West Linn City Council Work Session - January 20, 2026

The West Linn City Council held a work session on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The meeting focused on reviewing the city's marijuana prohibition regulations and continuing the discussion on the City General Fund and Parks Utility Service Fee. Council also heard reports from members and the city manager, and no public comments were received.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved unanimously by a voice vote (all five council members present voting yes).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public signed up to speak or attended in person or online.

Mayor and Council Reports

• Mayor Wilaski reported on the South Fork Water Board meeting, where a major contract was approved for an engineering firm to build a water quality systems building, and a new project manager was hired (the board's seventh FTE).
• Councilor Groner attended the Sustainability Advisory Board meeting, which discussed annual report and 2026 goals, including adding more electric vehicle chargers in shopping centers.
• Council President Baumgardner reported on several meetings: Clackamas County Coordinating Committee (C4) and Metro Subcommittee on Transportation regarding TriMet's proposed line cuts; a webinar on the same topic; the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation; and the Metro Future Vision Commission. She expressed concern about TriMet's proposed cuts, especially the elimination of lines 153 and 76 (West Linn portion) and the loss of lift service on those lines. She also attended the Children's Center of Clackamas County breakfast, noting that 100% of its federal funding was initially cut then restored within 24 hours.
• Councilor Bonnington noted a quiet week.

Discussion Items

Review of West Linn Marijuana Prohibition Regulations (6:30 p.m.)

• City Manager John Williams introduced the item, noting it was brought forward due to budget discussions. Staff member Dylan presented background: West Linn is one of the few Portland metro cities (along with Lake Oswego, Sherwood, Wilsonville, and Canby) that still prohibits marijuana sales. Oregon City has about seven dispensaries. In 2016, voters passed a prohibition with 60% approval.
• Revenue potential: If the prohibition is repealed, the city would receive approximately $40,000 per year in state-shared revenue (about $1.50 per resident) plus $2,500 per licensee annually. A local tax of up to 3% could generate $30,000 to $60,000 per licensee (depending on sales). A previously enacted 5% medical and 10% recreational tax (2014) might be grandfathered, but this is legally uncertain.
• Limited sites for dispensaries due to 1,000-foot distance from schools (reducible to 500 feet with barriers), and exclusion from residential zones. Potential locations include Robinwood, Central Village, Blank & Ship and Tandler, and the waterfront area.
• Council discussion: Councilor Bonnington reported informal conversations with 158 community members: 132 in favor, about 10 concerned, and the rest neutral. Councilor Groner noted public opinion may have changed since 2016. Councilor Bright recalled three of five budget committee members in favor. Council President Baumgardner expressed two minds, citing substance abuse concerns in her family. Mayor Wilaski supported exploring the issue as part of budget due diligence.
• Staff recommended preliminary public outreach. Council consensus: conduct an informal survey using the city's newsletter, website, social media, and possibly a utility bill insert, rather than a costly statistically valid poll (estimated $10,000–$20,000). Timeline: staff to develop short questions in the next one to two months.

Continued Discussion - City General Fund & Parks Utility Service Fee (7:00 p.m.)

• City Manager Williams reviewed the staff FAQ prepared in response to council's previous questions. The key question: whether to adopt increases to the parks utility service fee to fund the Operations Center and address projected general fund deficits.
• Finance Director Lauren Breitopt explained that the Operations Center project is largely funded (82%) from existing utility rates, but a shortfall remains. The $5.20/month increase per household would cover the city's debt service for the Operations Center ($561,000/year). An additional $5.00/month would be needed to fully cover current parks maintenance costs (currently underfunded by $540,000/year).
• Parks Director Megan reported that the city has over 16 playgrounds, many pre-2008 and needing replacement (e.g., Hammerly built in 1997, lifespan 15-25 years). Other deferred maintenance includes trail work, splash pad re-nozzling, pickleball court rebuilding, and more.
• Council discussion: Councilor Bright supported at least the $5.20 for Operations Center, noting community values parks. Councilor Bonnington suggested adding an extra dollar to start moving toward full parks maintenance funding. Council President Baumgardner felt the $5.20 increase is justified and necessary. Councilor Groner agreed but stressed clear communication about both steps.
• Mayor Wilaski proposed possibly splitting the $5.20 into two increments ($2.60 in January and $2.60 in July) to ease the impact, but most council leaned toward implementing the full $5.20 as soon as possible (January 1, effective on February bills) rather than July 1, given the budget urgency. Councilor Bonnington noted no public opposition (zero attendees, one email) and supported January implementation with strong communication.
• Communications staff Doug and Danielle outlined plans: use the spring OWL print newsletter (reaches all households), QR codes, videos, and social media to explain the history, value engineering, and the modest increase.
• Council consensus: pursue the $5.20/month increase for the Operations Center, with a final decision and implementation date to be discussed at the February 3 work session. Additional discussion on an extra amount for parks maintenance will also occur at that meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Marijuana Prohibition: Council directed staff to conduct an informal public survey (via newsletter, social media, utility bill) to gauge current sentiment, with results expected in the next one to two months. No formal decision to repeal or retain the prohibition was made.
• Parks Utility Service Fee: Council reached consensus to move forward with the $5.20/month increase to fund the Operations Center debt service. The specific implementation date (January 1, 2026, vs. July 1, 2026) and any additional increase for parks maintenance will be discussed at the February 3 work session, with a formal vote expected at the February 10 business meeting.
• TriMet Service Cuts: Council agreed to draft a formal letter expressing concern about the proposed cuts, particularly the elimination of West Linn portions of lines 153 and 76 and lift service. Council President Baumgardner will work with the mayor on the letter and will also advocate at the state level for increased transit funding.
• Next Meeting: The next council meeting is a work session on February 3, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., to include discussion of water rates, the police review committee, and further parks fee details. The next business meeting is February 10, 2026.