City Council Welcomes New Police Chief, Remands to Board for Development Review

At the October 2, 2017, Wilsonville City Council meeting, the Council welcomed new Police Chief Rob Wurpes, a Lieutenant with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) that the City contracts with for law-enforcement services. Chief Wurpes has 18 years of experience with CCSO as a public information officer, police chief for the former City of Damascus and currently with the inter-agency Tri-Met police task force. He succeeds Chief Adam Phillips who retired in August to accompany his spouse on a relocation employment-promotion to Japan.

Council members amended the meeting agenda to call-up and remand back to Development Review Board (DRB) Panel B for review an application by high-tech manufacturer DW Fritz for trash-enclosure revisions and a parking lot expansion with associated landscaping modifications at the facility at 9600 SW Boeckman Rd. A miscommunication with the company that resulted in no attendance by a company representative at the DRB meeting on Sept. 25 caused a denial of the application; the Council’s remand provides DRB with an opportunity to reconsider the application.

During Communications portion of the meeting, Sarah Foster, Executive Director of Oregon Healthiest State, presented on the “Blue Zones,” an international organization that works with local governments to improve street and park designs, public policy, and social involvement in to encourage residents to make healthy diet and lifestyle choices.

During Citizen Input, based on residents’ request, the Council asked staff to prepare a presentation on the Villebois Master Plan for Regional Parks 7 and 8 that were approved by DRB Panel A on Sept. 11.

During work session prior to the meeting, the Council heard reports from staff on proposed Old Town single-family residences design standards in response to neighborhood requests; proposed plans for new roadway access and parking for the Memorial Park off-leash dog park area and community gardens; and plans for the new 5th Street to Kinsman Road construction project.

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