the office and answering phones and processing paperwork.

Dispatch also has the information.

If you need access to the building, the phone on the wall outside the lobby is still available and will be answered.

So sorry for the inconvenience there.

City City year program.

The classes are underway.

The mayor may talk about this.

They came and toured the downtown the design studio group.

And it's going to be very exciting.

They're doing 3D modeling of some of the of the downtown.

Very excited to see what they what they produce.

Finally, our wonderful volunteer coordinator, Jackie Conan, is retiring, and she has just made such an impact on so many people.

I love her philosophy.

She believes that volunteering is democracy in action, and she has made an impact on the lives of so many people.

Anyway, we're we put it out and got over 200 applications.

I know.

So it's a very attractive position, and we're interviewing now and hope to have somebody on within the next three or four weeks.

So Jackie has agreed to stay on for a little while and train this new person.

So I hope that we get somebody that you know.

If I could be half as good a person as Jackie, I I would be a saint.

So anyway, I looking, we're looking for somebody great.

That's it.

Councillor Gonzalez.

It's been very quiet on my front, but I did attend the immigration support meetings that we've been attending.

And we had Governor Kotek the last time that was very informative on the kind of support that the counties and cities are doing for immigration communities.

The biggest one was if a child is left at school without a parent, it's been picked up and reaching out to those communities directly and offering support.

And so everybody's more so sharing those kinds of things that they're doing individually as organizations.

We had uh Bonamici this last meeting as well, and and she shared some of the agendas that she's working on in her capacity.

Um it's very difficult to full families and they're scared out there.

So that's but that's pretty much all the update that we have right now is what more can we do to support the communities when they're not going out to work and if their kids are left at school and attended.

So thank you.

Councilor Brooks.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

I um met on the 29th for the council prep with Dr.

Johnson, like most of us did, and I'm looking forward to working again with him this year and had a great conversation.

I think he might have been surprised that I remembered his number.

I've got his number.

I remember most of our numbers.

Um and then I met also this wasn't an official meeting, but I met on the 30th with Nicole Braden from Explorer Twilight and Valley.

We had um seen each other at one of the state of the cities, and then I went to their um holiday open house, and um they cover some of our art.

So I invited her to the city so she could see the Veterans Plaza and that we could have a conversation about updating the art presentations and coordinating better.

So we'll be meeting together with the arts advisory um chair, Janet and Julie coming up soon.

So I'm excited about that.

And she's gonna bring another gal that works with Explore Twalton Valley, and she's the community outreach person.

And I met with the PAB, which part of that you've heard already.

Um we went through all the applications.

We are um we have a lot of applications, and um we don't have a firm number yet from the feds about what the actual HUD budget will be.

So it's a very unusual.

I've never had this before where we're kind of working blind as far as um the numbers coming in kind of late like this.

Um I also attended another meeting that wasn't a city meeting, but there was a presentation by um representative Bowman and the main thing that they're gonna be working on this session is the addressing the $15 billion shortfall that we're gonna face as a state after they had balanced the budget with the information that they had at the time, so and given out the kicker.

So I think it's really important to remember as we move also into our advance and how we're thinking through the needs of our community right now at this particularly uh vulnerable time.

Um I will be meeting um, I was supposed to meet with the LOC women's caucus, but I think you went.

Um but I couldn't go to that one, and but we're update, we'll update it, but I'm one of the directors on that, and then um we'll be having I'm part of the executive committee on the water consortium, so that will be coming up this Wednesday, and I have the annual reports too for everybody from um last year.

Thanks.

Counselor Sacco.

Thank you.

Um I think I had to go all the way back to December 15th, um, which was the idea committee uh meeting.

They'll be here tonight.

Uh so I don't want to steal any of their thunder.

Um, but I just want to highlight a couple things that uh we had a great conversation on the 15th about connecting with other community groups um with an emphasis on ensuring that uh community members have access to the groups that they need access to and those a lot of those groups have provide um work on finding resources as well.

Um and um the group also uh visited uh the Grand Ron Um with a focus on forming relationships, um, which is such a smart um approach um to wanting to connect with um the indigenous folks um of Oregon um and our surrounding areas.

Um you know, we have really strong relationships with other governing bodies um for obvious reasons, so creating a strong relationship with local tribes um will have uh mutual long-lasting benefits as well.

So I'm really inspired by their approach.

Um and again, I think it's really smart.

Um, and then I lastly wanted to highlight uh Chris Paul, who led um a food drive in December.

Um I don't have the final numbers, but I'm sure Jerry Ann does, maybe.

Um between 100 and 200, I don't remember.

Pounds of food.

So um uh just really uh want to highlight his leadership um on the food drive.

Um the CAC uh we met on the 7th.

Um we reviewed our timeline and deliverables.

Uh Quinn facilitated a fun engaging exercise to create evaluation criteria as we start moving forward to evaluate um the different reports, uh the civilis report, the reports that are coming out of um University of Oregon, Oregon State, um, and so uh creating a evaluation criteria of those um that what direction we're going in, ideas, projects, etc.

Um, which is really exciting, and then um I was able to attend um the C4 meeting as um Councilor Pratt's um alternative um on the 8th.

Um the um there was a pre-session check-in with uh Clackamas uh Clackamas legislators uh which was very um engaging, um heard their priorities, which was a lot to take in.

Um, and I'm happy to share additional information about that if folks are interested.

Um so yeah, I think that's it.

Thank you.

Good to say that.

Thank you.

Gosh, lots of great work at the end of the year and beginning of the first.

Um so the only report I have is for the Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency Board of Commissioners.

It's quite the acronym on December the 18th.

Uh we had financial updates as usual and continued discussion about the CAD.

Um we're moving into the budget season.

There gave a report on the AI answering service uh for non-emergency calls and how impactful um the AI exercises have been with new recruits to help them really practice um uh making the calls smoother and asking questions and such.

So that is um in the works.

There was a subcommittee that got together to talk about the smaller cities who um pay in less than five percent and um how that's gonna affect the budget in fiscal year 27.

So that'll be something to talk about.

We continue to talk about the nurse navigator trial that it um that trial I think expires on um March the first, and um we'll learn a little bit more about that, and it's for um calls, and the chief can correct me if I'm wrong, but it's for calls that um maybe could go straight to talking to a nurse or a medically trained person versus uh dispatching uh the EM fire department and all that sort of thing.

So it's really takes um a load off you know, not those people and the people calling in for service get immediately what they need.

Um my I'm sorry my report is a little longer this time because in the meantime on um I believe uh January 9th, two city councillors, one from uh the city of uh Beaverton and one from the city of Hillsborough wrote in to our board of commissioners or to the commission members.

And this is what I'm I am going to read it because I do believe that it's important.

Um in the wake of the killing of Renee Nicole Good and the two Portland residents shot by immigration agents.

It is critical that Washington County eliminate ambiguity.

Sound like me.

I don't know.

That were I'm so sorry, ambiguity, yes, I'm so sorry, and how emergency calls are categorized, particularly when calls involve suspected ICE activity and potential public safety risks.

The counselors are requesting confirmation of WCCCA's current police, fire and medical call taker and dispatch protocols.

Um they want to ensure that there's a clear distinction between civil enforcement activity and criminal or immediate public safety concerns, and believe that that is a threshold to ensure public safety.

For references, they're looking in the policies of criminal or immediate public safety calls, which are dispatch eligible, and concerning but unclear conduct, um, which is documented and escalated members, and there's some more details within there.

And um it was responded to them that um the policies and guidelines are extremely transparent within the Washington County um the process and that the standards of operation for fire and medical calls and all dispatch is traceable.

Our police department's head chiefs and what is there's a group that meets with the um executive director on a regular basis, including our chief, and he can assure that the processes have remained the same, exactly the same.

There has been nothing except for the addition of a checkbox when officers are finishing their reporting, that they check um if IC was involved.

And so I just want to make it very public and clear that um community is looking at the safety of everyone from all different angles, and um when people call 911, they should be they should feel safe to call 911 in our community, and um there is a very high level of transparency, and um so I just want to report that.

Thanks.

Council President Pratt.

Wow.

Um I'm going back to 129 because I think that was right after our last meeting, and that's when um we um I I know the mayor was there, and I think Councilor Hill, you're at the LA training that was coordinated through the city of B routin with Central Cultural PIRC and EC.

You were there too, Council.

Well I had architecture review board.

Oh, okay.

Forgot about that.

Counselor Brooks was there.

Yeah.

And then the 10th, we um did the employee appreciation breakfast, which was a lot of fun.

And you're always popular when you're the one with the bacon.

And then on the 18th with the police foundation, we did the shop of the cop event, and that was a lot of fun for me to help uh someone shop for their family.

And um and I got the um some of the um young men um picking up jewelry for their moms.

So that was fun.

Um then the 17th.

Oh, we all did the housing forum, and then the uh um 20th was a really fun event.

Um at Barque Las Casitas, we had the um community event holiday event um put together with the Latino Wellness Association and Toileton together, and um I got the fun of bringing 2200 dollars worth of toys with the police officer and helping Santa hand them out.

So that was great fun and great food too.

And then the um seventh, um, I went to a um Clackham's County Business Association meeting where I we probably heard the same people with her priorities as you heard.

Um I tried really hard to find out.

Um I'm trying to explain this simply like if Oregon Oregon tax law is gonna separate from the big beautiful bill, and it was mom.

I'm getting told the two the co chair and co-chair are not saying a word, and that would probably make a difference, like in that 300,000 we might or might not get.

So I really wanted to find out, but didn't.

And the other big thing I heard is that um with Governor Cotex wanting to get rid of the transportation bill, she also wants to put tolling back on the table.

So yay.

And then um, oh, the last thing, yeah, the League of Oregon Cities with the women's caucus.

I'm um right in my wheelhouse.

I'm the alternate for the finance committee.

All right.

Um going back to December 11th.

All right.

So the Metro Mayor's Consortium met that day.

Uh topics of discussion was there is an effort from Sherwood that is now going to be um also led by the city of Portland to to do consolidated city purchasing.

There's a thought that if all the cities in the region basically had cooperative purchasing agreements on certain very common items, we all the uh cities in the area could save money.

So Sherwood is taking the lead along with the city of Portland uh to start looking at that and coordinate with the folks in the different cities who have expressed interest in being part of that.

Uh and we're one of the cities are interested in in participating and seeing how we can save money.

Uh there was our transportation update, but at that time, remember the signatures were just turned in.

We had no idea that they had exceeded the number.

Uh so transportation and uh ODOT uh will be a continuing theme between uh my comments here from December.

Uh the other big thing that popped up uh that surprised no one mentioned is the effort to repeal time place manner.

There's an effort out in the state to get rid of the TPM.

Uh a house uh House Bill 3115, uh smaller cities, uh Eastern Oregon.

Um don't know why they have to have these.

Uh whereas you know, cities in the Portland Metro area want them.

Uh so that debate is coming because that will be part of lain odds in the short session.

Um the movement to repeal it.

Um the 15th, it went to Washington County Coordinating Committee.

Uh, there's a community connector project.

It's out in the Beaverton Tiger area.

Think um uh Rye Connection meets lift.

So it's on-demand transit of small shuttles that get you back and forth within your community.

The idea being uh to serve an area around Cock Cooper Mountain that has very little transit service, but can it can get people to services such as Washington uh Square Mall.

Uh it's a one-year project.

We're gonna see how it goes.

But the cool thing is you're supposedly gonna have a phone app that you can request or ride that's free.

We'll see how that goes.

Uh Washington County then staff gave a presentation on what the Board of Commissioners looking at in terms of funding transportation gaps.

Washington County has a huge financial hold, not as big as usual, but they have a financial hole.

And as usual, all the mayors are very concerned about general fund transfers from misstep.

And so the county's trying to come up with a way to fund these transportation needs.

One of those being you know the possibility of increasing vehicle registration fees.

They have not committed to anything yet, uh, knowing now what's happening with the ODOT and the transportation package.

Uh that folks are pushing back on these types of fee increases.

Uh, but the county has to figure something out in terms of financing of transportation because revenues aren't there uh to maintain the amount of projects we've committed to the county has uh given their budget situation.

Uh on the 17th went to the legal Oregon Cities regional meeting in Sherwood.

Uh it was a fantastic meeting on the uh league is uh coordinating a state revenue uh reform project, basically looking at property tax reform.

Uh legal Oregon Cities is uh wants one, there's an education campaign that the average person in Twileton has in Twalton or in Oregon has no idea how property taxes work, how they're distributed, and the impact cities we're seeing right now with only a three percent increase.

So uh it should be very interesting what the league does in terms of getting the word out education, they're looking for people who are willing to hit the road and you know preach the gospel of property tax reform.

Um so uh I'm keeping in touch with Patty with that because it's very important to all of us.

Um the 18th of December, JPAC, the same community connector study was presented.

Uh they gave a report on state safe streets for all.

Uh what's scary there is traffic incident incidents are up, but the Portland Metro is one of the safest places in the United States for pedestrian safety.

Uh through our efforts with um Safe Streets for All.

Uh we're not perfect, but the the efforts are paying off because we are the lowest city in the United States.

Um and then there was a Sunrise Corridor update.

You know, Clackmas County's favorite thing.

Someday there might be a sunrise corridor.

Uh the friendliest officer, uh, whoever wrote you a ticket, retired on December 18th.

Was my privilege to attend his retirement party.

Thank you.

Uh you know, I we were joking and he looked right at me.

He actually I was a victim of a traffic stop a few days before his retirement.

I rolled through a stop sign, he got me, but he was very friendly and made me uh commit that I would correct my actions in the future and not do that again.

But uh congrats uh congrats to Johnny on his new uh venture in Milwaukee.

Um we had the Washington County Mayor's Chair meeting on January 5th.

Uh the county is in a five million dollar hole for 2627.

So the chair is saying they're going to cut people and cut services.

It's the only thing they can do.

Ums that we have is you know they have the their version of their capital improvement plan.

The costs of their capital improvement plan are not put into their budget yet.

All the other items are, but not their CIP, so it could be a bigger hole.

They're now anticipating in 27-28, they will have a 9.4 million dollar deficit.

So it's not getting any better at Washington County, hence why they're looking at you know where can we get revenue for transportation funding.

Uh attended the quarter meeting, was excited that uh we had the reset.

People seem generally excited with the new plan and how we're gonna move forward for the CORA and with the CAC and giving their feedback and all the projects that are hitting us.

Uh speaking to CORA, I was at the launch of the U of O Architectural Design Studio meeting.

It's approximately 15, about 15 students there, which say Aquila.

Um, very interested in um coming up with a design for the catalyst building we've all talked about when we buy that block, hopefully eventually, and then what's around it was intriguing as Cheryl mentioned.

They're building a six by eight-foot model of downtown, a 3D model that uh will help us vision what Twalton could look like.

And the cool thing the professor said at the end was that there's nothing limiting us going into the future that okay, let's look at the Hagen shopping center, that you could just snap it to the model and build upon that.

Uh all done with uh 3D modeling, you know, printing, very lightweight.

He said it's gonna be easy to carry around.

We'll see.

Um so they have their midterms February 9th, so we'll start seeing you know ideas pretty soon.

Uh today had the Washington County coordinating committee.

Uh it was beat up on TriMet Day.

Um kudos to John Sarah and Grant O'Connell from TriMet.

Uh I'll give it briefly because I know they're coming in February, but I want to put some seeds in your head about where TriMet's at.

So one of the questions was how did you get in the three $300 million hole?

And they're saying they've experienced 56% increase in in inflation on their um services and equipment between 2019 and 2025.

So we think we've seen inflation on our stuff.

They're saying they have 56% increase.

They currently have a 700 million dollar backlog backlog of capital maintenance that they haven't been able to fund due to uh decline in revenues.

Revenues from fares are down 60 million dollars a year right now.

Um their improvements to safety and security uh were significant costs, but they think it was worth it to you know improve the safety on buses and MACs.

Um thing they thought they put out there that I always forget is as you read about layoffs throughout the Portland Metro area, every time there's a layoff, that's a decrease in TriMet payroll tax that goes to TriMet.

So every person gets laid off has less money for buses that are supplied to the area.

Um they have to do a 10% cut by July 1st of 28.

This proposal on the table right now is only 6.49%.

So this is just the beginning of cuts that are coming in the next couple of years.

Uh things for staff to uh start digging into that are significant.

So lift.

Lift only operates within three quarters of a mile of a standard route of TriMet.

The 97 bus is going away.

So anybody within three quarters of a mile of Terwalls and Shore Ride is now gonna lose lift service.

Then 76 is ending back at the hospital again.

So anyone who might have had it down Borland Road is going to lose it.

So anywhere a bus disappears, Lyft disappears.

They've done an analysis and they said it's only going to have a 0.5% impact on Lyft uh recipients.

But if you're one of those 0.5 recipients who needs lift and can't get ride connection, how are you gonna get to your appointments?

We have that issue right now.

I think out near your part of the woods that there's a donut hole that Lyft cannot serve in your neighborhood because it's too far.

So that's something we need to focus in on when um TriMet comes is addressing this lift issue.

Plus, is they got 5,000 responses to that survey.

The one we all I presume we all took.

Uh the prior the priorities was to protect high frequency buses, keep late-night buses, and weekend service.

Uh on the green line, um, the green line will now, well, on this proposal will only go from Clackmas Town Center to Gateway.

It will not go to Portland anymore.

So you have to you can have yeah, after all those years, you're gonna have to change to the red or blue line to get to Portland.

That cut alone is two and a half percent of their six percent cut.

So it shows you the cost that's involved with um the max.

The questions I had with staff, their transportation staff, is you for you realize back in the day, Southwest Corridor was supposed to be part of the green line.

So if the green line now doesn't go to Portland, Southwest Corridor in my mind is pretty much dead.

It's not happening.

So all that money spent and trying to keep that thing alive, who knows?

Supposedly protecting routes that provide job access are supposed to be spared.

And I asked, what about 97?

97 goes to a major employment zone, is one of two buses for Sherwood that you're eliminating.

And so Sherwood piled on, yeah, saying that you know, how can that go away?

They're saying there's only three people on that bus per hour at you know, on average.

They said they were willing to go down to six per hour, but they're not seeing that, so that's one of the lines they need, they're saying that's gonna go away.

You know, the 96.

So 96 will change.

There will no longer be an express bus down the town, downtown.

It will replace the 37 and now meander its way uh to Sylvania to the Barber Transit Center.

It will now be 10 to 15 minutes slower than it was before.

Yeah, if and um if you believe 10 to 15 minutes, is that's as slow as it's gonna get.

It's also going to only be AM PM peak.

So with the people we talked to about Plant Back Gardens, what the heck?

What are they supposed to do outside of peak hours and weekends?

I brought that up today.

I was not I kind of lost it a little bit, I got a little tense.

Um the uh cuts will be implemented by August 24 23rd.

The board of uh TriMet will review the recommendations March and April and vote on it.

One of the great questions that was brought up is what about West?

Why is West not being touched?

A huge waste of money for certain a lot of mayors.

Why is why can't you save money on West and spare lines?

The question back to me after I got done with my rant at TriMet was Mayor, we understand you want to protect your lines, but what are your suggestions of what we should do?

What should we do different?

How can we save money?

So that's one of my challenges to staff.

Mike, we can maybe sit down and say, you know, what can we figure out if uh if we want to uh keep the 96 or a version of 96 that serves Boone's very well, you know, how what are we willing to give up?

So we figured out what we can do.

Um don't know if there's anything we can do to save TriMet money, um, but I'd rather have some kind of response than no response to that question.

Um thing I kind of cracked up with.

I'm sorry I'm going long, uh, but I want you guys to have all this, is that 68% of the cuts are going to occur in Multnomah County.

I'm like, because that's where all the service is.

You know, Washington County is a donor county to TriMET.

Yeah.

We I mean it's painfully obvious that uh you know, Washington County finances most of Multnomah County's thing, but of course they're gonna have 68% of the cuts because they have all the service.

Um they're not touching the stiff money, they're not stuffing right, they're not touching ride connections, so there's no impacts to them financially for now, uh, because that might be happen with the the reversal of the transportation bill.

Uh moving on from that, um regional rail study, which was kind of funny.

Why would you they presented the regional rail study, Metro did, after telling us there's no money for buses and TriMet, that basically the regional rail study, yeah, it'd be nice to have more passenger lines here that serve the region.

You know, trains uh moving people between counties, say there's an influx of people coming from Marion and Yamhill County.

Wouldn't it be great if there was rail service in rather than having to take I-5?

Yeah, but there's no money.

So basically it was a study to create a vision document for the next version of RTP.

Uh finally, uh legislative priorities for Washington County.

Uh remember the short session is only 35 days.

Uh a major focus of those 35 days will be budget adjustments, as Council Brooks said, and figuring out this transportation boondoggle.

Uh what they're gonna do with that.

Washington County is firmly staking a flag in the in the ground saying it will oppose all mandates that do not allow funding or time for local implementation of any kind of directions from the state.

So no unfended this county will not support any unfunded mandates.

We're also not tolerate any more economic development programs that are not financed by the state.

The Washington County is not gonna pay for growth anymore in terms of that.

Um as was mentioned, $300,000 that we're trying to save for our uh seismic resilient valves.

Washington County is trying to preserve 1.2 million dollars of the planning money that was allocated for the new courthouse.

It's on the it's on the uh potential for contributing cut.

A thing, another thing for Sheryl to follow up with, if you could get a hold of Andy Smith at Hillsborough, he is working with uh Senator Solomon on the Oregon Jobs Act, which will have direct impact on LAM on trying to re-jigger and get a new version of the refundable tax credit program that the state fund that the state finances not the cities.

So he's got a bill he's working on, so if you have someone who can get a hold of them, um they're working on that right now.

Uh Beavertons put out what their legislative priorities are.

Uh one is ICE response, because they have an issues out there, obviously, transportation, economic development, and housing.

Number one for them on housing is opposing HB 3115 repeal.

Um that's it for me.

It was a lot.

So phew.

Uh oh, one more thing.

Well, there was one more meeting.

The aging task force.

So aging task force, they're running with this TriMet thing, and they're gonna get the word out about the TriMet uh open house on the 22nd at the library from 4 to 6, I believe.

Uh also know that uh Commissioner Therese is having her open house at the Marquee at 4:30 to 6.

If you want to hear what she's saying about running for chair, she's I bet delighted to hear about TriMet service cuts in our area.

She's I've already been warned.

Uh a follow-up on the housing uh forum that we had.

The seniors, one thing they like the housing forum, but they were kind of disappointed there was no addressing of senior housing channel challenges.

The cost of senior housing, the availability of senior housing.

Uh if someone is a senior who wants to stay in the community, um, there's a lot of challenges to do that here in Twalton.

We're very they said we were great focused on affordability um for for for you know younger working folks, but what about our seniors?

Um they're getting priced out too, and um they would like that included next time if we have the next housing forum.

Just a little bit lens on them.

And now I'm seriously done.

So with that, I'll go ahead and close the work session.

We got about a five-minute break.

We'll reconvene at 7 o'clock.

Thank you.

Recording stopped.