City Council Report for Feb. 23, 2017

On Feb. 23, 2017, the Wilsonville City Council approved the City to enter into a contract to purchase a combination sewer/storm catch-basin cleaning truck. The new vehicle replaces the City’s current truck, which is over 23 years old and needs to be replaced due to being in poor mechanical condition. The City uses the truck to perform a variety of regular maintenance and spot repairs on the City’s underground utility infrastructure. Compared to the old truck, the new truck will reduce noise pollution and emissions while increasing efficiency and worker safety.

The City Council renewed a one-year employment contract with City Attorney Barbara Jacobson who is in her second year in the position. The City Attorney provides legal advice to the City’s boards and commissions including the City Council, reviews legal documents, drafts complex ordinances and resolutions, directs litigation, negotiates and drafts contracts, assists in risk management and oversees the City’s Legal Department.

During the communications portion of the meeting, the Council heard an update from Nancy De Souza, Executive Director of the Oregon Travel Information Council/Oregon Travel Experience. She spoke about the State agency’s role managing many of rest areas in Oregon such as the French Prairie Rest Area south of Wilsonville on Interstate 5 (I-5), the State Heritage tree program which includes Wilsonville’s Robert Valentine Short Fir tree, the highway business sign program and the Oregon Historical Marker Program. The agency’s Chief Community Assets Officer, Annie Von Domitz, also shared how the agency is leading an improvement project to restore the Grove of the States located at the southbound I-5 French Prairie Rest Area that features a grove of 50 trees that represents the 50 different states in the U.S.

During work session prior to the meeting, the City Council also heard reports and discussed the City’s upcoming annual review of low-income housing property tax exemptions, considerations with using red light cameras at two key commonly-congested intersections in Wilsonville and also potential adjustments to the City’s Community Development Planning fees to more fully recover costs associated with service delivery.

Community members are able to watch a replay of all or a portion of the City Council meetings on Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 30, Frontier Ch. 32 or on the City’s video-on-demand service at www.ci.wilsonville.or.us/WilsonvilleTV.