Council Completes New Garbage/Recycling Agreement, Finalizes “Boeckman Dip” Bridge Funding

WILSONVILLE, OR — On May 21, 2018, the Wilsonville City Council adopted on second reading a new franchise agreement with Republic Services to provide garbage, recycling, yard debris, and other services to City residents and businesses. Effective July 1, this agreement provides for incremental annual, inflation-indexed increases in rates (rather than periodic and generally larger rate increases) and adjusts the City’s franchise fee to 5%, commensurate with the fee paid by solid-waste service providers in other cities. A modest rate increase of 3.25% on July 1 results in a $0.86 increase in the service rate for most residential customers (those with 35-gallon can). Due to a significant downturn in the world market for recycled materials, a temporary $2.50 monthly recyclables surcharge for residential customers and $1.50 per yard for commercial customers also becomes effective July 1.  This fee will be reviewed after 6 months to determine if any adjustment is warranted.

The Council approved on second reading an amendment to the Year 2000 Urban Renewal Plan that provides a funding source for the proposed bridge over the “Boeckman Dip” to improve east-to-west connectivity.  The bridge would make Boeckman Road safer for cars, buses, emergency vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, which is especially important with the new middle school and future elementary school located along the roadway, and the development of the Frog Pond West area. The amendment, which increases the authority for spending in the urban renewal area by $14.5 million, required concurrence from a percentage of area taxing jurisdictions, which has been received.

 During Communications, Republic Services provided an annual report on solid waste and recycling collection, noting that more than 21 tons – or 42 million pounds – of municipal solid waste was collected in Wilsonville during 2017.

Pat Duke, Wilsonville’s Library Director, was lauded by City Council for being honored as Librarian of the Year by the Oregon by Oregon Library Association. Leah M. Griffith, Chair of OLA’s Honors & Awards Committee, cited Duke’s passionate advocacy of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program he has helped introduce to libraries throughout the state to get free books to children.

Two of the City’s Public Works employees – Manny Ghiselline and Sean Byrne – were recognized for completing the first level of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Roads Scholar program, which requires 40 hours of coursework emphasizing best practices on road maintenance procedures and technologies.

During Mayor’s Business, Mayor Tim Knapp acknowledged that any prospective candidates for City Council may file after May 30. Two four-year terms are to be filled based on results of the fall general election on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Candidates must be file with the City Recorder by August 20.

At the work session prior to Monday’s meeting, City staff discussed how the community arrived at a preferred location for the French Prairie Bridge, a proposed pedestrian/cyclist/emergency vehicle access bridge over the Willamette River. Staff also provided reports on revisions to City code being written to help the City enforce stormwater management and erosion control requirements, and a project to identify a new enterprise resource planning software to assist the City’s management of core planning and financial services.

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.

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