Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
In June the staff and members of the Senior Center bid a fond and tearful farewell to JoAnn Bernhardt, custodian and driver for the past 16 years. While she deserves a wonderful retirement, change is hard and her many talents will be missed. In addition to her regular duties, Jo donated hundreds of hours at center fundraisers and other special events; she kept the rose garden in tip-top shape; and she made sure each person she came in contact with felt special.
JoAnn’s replacement is Dena Isbell. Dena has filled in at the center in nearly every position including driver/custodian. We are lucky to have her back and she will make a great addition to the Community Center family.
Parks
Jim Slagle of Recreation Trails completed the design work for the nearly one-mile extension of the North Trail in Sandy River Park, and construction work began. Gene Tilgner of David Linn Construction roughed in the trail by machine. Gene is the same contractor who worked on the Tickle Creek Trail. Kathleen Walker volunteered her time to work with crew leaders and a trail crew from the Ant Farm. Jim returned to the project as a volunteer and advised where needed.
In early June a presentation was given to the Local Government Grant Committee in hopes of securing money for Meinig Park rehabilitation. Later in the month staff was notified that the project to improve pathways, lighting and No Name Creek riparian area will receive funding from the State.
Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
Summer programs kicked off in June. New Tennis Camps were successful and a vibrant program is developing. The new Library/Recreation Dept. Day Camp also had a good start.
Safety training is popular in summer. The SafeSitter class for kids 11 to 13 was well attended. There is still time to sign-up for CPR & First Aid training as a second date for the skills review has been added. The class is very full with many City of Sandy staff signing up to participate in the online and skills review option. Chief Yamashita taught a Self-defense class for teens. Ten girls participated and learned valuable skills including self-awareness and confidence.
The Recreation Department has scheduled a Community Park Night on July 30th at Bornstedt Park. The event is free but please sign-up so we know how many desserts to bring. Families are invited to picnic at the event, play in the Splash Pad and share new ideas with the Recreation Manager.
On June 27th the 10th annual Noah’s Quest took place at Sandy Bluff Park. Despite the heat, over 150 individuals registered for the very special event that has come to mean so much to families and their loved ones who have lost a child.
Transit (Andi Howell)
Total ridership this month was 11,291. This number closely resembles the 11,288 riders in June 2014. SAM-Gresham ridership decreased by 3.4%; SAM-Estacada ridership increased by 22.9%; STAR increased this month by 9%; and ED ridership increased by 13%. Overall ridership experienced a 20% decrease between fiscal year 2014 and 2015. This is a much lower decrease than that of FY 2013 and FY 2014. These statistics seem to indicate that the decline in ridership has begun to level out.
One area of ridership growth continues to be the FLAP extension hours. The FLAP – Federal Lands Access Program – grant allowed Sandy to offer longer hours on Saturday and begin Sunday service. These hours provide passengers the opportunity to ride from the Portland Metro area to Timberline Lodge on public transit, expand choices for our citizens, and continue to show increased usage.
The contract with RoJoy Services for Sandy operations was extended 3 years. RoJoy continues to provide exceptional service both to the City staff and residents. Bus drivers hired by RoJoy Services are professional and friendly and receive many compliments from riders.
Sandy Transit procured two replacement vehicles this fiscal year. Both vehicles are customer friendly, specifically for the elderly and disabled population of bus riders. A low floor Arboc and an MV-1 were both purchased with the express intent of providing transportation services with the highest level of accessibility for Sandy riders.
The Transit Manager position was posted internally in June. Andi Howell, the current Transit Assistant successfully applied for the position. Julie and Andi will work together through the transition until Julie’s retirement August 31. The Transit Assistant position is currently posted on several relevant outlets and will be filled in the near future.
Sandy Transit will once again join the Sandy Mountain Festival, with a Back to the Future theme. SAM and Mt Hood Express have partnered to provide free rides during the festival to promote the two systems.