Internal projects: 

• Permanent Outdoor Covered Structures grant program:  The status of the first round of this program is reviewed semi-monthly at the City of Sandy Ec Dev Advisory Board meeting – here is the status of the program as of February 2023:
  
  • Tollgate Inn – Staff is currently working on developing a scope of work for this project.  Staff has accepted a bid from Rick’s Custom Fencing for the aluminum frame and acrylic roof – they are currently looking for a subcontractor to do the rest of the work for this project.  We hope to get construction work underway by the end of May.
  • All other projects are now structurally complete and under contract.
• Three applicants from the first round of this program have already satisfied their financial responsibilities for the applicant portion of the covered structure project.
  
  
• Covered Structures Round 2:  Designs for the second round of the City of Sandy Covered Structures grant program were reviewed at the SURA and City Council meetings on January 3^rd, 2022.  Here is the status for this round of the program as of February 2023:
  
  
  • La Bamba Mexican Restaurant – Completed July 21^st, 2022.
  • The Smoky Hearth – Completed August 2^nd , 2022.
  • Thai Home – Project on hold due to applicant medical situation.  We checked in on the applicant again in January; still undergoing treatment, will check back with applicant in April of 2023.
• Wippersnappers Kid’s Play Place – Completed February 15^th, 2023.

Economic Development items:

Econ Devl – Commercial Properties (vacancies, new businesses, reports, etc.):

• New business – Shop Girl Consignment Sandy (Grand opening in May 2023):  Business owner Thea Enos informed me that the remodeling of her new space (the old Sandy Bicycle suite at the corner of Proctor and Smith) is now complete, and she is currently planning her grand opening/ribbon cutting event for the weekend of May 5-7.   Thea met with Khrys Jones and Shannon Givins of the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce last week and joined as a member business and has expressed interest in possibly joining the Chamber board in the future.  This store will be her second location – her original boutique is going strong in downtown Gresham. 
  
• Clackamas Cities Dinner (March 23rd, 6-8 PM): In March, it was Sandy’s turn to host the CCA Dinner. We selected the Smoky Hearth as the venue, and were planning on sitting under the brand new covered structure to highlight the City’s Covered Structures program for our friends throughout the county. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and we had to take over the restaurant on short order to accommodate our guests. Restaurant owner Kevin Nilson was very amenable to everything and was a fantastic host, while staffers Kayla and Brandon (Kevin’s daughter (service staff lead) and son-in-law (kitchen lead)) made the change effortlessly. Featured speakers of the evening were Mayor Pulliam and Oregon Senator Daniel Bonham, and it appeared that a good time was had by all.

Econ Devl – Internal Projects:

Downtown maintenance:

• AF Downtown Maintenance:  I had my first 2023 conversation with AntFarm Outdoor Programs Manager Neal Hatley in preparation for downtown maintenance work this spring.  The crew is fully staffed and ready to go.  If you have any general downtown maintenance issues you would like to see addressed this season, please let us know.

Econ Devl – Economic Development Advisory Board:

At the April 5^th meeting of the Economic Development Advisory Board, our contractor (Elliot Weiss of Community Attributes, Inc) and the board completed the final board review of the economic development strategic plan (EDSP) for Sandy and approved forwarding the plan on to the Sandy City Council for it’s final review and revision before adoption.  Staff anticipates this plan being presented to the City Council at either the final meeting in May or the first meeting in June depending on the availability of space on the agendas of those meetings.

Econ Devl – Conferences/training:

• Highway 26 Steering Committee (February 14^th) #2:  The committee will meet for a full day on May 30^th and 31^st.  We will have a studio including an asset tour in Welches at the end of the day on the 30^th at Mount Hood Oregon Resort (Resort at the Mountain).  This will be followed by a morning studio/asset tour in Welches in the morning, and an afternoon studio in Sandy hosted by the Axis Learning Center @ AntFarm Youth Services which will be punctuated by a walking tour of downtown Sandy.   During these studios, the group will look at concepts and case studies and try to develop an action plan for each area.
  
  This committee was arranged by Clackamas County Tourism & Cultural Affairs (Mt. Hood Territory) to discuss tourism related topics on the south side of the mountain and how to increase visitors in the area.  The committee is comprised of several area business owners including the owners of the Skyway Bar and Grill, the Dragonfly Café, the Zigzag Mountain Store and the Chicali Cantina, as well as tourism promotion related organizations like Travel Oregon, the Sandy Ec Dev Office and the Mount Hood and Sandy Area Chambers of Commerce.