It is important to note that even though the real estate market for residential properties continues to decline, the assessed value of most properties will still see a 3% increase this year as required under the constitution because the assessed value is still lower than the real market value.
Additional questions or comments can be sent directly to the assessor at:
Work: 541-396-3121 Ext. 275
Cell: 541-404-5159
E-Mail: ccaoassr@co.coos.or.us
Blog: www.cooscountyassessor.com
CITY OF
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
City Hall
REGULAR MEETING
THURSDAY, August 13, 2009
5:30 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
(Report Hours Worked)
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
3.1. July 9, 2009 Regular Minutes
3.2. July 28, 2009 Special Meeting
4. PUBLIC INPUT
Comments from
5. OLD BUSINESS:
5.1. Report on Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (OYCC) work program
5.2. BMX Bike Track
Report on progress of
5.3
5.3.1 Basketball Courts
5.3.2 Tree Pruning – Behind Basketball Courts
5.3.3 Mowing Frequency of Park
5.3.4 Roto Tiller – Possible Purchase
6. NEW BUSINESS:
6.1
6.1.1 Replacement Trees – Number, type, and timeline
6.1.2 Park Entrance Signs – Discussion
6.1.3 Ballfields – Current and future use
6.2 Goal Session – Set date for Goal Session
7. STAFF UPDATE:
7.1. Tree Removal/Pruning Requests
7.2. LUBA Appeal – Parks Master Plan
8. COMMISSION LIAISON REPORTS:
8.1. Beautification Committee
8.2. Bandon Arts Council
8.3. Committee For Citizen Involvement (Cci)
9. OPEN DISCUSSION
Commissioners
10. OTHER
11. ADJOURN
City of Bandon
CITY MANAGER'S NEWSLETTER
August 7, 2009
This newsletter is an informal report by City Manager Matt Winkel on the news, issues, and other items of interest from the City of Bandon. It will normally be posted once each month (on the Friday following the City Council meeting) on the City's WEB Page at www.ci.bandon.or.us, and will be e-mailed directly to all subscribers. Subscribers will also receive copies of City Council, Planning Commission, Parks & Recreation Commission, Committee for Citizen Involvement, and Water Resource Committee agendas via e-mail in advance of each meeting.
To subscribe or un-subscribe, or if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please e-mail to citymanager@ci.bandon.or.us. Your e-mail addresses will be kept confidential and not distributed or used for any purposes other than e-mail communications with the City of Bandon.
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
NEW SIGN REGULATIONS ADOPTED
Earlier this year, the Planning Commission completed the preparation of comprehensive sign regulations to improve and replace the somewhat minimal provisions which currently exist in the Zoning Regulations. Until now, each individual zone had some sign regulations, but a number of items such as political signs, temporary off-site signs, and signs behind windows were not addressed or regulated, and the definitions were incomplete.
The City Council has been reviewing the proposed sign regulations for the last four months, and at their August 3rd meeting unanimously adopted them. In addition to a number of minor changes, the major changes occurred in the commercial and industrial zones where the sign size allowances were reduced by approximately 50%, and the maximum heights were reduced from the prior 35 feet to a new height of 15 feet for freestanding signs and the lesser of 20 feet or the height of the building for attached signs.
FIVE-YEAR LOCAL OPTION LEVY FOR POLICE TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER 3RD ELECTION BALLOT
At their August 3rd meeting, the City Council unanimously approved placing a local option police levy on the November 3, 2009 election ballot.
The primary public safety concern is ensuring 24 hour police coverage. Considering the normal 40-hour work week, three shifts per day, seven days per week, vacations, normal sick leave, and normal court appearance time, it generally takes a minimum of 5 officers to provide 24 hour patrol coverage with one officer on duty, including the Chief and Sergeant. To allow for some overlapping schedules for administrative duties and investigations, a minimum of 6 officers is recommended, which is the number currently employed in Bandon. Considering Bandon's population of 3,300, this calculates to 1.8 police officers per 1,000 population, which is slightly above the statewide average of 1.6 police officers per 1,000 population. (Source: Northwest Area Foundation, 1997-2007: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reports, http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htmLast Updated: November 17, 2008.) Dropping Bandon's police force to 5 officers, however, would mean 1.5 officers per 1,000 population, which is below the statewide average. Although the preferred level would be 7 officers, which was the size of the force last year, the City Council determined that 6 officers would be acceptable considering current economic conditions.
The proposed ballot measure, which has been submitted to the Coos County Elections Department for final approval, reads as follows:
CAPTION: Five-Year Local Option Police Operating Levy
QUESTION: Shall Bandon impose $221,025 each year for five years for police protection beginning in 2010-2011? This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.
SUMMARY: The proposed levy will generate $1,105,125 over 5 years, which will be imposed in equal amounts of $221,025 each year, to ensure that the Bandon Police Department maintains a minimum force of 6 full-time certified police officers. It is anticipated that this levy will be sufficient to pay wages, benefits, insurance, materials, supplies, equipment, training, vehicles, and other expenses for 2 full-time certified police officers for a period of 5 years, including a projected cost increase of 5% per year. The City Council has committed to providing 4 full-time certified police officers as the highest priority expenditure of the City's General Fund, so funding 2 officers with a police levy will ensure a force of at least 6 officers. This is a sufficient number of officers to schedule someone on patrol 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and cover sick leave, court time, training, and vacation time. It is estimated that the proposed tax will result in a rate of $0.56 per $1,000 assessed value in the first year. The estimated tax cost for this measure is an ESTIMATE ONLY based on the best information available from the county assessor at the time of the estimate.
LOCAL OPTION LEVY FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER (BARN) WILL NOT BE ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR
The potential placement of a local option levy for operating the Community Center (Barn) was again discussed by the City Council at their August 3rd meeting. The consensus of the Council was to not proceed with placing the matter on an election ballot this year. The City Council may reconsider the concept early next year, and decide whether to place it on the May 18, 2010 election ballot.
TEMPORARY RIGHT-OF-WAY PERMIT RULES AND PROCEDURES
At their August 3rd meeting, the City Council reviewed the City's rules and procedures regarding the issuance of Temporary Right-of-Way Permits. Following the discussion, the Council decided not to make any changes in the way those permits are handled or regulated.
The City allows use of its rights-of-way and property through the Temporary Right-of-Way Permit process. All costs for installing, maintaining, and removing items or improvements in the right-of-way are the responsibility of the permit holder, and the permits are revocable by the City at any time. Throughout the community, individual property owners have such permits for utilizing City property and street and alley rights-of-way for landscaping, fences, gardens, parks, vehicle parking, commercial outdoor seating and display, and other purposes. Much of this usage is in the right-of-way between the private property and the edge of pavement. The City encourages such use of the rights-of-way, since it typically improves neighborhood appearance, increases property values, aids businesses, ensures that the property is maintained, and reduces the cost to taxpayers since those areas do not have to be mowed or maintained by City crews or contractors.
OREGON AVENUE SEWER LINE BID AWARDED AT A SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS
In December 2001 the City completed a sanitary sewer system inflow and infiltration study, which identified several areas where sewer lines were leaking or broken, resulting in significant storm water flows in the sanitary sewer system. A large number of those have been repaired, with the most critical remaining problem being the 2nd phase of the Oregon Avenue sewer line replacement. In September 2006 the City received and rejected bids for replacing the Oregon Avenue sewer line from 9th Street to 4th Street since the $364,602.40 low bid was far above the cost estimate and budget. Subsequently, the City broke the project into two phases (Phase 1: 9th Street SW to the True Value; and Phase 2: True Value to 4th Street SW), and in December 2006 awarded a bid in the amount of $69,518.64 for Phase 1. In June 2007, the City re-bid Phase 2, but had to reject the $249,760.00 low bid since it again exceeded the budget.
The City recently re-bid Phase 2 and received four bids. The low bid was received from Bandon Concrete & Development in the amount of $151,286, including the basic bid for the sewer line itself and the alternate for a street overlay to cover the 14 cuts which will have to be made to accommodate the sewer lateral lines. The lower bids, and the savings of $98,474, appear to be the result of the economic conditions and efforts by contractors to secure projects which cover their costs and keep their employees paid.
At their August 3rd meeting, the City Council unanimously awarded the bid to Bandon Concrete & Development. The funds for the project will be paid from the Sewer SDC Funds and Sewer Reserve Fund.
AGREEMENT REACHED WITH VERIZON FOR PRIOR TELEPHONE FRANCHISE FEES
In 2002, the City of Bandon entered into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with other Oregon cities, forming the Oregon Municipal Audit Review Committee (OMARC), for the purpose of auditing Qwest and Verizon telephone franchise fees. By joining together, hiring one auditor, and conducting a single large scale audit, the cost for each municipality was significantly reduced in comparison to a city hiring its own auditor. The purpose of the audit is to determine whether the telephone providers are properly representing their revenues and calculating the franchise fees paid to municipalities. The City annually receives approximately $20,000 in telephone franchise fees from Verizon and ComSpan combined.
For a variety of reasons, the auditing work was not completed in the time frame originally anticipated, and the IGA was extended twice. The audit has now been completed, and it was determined that $3,447.00 in telephone franchise fees are owed to the City of Bandon. Subtracting the $687.16 originally paid as Bandon's share of the audit costs, yields a net return of $2,759.84. At their August 3rd meeting, the City Council unanimously approved the Agreement with Verizon.
BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES FINAL WHOLESALE ELECTRIC RATE INCREASE
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has announced that wholesale electric power costs will increase an average of 6.95% on October 1, 2009. This is an average rate increase across all customers. Based on Bandon's load shape, our anticipated rate increase will actually be approximately 7.48%. Staff will continue to closely monitor electric utility revenues and expenses to determine if and when this will necessitate a retail rate increase to pass these costs along to the City's electric customers.
CITY SELECTS PAVERS FOR THE TABLE ROCK PATHWAY
City staff has been working with the City Engineer to determine what type of surfacing should be used on the proposed Table Rock Pathway to mitigate any potential negative impacts on the bluff or drainage. This pedestrian walkway will run along the bluff from the Beach Loop Drive and 7th Street SW intersection to the Wayside Park at the west end of 8th Street. After reviewing several alternatives, the Parks & Recreation Commission has recommended using "TurfStone," which is an open pattern concrete paver. The City Engineer has determined that this product will allow rainwater to permeate through, thereby eliminating runoff and drainage concerns, and will also not result in additional loading on the bluff. Since grass will grow in the exposed cells, the result will be a delineated walking surface which will fit well into the natural environment in the area. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the adjacent private property owner have been advised of the City's selection.
Based on the speed with which the Oregon Youth Employment Initiative (OYEI) workers are progressing on the City Park and 10th Street pathways, it is hoped that they will be able to install these pavers before they are done on August 25th. Staff is currently obtaining quotes for the pavers and will be purchasing them as soon as possible, utilizing the funds budgeted in the Parks & Recreation Development Fund and any funds that may remain in the OYEI grant for materials. At an estimated cost of around $6,000, the selected pavers are not only the preferred choice for their functionality and appearance, but are also one of the most economical alternatives in terms of both purchase price and maintenance cost.
LINDA'S CHURCH JOKE
Linda was again unable to come up with a good joke, but her bacon was saved this month by City Attorney Fred Carleton, who sent this one:
A guy is sitting on his sofa when he hears a knock at the door.
He opens the door and a snail is sitting on the porch. So, he picks up the snail and tosses it as far as he can.
Three years later and there is another knock at the door.
The guy opens the door and the same snail is there on the porch. The snail looks up at him and says, "What the hell was that all about?"
HA! HA! Ha! HO! Ho! HA! Ha! ha! ha! ha!
ANYTHING ELSE?
Do you have any questions, input, or suggestions? Are there any topics you want addressed or covered in the Newsletter? If so, please let me know at citymanager@ci.bandon.or.us. For more complex questions or issues that may take significant discussion, please feel free to contact me by telephone at (541) 347-2437, voice mail ext. 229, so we can schedule an appointment.
Also, remember to visit the City of Bandon WEB page at www.ci.bandon.or.us, where you can get more information on this wonderful place in which we live.
That's it for now. Have a great day!
