I hope your 2020 is off to a great start. Our flurry of activity continues with the many major projects and important plans now in the works! In January, the City Council held the mid-biennium goal setting session and received a progress report on their goals. The Council added a few new goals and actions related to childcare services, affordable housing, community resiliency planning, economic development, and communications.
What’s next with the Community Campus and what is this Special District Proposal?
In November last year, the city commissioned a community survey to gauge interest and priorities for the aquatic center and community campus. The survey also included a question about the city developing a concept to establish a new government (such as a a parks and recreation district) that would have its own boundaries, tax rate, and board of elected officials. The new district could then be the source of funding for operating and maintaining the pool, running recreation programs, and building and maintaining parks throughout a larger territory in the greater Sandy area. The district would have to be approved by a majority vote of residents within the proposed boundaries of the district. Examples of these types of governments include the Tualatin Hills Parks & Rec District, the Bend Parks & Rec District, or the Tualatin Tigard Aquatic District.
The survey showed that there was majority support for keeping or expanding the pool and developing a district concept to put in front of voters. You can view the results here: https://www.ci.sandy.or.us/media/Community%20Campus/2019%20Community%20Survey%20Results%20Presentation.pdf
After reviewing the survey results, the Council directed staff to move forward with studying the formation of a new district for parks and recreation services in the greater Sandy area and target the November 2020 election for placing the measure on the ballot. Over the next few months we will be busy gathering information, developing boundary and budget/tax proposals, sharing information with the public and holding public meetings, and discussing getting the measure on the ballot with Clackamas County officials.
The potential district would provide a stable funding source for aquatics, recreation, and parks services in the greater Sandy area including a potential recreation facility at the community campus. The district boundary will likely follow that of the Sandy Library District’s with some exceptions. This idea emerged as a solution to funding the pool and community campus and improving existing parks and recreation services for area residents. Following the closing of the pool last year due to the budget constraints, the Council committed to developing a plan for the future of the campus and aquatic center that would include getting input from the community.
The immediate next steps is to finalize the boundaries, proposed budgets, and tax rates and test the concept with voters via a telephone poll.
Wastewater System Improvements Update
The city’s wastewater rate increases went into effect this month with the December – January billing cycle. The increase in the rates will immediately support the project by rising the amount of revenue the city’s wastewater utility receives in order to pay back the loans and bonds that are needed for the major capital project. The city has already secured a $6 million loan from the state for the work that will be done this construction season at the wastewater treatment plant and throughout the entire collection system. Meanwhile the Sandy River discharge alternatives (green alternatives) analysis will be kick off later this month. That work is being paid for by a direction allocation of state budget earmarks. The project webpage has more information about the rate increases and the project purpose:
https://www.ci.sandy.or.us/projects/www.ci.sandy.or.us/wastewater-system-improvements
362nd and Bell Street Extension Update
Responses to the request for qualifications from interested consulting engineering firms to provide survey, design, right-of-way, environmental and associated services for the project are due February 6. The proposed project would extend Bell St. approximately 2,800 feet west from its terminus near Sandy High School and extend SE 362nd Ave. from US 26 approximately 900 feet north to an intersection with Bell St. This is a long awaited and much needed transportation project that many are looking forward to seeing started.
Pay Equity Study and Compensation Analysis
We have the first draft of the compensation and pay equity study complete with reviews underway. Thank you to all the staff that filled out the lengthy questionnaire and participated in the pay equity analysis. In the next few weeks we will be reviewing the data and developing next steps.