City Council - Regular Meeting

Well, and with the lake that's drying, I know it's going to release all these, you know, like stuff that really shouldn't be released, like toxic cloud kind of situation. We went and swam in the great years ago. Oh my god. Because we were like before it's gone It's a trip. It's not I wouldn't call it fun, but it's all these weird bugs. Yeah. I don't love the Salt Lake. Like it's kind of like you said, it's got like a bunch of bugs. It kind of smells. Yeah. But and if you if your kids get it, it's brutal. Yeah.

But we were like, "Okay, we'll take a bunch of photos and then we'll go." Yeah. You know, the drive back though is if you go like I mean we usually do the 84, but there's Ruby Ridge Mountains are just amazing. It's horned somewhere in the world, but those mountains are like, but there's no way. I don't think I've driven that. Yeah, as people know, it's like

Good evening everyone. It is now 5:32 and we're going to start our joint city council and budget committee work session meeting. I would like to call on finance director Katie Henry to present our topic for the evening. Thank you, mayor, council members, budget committee. Um, before we dive in, I just want to let you know we do have three new budget committee members. Um, this is the the first time they are here with you tonight. Um, we have Sarah. She's given a wave there. David. And who is our last? Oh, Danny. See, she's been around. So it's not not a first timer. Um so anyway, welcome welcome with us. This is our joint meeting tonight. We'll be let me get my screen shared here so that we can get going on. There we go. budget planning for this year. Um, and so we're looking at, of course, the fiscal year 27 budget. So 2627, this is the year that will start July 1st of 2027. But in order for us to look at this year that starts in 2027, we have to first know where we're coming from. So a lot of us in finance, we have to look at multiple years at the same time. So, our agenda for tonight is to look back at 2025 at where we ended that year. Look at where what we're doing currently for fiscal year 26. So, we are 6 months in. We're about 7 months, but January is not

closed yet. So, we're going through December. Then, we'll discuss a little bit our reserve target for fiscal year 27. Um we'll look at some financial models as to what the future looks like given our current situation and then the main topic for this evening is the tax levy rate for fiscal year 27. Um the reason this is our main topic is that for us to put forward a budget for all of you to discuss and decide upon in May, we need to know what revenues we're working with so that we know what our constraints are as far as how much money we should be expecting um to know how many expenses to put forward for all of you. So this is the the unknown in our budget as we move forward. So that is the main topic of discussion. We'll have about a half an hour of presentation. I will ask that you hold your questions until the end of the presentation. Um make a note down of what your questions are that you have. We're happy to come back, but this is in an effort to make sure that we stay on target, address the whole presentation, and then make sure that we hit the goal of this evening. So again, this objective is to provide staff guidance on the council budget committee directed revenues, which as of right now is the operating tax levy for fiscal year 2027. Let Is there any way to move that? Is there any way to move? There we go. Thank you. I was just trying to clear up the screen so we didn't have the numbers covered up. Um for those of you who have

looked at the council packet, the fis the um nope, not this slide. We'll be coming up on another slide for fiscal year 26 and it has the um the year-to-date amounts in the council packet starting on page 72. So if you're looking for a more detailed report, it is in that packet just for reference. Um so for fiscal year 25 we'll start by looking at the revenues. And the first thing to notice is we did quite well in fiscal year 25 at least compared to budget. So it's not that we were rolling in the dough but our budgets were pretty much on track with expectations. Um, you'll notice the property taxes came in at 101%. We had budgeted just a 3% increase, I believe. So, we were, you know, on target with our property taxes. Um, the transfers in that you see that came in less, those are highly dependent on um what comes in through transient lodging, which has to do with tourism, because it reflects actuals. So when we get the tourism money in then it's transferred over from that fund over there's a piece that goes to the general fund. Um and so that unfortunately did come in lower and that has been reflected by what we've heard from um what is that group called?

Visitville.

Thank you. Visit McMinnville. I knew it was a very easy name, but um by what they've told us through visit McMinnville um and you do notice also that intergovernmental amounts are less than pro than budgeted. This is because we budget for the full grant at the time that we budget and oftentimes a grant will go longer than the year and so we'll only receive a piece of it um and and then the remaining amount will be carried over to the next year. On the expense side, you see that we c we're coming in right at budget or below. Um we did spend less in capital outlay. You see only about 50% on the capital outlay for last year. Um several of those were ARPA projects um or projects that again much like grants we budget for the whole project but depending on weather and contractor availability and what you find once you open the ground up and all of those good things um they sometimes take more than a year. Um so our expenses came in at 86% of the budgeted amount. So where did we end fiscal year 25 which is where we began fiscal year 26? So we had 3.3 million left in the ARPA balance. Um this is not the amount that is uncommitted. Our uncommitted amount is just over 500,000. This is the amount that is left in that ARPA pot. most of it has been already assigned out to projects. They just haven't been completed. And then there's just over 500,000 that has not been allocated to

any projects. Then we have the capital fund balance. And you may say, well, why is it zero? I know we set some money aside. Yes, right now it's at a million. at the beginning of the year or at the end of fiscal year 25, it was a zero because it was decided to put aside a million in the fiscal year 26 budget. So we now have a million dollars in there. Um so but there was nothing there to start with. So we we're just at the million. Um, and just a reminder that is a reserve that we are attempting not to spend each year as a set aside for the larger projects that will come that will require more than a million dollars um to do in the future. Um, then we have a small amount in donations. If we get a large donation, that has to be put in a separate bucket. Um we have some grants um and that has since been used up and then we have the operating fund balance. And so that middle jar that 6.7 million that is what we're talking about when we talk about how much fund balance do we need in order to operate. And our current policy is that we need to have two months of operating expenses. and we'll talk a little more about that in a few minutes. So, we ended the year of fiscal year 25 at 6.7 million in in that specific jar. Now, I wanted to point that out before we hit this slide, which is where we halfway through 26. So, you may look at that quarter 2 report and say, "Wait a

minute. You just said we had 6.7 million." Now, if I look at this, you're saying we have 10.2 million. So, which is it? If you add them all together, you get the 10.2 million. So, I just want to be very clear on what what it is we're talking about when we talk about fund balance because there are different numbers and I know that it can be confusing as we move forward for, you know, well, you said we only we have to have two months and it sure looks like we have more than two months. We're only talking about that middle jar when we're talking about the two months as we move forward through this budget discussion. Um whereas when you hear about the audit results um those will be coming up next month. Um and all of those reports for financial statements they report all of the fund balance together. For budget purposes we split them apart. So just something to remember as we move forward through this process. Um, so you'll notice halfway through the year, if we look at total revenues, we're at 69%. Now, you may think, yes, we're ahead of schedule. No, we are not. Um, property taxes, u, most of property taxes come in at the beginning of the year. So, if you look at that line, you'll see it's at 92%. Um, so we've already brought in most of our property taxes for the year. Um for our licenses and permits, we are below where we would expect to be. Um permitting has been coming in very slow this year. Um the everyone in the county is seeing it. It's expected, but unfortunately that that is the

situation. Um we also have some grants coming in lower. Again, this is more has to do with what we've been able to accomplish and bill out um for the grants. Um other than that, we are on track for revenues. Everything is meeting expectations for the expenses. We're at 43% on the expenses. We have personnel which is coming in at 43% which is a positive thing. This means that we will have vacancy savings. So that's one thing to point out that that number being slight slightly below 50 we expect because 6 months in we actually have about 48% of payroll because we have one extra payroll one extra week at the end that gets acred there at the end of the year. Um but 43% means there is some payroll savings. Um that savings you will not see in tonight's projections. Um we haven't completed all of the projections for next year's budget. We're we're kind of overlapping how these meetings are going. But I so I just want to point out that there are some numbers in here that have not been figured into tonight's projections. They will be moving forward, but it doesn't change the overall outlook um that we'll be presenting to you tonight. Um, capital outlay is also low, coming

in low in here. Most of that work will be done in the spring, you know, once the weather turns and hopefully there are enough contractors to do the things that need to be done. Um, so in all of that, as we mentioned a few times, capital outlay that hasn't been done. Um, I want to turn it over to our interim city manager to discuss a little bit more in detail some of the deferred maintenance and some of the capital outlay concerns that we've had.

Thank you, Kitty. Um so deferred maintenance has been a a subject that's came up off and on through different budget cycle years and this year uh Goff Giani and uh David Renshaw worked through a 2018 facilities assessment and then worked with each uh director on the buildings that they and teams on the buildings that they oversee and went through that 2018 facilities assessment. developed some priorities as well as uh added a 30% construction cost inflation onto that to look at various um projects that need to happen from a deferred maintenance perspective. Uh what you see here is a very uh highle view of that work. This is just the general fund dollars that are needed to address those needs. um it does not account for the airport fund, the street fund, parks amenities, um and all those other things. There's an roughly an additional 16 million on top of that if you were to bring in all the pros plans needs and um street fund, airport fund, things like that. So wanted to preface that that in the last few budget years we haven't addressed deferred maintenance. In this current uh budget assumption that you're going to see we have set aside a million dollars for maintenance in addition to that capital uh million that you guys set aside last year and setting aside another million for capital. So going forward, we'd have a million dollars in deferred maintenance addressed, which if you look at that number, and you looked at a 5-year average, it's still scratching the surface of what the real needs are to address deferred maintenance in the organization, but it's roughly a 10x on what we have been

addressing. So, uh, it's progress, not perfection. But I wanted you guys to have that context when you're thinking about the tax levy and the uh what that would mean if you didn't want us to go that route. So then the other piece, we've talked about our revenues, we've talked about our expenses, talked about the deferred maintenance, the capital side of things is the the reserves. And so as we know by policy um the ending we have to present to you a a budget that has two months of operating expenses in reserve. So that is those are our um personnel services and our materials and services not the capital outlay. So everything except capital outlay for two months of the year. And um and so we had last year a lot of discussion at the end. Does it have to be two months? Are we you know can we go with one and a half months? How does it affect things? There was a large discussion on that. Our goal moving for what will be proposed to you in the proposed budget is that two months that is by policy. Um that hasn't been changed. So that is our our target for the budget that we would bring to you. Um the capital reserve as Adam just said um would be to set aside an additional million. So at the end of 27 then we would have 2 million in the capital reserve and then we would also have done the million dollar towards that 14 million. Um, and a reminder that 14 million is just that backlog that dates

back to 2018. Um, there's now another 5-year backlog since, you know, so it it just continues to to backlog. Um, and so part of the reason for the need to continue setting aside that additional million is because we have that large backlog that we're going to have some very large projects at some time in the near future that will need to be addressed with some of those funds. So this if you look at the future where we're heading the green here are your revenues and the red are the expenses in the top part and then the blocks you have your ending fund balance and then the line is two months of operating reserves. And so I just want you to see this in your head. We're going to come back to it. It doesn't look too bad when you look from this far away. Um, but you do notice that the red line is above the green line, which is not where you want to see things. So, let's talk about the assumptions that I've put behind this because I can make a graph show anything I want it to be if I manipulate the assumptions. I mean, that's the truth. So, I want to let you know what my assumptions are that are in here. So, we've included a cost of living increase at 3%. We have cost of medical and dental insurance increasing at 10%. Other insurance averaging at 5%. This model includes the final 50 cents added to the property tax levy.

It also includes the city service charge continuing at the current rate with the inflationary increases that are included in the way that has been set up. It has no increases to materials and services for inflation for 27. So it holds those steady. um basically requiring a bit of a cut since inflation has made most of the costs higher and facility maintenance it remains underfunded with just $1 million of work being done each year. So those are the assumptions going into that model. So if we zoom in on the ending fund balance under that model, you can see that 2025 um where we've exceeded it. So that's what we were just discussing how we ended up the year we did well. Our revenues came in above projected, our expenses came in below. And you can see that difference here with the fund balance being higher than the um than the minimum required. You also notice that dip in the minimum required. That had to do with the fact that as management when we started looking at these projections in um in 2025 there was a conscious effort made and a hiring freeze and a lot of actions were taken to just stop spending. So for the last half of the year um expenditures were greatly reduced um and that's why you see that dip um and then in 2026 for this year um a lot of those expenses were added back

in. That was the discussion we had about taking it to the one and a half months um of of operating reserve and increasing the budget um back up beyond that level that we had originally talked about. So if we continue with those assumptions um you can see here how we start to fall below that two months required. Um in 2027 it's just below our original calculations came in around 350,000 um and then it increases to around 1.3 million um in this model in 2029 if we don't move forward with the tax with the extra 50 cents on the tax levy. This is the model that we see. And so with not moving forward, we end up with a much larger gap in 2027. It's a little over 2 million, 2.3 million in 2027. And then by 2028, we just break even. And by 2029, um, we're in in the hole. Um, so that that is what it looks like if we don't add the 50 cents and there aren't cuts. So I'm not saying that this can't happen. I'm just saying one one side would mean that we would have to drastically decrease expenses or cut programming um in order to to continue to have the city be open if we did not pass the the 50 cent levy.

So that brings us to discussion time which again the question is how much should the tax levy be? And I believe our city attorney has a comment. Thank you all. Um as you begin your discussion, I would just like to remind you that this is not going to be a deliberation on the budget which has not been presented yet. We are eager to hear individual impressions of the information that Katie gave, but we will not be coming to a decision or deliberating or determining a group consensus on anything. Thank you. Wait,

councelor Chennowith. Thank you, Kim. I have a some questions regarding assumptions because it seems to me like there's probably more assumptions that have been made than have been articulated at this point. So I just want to clarify to make sure that I'm correct on the assumptions that I think were also made. Okay. Um one of the assumptions that I think is made is that PERS cost will essentially hold steady during this time frame. That's correct. Okay. Um second assumption that I think was made is that um revenues will be right around 3% per year increase on property taxes. Is that correct? That is correct.

Okay. Um so that assumes no increase in properties through development. That assumes only an increase from uh property revenues generated as a result of the 3% cap placed by measures five and 50. Correct.

We have a differing way of looking at that. In a way that is correct. It does take into account however the um any of the compression that would happen which would reduce the increase that goes beyond the 3%. Um and we're facing a market where the we're starting to have that potential. I I know that potential is there, but the average increase has been between 38.8 and 4%. So, I just want to make that clear that we're we're making an assumption that really doesn't match statistical increases. Um, and I think those were the two ones I wanted to catch. Thank you. Yep.

Adam, did you have something you wanted to respond? Yeah. Uh, appreciate the clarity on the assumptions, Chris. Um, as a I think it was a third or fourth slide last year, that 3% is is what it held at plus $80,000. Um, and then this coming year we're going to have the OMI building, which is a large tax generator fall off our revenue because it's now a county building. So, I do agree that there is growth in development, but there's also retraction as properties transact.

I agree. But the best way to identify what the actual typical increase is to is to look at historical averages. And historical averages are 3.8 to 4%. Anyone else? Councelor Takowski. Yeah, thank you, Mayor. Um, interim city manager Garvin, uh, what is the value of the OMI building in as far as the tax base? I can get back to you on that. I don't know that off top of my head. Then, Director Henry, have you modeled this with the extra 50 cents also included? the the original model, yes, was with the 50 cents included. Okay. Were those the graphs that we were looking at?

The original graphs? Yes. The ones that showed positive but just showed it declining a little bit, that was with the 50 cents included. Okay. Thank you,

Councelor Cunningham.

Yeah. Um, director, uh, I really appreciated, um, when we actually went through the budget process of the spreadsheet that allowed us to add stuff and and and to, um, take stuff away so that we could see where we were at and we we quickly pivoted to making sure that it was kind of a straw poll, but we we did kind of make some decisions specifically around the police personnel. um budget early on when we were looking at maintaining two months um and then it became fairly clear that we were going to continue to add stuff back and so we as the group um ultimately decided to go with a month and a half um being that is the policy that is given to you that it's two months are we looking at a budget where we may be in the same I guess if we pass the 50 cents that's probably makes up a major chunk of it.

Um but we could be in a similar situation as to what where we were last year with being left with there's going to be some cuts and we need to decide if we're going to the two-month or back to the the one and a half month. Is is that a good characterization? There wouldn't be as many cuts. based on the amount that we're looking at this year. Um, but there will definitely be some belt tightening and not everyone getting what they need to move forward. And I'd like Adam to weigh in on that.

Yeah. So, with the 50 the remaining 50 cents of the tax levy coming online, uh, there's minimal needed to address the needs of a balanced budget this year. There is, if you look at the forecast out the next three years, a need to adjust the ongoing burn rate of city finances to incoming revenues, even with the 50 cents coming online. And that was my budget message to staff at the beginning of this month, is yes, we can get to a a balanced budget with little work uh for this current upcoming budget year, but we shouldn't just look at this current upcoming budget year as a lens. Anything we do to address the bigger picture of cuts needed is going to make is going to give us added flexibility because we have an off-ramp of the next two years. Um, and it'll give us a a path to look at things more holistically than just in a lens of yeartoyear.

Ask.

Yes. Um, so because my guess is that we are going to have some serious questions about whether we're we truly are adding that 50 that 50 cent um back in to get to the total amount. Um, I would assume unless we were to change policy, which would say we're not going to go for two months, we're going to go for a month and a half. If we don't have the 50 cent increase, then I I guess maybe I'm round about asking the same thing. But we're going to see it a a similar situation to last year where there will have to be a bit more stringent belt tightening

with the 50 cents this year. You have about a $350,000 delta in this model. Okay.

In this upcoming fiscal year, in two years, you have a $1.3 million delta if you address no ongoing burn rate and you don't just rely on vacancy savings to fill that gap every year. If you drop the 50 cents, add $2 million to each one of those numbers. So you have 2.3 million in cuts or you have 3.3 million in cuts off this model. How you get there? You go back to doing no deferred maintenance. There's a million dollars. You go down to a month and a half instead of two months. There's a savings. But all those have cause and effects. All those but your buildings and assets continue to deteriorate or there service level impacts. the pool's not open as many hours as it is or parks aren't maintained and we go back to the brown summers that we've had in past years. Those all have cause and effects. And so what we need uh individual appetite on tonight is should we be building a budget with the 350 to 1.3 or should we be building a budget with the 2.3 to 3.3 million forecast of of revenue shortfall to our ongoing burn rate is what the question is before you tonight. How you get there is going to come in our actual budget committee meetings. We're not here to discuss if we're going to remove positions or we're going to vary on service levels or remove deferred maintenance. That's part of the budget you guys will review. Tonight is just around your appetite for a tax levy. Do you want the permanent tax rate at 452 or do you want to bring on the remaining 50 cents of the $150 and have it be at 502?

Does that answer your question, Scott? I I thank you, mayor. I was seeking clarification at the end of this meeting. Are we not we're not going to vote as a body to recommend that you prepare the budget. We're just going to say what we individually want and then you will kind of this is not a a business meeting. This is a work session. No action can be taken in a work session. So will we have another meeting where we officially recommend that you prepare

once the budget committee meets in May? The first meeting of the budget committee of the year has to be when the budget is presented. That is by Oregon state law and that will be the first meeting at which any action can be taken. Um my personal impression at this time is to prepare the budget with the additional 50 cents. Councelor Takulski. Yeah. Thank you, Mayor. Uh I was curious do what is the value of the city service fee and what's the inflationary change that we expect to see on that?

The value it is equivalent to the 50 cent change give or take. It's a $2 million is is the amount of it and the um percent increase is based on CPI. So it is very close to the the increase that we see. It's at 3% for right now. So essentially if we eliminated the city service fee and brought in the additional tax levy of 50 cents we'd be a zero. You would it would be a zero over this year. Yes. So we would need to cut two million 2.3 million from next year. Yes.

I have one follow-up question as well. How many vacancies do we have and what what's the vacancy saving opportunity right now? Um right now I don't have the the total. I will tell you in police we have the um the vacancies we anticipated have held. So we do have quite a bit of vacancy savings in police at around a half a million a little more than a half a million in police. Okay. And what about the other departments?

Um I Yes. So, there's a few I would have to pull it up here. I I can pull it up, but um we we have a couple of vacancies in public works uh just from internal promotions and uh retirement that we're working on filling. And then the parks and recck director position. May I ask a follow-up question? Yes. Those vacancies that we do have, are those required vacancies to fill or are they nice to have? Sorry, was that did I say something wrong? Yeah.

Uh, first I need to apologize. I also forgot that there are a couple uh vacancies in uh planning as well. So, want to note those uh and the answer to your question to maintain current service levels those positions would need to be filled. Thank you.

Anyone else? Okay. So, do anybody want to throw out their opinion on the 50 cents if you councelor Chennowith? Yeah, I'd love to see the city services fee go away and I'd be be willing to compromise and bring back the last 50 cents to make that happen. Agree with I agree with councelor Chennowith. Okay. So, that's just councelor Payne and councelor Chennowith. I have a question on that. Mayor, yes you may. On the city service fee, is it that it's a city service fee or would you entertain it being uh repurposed as public safety or parks or anything else?

I would entertain anything that's put on the ballot to allow the voters to vote and say yes, they're willing to pay a spec specifically dedicated fee. I'd be I'd be in favor for that. But uh in in absence of that, I do not want that fee any longer in any form. Thank you. Councelor Ping, can you answer that, too?

Um, I just want to I would be open for a discussion on even reducing the city services charge. I wholly want it to go away and I'm not sure that we're actually that the city's actually capturing the full amount because when you go on to pay your utility bill, you can deselect the city services charge. There's no collection. There's no way to like if people aren't paying it, people aren't paying it. So, I don't think that we're capturing that to the extent. Also, as a business owner and a homeowner, I'm frustrated with the fact that, and this may be minor to people who are able to afoid afford higher living standards than I can, but I can't write off the city services charge on my taxes. I can write off my property taxes, but I cannot write off the city services charge. So, I feel like there's a trade opportunity for that. But if I were if the city services charge were to stay online, I would like it to see it go to the voters and then I think in the relationship to going to the voters, it needs to be dedicated for public safety or parks and wreck. But I think if we're going to go if we're pursuing another bond potential, that city services fees got to go.

Councelor Peralta, did you have a comment? Uh, sure. Mayor, thank you. Um,

I would say that, um, ever since we adopted the city services fee and started and and, um, set up the, uh, fire district, um, that the intention had been from the beginning to gradually increase the city ser uh, to gradually increase the tax rate until we uh, used the entire $5. we have followed the path that we set originally um in terms of uh incrementing those up. There were people that wanted that to happen more quickly. There's people that wanted it to happen more slowly. But, you know, we did a lot of work in the last budget to um make cuts to look at the budget to take a scalpel to the budget. And at the end of last year, we came to the conclusion that we needed to use the city services fee and the and the 452 that we added. And what I'm hearing is that there's a 10% increase in the cost of insurance. There's a, you know, estimated 3 or 4% increase in staffing costs. Those costs don't go away. So, it's really a question of do we want to lower the service level for the city, reduce the service level, or do we want to maintain the current service level? And I'm of the opinion that we should maintain the current service level. So, I'm in favor of of going to the 502 and keeping the city services fee. Um, I think that's the most prudent course of action to pro protect our public services. And if we don't do that, then, you know, it's going to be another very difficult budget. Um, and a lot of cuts to places that programming that people really rely on. And the biggest chunk of it is public safety. Half of it is public safety. So,

any comments on this side? Officer Gary? Uh, I am by and large in line with councelor Pal's u, council president's perspectives. I just would add what jumped out to me the most um in addition to the the lines starting to get further and further away um was the deferred maintenance um in the general fund by priority. And I look at that um in my mind and I I know that uh contra to the assumption is in specifics general the government can't spend money fa that fast and so if we were to immediately have $3 million to put towards the immediate need projects it would still take us a while to be able to spend that effectively and accomplish those things. So to me I look at the immediate and the high as the one to threeyear needs. Uh uh and so that's a that's a 10 nearly $10.5 million net to crack for those to get started and and to to be at the place where we're rolling back uh revenues to and and be stared at this. I I think we have too many um things to do to provide uh just just to c start catching up with the base level of services uh we should be providing for the community. And so, um, this one really jumps out to me. This this slide and this fact, um, that number is pretty huge to be able to I if we don't do that, we we really are behind the eight-ball enough that we are really just planning on what we're going to shut down and win and watch the roads deteriorate and just watch everything deteriorate. And so, um, to me, it's it it'll be a full favor of a full freight budget and try and set ourselves up to start, uh, taking a crack at taking care of the the community's assets for the long term.

I personally I'm in favor of adding the 50 cents back. I still have concerns like the other two counselors in regards to the city service fee because it was something that was put on and kind of implied that it was going to be temporary and I it's hard to see how it's going to be temporary. In fact, I don't see how it's not going to increase at some point because we're going to add 50 cents back and then next year we're just heading down the road. um which is concerning to me and I I agree that I think it would be easier for the community to swallow if they had a buyin with it or at least place towards something specific whether it be um our police department which is important to all of us. Um I don't know though the cost to put it on a ballot to vote for it though too. I mean there's the cost that goes along with that. So, it's quite the dilemma that we're in and but I'm just concerned about down the road because of the amount of property taxes that are coming in for our city. Where are we going to be? Because I agree you with Sal too. You don't want to decrease the services that we're offering now. So, I don't quite have an answer. Those are my concerns. Victoria,

thank you. Um, what I keep thinking about is the whole time that I've been on the budget committee. Oh, sorry. Can you hear me now?

Yes. Okay. Sorry about that. The whole time that I've been on the budget committee, we've I feel like we've been having the same conversation and we've done a lot to try to bring revenue in and to reallocate revenue with the fire department or the fire district and it seems like we're still in the same place. So, I I I I don't like that we're putting this on the community right now because I know that a lot of people are struggling financially. So, that I'm I'm hesitant to say that yes, we should charge everyone another 50 cents per thousand. Um, but I but looking at those numbers, I don't really know what choice we have because we're already digging we're in and trying to dig out of a hole that it doesn't seem like we're able to. So, I I hope we can find a way to somehow write this. Um, but I would I at this point I'm in favor of the 50 cents because I I think the all the projects that councelor Gary was mentioning. It's it's just so much money and we haven't that million dollars is all that we've been able to set aside so far out of all this revenue that we've pulled um to try to do this. So hopefully we can make progress on it soon.

Councelor Takowski.

Yeah. Thank you, Mayor. Um, I just want to state, you've asked what how how you'd like to us to proceed. I would ask that we do add the 50 cents back or into it. The reason behind that is because that feels like the agreement that we had with our citizens. It feels like we're not adding anything they didn't expect and that was part of our agreement originally. What does bother me is the city service fee. However, the city service fee keeps us afloat in many areas right now, which is the reason it was there. And I would ask that you come back, Director Henry, perhaps with a model of phasing out the city service fee. I think if you cut it out altogether in a single year, you're going to put us into a predicament we can't handle. But is it possible to phase this out over a 5year period and find other ways to generate revenue? I don't know if it's possible or not, but I don't see it possible to remove it immediately and totally, but I would like to see it removed because to me it seems to be an unvoted upon tax on the citizens. And if the citizens are willing to pay that, I would ask that it does get pushed to the ballot.

Thank you, Stephanie.

Thank you, mayor. Um, I I would agree with many of the statements I've heard tonight. I also would be in support of the 50 cents. Um but I also would like to see it at some point go to voters and have voters um have their say about whether that continues for the city service fee. Also, um as somebody who's worked on a lot of large budgets and uh worked in school districts where deferred maintenance is a huge issue, I know the um the unexpected ramifications we can have if we don't deal with deferred maintenance. if we have emergency situations because we haven't dealt with tempered maintenance or you have to close buildings or close structures that impacts our citizens and I also don't want to see us put ourselves in that position. But I would like to see us put something before the voters on the ballot. I would like us to to do the 50 cents now and then put something on the ballot uh going forward if we're going to keep doing that for the city service fee. Thank you,

Councelor Payne. I agree with excuse me Stephanie and Dan and I think that raises a good point to um councelor Gir's comments. I appreciate the kind of the context of understanding what's going to be missing or what the the physical cost like what tangible thing we're losing if the city services charge goes away or even is reduced. The reality is is the voters get to decide should get to decide what that service level is. If we have potholes, that sucks. If we have if the deferred menu deferred maintenance continues, that sucks. Um if we don't get a new, you know, get to make community center improvements, that sucks. But the voters are telling us what they want. Councelor Chennowith,

I would just I would just alter the wording a bit and say the taxpayers are telling us what they want us to actually assess them and have in the way of services. Um, as opposed to us deciding on behalf of them what we think they want us to have. Um, and I think that's why you put it before the voters is because you're really putting that question before them to say, do you want the services? This is what it's going to take to pay for them. Um, and then you've got buy in. you've done it the right way. It's harder. It's more difficult. I mean, the reality is um and I don't mean this as a projorative or a negative, but it doesn't my experience in various different government uh uh uh uh investig investigating into budgets that I have done through the years is it really doesn't matter how much money you give government, they'll spend it. Um, and I do know that we are have been in a tight situation, but I love the comment that my you made just a few minutes ago that it doesn't matter how much money we've given, we find ourselves in the same spot, which leads me to that same predicament. Um, and I also believe that some of those assumptions, the two that I pointed out, are very important assumptions to consider. Um, PERS is volatile both directions. We don't know what that's going to look like year to year. And construction, we have some major potential incre uh increases in construction over the next 3 to 5 years coming to this community. Um so there are potentials of revenues that could be coming this direction outside of what we're being has been discussed or were built into these projections. Um, so I would I would continue to urge that we really consider putting taking the service out of the budget this year. We've got the money to do it. This is

the time to put it before the voters. This is the time to let them have a say. Thank you. Okay, let me go in there, Councelor Cunningham.

Yeah. um everything it is a impossible task I feel like um and this committee specifically and thank you to all the new members by the way stepping up is is fun um we've crunched and we've crunched and unfortunately because I think of where we're at with not being in a public budget meeting specifically we can't actually put forth like savings right now, right? Um so I think there are some savings out there and um I I think I'm actually going to go against what you would normally expect me to do and that is to say I do believe our taxpayers, our community members are really struggling. Um, I do believe that, um, we know that Oregon is in a recession. Um, I think it is going to continue for a bit, but I'm not a an expert in that. Um, but I am actually going to go against adding the 50 cent. I would leave the city services fee for this year. Um cuz I think we'll get a broader picture of where we're actually going to be at the next budget cycle. Um I completely understand that we we by not having it the city services fees specifically be dedicated to a specific thing. It's kind of hard for us to get our arms around um especially the the the taxpayers. And so I think that um we we when it's this amorphous thing that just kind of goes into the general fund,

it's hard to say like this is exactly what it's for. Um and I would say I did a quick little research. You know, the last time I think we were up here, 32 cities in um Oregon had a city services fee. Now it's 50 cities have a city services fee. I think we will because measure five and 50 have broken the system, we will continue to see city services be something that is a tool used um to make up the gap. I would also state because understanding that the 50 cent not being added on does apply a significant amount more pressure. I think we're going to be right back to um switching to a month and a half when we meet in May. And so I might just say that we should change the policy to specifically go to a month and a half right now so that they're able to build a budget um that is more realistic and that we're not just going to be adding stuff back in. Um because I think we will definitely see uh similar cuts to the budget as last year. Thank you. Councelor Takowski, you were next.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor. Uh the the thing I wanted to state just director Henry was I don't I don't have any uh appetite for removing any kind of deferred maintenance opportunities. I'd like to see us continue to maintain our buildings. Uh Mr. Garvin, you said that we have 10x what we had already, which is something I appreciate. Uh we can't continue to let our uh buildings continue to deteriorate. those are our assets and our people expect those to work well and they expect them to be safe. So, I'd ask that you continue to do that. Um just because we have a city service fee uh doesn't mean that we should look at other cities and see that 50 cities are currently doing that right now. Um yeah, it's a way to get a way to get around measure five and measure 50, but again, we're continuing to tax people in a way that we found possible. it does still doesn't make it right because it skirts measure five measure 50. So I would not support continuing with the city service fee if possible. So the deferred maintenance though is one that I wanted to stress. I'd like to continue to build for that one. Thank you.

Thanks. I I would just

Thank you, mayor. Um I would just like to reality set for the group. Um, if we go forward with keeping one but not the other, it doesn't change our position. Doesn't change our position. We're we're still going to have the future years of of of not having revenues match expenses. And it and it's not because of anything that members on this body are doing or not doing. Those costs are real. We've made an effort to uh and continue to make an effort to try and rightsize existing city services, look for ways to provide services without expanding them, cut things that are less effective. All these things that we're are things that we're doing. But the budget that they've presented us, I mean, this is the same basic information she gave all of us at the last round of budget committee meetings. And so I I guess I just I'm failing to see the logic of sort of creating our own cliff because if if we say we're going to increase the increment 50 cents this year and then in future years we're going to get rid of the city services charge. I just think it's not realistic because in five years, health care is going to increase 10% year-over-year and wages are going to increase 3% year-over-year. And so, where do you where do we at that point get the money? We will be tapped out at the maximum of what we can assess. So then the only place to go is cutting services, you know, and that and and that may be

fine for folks, but it's going to be a long steady decline of service level in the city. I mean, unless we make the decision that we're going to fund this budget, do what we said we were going to do. And I do want to push back a little bit. I mean, I I've was in every one of those city services meetings, and the one area where I feel like the city really failed was to not dedicate those funds to public safety and to certain programming rather than putting it directly into the general fund because I think then community members could know this is what it's for. But I also think like uh putting it to a vote after you've budgeted budgeted it the way that breaks down in the in the year is that you create a cliff. If they if they don't vote it in then you've got a bunch of emergency cuts that we need to make. So there's probably a way to do that if it's going to go to a vote that it's more forwardlooking. If so that if it does not get passed it doesn't collapse our budget for that year. and the in the years past when it's been suggested, well, we should put this to a vote, a vote in November, when we're doing our budget meetings in March and April and May, it just the timing of it just doesn't work. So, I'm just really concerned about the long-term fiscal health of the city without the city services fee. Um, I I've been uncomfortable with increasing the rates year-over-year, as people know. Um, but I'm I'm just as concerned about the loss of services in 3 years or 5 years. So, all of us want to do all the things. We want to fix all the buildings and we want to have all the forward- facing services and nobody wants and we don't want to pay for them. The difficult part is paying for them, right? Because we don't want to tax people more what we what they can't afford. But I I don't know. I just I I'm just concerned that if we

do one, put this to the vote, then that forecloses that as an option for the city if if it doesn't pass and then we're in the situation of of cuts, cuts to police, cuts to library, cuts to all these services that people rely on and expect from a city. So, thank you. Is there an appetite for specifically naming the service, city service fee to something specific? Yes. Okay.

Not for me because to me that's just a budgetary I hate to use this word, but it's just a budgetary gimmick. Um because what you're really doing is freeing up general fund dollars one way or another to spend how you want to spend them. You you're just taking and saying, "Well, this is where now we're not going to use these general fund dollars because we have this specific allocated fund." So, it's just an accounting maneuver. it doesn't really still put a vote and a and a and a um uh uh give the opportunity for the voters to say yes we're willing to give you this money we do want these services to be paid for in this way and I think couple of things that I'd like to respond to first part of my concern is the assumptions right I mean just just as an example the 10% year-over-year medical costs well bless the Lord my medical cost went down this year. I would not have thought that was possible, but my group health plan for my employees dropped by 16.3% and I'm giving better uh policy than I gave the last year um for my employees. So, you know,

it is not the norm. It is not the norm. It is not the norm. I understand that. But it's it is an assumption and an assumption is just that, an assumption. Um and so I I I struggle with the assumptions particularly when I look at Lynfield College getting ready to develop out. When I look at landing getting ready to develop out, when I'm looking at Southwest AR area plan in the process of of being uh opened up for another area for development for more housing, an assumption with no increase based on development makes zero sense to me. Those are going to be a while though before there's something there to tell. But this is a keep that in mind projection. Yeah.

Um so at any rate, I I no I would I would I would like to see this in front of the voters. I would like it in front of the voters as specifically detailed for a specific fund. Yes. But no, not just just change again. Councelor Gary.

Yeah. I think just maybe direction for staff as we move a budget process forward as a recommendation as a compromise on what I'm hearing some themes of is uh uh prepping information on propping up a levy that then could be uh uh communicated such that upon passage the the city elects to sun down the the the city service fee itself and on board the levy. If it's a if the discussion is public safety levy, if the discussion is parks levy, it's if it's a maintenance levy or or or some sort of levy that then it props up that appropriate fund. It's voter approved and then it the the uh city service fee that the council and the budget committee put on uh can then be sundowned uh hand inand like we did with the fire district and the lowering of the of the rate at the $150 and and and uh making that decision. But that could be a potential compromise where it props up that other arm and then allows us to throttle that down when that is so we don't have a large delta or a gap in the in the budget calendar where money isn't coming in that we need to to maintain. Uh and it allows the community to have their say in that dollars.

Councelor Peralta,

I just have a question about levies and how that would be affected by compression or would it? Yes, it would be. And that's part of the reason that cities go to a service fee instead because they are not impacted by compression. And we are already at we're approaching that already. And so if you add an operating levy, then it just reduces all the other um levies. how much can go to any of the other levies in there as opposed to a debt levy that is not subject to that compression.

So simplifying this for my my dumb mind, um that basically means that like if you have a levy, it won't necessarily yield the the financial benefit that we were expecting from that because some of that's going to be absorbed through that compression.

That's correct. I know we have some new members and I don't want you to put on the spot. Okay, Fanny. Okay, can you hear me? Okay, I agree with councelor Chennowith that I would support the 50 cents being added on, but I do believe the service fee needs to go in front of the voters. Um, and so I would like to see that removed.

Yes, Meredith. Um, I I understand I that people are upset with how the city service fee rolled out. I was also in all those meetings. I was new to the budget committee, so I was mostly listening at the time. But we did we were presented with a lot of different options and a lot of research and it was it was very in-depth. Um, and so it felt like we were making uh pretty informed decisions. So I would not I understand that people aren't happy about it. So I understand that maybe the need to sunset it, but I would not want to sunset it without a revenue source in place and maybe it's taking it to the voters and but I wouldn't want to sunset it before because it just seems like we do come back every year and expenses keep going up. Um, also I wanted to clarify about all the new development and building that we're hoping to see in McMinnville. Um, my understanding is that will raise revenue but also raise expenses because the drain on the city and what it provides to those areas will go up at the same time. Correct.

Correct. And I think the other point that needs to be in context with that is there's significant in all those examples whether it's Lynfield, McMinnville Landing or the Southwest area plan very significant infrastructure costs that need to be addressed downstream to service those areas. Not just talking the developer initial cost of developing those sites but the downstream needs in the system before those things can even come online. So the opice that those have the potential to be online in a five-year window is completely false unless the council as a policy body wants to make significant policy shifts in addressing the unfunded uh deferred maintenance of infrastructure within the organization. And from the city service fee perspective in the policy it was tied to CPI. Yes, it came about because of a budgetary shortfall, but it was never from the dis or in a budget committee meeting or from city staff put out that it was going to ever be sunseted. There is no sunset clause in it. It was never uh laid out to the citizens from city staff that it was a temporary fix. Yes, it was laid out in public communications by non- city staff by residents and taxpayers, but it was never communicated from the dis or city staff that this was a temporary fix. This was always an ongoing revenue source and $13 is a fraction of what you see in Dallas, Newberg, Amity, or various other very close communities that are non-metro communities. Councelor Chennowith,

I would caution you using other cities because when you use other cities, you're not taking into effect or into account all of the different taxing mechanisms and how they combine together, you're not taking in their base property tax. You're not taking in any of the other fees. And the last time this was done, Newberg was cited. And when you actually total up what Newberg is bringing in, they are actually bringing in less revenue per capita than what we're bringing in. So be careful using other cities in your analysis.

I don't disagree that there's different permanent tax rates from other cities. I was speaking to the fact that our fee is very nominal when you compare fee directly to directly. But the per capita is a is a context to look at things holistically for each individual city's taxpayer. I would agree with that. It's a more fair way to look at it because you're understanding what they're actually paying as a whole individually and and what that's costing the citizens. And when you compare McMinnville to Newberg, there's not a comparison there. David or Sarah, did you not to put you on the spot, you don't have to say anything, but if you wanted the opportunity, just want to give it to you. It's okay. Anyone else? I did just want to say

David, for those of you in this room that know me, I I'm pretty opinionated on this stuff, but for lack of more information, I'm gonna go ahead and not form an opinion right now. No worries. Councelor Peralta.

Yeah, I just wanted to say, you know, when we look at at cities like Newberg, for example, they have, you know, a different setup for their recreational district. They have a they have a recreation district, not a city cityrun one. So, it is sometimes apples to oranges when you compare uh cities, but I think when you look across all Oregon cities, we're pretty much in the norm in terms of taxing. And I think anything that suggests that we're sort of on the high end overall on a tax basis is just not not accurate. Any other comments? I'm not sure where we're going to go if we take away the service fee. I mean, I think the next year we're going to be in the same spot, which is unfortunate. I would like to have it specified to a certain reason that why we're getting it. And to know that comes from all rateayers instead of just property tax as well. Um, not that we want to charge anybody any money, but we also have to run a city. So, it's not exactly where I want to be, but I feel like that's where we have to be. It's just my opinion. Um, councelor Takowski.

Yeah, I had a question for Director Henry and Manager Garvin. The the council lately has been giving some challenging direction and I have a question for you two. Do you have enough information to move forward from this meeting or do you need to have more information specifically from us? Clearer direction would always be helpful, but what I have tonight is four budget committee members are against the 50 cents. Um, six are in favor, two are a non-answer, and one's a maybe. So, with that, with what you guys shared, unless you have additional to add, I would like to prepare a budget with the 502 coming online. and through the budget committee meetings if you guys want to make $2.3 million in cuts instead of $300,000 in cuts. That's up to you as budget committee members, but there's not clear direction tonight for us to not prepare a budget with the 502. And so that's the most prudent thing to do for the organization and maintain upping our deferred maintenance budget and our capital reserves to do that. Um, so that will put the onus on you guys during those budget committee meetings to make those hard decisions if you want to pull back and go to the 452 from what I've heard tonight.

Can you also tell the budget committee or find the information out is if it does go to the voters what the cost to the city is for that? Uh, that would depend on what election it went and what else was on the ballot. So, when there was two things on the ballot this last go around in November, that was $61,000 in just election clerk costs. That's not counting staff time, consultant time, or anything else to prepare what we put on the budget. Um, if there's more things on the budget, there's less clerk costs, but that would all depend on when and what election you put it on.

Okay? That gives a good guideline for the budget committee to keep in mind. Okay. Any final thoughts or we're going to close? Oh. Oh. Hello Sarah. Hello. Um, so rather than uh operate in nebulousness, I will uh voice my opinion um so that you have some clarity, but I would be in favor of of the 50 cents. If that adds to the tally of the six yeses, then you can make it seven. Thank you, Committee Member Hunter.

All right, it's 6:43. I'm going to give you one last round of questions. If not, I'm going to close the meeting. All right, I'm going to close the work session at 6:43. And audience members, we will be back at 7 o'clock. Thank you.

Okay, it's 7 o'clock and it is time for the city council meeting. I'd like to call it to order. And Claudia, roll call. Councelor Payne here. Councelor Giri, good evening. Councelor Cunningham, good trouble. Councelor Tolski, present. Councelor Chennowith here. Council President Peralta here. Mayor Morris

here. Now, if you're able to stand, please stand and we'll lead in the pledge. To the flag of the United States of America to the reps nationisible and justice for all. Now it's time for public comments. Any interested audience members are invited to provide comments and any comment provided that requires some type of follow-up will be assigned to a staff member. Anyone may speak on any topic other than a matter in litigation, a land use decision that is or will be in front of the city council or a matter a matter scheduled for a public hearing at some future date. Comments will be limited for to four minutes per person for a total of 32 minutes. It is my understanding that we already have several pre-registered members and likely not going to get to everyone. So, if you could if you would like to submit written comments, please email the city recorder team. those on Zoom, the email is found on the chat function. Um, I know we have a lot of people here tonight. Again, thank you so much for coming. We do appreciate you coming and we have been listening to all your comments. All I ask is just please be um kind and respectful. Um, and if you are able to get to your point, that's great. We can add someone else to the list in order to get more comments. So, thank you for coming. And councelor Peralta wanted to say a couple words before we start.

Thank you, mayor. I appreciate everybody coming um with their comments. Um we had a bit of a breakdown in civility in the last meeting. Um I think that that should be a cause for all of us to try and do a little better. So um what I'd like to ask today is if we can try and do this meeting more of the Oregon way where uh people are going to say things at the lect turn or b behind the dis that might upset you. And what I'd ask people to do is sit and listen respectfully. And then when you it's your turn to talk, uh you'll say uh what you want to say and everybody else will sit and listen respectfully. Can we get an agreement that that's how we're going to do things tonight? Okay. Thanks. And again, like this is definitely a place to air your concerns and grievances. So we definitely want to hear those, but like the mayor said, let's just try and keep it respectful and civil tonight. Thank you.

Thank you, S. C councelor Peralta, sorry. Claudia, can you please let us know who's up first?

Yes. And before we begin, I do want to state for the record that we received an email from Peter Howland um that was emailed to the city council today and will be part of the amended packet posted tomorrow. Um first up we have Himea Van Djk. Nice to see you again. Hi, good evening. Good evening, Mayor Morris. Good evening, counselors. My name is Himea Van Djk. I am a McMind resident and today I'm here representing Onidito's bridging community. I would like to respectfully address councelor Chennowith regarding the statements made about our organization during the previous council meeting. Councelor Chennowith, you stated that you were very disappointed in our organization and suggested that we cause division, fear, and encouraged the obstruction of federal law. You also noted that we have not had direct conversation because we have not invited you to one, though I will also note that you have not sought one out. Those statements made it clear to me that you do not yet have a full understanding of who we are, what we do, or why we exist. For that reason, I do not take your remarks personally. In the same spirit, I want to be clear. I also do not have enough context about you to make assumptions beyond what was said. Despite our differences, I do believe that we share common ground. I believe we both care deeply about this community. And I want to say this plainly. If there ever came a day when your family needed the kind of support that the families we serve rely on, I would not hesitate to show up for you and yours. Another area of common ground I hope we have is the understanding that relying on the same sources, the same voices, and the same perspectives will never produce a full or accurate understanding. That is called confirmation bias.

And it limits meaningful dialogue and good governance. I do not want to make assumptions and I do not want to contribute to division. So tonight I am publicly inviting you councelor Chennowith to meet with me. I do so publicly to hold us both accountable to learning, to listening, and to leading with integrity. And in the spirit of bridging communities, I will now use my remaining time to repeat this statement in Spanish so our Spanish speaking community can also be fully present in the space where they belong. Himea Vanville Community. person.

Thank you for your time. Mayor, Mayor, since that was directed to me, may I give a brief response to that? And I promise it will be very brief. Make sure it's constructive. It will be very constructive. Thank you very much for bringing that opportunity to sit down with you. I welcome it and would look forward to it. So, let's make sure if you're happen to stay through the meat of this long meeting, let's make sure we meet afterwards and set a time and place for it to happen. If not, I will make sure contact occurs so it does happen. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,

Claudia. Uh, next we have Allison Larkin.

Welcome, Allison. Good evening, mayor and counselors. Um, I'm a little shaky, so this might be hard. Um, this message will come from a place of gratitude and also grief. I want to begin with sincere gratitude to the council members, and you know who you are, who have spoken up, asked thoughtful questions, and shown courage and compassion, especially when it may not have been easy. Thank you. that kind of leadership matters and it helps to build trust in our community. I also want to acknowledge and thank the city for the work they have gone they have um that has gone into identifying starting points of five areas of focus and response to the recent federal immigration activity. Naming concrete steps clarifying detentions ensuring lawful process providing clear public information. Seeking accurate data and considering a broader economic community impacts is meaningful. It shows a willingness to engage rather than ignore and I want to recognize that effort. Thank you. At the same time, I want to gently but clearly say this. This work cannot stop here. These five items are a beginning and not a conclusion. Our community is asking for continued movement and creativity. Solutions may not always be straightforward, but leadership often requires us to stretch beyond what feels familiar or comfortable. I also want to speak to the importance of listening deeply and intentionally to our immigrant community. Policies and action steps are strongest when they are shaped by the voices of the most impacted. Immigrant families in McMinnville carry firsthand knowledge of what is happening on the ground, where fear shows up, where confus confusion does exist and what trust has been lost or even

strengthened. Listening to these voices is not about politics. It's about effective governance, public safety, and human dignity. I encourage the council to ensure that this work continues and that the voices are considered and actively included. They could be through community listening sessions or partnerships with trusted local organizations and culturally responsive outreach. I know this work and these conversations are very difficult. Emotions run high and fatigue shows up. But when responses feel dismissive, it does send a message not just to advocates like me, but to families who are already feel invisible and afraid. And I invite all of us to stay open and curious and respectful even when we disagree and that is also leadership. I want to briefly share one of the reasons this matters so deeply to me. My mother was someone who deeply believed in standing up for people and who was being overlooked who were being overlooked looked and treated unfairly. She did that work in her own way, sometimes quietly, but always persistently because she believed that caring for the community is a responsibility. I know without question that she would encourage me to be here and keep showing up, lending my voice where others cannot safely lend them. She would, if she was sitting right here next to me right now, she would tell me to choose courage over silence and compassion over comfort. On Monday, it will be the 2-year anniversary. my mother's death. Grief has a way of stripping life down to what truly matters. And in that space of loss, I learned how vulnerable it feels to navigate systems that are overwhelming, scary, and exhausting. And how powerful it is when someone shows up

anyway and listens anyway. I ask that that you guys all do the same to the community that cannot show up sometimes. I believe that McMinnville can lead with humanity and courage and I ask you to keep going and keep listening and keep building on what you have started. Thank you. Thank you.

Next we have Andrew Lurin.

Welcome.

Thank you. Good evening. Uh my name is Andrew. I'm a resident of McMinnville. Um I want to start by apologizing for the actions and my comments in the gallery last meeting. Um when soiled misinformation enters public record, um it's difficult to stay silent. The truth is though, I do respect you all. I respect the work you do and I've respect your voluntary service. Um I appreciate you taking time to prepare remarks um at these meetings and I apologize for interrupting your time to speak. Um, I want to clarify that I'm not here because someone asked me to be here. I don't work for an activist organization. I'm not paid for by paid for by George Soros. I'm not even paid for the youth organization I represent. I'm here because friends within my community and within my organization are hurting. They are scared. They are worried and they are afraid. Last meeting, we heard a confrontational monologue from the DAS full of propaganda, politicized rhetoric, and blatant misinformation. We suffered through comments that danced with racism, dishonesty, and misogyny. What stood out to me most is when one council member spoke directly to the youth in the room and discredited their fears completely. It was symbolic in so many ways, sadly, watching a white man on a podium speak down to people of color, demanding that they have nothing to fear while there is quite literally an army outside seeking to apprehend folks who look just like them. It was hurtful to hear. It was hurtful to hear such a public attempt to wash away the feelings of the kids who spoke such vulnerable truths. In recent months, our McMinnville soccer community has been shaken by two immigrant detentions characterized not by due process but by terror. We are talking about masked men brandishing weapons while using vulgar violent language in front of families. One incident escalated into a high-speed entrapment that left windows shattered and children zip tied.

on the side of the road surrounded by masked men with guns. Kids can't hide from these realities. And in instances like these, instances like these are not fading into the past. ICE is escalating. These stories touch me. These stories spread from our soccer practices into the classrooms where our children learn. They seep into the souls of these children who hear these stories, not just from the families who experience this firsthand, but from other students in their class. All of our children are at risk of this trauma, not just those directly affected by the actions. We must be clear. No child should have to suffer these realities and no community should remain silent while the children are traumatized. Fortunately, both individuals I speak of have been uh both individuals have been returned to their families, which should tell you something about the legalities of these detentions. Last meeting, a list of items was discussed. While it was unclear what the next steps and what we can expect are, I want to thank the council for prioritizing these this list. Specifically, Council Peralta, I commend your hard work uh and compassion and giving this vulnerable community a voice. It's vital we move this conversation into action immediately. Uh as we've seen in the media, there are escalations in tactics and it's only a matter of time before those tactics appear here in McMinnville. There are easy and inexpensive ways, minimal actions that could be taken tomorrow that would work towards a safer McMinnville. The Oregon DOJ model policy 5 is very clear. Public assets cannot support federal immigration. This means ICE cannot use parking lots like at Joe Dancer and Discovery Meadows. There could be signs posting these regulations

and restrictions. Will this stop ICE? No. Will it prevent ICE from detaining people? No. Will it send a clear message to the people who live here that we care? Yes. Please make action happen.

Next we have Ames Beerley. Welcome.

Good evening. My name is Amos Beerley. I am a McMinnville resident. I would like to speak to numbers one and four from the list of possible actions the city can take in response to ICE activity in McMinnville. Number one, identification of persons detained, confirmation that it was an immigration-based detention, and notification of family, and number four, request data from the federal government on individuals arrested in Mickmanville, and the stated basis for arrest. An immigration attorney in Delhi, Texas, recently captured the sounds of children shouting libertad and let us go and parents holding signs reading liberados nños, liberty for the children, freedom for the children in a detention center. I want to echo counselor Kunningham's words from this weekend. We have been silent too long. The more we say our hands are tied and we don't want to risk retribution from the federal government, the more we are agreeing to collaborate with these atrocities. I believe McMinnville is better than this. Children from McMinnville could be next to be shipped off to prisons in other states, as has happened to a 5-year-old from Minnesota. Identifying those detained and asking the federal government for data about our own residents that they've taken from us is the bare minimum and should be approved by anyone with the best interests of their constituents in mind. In a hundred years, what will our grandchildren and great-g grandandchildren say about what we should have done, what we should have risked to save children from imprisonment? I know what I grew up hearing about those who didn't fight back hard enough against fascism in other eras of our history. If we choose to act out of fear for what an unhinged tyrannical leader could bring down on our heads instead of acting out of what we know is right in our hearts, protecting children and everyone who deserves to.

We have Michael Quillin. Um, Amanda Pawanka. Uh, Karen Stabin. I'm glad you're here. Good evening. Thank you. Hi. My name is Karen Staven. I am a homeowner at Just Just one moment. Just one. Is the mic the green on? And if it is, it is. You bring it just a little closer closer to you. Okay. Right.

I am Karen Staven. I'm a homeowner, a voter, and a taxpayer. I'm also the granddaughter of immigrants, which I'm going to bet some of you are as well. I come here to ask you to do some very simple things because to be honest with you, I'm an old white woman and I'm afraid. I'm not brown. I am a citizen and I'm afraid. So I'm asking that the city council, if you need enact a state of emergency, if that allows you to access funds and do things that you cannot do regularly. I'm asking that you require any ICE or border patrol agents to identify themselves, to remove their masks. I'm asking that you direct the police to actively protect the residents of McMinnville from illegal warrants, from the use of force, from interference of those of us who wish to um practice our First Amendment rights. If you cannot bring yourselves to stand with your people who are frightened and I I wish it were hyperbole terrorized by what is happening. If you cannot stand with your people against warrantless arrests, and now they're talking about coming into our homes without a warrant, the separation of children from their parents, if you cannot oppose the gassing, jailing, killing of people using their first amendment rights, then take a stand for economics. This is having a direct impact on the economy of McMinnville. That's not why I'm here. I'm here because a 5-year-old was used as bait. A nurse was killed for rendering aid and

filming. Yes, but standing against violence. My grandparents came here as children. They were not citizens when my mother and my father were born. There was no family left, in Poland, in Austria, and in Germany. Please don't be the people who watch the trains go by and say, "I didn't know I was complying with the law." It sounds so fantastical. But it's the reality that our community is living in. It's the reality that the teachers I train for special ed are living in. It's the reality of their students and their families, of the people you serve. We can do better and I'm asking you to do so. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we have Lauren Sinclair.

Good evening.

Um city council and mayor, thank you for more time. Um for those watching if um sorry I'm I'm really scattered today. I've been scattered for a while now um because of everything going on in the in the community. I'm Lauren Sinclair. I'm a McMinnville resident. I'm the daughter of an immigrant. Um and I would like to speak for myself and many of my friends when I say that I also was very grateful to hear the list of actions um read by um councelor Peralta last week and so glad that the council as a whole moved to gather more information. Um, I would also like to emphasize how much I believe the first and fourth actions on that list would make a significant difference and also make a difference in who is showing up here and what we're saying. Um, which I think we all would like to see change. Um, I'm a mother of what many people have told me is the cutest preschooler in the world and um, I would like to be home during her bedtime and not doing this. I I think we all have feelings like that. Um and surely counselors you do because you are public servants showing this work. Um when I look around at the people who are taking risks and volunteering to show up when I does sweep our community, um I see a lot of other parents of young children like me. And I would really rather see what we see in action number one, which is if we are able to move that our city seeks the identification of persons detained, confirmation that an immigration arrest has occurred as opposed to kidnapping or criminal activity, notification of next of kin. Um, that sounds to me like our trained McMinnville's law enforcement officers could do that work instead of moms and dads.

And that's what I would really like to see happen in our community. I don't want to do this work and I'm only doing it because if I stay home with my daughter, then her little friends, their parents are the ones who could get pulled over. If my mother is pulled over by ICE because her green card brings her to their attention, I would like to be notified as next of kin so that I could call her lawyer and expedite finding out where she's being taken and expedite getting her release because she's done all her paperwork correctly. But they take people first and ask questions later. She is a legal citizen, a volunteer at her church and local elementary school. She is a mother and a grandmother and a caretaker of her mother, too. But she would show up as someone that they would pull over. Related to this, action number four on the list is to request data from the federal government on individuals arrested in McMinnville and the stated basis for arrest were legally permissible. Um, as a citizen of McMinnville, I want to know that if my neighbor goes missing, our local government, all of you, and our law enforcement will do everything in your power to find out why we're they were detained so that we can make sure they have legal representation and a fair shot at pleading their case. I don't want it to be us volunteers anymore. I would like to not show up and I think y'all would like me to not show up anymore, too. So, I think we can make that happen for each other. Please keep us up to date on these actions. Please do everything in your power to make them happen. None of us can stop showing up here until things actually change. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we have Anna Key. I didn't know I was going to speak because I didn't know that several people were going to be scared and bail apparently. So, I'll just tell you what's on my mind. I have a 19-year-old son who was born in Guatemala and he is a lifelong McMinnville resident. Well, since he was 11 months old. Uh, and I have on his visor of over the car he drives, there's insurance, there's registration, and there's citizenship, right? Copies of the documents that say that he's a citizen. Um, because and they're not there. They're not in the glove box because I don't want him to have to reach for them. I don't Maybe that sounds crazy, but it's not that crazy. It's just a little crazy. You know what I'm saying? It's it's two degrees of difference between what we're seeing all over this country. And I just I think I want to say none of you asked to be sitting in these chairs at this catastrophic moment in our history. Uh that is your city employees. You've got an

enormous municipal plate full of stuff that you are doing that's about funding and zoning and building and you know the law and what's happening in elections and who are you representing and so on. I completely get that. And when we ask these things, we're we're sort of pushing a whole bunch more stuff onto this plate that's already over full. We get it. I completely get that. Uh, but history has put you here, right? History just happens to have put you here. And and we know we're we're living in a really fragmented media environment. So, we don't we're not all operating with the same information, right? Okay. Many of us here are gathering information from, you know, a wide variety of sources that may not overlap that much for with the sources that that that you all are getting information from. But I would hope that you could be curious about why we're here. As Lauren says, this is not for fun, right? It's not for grins. I'd rather be home reading a mystery or watching like some kind of show. Um, but it's a matter of conscience. As an Oregonian and an American, uh, I know that what I says it's doing, catching bad guys is not what it's doing. It's not catching bad guys. That's way in the past. Uh, we know there are there is robust evidence to the contrary. And I believe that it's not going to stop there. That that that we are seeing messaging that

says naturalized citizens are next. Who naturalized citizens who um it'll probably be for expressing for dissenting with the government. Uh and then dissenting naturalized citizens. I mean, think about how many natural life citizens, you know, it includes my 19-year-old child and his half brother who lives in Cincinnati and his half sister who lives in Thank you. Yeah. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Next, we have Mark Culie. Welcome.

Thanks. Good evening, council. Good evening, mayor. Um, I'm also going to talk about the first and fourth items on the list of proposed actions and um direct my uh my comments to some of the concerns, reservations uh that were expressed about those particular items by members of the council. Um, and a lot of those concerns and reservations focused on the topic of risk to the city, risk to city employees, risk to public safety employees. And so I want to talk specifically about risk and what that involves. Um, everything government does, everything the community does, everything the city does entails risk, produces risk. And what city leaders are called upon to do most of the time is choose between the risk of doing one thing or the risk of doing something else or the risk of doing nothing at all. Everything entails some risk. So when these concerns are brought up, I think it's important to understand that to manage the risk, to make good decisions, you have to have a clear understanding of what the risks are that you're talking about. You have to understand them on a granular detail and a lot of times that's what people from the staff from the committees do is provide that granular detail to this council so you guys can make informed decisions. You're a little bit on your own here because you don't have a committee or specific staff members available to do that. But I would argue that there are uh uh resources available. Certainly, you've got a city attorney, you've got a highly qualified chief of police, and you have resources outside of this city itself. You have your insurance pool and the insurance provider that can provide you with expert advice about risk to public

safety employees or city employees in general. Um, and when we talk about that kind of risk, I think it's important to focus on what the granular details are. And I can only think of offering a kind of a hypothetical example that isn't in fact a very hypothetical one. If law federal law enforcement officers right now were traveling down Second Street right outside this building and plane close in an unmarked vehicle at three times the speed limit. If an MPD officer observed that right now tonight, what would they do? What would happen? Now, I think we don't need to answer ask that question because I think we all know the answer to it is they would if they perceived as a reasonable police officer what they thought was a crime going on, they would initiate pursuit, they would attempt to make a stop. And so, we need to follow up with that. Then, what would happen if they made that kind of stop? Would the United States attorney for the state of Oregon impanel a grand jury seeking an indictment against that police officer? I don't think we need to ask that question either because I think we know the answer to it. But if we do need to ask that question, I think anybody at this day is available to ask it. And you're more likely than any of us to get an answer from the United States Attorney for the State of Oregon about that. We can make inquiries. We can follow up on some of this stuff. we can try to find out what the answers are before we move forward in this process towards making decisions about it. Um I I think it's very unlikely because the the example I offered it's not that hypothetical. It's actually a real life thing that does infrequently but occasionally happen in real life law enforcement. Um it's not usual that federal law enforcement operate the way they do

right now, but when it happens sometimes these things happen. And I would argue that I don't think MPD officers are going to be facing criminal indictment for pursuing what they think is a reasonable Thank you. law enforcement activity. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Last we have Linda Hayes. There she is.

Welcome Linda. Either one, whichever you prefer. All right, I don't care. Uh, thank you, mayor and city councilors. I'm Linda Hayes. I live here in McMinnville. Um, in the interest of time, I'll endeavor to focus on my unique perspective points as a local business owner and community member. My mother was a Spanish English court interpreter in Yamhill County for over 30 years. Through her work in that capacity, we grew up around stories of the criminal activities of some immigrants, both legal and not. We also grew up with many more stories and relationships with families working their way through the rigorous process of earning citizenship. They worked so hard for a status that we were just born into and took for granted because our ancestors came and did the same. It is fortunate for me at this time in history that my ancestors were white. I'm not being profiled for the color of my skin as many of our community are, whether they are here legally or not, and they are afraid. Others have eloquently spoken on this subject, but I do want to weigh in and say that a society that allows some of its members to live in this kind of fear with the understanding that they will not be supported and protected in equal measure as the rest of us is not a just society. It is a society complicit in abuse and torment. There is no greater torment I can imagine than that of thinking my friends and family members could be bullied, injured, jailed, murdered or disappeared arbitrarily. But this is not arbitrary. It is systematic. Because of my mom's work, I also grew up thinking of our local law enforcement as the helpers. I still do. I believe they care deeply for this community and the people that live here. The lack of clear direction from our city leaders is harmful to them. Also, they need to be empowered to protect and serve with clear understanding of how to best do that. Some friends of mine in the toy industry have stores in Minneapolis. One of those friends spoke out publicly against ICE operations and within three

hours had ICE officers in their store serving them with an ICE audit. They had three days to pull together documentation on the legal status of all their employees. This was clearly a retaliatory action as they have all part-time white student workers just like I do. Due to that, I spent today not ordering toys for the new year, but researching what I can do as a business owner to protect myself against lethal retaliation if I speak out. and I will speak out and I will offer sanctuary. How could I not? Last, I want to say that one of the things that has kept me functional with all the here to for unimaginable things occurring in our nation is the knowledge that we as a community can decide to take care of our community. We get to make our own rules about how we engage with each other. We need to fight like hell for the rights and the well-being of every community member and have open, compassionate conversations with people who have different news sources than we do because the algorithms aren't going to mix themselves up. I encourage everyone in this room to find someone on the other side of these issues to have regular civil conversations with. Every person in this room, myself included, is gobsmacked that it isn't clear to others that their perspective is accurate. We can't all be right and we can't stay divided like this. I believe we are being intentionally divided. McMinnville has always worked together and we need to get to work together. Again, I thank you all for your time and service.

Thank you.

32 minutes. Okay. So, we reached our 32 minutes. So, thank you all that spoke and thank you for being kind and respectful tonight. I very much appreciate that. If you didn't get to speak and still want to submit something, again, send it to the city recorder and we do get all of those um emails and we do read them all. So, thank you very much. All right, we're going to move on with our agenda. Um reports from counselors on committee and board assignments. Mayor, before we get to that, we have a presentation tonight. Oh. uh for the McMinnville City birthday. And with that, I'll invite Katherine up to get logged in and present.

Yeah. Welcome. Sorry, I missed you. Oops. First, I want to make sure everybody can hear me. Um, Please. area.

All right. So before you guys tonight is a presentation about the McMinnville city's birthday and incorporation. Uh there's some discrepancy in that and so Katherine's a local historian that's put together a good amount of information. Uh refer you to your packet for a lot of that as well as the slide deck that she presented. This is the same slide with a couple typos uh fixed and formatting that she wanted to make final adjustments on today. But what's in your packet is 98% what you're going to see on this slide. All right, you're on.

Very much. Um, my name is Katherine Hwitt. I'm a historian. I'm a certified records manager, lifetime member of, well, resident of the city of McMinnville and a proud member of the McMinnville High School bsentennial class of 1976. Meet William Thomas and Sarah Newbie. These folks arrived here in McMinnville in our fine city as many today with a goal for a better life. Newbie built a cabin near the pedestrian entry of City Park, approximately between our lovely Carnegie Library and the aquatic center. Newbie secured his land through the Donation Land Act of 1850 and in 1853 began operating a gris mill so that local area farmers could grind their grain locally instead of going all the way to Oregon City and back. Next, he focused on making um creating the town uh create developing a portion of his land um into a town. It's hard to imagine today that in the early 1850s, there were less than 30 immigrants living here. And awareness about our community was next to nothing. At the same time, people were aware of Lafayette. They knew it as the Athens of the West. It was the center of politics, industry, the economy, and the seat of Yamhill County.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Adams, an educator and surveyor, arrived in Yamhill County in 1850. Nubia met Adams and learning of the surveying his surveying talent um he told him about an idea for a new town. Setting aside 5 acres of his land and with Adam's surveying help Newbie laid out McMinnville, the namesake of his hometown in Tennessee. The re result was the plat you see here. Newbie registered his plat with Yamhill County. Two years later in 1858, Newbie obtained a patent on his plat. This plat and the legal measures he took to create McMinnville allowed him to present legal titles for defined laws, lots to um immigrant, early immigrant entrepreneurs in what we know today as our historic downtown district. In exchange, these entrepreneurs invested in constructing buildings on the lots for various business enterprises, including banks, grocery stores, and the blacksmithing business of Sam Kosine, see seen here with his wife, Maha, standing in front of the house they built in the 1890s, which today serves as the home for the McMinnville Downtown Association, which I might say is a brilliant nod to our community's history. Keep in mind this was all before Oregon statehood which took place in 1859. By then McMinnville's immigrant population was 300

and the community continued to grow. This presented a need for a form of governance and the ability to enact local laws and regulations for things like roads, liquor sales, and boundaries. Considering their community's growth and placing a top priority on the well-being of its citizens, a group of local leaders addressed this issue with Oregon's legislature. since about let's see I'm sorry lost my place I've been um doing research on Mcmminville its businesses its schools government since about 1984 and since about 2002 I've um encountered conflicting dates dates uh surrounding the formation of McMinnville's government. Uh curious, I asked the question, which date represents the McMinnville municipalities birth certificate? To answer this question, I looked at the documentary record. I looked at incorporation, reinccorporation, uh repeal and corporate dissolution. So I came across a lot of different documents with specifically two different dates. So the first question that I really wanted to put forward is what is a municipality? And it can be a village, town or a city which has its own local government that's separate from a larger county or state government. And a municipal incorporation involves the

creation of a self-governing local body through state granted authority which gives the municipality powers to govern locally, levy taxes, provide services, and operate as a distinct entity for public purposes. Key fixtures include legal status, um the self-governance, the new municipality can elect its own officials, pass local ordinance, manage its own affairs, define boundaries, a name like the town of McMinnville, powers uh to grant authority to tax, provide services, planning, uh enter contracts own property, sue and be sued. And finally, state oversight, which is a process and powers that are governed by state statutes. It's important to note that the Oregon legislature um held the power to create municipal governance through special acts until the states voters enacted the home rule amendment to Oregon's constitution in 196. It's also important and worth mentioning that during the 19th century, Oregon law didn't strictly distinguish town from city when it came to incorporation process and status. However, size and development mattered and for, you know, for towns like McMinnville, uh there were smaller settlins, towns like Portland were larger hubs, so they were cities. Um, but it's not uncommon, it was not uncommon for a town to later become a city in recognition through incorporation process.

In Oregon's in McMinnville's case, act 84 of the Oregon legislature is a special act created. It was signed by uh Governor Lafayette Grover and it created the town of Mcmminville as an incorporated entity known as a municipality. Act 84, a special act, defined the boundaries and limits of expansion governance through town trustees duly elected by the qualified voters of the town and uh gave power to those trustees, ordinance enacting clauses, terms of office, limits of borrowing power, and the authority to jail and issue fines for those who violated local ordinances. The act closed with the statement in as much as there is a great need of local municipal governance uh this act shall take effect and be enforced from and after the approval of the governor in temporary newspaper reports of McMinnville's incorporation appeared all over the date. On the 10th anniversary of the first law that went into effect, which was January 1st, 1877, McMinnville's Daily Reporter uh reported on looked back over 10 years of the first u the election by the people in McMinnville of um the trustees uh and the uh trustees were JC Cooper. A lot of these names were very familiar to some people here uh for the names of the uh streets and things in McMo. Andrew Shuck, CD Johnson, BF Hartman, TJ Shaden, HC Burns, they were all the town

voted to be TR town trustees and then they in turn elected their president and uh their chair CD Johnson and Andrew Shuck was elected the president and then they had a recorder or a clerk Henry Warren. So what's um what does it mean to become reincorporated? Municipal reincorporation takes place when a local government entity reestablishes or reaffirms its status as an incorporated municipality. McMinnville reinccorporated many times between 1876 and 1882. Uh as cited here, the Douglas Independent in 1878, the Democratic Times in 1880 and many of these generally the this activity occurred because of increasing boundaries not unlike what we face today. The Special Act of 1882 reinccorporated McMminville as a city. The governor approved this act which which um repealed Act 84 and McMinnville status as a town with a board of trustees style of government. However, the special act of 1882 did not dissolve the municipality. The special act of 1882 introduced a new form of governance for the municipality represented by a mayor and a city

council improving efficiency. It closes with in as much, excuse me, sorry, back back up. In as much as the present municipal government of the town of McMinnville is inefficient and does not subserve the interest of the inhabitants thereof, the act shall take effect and be in full force from and after approval by the governor. the effects of repeal and replacement. Uh repeal followed by a replacement incorporation act with updated terms, boundaries or governance structures allows a municipality to continue uninterrupted. The repeal marks a transition. In McMinnville's case, the Special Act of 1882 relies on Act 84, which was created in 1876, as its foundation. The repeal terminated Acts 8 act 84's authority effective October 21st, 1882. However, it didn't retroactively nullify McMinnville's incorporation between 1876 and 1882. The special act of 1882 in essentially all it did was enhance McMinnville's governing status and efficiency. Act 84 serves as McMinnville's municipal birth certificate. In other words, McMinnville's legal municipal status as a town began in 1876 and continued through 1882 when transitioned to a city. This maintains McMinnville's corporate lineage.

Reincorporation with repeal of a prior legislative act typically preserves an entity's continuity. McMinnville's municipality was not dissolved. Its continuity is reinforced by the Special Act of 1882's provisions for transition under sections 137 through 138. A member of the original town trustees, CD Johnson became not only one of the original trustees but also the the uh chair of that organization. He also um became he also when McMinnville changed to a city he also served on the city council. Henry Warren who served as recorder for the town trustees became the first mayor of the city of McMinnville. These gentlemen exemplify institutional continuity. Documentary evidence appears in the Oregon Blue Book, which is compiled by the state archives, published by the Secretary of State, and lists October 20th, 1876, as McMinnville's incorporation date. The special act of 1882, while significant, was an upgrade. shifting from town to city, enhancing governance and meeting growth needs. The act of 1882 did not create a new municipality. It improved the original incorporation which is still in place and operating today. In my opinion, as a historian and certified records manager, aligning with the origination date of October 20th, 1876 does not affect McMill status as a city. However, it does ensure historical and legal accuracy by upholding the birth

certificate of McMinnville's municipality. In the time spent researching McMill's history, I've become acquainted with some interesting characters well known in their time, like Nathaniel Dubois, whose son Joe owned and ran the Hotel Yamhill from the early 1890s through the 1930s. I've been blessed to know and be inspired by many community leaders past and present. One thing is clear, McMinnville would not be what it is today without open-minded, creative collaboration by citizens who seek innovative ways to keep our community a wonderful place to live and do business. Our history is incredibly important to the understanding of our foundation as a community. Celebrating our municipal form of government brings the opportunity for greater understanding about the necessary roles of governance, government mechanisms, and the need for civil citizen involvement and interaction with city leaders. Our community grow continues to grow and it's important to share our history and its new with its new members while incorporating fresh perspectives, new ideas and opportunity for improved comm connections. Collaboration brings benefits for all. The M Mc McMminville municipalities 2026 SEUSA centennial has the potential to launch a series of events spanning nearly two decades. from the 150th of the railroads arrival in 2029 and cityhood in 2032 to county seat status in 2037, McMinnville Water and Lights 150th in

2039 and the McMinnville Municipal Airport Centennial in 2043. The word community represents what we have in common, what we unites us and brings us together. Mayor Morris, city councilors, I respectfully request you to recognize the importance of our municipalities incorporation on October 20th, 1876 with a nod to 1882 as its rise to cityhood and in courage through proclamation, if possible, a citywide recognition of the 150th anniversary this year to celebrate the challenges we've overcome in our future. The 150th Milestone of the McMinnville Municipality brings opportunity to foster civic pride and engagement and restore our community's unity. Thank you. And if you have questions, I'm willing to answer.

Thank you very much. You did a lot of research. We appreciate it very much. so that we can as a council make a decision. Go ahead. No, Adam to say.

Thank you, Katherine, and thank you, mayor. Um, so this was important information to present to you guys. If you had a a direction you would like staff to bring back the appropriate recommendations so you guys could um move forward with that, we're happy to do that. But uh this has been asked originally I believe by Katherine back in March and then we re-engaged in November and so I wanted to get this before you so community stakeholders could get to planning if you guys choose to acknowledge this year is the the year or at least give them direction.

Sure. I think let's just go around and determine councelor Cunningham. Are you I I I think the evidence is fairly compelling, so I'd be interested in moving forward with that. Councelor Payne, who doesn't want a party? Councelor Peralta. Yeah, I agree. Thanks for your work. I agree as well. I thank you for all the information to help guide us to that. Councelor Takowski. Yeah. 76. Thank you. Councelor Gary, good work. I agree. Councelor Cunning or Councelor Genith, excuse me. Uh Ditto. Oh, it's unanimous. Thank you very much this year. Thank you. Thank you. And many years to come. Thanks.

Okay. Now, we're going to move on to reports from counselors on committee and board assignments. I'm going to start to my left with councelor Chennowith. So, the last month has been relatively busy with the MEVC. Um, as we've been going through, Before you do that, probably a lot of people in the audience have no idea what that means.

Sure. So, the MVLC is a McMinnville Economic Vitality Leadership Council. It's made up of about uh I don't know the number. I think it's about 15 members of the community that are uh leaders at at different levels including the stable table which includes various different uh leaderships of different groups. Um, and we've been going through goal setting. Um, we went through, we have the MACDown 2032 economic plan. Um, and we went through the 180 recommended ideas, um, for ways to make the economy or the economic vitality of the community better. Um, to see what we have accomplished, what we haven't accomplished, what we don't feel like we can accomplish, and what we're in the process of accomplishing. Um, we also, um, uh, voted for our new election of officers. Um, so we have a new chair and a new vice chair this year. Um, I am your chair of the MEVC and Lori Robertson is your vice chair. Um, we had a meeting uh in which we had Beth Whittowski, the Mid Valley uh coordinator for the governor's office come and speak to us about how we can engage um the governor's office for economic vitality pro projects in the community. that there is a focus from the governor's office that direction this legislative cycle. Um so how we can best engage with with that office was part part of the discussion. Um and we are still in process on this this goal setting session. So I hope that next month I'll be able to come back to you with what the goals for the MEVC for the next year will look like.

Councelor Gary.

Thank you. Um, visit womenville was a group that met and I'm liaison. The the visit Minnville is our tourism destination arm that is uh funded by TLT tax money on the on every stay at hotels and they are trying to get people back in the hotels via improve getting marketing as well as destination development. Um so looking at the overall market um that that has factors that bring people here uh economically we have room demand um decrease 2% compared to last year overall uh 46.5% average occupancy in hotels. Again this is a very very large picture that we're looking at here at the moment. Um our average daily rate held steady at $139 in December and our short-term rental uh demand increased in December with a 3.2% 2% bump in booking compared to last year December. the consumer confidence and consumer sentiment index. Uh the commu consumer confidence index declined moderately while the sentiment index increased. Um but they're both near historic lows. And the gap in earnings and the gap uh inflation opened up uh for a rare opportunity in 2025 in December uh with wages outpacing that by 1.1%. the uh the um my note trade train tame some sort of spending stayed resilient in 2025. Um and then looking to 2026, there's a a interesting um uh couple of mega events that may play or may not play into our our picture, but is an interesting indicator overall. Um, two of those to note are the World Cup as well as the United States uh semiquen quincentennial uh birthday. In addition to uh those data numbers,

Visit McMinnville continues to chug along on their goals as well as the uh health of the organization. They've uh uh started investing in their their reserves and and um capital and it's paying dividends and money back into that group. Um on top of that they have uh many goals that they're chipping away on in one of them is increase December um every every year the month of December they want to increase that revpar which is revenue per available room. Um to that end um some successes in the marketing of our downtown. Um we had three segments on coin which I think is a news station. Um we put in ads on Oregon uh public broadcasting as well as the news register. Um, we had a successful um, first time for the Wonderland Beerfest. And if anyone in the room knows anything about that, I hope they do it again. That would be great. Um, they hosted five content creators, which had 263.4,000 total audience members. They had three static posts and 54 IG stories. Speaking of social media engagement, um their goal is to increase social media engagement by 35%. As of January 13th, they've had 2,235,000 and 335 impressions between FB and IG. For what it's worth, the entirety of last fiscal year, they had 1,546,233 impressions. So, they're making a bigger impression. Uh they have 41,127 total followers which is up from 38,33 total followers on July 1st and they continue to generate more uh additional event days. Um to reminder that what they did last year was alt wine remix festival in July uh something called

tradition reimagined and an indie wine Thanksgiving in November. Uh as well in December they had the AAPI holiday market and the Wonderland Beerfest. Coming up uh the AAPI food and wine festival as well as the organically grown and the wild bunch in McMinnville and a loggerfest. Uh and they're continuing to work on things to develop including tracking hotel data, Oregon State University Cascades student internship projects. Uh a collaboration between Oregon produce and Mac restaurants. They're looking at uh they got their eyes set on the next Art Alley project. Um they continue to engage with Evergreen and they're looking at Panther Creek project for bicycle riding in destination development. Thank you.

A lot Takowski. Yeah, the Yamhill Communications Executive Board has not met. The airport commission has not met. So nothing new to report there. I was able to attend the Southwest Area Plan open house on Saturday and I wanted to thank Director Richards for that. It's uh went off really well and there were about 170 people there so it was a great turnout. So thank you for that. That's it. Okay.

So I attended the I'm sit on the board ex official on the board of the chamber of commerce and attended that where they mentioned the glide and gather which was the non ice skating event. Um a success at Evergreen. They were up a thousand skaters this year. Also, the Chamber of Commerce was able to purchase their own building. They'll be in the Tyor Title current location. So, congratulations to them. The audit committee met to review applications for a new auditing firm. The committee discussed and ranked our choices for recommendation, which will be communicated to the interim city manager and council. Finance director Katie Henry will be reporting back regarding any change. attended the ADA transition meeting where the committee reviewed and tested a survey that would be sent out to the entire community. We asked for you to feed back to the to the committee which in turn will be doing a report to the state in regards to barriers that you may have to use our services and our facilities. I attended a lunch with representative Elmer and our legislative team and state lobbyists to talk about the city's legislative asks and other grant opportunities that may they may know that may help us along the way. Also met with our federal field representatives last week regarding federal ass. Um and just to let you know, one of our main ass this year is again going to be finishing Alpine Avenue. There's four blocks that need to be finished um close to Mac Market. So that is a top priority for the city in order to increase the change that needs to happen over there, the growing needs of that area. I attended the leadership roundt with US Senator Mkeley which was held just prior to the community town hall. Um I attended the McMill economic development partnership, MADP is what that's is the acronym for that investor circle lunchon where the group talked about barriers to economic growth. All businesses in our area unfortunately are

struggling and our economy needs to grow. So we talked in a circle as to what are the concerns, what are the barriers, what are things that the city can do to help with permitting, streamlining applications, anything that we can do to help spur growth. Also, um John Deetsz from uh McManville Economic Development Partnership, again known as MEDP, and I met um with Miriam from Onidos, and we talked about communication, past perspectives in the future. We talked about ways to hear from the Latino businesses and barriers they have as well. And I met with multiple citizens. Um the most common things to talk about are immigration, w bond, Alpine Avenue, and code compliance and budget issues. Councelor Palta,

that was something, Mayor. Thank you. Um, I attended the Martin Luther King celebration in Newberg. Um, I'd guess there were close to about 200 people in attendance. If anybody has not gone to that next year, I would encourage you to do it. Take your kids. It's a lot of fun. Um, I was privileged to host Senator Mkeley's community town hall last week at the Armory. Packed house, probably 250 people there. Um and um people were very engaged. Um in terms of committee assignments, the Midwami Valley Council of Governments uh will host its annual dinner this year on March 5th. Uh so if uh and it's at Western Oregon University's Warner Center. So please let Claudia know if you'd like to attend. Um as part of that event, there's an opportunity for each city and local government jurisdiction to recommend staff, community organizations, uh etc. for uh different awards this year and every year. There are three awards, one for professional service, one for regional leadership, and one for collaborative projects. So, uh I'd encourage the mayor, city manager, and management team to think if there's any uh person or project that you'd like to recommend um for this year's COG regional awards. Not a requirement, but if there's something um that deserves recognition, now is the time. That's all I got. Thank you,

Councelor Payne.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, Lipick, the local public public safety coordinating council meets tomorrow. Diversity, equity, inclusion advisory committee has um one vacancy and they are doing interviews tomorrow and Monday. So, we'll be meeting for those. Landscape review committee had interviews today for one vacancy. And then earlier this month, Lee Mcllins was selected as chair of that group and we had reviewed the work plan. I also had the honor and privilege of connecting with several citizens of McMinnville where the topic was largely fears around ICE detaining people who are in the United States legally. I was fortunate also to offer guidance to some individuals on interacting at public meetings and with public officials and encouraged many of those folks to reach out to city councilors and department heads with concerns regardless of opinions. And lastly, I to just today and yesterday observed some of the adverse impacts of ICE presence in McMinnville with respect to declining mental health and increased suicidality among residents due to fear. I spoke with several parents of young children who attend McMinnville public schools and children as young as five being terrified that their parents are going to be taken away. So, it's a hard time to be a service desert, especially with regard to mental health.

Councelor Cunningham.

Yeah. Um, thank you very much. Um, uh, I was out of town um, last week, but the historic landmarks committee um, did meet um, in that they went through the third uh, session of the demolition code final draft. Um, I should probably put quote final draft. It sounds like um there needs to be just a couple more edits uh before they bring that uh to the planning department. Uh and then there was just a simple update on the CLG grant. Um it's still in the works. It hasn't quite um got to us yet, but uh fully confident that that's going to be here shortly. And we may be using that to specifically update the um the inventory, the resource inventory uh of McMinnville, but we're still kind of dialing that one in. Excuse me. uh selection of chair Mary Beth Branch uh stood up once again uh to lead our committee uh and and the vice chair I'm sorry Katherine uh is also going to be uh remaining on as vice chair. Um we had a interview today um to fill the last position for the historic landmarks committee and so hopefully we'll have an answer on that one um fairly shortly. Um I uh in kind of community outreach this week, I actually attended uh the the Unidos uh community response training last night and it was a 2-hour long uh training course and um was very well done led by Jimea uh and um was fairly well attended as well. Um and I am um very happy to say that um they

take it very seriously um that they want to make sure that everyone remains safe um during those moments and that it was stressed no less than six times that you are not to interfere or you are not to place your body um even remotely in a place where that would be um deemed uh interacting or or trying to stop uh ICE and and helped us uh to realize what what that um what that could look like. So um but as well continue to have very me several meetings with um community members uh regarding uh the ICE issue. I am going to um read a quote real quick. Ellie Wisel, we must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. And with that, I would like to make a motion to add on um section five. It would be um adding F. And this would be specifically to address um getting some clarity around um an emergency declaration, what that would look like for the city, what we could potentially um do, what it can't do. Um and I want that information um specifically from David here um city attorney. uh and you know but with an understanding that um that this is moreformational um is what I'm seeking at this point in time. I'm not necessarily seeking uh an emergency declaration because I too need to be educated.

So you have a motion on the floor to discuss the information regarding an emergency declaration. Correct. Thank you. So, you need a second? I do. Can I get clarity on the motion? Yes. Yes. Um, are are you asking to add an agenda item tonight or are you asking to add an agenda item in the future? Tonight. Okay. Which in my understanding, attorney, that's fine to do with a second. That's correct. Okay. We have another question from councelor Takowski.

What exactly are you proposing in detail?

In detail? Yeah. Um I feel uh like I and I have had uh several questions from uh city local community members that um want to understand um what the city has the power to do um and what it doesn't have the power to do. um because specifically they don't want to be making requests of the city taking up public comment time um with stuff that just isn't viable. It's not within our purview. Um so and um so I would like some clarity um specifically around um what it is that a a a declaration of emergency means for a city. What are our options within it? So, let me just make sure the council clarifies that it's not a motion to declare one. It's a motion to find out the information on one.

Correct. Another question from counc. How much time are you proposing we use of city staff to figure this out? How far does it go? Are we talking about like tonight or No, I'm talking in general. every every minute every minute they're doing something. It's obviously a minute that takes up city resources. I'm asking is there a limit? I don't know if I could appropriately answer that because I don't at this point fully understand. So, are you going back to the the items that we had referenced before? I don't think it Well, those are working their way through regardless because we've already we've already moved those forward. So,

what else are you trying to understand here? I I'm seeking to understand. I am specifically trying to understand what an emergency declaration would mean for our city, what it could do, what it can't do, and what are our options surrounding it. Councelor Peralta, um, thank you, mayor. Is this something that you want us to discuss and then and then have and then ask the city attorney to bring the information back to us at the next meeting? Is is that what you

I think I think honestly if the I think it'll be borne through the conversation. Um but it may be that we are fully I anybody else I can't speak for the rest of the dis but that that that may be sufficient for me at that point in time. Um I'm sure you know just like some of my other fellow council members sometimes you ask the questions just so the public can hear it.

Point of order. Mayor um normally when you have a motion on the floor you you either get a second on the motion and then go to discussion. I was trying to do that, but I'll second. I'll second. Okay. So, we have a motion and we have a second. So, now you need to ask for a roll call. A roll call from Claudia. Councelor Payne. I. Councelor Giri. I. Councelor Cunningham. I. Councelor Tolski. Are we voting without discussion? What are we voting on?

You're voting on the motion to then have a discussion. Okay, I'll have a discussion. Hi, Councelor Chenwith. I. Council President Peralta. Yes. The motion passes unanimously. So, I think we need to just make it clear since there's a little confusion up here. It's a discussion. We don't vote on anything tonight um because we can't vote on anything we can't see and so I think it is just strictly a discussion just I know there's some concern. Okay. Can I ask a question councelor Payne?

Thank you. Just I'm not sure if my microphone's working. Um just for context's sake and our understanding as much as for the public's can you differentiate between a statement of emergency versus a declaration of emergency that would be in the I think let's go to David I think now that this has been added for section 5F of the agenda when we get there I can answer some questions further. Now you're at uh department reports. Mayor, we're going to see that. Way to confuse us. Oscar

if if councelor Cunningham is done. Okay. Thank you. Thank you everyone. Interim city manager Adam Garvin.

Oh, I'm first up. Uh, first up, I have a communications report for you guys. Um, as mentioned, the Southwest Area Plan community open house this past Saturday on the 24th had over 150 people that attended, which was um, great turnout for to look at the three preferred scenarios. Uh, out of the 40 people that Noel spoke with uh, during the event, every person stated they received a flyer in the mail. Mailers uh may be the most expensive communication tool that we have in our toolbox currently. Uh but currently it is still by far the most effective message that reaches everyone. Um roughly about 7500 for printing and postage on that. Uh additionally be on the lookout for another city sponsored flyer arriving in mailboxes early February. That's uh the ADA self-evaluation and transition plan is launching a short survey seeking input from individuals with disabilities as well as family members, caregivers, advocates to ensure the final transition plan reflects the lived experiences of our community members. Uh the the if I were mayor student contest will launch next week on Monday, February 2nd. The city will be partnering with the city of Lafayette as well as the McMinnville school district to encourage participation. As you guys see those come out, please share that information among your networks uh to get the youth involved in the if I were mayor uh contest. regarding the uh immigration related policy considerations that we had at our last meeting. Uh I just wanted to give a brief update where we are at. The content for this meeting's packet was due 36 hours after that last meeting ended. So that's why you don't have

anything in front of you tonight. We're still working through uh those items with staff. I think the first thing you're going to see uh be ready to go live would be the update on the city website around uh that's item three, what to do if a detention is witnessed and how to report an abandoned vehicle or hazards. Um another one that I think can can be relatively uh with a moderate turnaround would be the consideration and notice requirements of city buildings uh around DOJ model policy number five. Those are two items that I'm working with communications manager Noel on. Um the one around the survey, um I received an email during this meeting with the draft survey. That email asks for a go or no go on uh collaboration by this Friday and they want to post that survey by February 29th, which leaves you guys no formal time to weigh in on that survey related to that item unless you did it during this meeting.

February 29th or January 29th? Uh they want an answer by January 30th and they want to go live with the survey on February 9th. February 9th. Your next council meeting is February 10th. Yeah. Ask a a point of clarification. Yeah. Um I think the uh original um document specifically said that the the business survey was going to focus mainly on uh the immigrant communities. But I believe what Unitos and the chamber put together is a broad totality of economic survey of every business uh in town. Is that correct?

I have looked at it during your guys's deliberations uh this evening and it's a 14 question roughly 5 minute survey. It is uh broad in scope but your goal specifically says you want to review that before you decide if you want to weigh in. So, I just wanted to provide live context of where we're at with each item and that's where we're at with that item. Any other questions on that item? Would you guys knowing that they're looking for an answer by this Friday? Do you guys want to weigh in on that? Do you want to not weigh in on that?

I think we if we have to see the I'd like to read the questions or I haven't Did we all get it? No, it it just came to Oh, Jessica said that did. No. Did you? So, maybe we can I'm not checking my email during this, but yeah, sure. 554. I mean, it sound It sounds like you had heads up that this was coming before everybody else. No, I just saw the email. Oh, okay. I just forwarded it to Claudia. Did you would you like us to read the email and decide?

Um, that that's up to to you guys. Typically, if you're going to weigh in on something, it should be in the packet with the staff report and a recommendation. And with the timing of what that survey is looking for to sign on to by this Friday, that doesn't allow time for it to be in a packet and in front of council in a proper fashion. So, that's up to you guys as a policy body if you would like to deviate from your your process. But um I any decision off the cuff is a hard decision to make. Okay, let's come back. Oh, hi Miriam. Would you guys like to

Miriam, can you come up to the table? I'm sitting in the audience thinking, "Oh, didn't think about that date alignment uh a little bit better." I just checked with John, president CEO of Chamber of Commerce about maybe being more flexible on the date to hear back about signing on as a sponsor of the survey and we're flexible on that. So you have more time to you can give us till the next council meeting to December so that everybody has a chance to see the survey questions and um you have time so our next council meeting would be February 10th. Would that be okay for you to have an answer?

Yes. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you. Okay. So we'll wait. So do we need to wait? Does the council feel like we need to wait? I read through the I think that's the appropriate way to go because that's the process that we go to read it and make sure everybody has the opportunity. Councor Payne, do you have a problem with that? Thank you. I have a comment if I may. I didn't I didn't receive the email. I'll forward it to Claudia and send it all BCC to council. Yeah. Thank you. We'll make sure and get them to you then or someone will. Thank you. and I'll I'll forward that ahead of the packet, but it'll also be included in the packet for the next meeting.

Okay. Um, thank you. In relation to item one and item four, uh, I've had initial meetings with the city attorney and police chief on working forward to pass on those and more to come on those, but those are going to be heavier lifts than the first few items that I discussed. Um the last item on the list we're already doing, continuing to reach out to federal and state delegations to request uh reporting and you guys chose not to move forward with the drone. So that's a set rep on the current immigration policy request that you guys had.

Um and with that, I'll pass the mic. And David, I'm just going to come back to you in case you have something else to report. You can just do it all at one time later. Okay. Thank you. Sounds great. Thank you, Mayor. You're welcome. Finance Director Katie Henry.

Thank you, Mayor. Before I give my report, I want to correct a couple items in the agenda. Um item 5C says November cash and investment report. It's actually the December cash and investment report that is in the packet. And then um item D, there are some small errors that I have to admit to. It says first quarter report and it's the second quarter report. Um this is what happens when you're trying to meet a deadline and I squeezed it in right at noon on the deadline and didn't notice that the header automatically prints. And there you have it. So there will be a revised version coming out in the revised packet. There is al there are also a couple numbers towards the bottom of page one where there was a formula that pulled the same number into the adopted budget and year-to date. Um it doesn't change anything on your actual numbers. It doesn't change anything on the results, but I wanted to make you aware that I did find those errors today in preparing for council this evening.

Thank you. Appreciate that. With that said, um, in finance mostly what the team has been working on this month is year end, not fiscal year end, but calendar year end. Um, so all of the taxes, so all of your um, W TWS, your 1099s, all of the the fun stuff that has to go out so that everybody can do their taxes. Um, has kept us really busy. We've also of course launched the budget process and with the implementation of the new budget system, we've had to start that early. So we've had overlap of those different systems and then um as mayor said we're moving forward with the with the audit with finding new auditors as well as the audit exit conference. So we have a lot of overlapping pieces in January. I will be very happy when February comes and I can have another Saturday maybe. So that's what's happening in finance.

Thank you, Jenny. I think you're

Hi, good evening. Um the last couple of council meetings I've actually been conflicted about talking about the services that the library provides for um our um Latinx community and our bilingual community because I've been concerned about drawing attention to those um programs. And while I'm still conflicted about that, I also think that it's important for this audience and others to know about things that are being offered at the library. And hopefully it doesn't draw negative attention. Um, we have a uh we have bilingual story times weekly. We have English classes weekly. Um, and I also saw a really joyful thing today. Uh our children's staff are going out to first grade classes in um the McMinnville School District and they give uh coupons. They give a free book to every first grader and then they also give a coupon saying, "Hey, if you come to the library, you can get a free library card and you can also get a book light." And right after hearing about that, um I would say within I I guess it was probably when school was out, I was um at the front desk and saw a um Latina mom with four kids, probably ages 10 and below um there with their coupons ready to get their library card. And I was really pleased and happy to see that. Um we also for everyone um we've well we have a kids cursive class coming up. Um they don't teach cursive in schools anymore. So you know if you want to learn cursive you have to come to the library. Um we do have other story times. We're also um getting we do this every tax season where we get back into

the um financial literacy classes for all ages. So we'll have things for um really young kids up into um adulthood. Um, we're also offering uh tax help with in partnership with AARP that is always um very very uh appreciated by those in our community that need help with their taxes. Um, Puzzle Palooa and the Society for Creative Anacronism had a conflict tonight in their schedules. So, we had two different groups that wanted to use the Carnegie Room. Um, pretty exciting to uh I uh we had to move the Society for Creative Anacronism into the teen area so they could do their things. Um, and then also putting on my parks and director uh parks and recreation director hat. Um, I was I don't have anything specific, but was just looking at the community center um schedule and was amazed by all of the things that they offer. yoga, zumba, pickle ball, basketball, clogging, jazzer size, football, gymnastics, and then of course there's swimming lessons, lifeguard training um at the aquatic center and lots of other um programs being offered at the senior center.

Director Richards.

Thank you, Mayor and Counselors. Um a couple things. I have the pleasure of serving as a city representative on the McMinnville Downtown Association Board. Uh we had our board meeting today and sort of endofear reports for the MDA and um they had a we had a fantastic year uh in terms of programs and um events and also uh the organization as a whole. So um I thought the meeting was very positive and I look forward to this next year of success as well. We do have our annual dinner coming up. It's on February 20th at 5:00 pm at the Grand uh and there are tickets available and you can go online to purchase tickets. We are uh purchasing a table for the city as well and I think that's been communicated out to the council. Um I also have the pleasure of serving on the McMinnville Economic Development Partnership Board. Um MEDP you've heard it talked about a little bit tonight. We had a board retreat today for about three hours where we got together to talk about annual goals uh for the organization for this next year. Uh many of our discussions dovetailed with the priorities and strategies that are taking place at the uh McMinnville Economic Vitality Leadership Council and how our or how MEDP can be part of that and support that. Um we have four priorities uh business retention and expansion, business attraction, workforce development and innovation and entrepreneurship. So our goal is to help businesses uh grow good what we call great jobs in McMinnville and great jobs are are many different things. It's wages, its workplace culture and its opportunity for upward mobility. Uh I wanted to tell you about two uh events coming up. We have on February 5th uh training for quasi judicial decision making for land use programs. Um doesn't sound very exciting but it's

very important training in terms of the work that we do. That's I've gotten a response we offer we're we're providing to the planning commission. We offered it to the city council and the historic landmarks committee as well. We've gotten several responses of people who want to come to it and also questions about the timing. We wanted to see how many people wanted to come that we're not planning commission members to figure out the time. So, we are scheduling that for 6:30 uh on that night, February 5. And you're welcome to participate in person or via Zoom. And we will be recording that as well. And then uh lastly, I wanted to let you know um we are sending out uh 1500 letters at the end of this week uh to property owners here in the community about our natural hazards program. We're going to start that public hearing process again on February 19th and we wanted to let property owners know about that. So that will that mailing will also be going out here shortly.

Public works director Gio Huncker.

Yeah, just a couple quick things. Um the work session on February 10th is going to be about the park SDC methodology. That's uh the SEC methodology that goes with the pros plan that was adopted quite a while ago. So that work session will be to go over what's in that SDC methodology and make sure council has all the information they need to move forward with a decision on adoption for that. And then also um yesterday the transportation system plan uh RFP went out uh onto the city's website and it will be advertised tomorrow in the daily journal of commerce. So uh that will be um we'll be getting proposals here in the next month and hopefully having a uh contract for the council to approve in late April, early May.

Thank you. Human resources director Vicky Hedges. The last couple weeks has been filled with a lot of HR performance management concerns. So, I've been focusing a lot on that. Uh, I've been implementing some legislative changes that were required at the beginning of the new year and then assisting with the MEVLC uh goal setting that councelor Chennowith mentioned and also preparing to send out our annual trainings in February. So, councelor Payne, you will be excited to know that we'll be able to provide you some statistics in the coming months. Information systems, Scott Burke.

Thanks, Mayor. Um, over in the department, in the last week or two, the group has completed a long ongoing project to decommission and mothball our last city email server that was part of the city. Now, we're completely cloud-based off of 365. Um, and while we didn't expect it to go all the way to 2026 to finally finish, um, during the historical part of our presentation tonight, I was compelled to do some research and find out that the first city email was actually sent in 1996. So, on its 30th year of maturity and technology, we are now fully gone from a server to the cloud. Interesting nugget.

Little nugget. City reporter Claudia Cisneros.

Yes. Just wanted to remind council that um I will start uh emailing you guys a lot regarding your Oregon Government Ethics Commission statements of economic interest. Um the window does open in March, but I start making sure you guys are able to access your guys' accounts um early February. So, make sure you see those emails and start uh logging into your account so you can be prepared when the window opens. Thank you. Okay. So, before we go back to you, David, you wanted to be E on there on the agenda. Do you want to go now? The motion was for it to be at F.

So, you've got some finance reports first. Do anybody have any questions about the packet? Do you have anything else you want to share about the December 2025 cash and investment report? I have nothing to share, but I'm willing to answer questions if anyone has any. Any council have any questions? Okay. And then any questions on the financial report. All right, you're on. City attorney David Lightenberg. Thank you, Mayor. Um, Councelor Cunningham reached out to me with this question and I'm glad to be able to share it with all of you. Um,

city manager. Oh, sorry. It's down below.

Sorry, I have a gap here. So, we're going to go to E and that I believe on this agenda is Vicky Hedges, human resources director about that.

Thank you, mayor. Uh, tonight I'm bringing forward to council a discussion about the uh recruitment for a permanent uh city manager. Uh so tonight I'm looking for direction on uh whether council would like to move forward with a permanent appointment for the interim city manager or to proceed with the formal recruitment and selection process um opening that up externally. So I prepared uh just some pros and cons uh to each of the options that I'd like to present to council before the discussion. Uh so with appointing an interim city manager, the benefits uh include continuity of leadership which m which would maintain momentum on existing work, demonstrated performance uh leading to lower uncertainty for council in the city, faster stabilization, a reduced learning curve, cost efficiency, institutional and community knowledge, progress toward building stronger relationships is not reset. Some of the drawbacks to that approach, limited comparison of options, the perception and transparency, internal morale impacts, public and political scrutiny. Option two would be to conduct a formal recruitment process. The benefits of this would include opening the position to other applicants uh locally, regionally, and nationally. Uh more transparency, opportunity for new ideas, and a strategic reset. The drawbacks of this approach the time con it's time consuming it's costly including advertising recruitment firm fees candidate travel costs and staff time uh just to prepare for this discussion I asked a recruiter about the cost for a city manager and that cost is about $30,000 plus direct cost that we would pay for candidates to travel here for interviews. Uh, additional drawbacks include interim

uncertainty, adjustment period for new hire, and risk of candidate mismatch. So, if council does decide to move forward with a uh recruitment, I've prepared just a little bit of a timeline if you're interested. Uh, but it would take 6 to 8 months to complete that recruitment process, which is why I wanted to bring this discussion to council now as uh our interim city manager's appointment currently last, I believe, through August. I would I'll talk about that first. So I think um we went through a recruitment process to get to an interim city manager which out of that came Adam Garvin who is currently sitting which is not a traditional but yet it is also something that happened over at the school district. So it's not unusual or not something that can't happen at all. Um I have worked with him very closely since he got into that position. I know there were concerns as to whether he can do it and I have to tell you that I've been amazed at what we've accomplished in a short amount of time. We have um I say we but I it's also it's Adam and bringing back to share with the leadership here. Um our relationships within the community have been improved um with our partners which I think are very important. I could list them all, but I think it's it's it's many. Um, and it was something that was fractured when I came in, and it was very important to me that the community, we listen to you all and we do what we can and um, we have organizations that we work with on a regular basis. He's worked with those. He has implemented savings, cost savings in different ways which he's brought again back to the leadership for discussion. He's um listened to the citizens. He's

very creative. He has the knowledge of the citizens of who lives here. I'm always amazed. I always think that I know a lot of people, but he knows twice as many than I do, which is very helpful when it comes time to do something and to know who to talk to and what we can do. I'm also he has the history of what has happened in the past to the city and how we got there. Um when Sal and I meet with him every Tuesday, he generally has a lot to share and it's always good information that we can decide how to interact with him and what needs to happen for the best of the city. And I truly believe when the three of us are at that table, our main goal is to what is best for the citizens as a whole. And I believe that Adam has that. When we did the recruitment, there wasn't there were a couple that might work, but it wasn't like there was a a shining star that wow, we missed out. Um I know that a lot of cities within the county have had to look for a new city manager, and it's been a difficult task. Um, I think that we were very lucky and I know that not everybody is happy and they're never going to be happy. I think we all know that. Um, but there are some things that need to happen. Um, there's accountability in a lot of different ways that need to happen, but it's sometimes it's not the easiest thing to go through, but it's for what's the best at the end. And um I totally support keeping Adam in his position and I thank you. Thank him for what he's done so far for all of us.

I want to open full recruitment. Yeah. I'd like to ask you make a comment.

I'd like to know what Adam's perspective on this item is. Uh thank you councelor Chennowitz for the question. Um while I've been in this role uh for a number of months I've been asked by community stakeholders, partners, electeds of this organization, elected of other organizations what the future holds. I was clear in my uh interview process that I did not and do not intend on applying in a full recruitment process for a permanent seat. I have a company that I spent a number of years building and happy to run that. If you guys would like to go the path of a direct appointment like the school district, the city of Salem, and multiple other jurisdictions because you're happy with the body of work, I'm happy to entertain a conversation around a longerterm contract. Um, I'm not interested in entertaining a one-year extension. It would need to be an actual management contract. uh that's best practices whether that's a fire chief, superintendent, city manager. Um and that would be a future discussion of what that would look like. Um so that that's where I'm at with it is I've enjoyed the challenge. It is a challenge. There's a lot of work to do. I feel like I've made a lot of headway in relationships. Um we've uh addressed some performance concerns throughout the organization. Um there's obviously budget challenges as you guys were briefed on. I'm not uh opposed to addressing those or the deferred maintenance challenges. I'm happy to lean into those. Um outside of that, I think what we need now as a city uh organization, as a city of our

citizens and constituents, and as uh me personally just need to know what path you guys want to go down. So, I have a lot to offer that the the mayor highlighted, but if you guys want to go for a full recruitment, I'm still happy to lean into the work through the rest of this contract, but I think it does change the scope of my work if there was a permanent that there is some strategic work that I'm currently not doing uh trying to do some of this cleanup and redirection. Councelor Takowski.

Yeah, I was going to ask if you were even interested. you answered the question. So, thank you on that. Um, I I was part of the hiring process for the interimm city manager. I did see the applicants and uh I do believe that we found the best applicant and it's hard to be strategic when you know that you're an interimm. It's hard to make long-term plans when you know that you will be leaving. And I would support uh a direct hire rather than a recruitment process so that we can strategically plan. We can have continuity and we can actually bring uh some strategy to each one of these departments within the city and have a plan moving forward. So I would like to see you retained

councelor Gary.

Uh thank you uh Adam. We had many years experience working on the dis together when you were on council. It was it was a delight. Um uh when you when you faded away and and we had our city manager resign. Um it provided us the opportunity for an interim city manager search and and when we were uh faced with the prospect of being able to bring you in there was a lot of advantages. Um the recruitment search we did was for an interim city manager which is a different pool of candidates than a broad dynamic search. Uh and and in that process, uh Adam, uh I felt and we ended up all agreeing that the the benefits to that interim position that Adam could bring outweighed uh the negatives of of first time stepping into a role like that. And and so it's I think it's been great. Um I've appreciated working with you. I think um in interest of the long term of the city u I would be more open to a more broad uh open search as opposed to handing a engagement in a direct contract with you. Um I think you've served us really well in the interim position, but I'd be uh interested at this time to open that up to a more broad uh search.

You want me to go now?

If you're if you're prepared to. Um, so, um, I was probably I know this was in the executive session, but I said it, so I think I can probably say it. Um, I was probably the, um, uh, least excited about you taking this position. Um, and I um had had grave concerns of of potential um lack of knowledge and experience um regarding the role, not regarding the city as has been so eloquently stated. Your your knowledge of the city and issues that these cities were facing was great, but it was more my concern is is what does a city manager school knowledge look like that you didn't have? So, I had grave concerns along those lines. Um, I um uh had great consolation in the fact that I have always found you to be a person that knows how to work with everybody. Um, sometimes that's been really frustrating for me, but um I've I have found you to be a person that typically works with everybody. Um, and so that was that was good news going into this. This is lengthy and I'm sorry, but I want to get my heart out there on this. Um I um over the last I there's no no um uh secret that I didn't have a lot of trust relationship in previous with our previous city manager. There was there was a breakdown there. Um, I have found that you not only have built a lot of good relationships back for the city with organizations, but I feel like there's a trust relationship that's been built between um, uh, DAS members and you in in communication and what you're doing.

You're very transparent and very open and I appreciate that. Um, I um, I have found you to be very accessible. um you're learned, you're you have gained a lot of wisdom even in the short time you've been doing this. Um so my concerns that I had when I was the most critical of you proved to be unfounded. Um, one of the um, uh, things I really wanted, and I expressed this to the mayor as we were going through the interim search, is I didn't want to end up pulling pulling from the pool of recycled city managers. Um, that that is a trap that a lot of cities end up stuck in. I didn't I didn't want that. I wanted us to be outside of the box because I thought you have a better chance of getting something that's better for your community when you do that. Um I um uh you proved me right there. Um the what you have brought to the table, I know there's a lot of good words that I don't normally say to you, but what you have brought to the table has been dynamic. It's been good. And it's been the kind of leadership that you don't necessarily get from somebody trained in college. It's what you get from somebody with some real good experience in life. Um, and I appreciate that. You're also probably one of the smartest people in this room. Um, and that's about the highest compliment I think I could pay you right now. Um, I would caution the council. You heard the words, and I wasn't sure what the words were going to be, but you heard the words. if we go to a full-fledged search, he's off the table.

Um, that's not a risk I'm willing to take. So, this counselor would support hiring him. Okay. Councelor Peralta, do you have any? Oh, Scott, are you ready? Um, yeah. Actually, I want to extrapolate a little bit on on some of the things that have been brought up already. Vicki, do you have an idea of how many vacancies there are in Oregon cities at this point in time? I feel like I hear of a new one nearly every week. Sorry, I don't have that information. I could look it up.

No worries. No worries. I I just do know that it's been happening all over the state up and down. So, um just like um all the positive comments that have been stated before me, um I have nothing but respect for Adam. He has been um exceptionally approachable. Um his demeanor is one that is calm and calming and I really do appreciate that. and the things that he's already brought forward um uh have already benefited our community and I know that there is more that Adam's looking to to do and and but needing stability um is tantamount to to putting yourself out there. So I can appreciate that statement. Um, also when our last city manager left, um, one of the I I I talked to several of the department heads and one of the requests was stability um, and the creation of trust between um, the administration and the council. And I think that um Adam has already made um headway in that. Um I I think, you know, in any case, you're always going to have um the the road bumps and and and the working out with with the team and understanding um each other and and appreciating each other. So um I think there's more work to be done there. Um um but we won't know that unless we give him a shot. So, um I completely appreciate though my felter fellow counselor Payne and Gary um in

that you know to me the the the one that hit when Vicki was talking was the transparency with the city um and the constituents and I think that that's something that um only a a broad search would truly be able to do. But I've also felt like we've done some of those very transparent things and it's still ended up, you know, people being upset. So maybe it's just you're never going to please everyone. So um but I would go ahead and support um offering Adam the full manager position. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Peralta.

Thank you, Mayor. Um I don't have much to add, Adam. I think you've done a an excellent job um as interim city manager. Um one thing going forward I would note is um you know long-term planning is something that you had you didn't really have to do because you kind of walked into an organization that already had kind of long-term plans. And so I feel like in this first year, a big part of what you've been trying to do is to um take steps to rightsize the organization and make some changes that are maybe shorter term, but going forward, I would hope that um there'd be attention to longer term planning and then and then some of the sort of technical parts of of being a city manager. Right. I know with your intelligence and your background, you're going to continue to get up to speed on on on the professional aspect of of what you're doing. So, I have a lot of confidence going forward um with you. I I appreciate um the concerns about transparency. Um but I feel like on balance, we have much more positive relationships with community partners than we've had in some time. Um I feel like uh you're doing a good job. So that's where I'm at.

Thank you. Vicki, did you need anything else more on the from us or did that work? I have what I need. I will bring back uh councelor Chennowith. I just have one question. It's totally curiosity question. Why did we do this in open session? All these kinds of conversations in the past have been done in executive session. I'm happy to let our city attorney answer this question.

Just curiosity. I'm fine with it. I'm just curious. I wrote an email about this that was very eloquent and I don't have it in front of me so I'll be less eloquent. Um the code surrounding permissible uses of the executive session specifically call out when an executive session is not permitted particularly in terms of the hiring of a chief executive officer. Um that requires certain things to be done in open session first. Um, and those things are things that Vicki will bring in the future, but this was the necessary first step, right? Getting your general direction, then putting those things in a public record. Those will be coming next. We'll be able to uh discuss and negotiate in executive session in the future.

Great. Thank you very much for that. And thank you, Vicki. Okay. Do you think I can go to you now, David Lightenberg?

Thank you, Mayor. Um the question as I have received it and understood it is what exactly is or what exactly can be an emergency declaration. Um and that is not a concise question. It's sort of a question with a big answer. We we declare an emergency for a lot of different things. We declare an emergency in order to accomplish a lot of different things and I think they mainly go in four or five ways. Um, under our charter, we declare an emergency if we are enacting legislation through ordinance and we need to do it faster than our minimum required 30 days. We declare an emergency. uh we declare an emergency if a public works project needs to happen so significantly so quickly that we don't have time to go through the standard contracting fairness process um get multiple bids etc. So, we declare an emergency. We declare that something in particular has occurred and it allows us to suspend those particular rules. Um, we declare an emergency to um to be able to request aid up to the county and to the state. Um, we did in that's a that's a um that's a type of emergency particularly called out by the OS. Um when we declare an emergency like that, it acts as sort of a prerequisite statement in order to make those requests of um monetary or physical aid from higher agencies. And as sort of a subset to

that question, within the scope of such a declared emergency, a city, any municipality has the opportunity to adopt procedures that uh a similar declaration of emergency would allow to come into place. Um that's the work that Jeff Jacobs has been doing. You've heard him speak a couple times. uh when an emergency occurs, certain procedures come into place under that plan that we've got in place and um you've heard that spoken on a number of times. Um those are sort of the legal reasons for which we declare emergencies. Um, and what I've seen in other communities declaring emergencies with regard to the particular topic of federal immigration enforcement is um sometimes some version of those last two. Um, it involves particular suspension and allocation of budgets to allow certain money to be spent in certain ways. It's a quick action to a bridge the budget process and allow a city manager or somebody to uh enact policies with that money to do something with it. Um and also I've seen it used as um none of those things in particular with each of those being a legal action. I've seen it used as a statement of um solidarity or of under understanding of the extreme nature of um of activities understanding

without a particular legal action around those things. Um those are as I understand it the reasons for which we declare emergencies. Is there any more you have questions or do you have anything else?

I'll take anything else. Um the the reason why I had looked at initially considering a declaration of emergency, I believe three meetings ago. um uh was because of my uh experiences out in the community and I had spoken with the mayor and and she had asked that I dig a little bit broader uh when it comes to the economic overall impact um and and what I found was the economic impact um that we are currently experiencing in McMinnville and probably the greater state of Oregon is very much what a recession is um I found it to you know be uh some folks were up some folks were down you know 10 15 20%. But every single business that I went into that was Latinoowned um had a minimum drop in revenue of 30% and a higher drop of revenue of 50%. Um, and being a small business owner, um, I can tell you, um, a sustained drop of 30 to 50%, uh, is not sustainable. Um, and I looked at that as we in essence are experiencing an emergency because it is a drastic um, avoidable situation. Um, and but understanding, um, and it's why I really wanted to talk about this tonight, that we as a city and a municipality, and it's the conversations that I've had with folks

are very limited in what we can actually do. And I think the the frustration from our community is that thus far we've only officially kind of told people what our limitations are and what our um what we can't do. Um and so I think um there's exasperation out there. I, you know, and like some of my fellow counselors have really questioned whether a declaration of emergency is really viable. Um because um in meetings that we have had with uh state, you know, Oregon state uh um contacts, Oregon State is not prepared to fund any money to go down into municipalities at this point in time. Um, and so I wanted it to not necessarily be a statement of solidarity, but I wanted it to be um actionable items and what we have given Adam and the rest of the team are indeed actionable items. Um I think that um we will see um what comes of that and if this body chooses to move forward with that as well. Um but I I think at bare minimum we can recognize that there is extreme financial hardship and pain being inflicted upon our community. I am very very very worried that if what we've seen in Minnesota were to come

to Portland that we would see an extreme um uh tilt even further down. Um but at this point in time I am not ready to ask this body for an emergency declaration um until we see a bit more of a need or an ask from our community that gives us a a better direction into how that um could be helpful. Thank you. Appreciate that.

Okay. Right. Thank you, Scott. Okay. So, we're gonna move and thank you, David, and thanks for being so patient. Okay, so we're going to move on to our consent agenda on it. We have um did you want discussion? It was Did you So, yeah, I had a few questions about in the intent. Is that acceptable or not? Did I miss that opportunity? No. Go ahead.

Okay. So, I guess if council cuttingham, if you're proposing a state of emergency, declaration of emergency for the city, then what you talked about taxpayer money not being funneled from the state of Oregon? Are you proposing that taxpayer money be funneled from the city of McMinnville to other places? I didn't propose anything. I'm asking. I I understand. So, it's a rhetorical question. No, I'm I'm just asking if you had ideas that you were going to put further forward. He's not putting anything. Yeah. Okay. Right. Okay. All right.

Are you good with tableabling it? Okay. Consent agenda. So, we have two items on the consent agenda. Uh, resolution number 2026-02 and resolution number 20263. Do I have any counselor that wants to remove anything from the consent agenda? Yeah, I'd like to remove 2026-02. So, the first one. Okay. Yep. Okay. Um, anything else? We need to remove them as a process point. If we're going to remove one of those, we need to remove both of those because you can't do the appointment without the removal. Okay? So, we need to remove both of them. Okay?

So, we're going to move both items from the consent agenda and read them individually. So, let's start with a uh resolution number 2026-02, a resolution removing councelor Dan Takulski as the city of McBM's representatives to the Yamhill Communications WM Executive Board. Start. Yes, you may. Okay. Councelor Takulowski.

Yeah. I'd like to say that I do support this. I think having Chief Wood in there would be a positive opportunity for collaboration between the city and also the county and also the YCOM board which is upstairs in the police department anyway. And I think that that would be a overall time win for everyone. So I do support this and I'm also going to recuse myself so that there's no conflict of interest. Any other comments? Do I have a motion to consider to accept a resolution number 2020602? So moved. So I have a motion. Was that you? Yeah. That was me. Motion from councelor Gary. Do I have a second? Second. C

councelor Cunningham. Any further discussion? Claudia. Councelor Payne. Hi. I. Councelor Giri. Hi. Councelor Cunningham. Hi. Councelor Chennowith. Oh, I Council President Peralta. Yes.

Resolution 2026-02 passes by a vote of 5 to zero. Thank you. Now, we're going to have resolution number 2026-03, a resolution appointing Police Chief Cord Wood as a city of McMenville's representative to the Yamhill Communications WCOM Executive Board. Do I have a motion? All motion. I have a motion from councelor Tkowski. Do I have a second? Second. Second from councelor Cunningham. Any discussion? Claudia. Councelor Payne. Hi. Councelor Giri. Hi. Councelor Cunningham. I. Councelor Dolski. Hi. Councelor Chennowith. I.

Council President Peralta.

Yes. Uh, resolution 2026-03 passes unanimously by a vote of 6 to Z. We're going to move on to consider resolution number 202604, a resolution authorizing the interim city manager to release air easements affecting certain properties adjacent to Ty Park along Northwest 25th Street. And I'm going to call on city attorney David Lightenberg to represent. Thank you, mayor. Uh, I won't go long or repeat too much of my staff report. Um, this is a fairly discreet issue where south of Ty Park, we have nine properties that are in sort of a unique situation. When the park came into being, um it included this um this effort that apparently was meant to prevent property owners just to the south of Ty Park on Northwest 25th Street from being directly adjacent to that park by giving them an opportunity to get a bigger backyard functionally, um an additional lot space between their extent homes and the park itself. Um, we've lost some of the history of this particular situation, but uh what came into being is that the city holds air easements over those backyard properties above 10 ft. The city holds easements and therefore those properties can't be can't have dwelling units constructed on them. Um, a lot of construction is not possible with that air easement. Um the property owners some property owners in that space have come and requested for that situation to change um presumably so that they can do some

construction in that space. The history of the situation is that the city's requirements to hold Ty Park and the covenants that came around that they all came to fruition some 18 years ago. Um, I don't think that there is a legal requirement for us to hold these anymore and therefore it is a policy question of whether and how you would like to divest the city of these um interests in real property. The resolution in front of you is for just divesting of those air easements. Um, we can do that in a number of ways that I presented in the report. By just doing it or by noticing that we're going to do it and asking people to opt out if they want to. By noticing that we could do that and asking people to affirmatively request um or variations within that if the council is interested. Um I noted in particular that some of those feel like they make a little less sense um if they're not done by the group and the council might consider some options similar to what was in the original TICE agreement that meant that those things all had to happen unanimously or not. Those are all options. The final option well I guess there are two final options. Um, these being interests in real property, they do have an actual value. Um, what exactly that is is a complicated question. And if the council wanted to look particularly into selling these these interests, um, that's something for which we would have to go out and

get an appraisal on these for. We've got a rough idea of what these might be based on assessor information. Uh if you have more questions about that, the city manager uh has more thoughts about that than I do. But um the final option would be to continue to maintain these air easements. They've been held by the city ostensibly for the benefit of the public and you may choose to do that as well. I was going to have Adam Interum city manager Annie Adam Garvin, can you talk about what David was talking about before I have councelor Peralt to speak?

Yeah, so in the staff report there's some information from the tax assessor's office around uh how they value the lots. They would look at an airment removal as an exception event. So, uh, if a one of these nine tax lot owners decided to pursue whatever paths you guys landed on to remove an air easement, they would look at a real tax implication by the tax assessor with how uh, he weighed in on this conversation. As far as the overall value, that's really speculative uh because there isn't current utilities to those lots and there's not current access to those lots. So, they would have to uh pursue some sort of access easements or utilities. If they were going to subdivide those as its own buildable lot, um obviously if they were going to build a large shop or something of that, they wouldn't need to do that. they can use the utilities and access from their current uh lots on those. So, the value is complex and for that I would recommend if you guys wanted to pursue an actual value figure to not have it be uh subject to interpretation of staff and go out for an appraisal, a formal appraisal. uh community development director Richards reached out to seven different firms over the last uh couple months as we've been chasing this down. We did get two proposals back on that. Uh one's 4,900, one's 7,200. Uh one estimates about a month, the other one estimates about two months to turn that around. The cheaper one is actually the quicker one. Um, so if you guys wanted to pursue a value path, I would recommend um that we pursue the appraisal process with RSP and bring something back to you guys uh at a future meeting likely in March for you guys to weigh in and on on the sale

price if that's the way you guys want to go. If you don't want to sell them and you want to just terminate them or keep them as is, you could arrive at that decision this evening. So, we're talking about selling the air easement, correct? It's real value. Real value. Who buys an air easement? Presumably the property owners who own the land owners. Okay. It's an opportunity to build. Yeah. I mean, when you look at it from the perspective that they paid very little for these lots because of the airment. Interesting. If we pull the air easement, then they're getting a huge increase in value for a lot that they paid very little for. Um,

yeah, if I could interject for just a minute that currently with the air easement, they're considered unbuildable and have been sold that way. Um, with the air easement re removed, they would be considered buildable. So, um, and there are one zoned lots, but we've already had at least one person build on it. Yes. So, there there is a compliance issue that's occurred out there. It's not it's not a residential though. They've built a accessory structure. We've had many of the property owners come to us and talk to us about building a second residential unit on one of the lots and right now they can't do that because because of the air easement

and the air easements on a quarter acre right these these lots I understand that

well these lots are all are onezone lots so um what's what's occurring right now is the frontage lots that have the homes on them on Northwest 25th are about 9,000 square feet more or less a you know, a couple hundred square feet more depending on the tight the lot itself. And then they all have this second lot north of them immediately adjacent between them and Ty Park that is also 9,000 square feet to 9500 square ft. But that's considered a buildable lot in the R1 zone. If if they did decide or well, if we did decide to remove the air easement, they would be uh subject to a tax penalty for the increased value.

That would depend on the path you decide to remove it. If one of your options in removing the air easement is that they have to opt in and request the easement be removed on a on a individual basis. So, they would be opting into that. Whereas if you said you wanted to remove them all, then you would be forcing those other citizens hands. Yeah. And I don't want to force someone into something they don't want to do when they've had that land for at least 30 years. I would like to ask that we give the land owners the opportunity to opt in and at that point figure out what the market value is for that if they so choose to purchase that air easement.

Well, I would say we might want to actually have that price as part of the opt-in package. Um, and and my question that I would also want to know though is why would we go through the process for eight lots of trying to come up with real market value to the property? That seems like an awful high price to put on this. I I see the idea of of wanting to have some sort of value in removing our easement from their property, but real market seems maybe a bit steep. To clarify, I don't think you guys would have a number to consider as real market value of the entire lot. You would have a value to consider as the market value of the air easement. And so there's that's what this appraisal process goes through is what's the value of it currently being un quote unquote unbuildable with the 10-ft air usement versus what's the delta of that um and the value specifically around that airusement.

That's correct. And just to add to it um in order for a municipality like ours to sell an interest in real property we have to get an appraisal on that interest. Okay. Thank you. Councelor Peralta, did you have uh Yeah, just comment. So, I assume the purpose of the air easements were to protect an unobstructed view of the Ty Park or the neighbors. Something like that is what we assume too. That's part of what seems to have been lost in years of records in history.

So, I I guess I mean I can appreciate. And did this come to us as a result of it sounds like it came to us as a result of an uh out of code building on the property? A couple of reasons it's come to us. So we we have had a couple of the property owners request this of the city over the last five years that we've been here. Um, we also were when we've done the buildable land inventory, uh, back in 2021, excuse me, back in 2019, this came up as well because these are, you know, what would presumably be buildable residential lots, but because they're not buildable, they are off of our buildable lands inventory.

So, I I'm not in favor of of lifting the ariesment over those properties. Just looking at the map, I I I don't want to encroach further onto Ty um woods than we already are. And I just have too many questions about how this would potentially adverse adversely affect uh the viewshed for neighboring properties. And it sounds like it's really not something that was driven by the property owners. Maybe a few of them, but not all of them. So, I I'm I'm against um making this change at this time.

I'm for giving them the option knowing the area and being over there quite often. I'm fine with giving them the option. Anybody else? Um Gary.

Yeah. the in um some of our parks master plan documentation and discussion, we have uh uh identified a potential connectivity path between TIC and BPA and and we've seen some of that plan pay play out as as Baker Creek North has developed in that those trails are connecting as part of that system. the hope and dream in the master plans were it still is a a circumnavigable loop of alternate methods that would include Ty Park. So connectivity there which is my question is is some of this uh land and easement mystery tied into our ability to be able to have that path and serve that connectivity. Um, I'm not sure that I can answer your question fully, but I am sensing possibly a little bit of a misunderstanding here. The property owners own these lands. They function basically as an unbuildable backyard. In my understanding, um, an entire lotsiz backyard. It's a big open space that is functionally unbuildable, but is owned privately.

Okay. uh then having these properties and the arrangements that we're discussing not affect the the ability to have that path be connected. I'm in favor of creating an optin program and I don't find it uh compelling amount. I guess I don't see the amount but I'm not interested in recouping costs for that or selling those. Um uh but if the council were to want to seek those funds, I would request those go to either affordable housing because it'd be housing going in or uh specifically parks maintenance and tice park park maintenance frankly. Councor Chennowith.

So I I would somewhat agree with you, Zach. Um I don't think I'd want it I I'd like to if we're going to dedicate the funds, I suppose, to park maintenance. I would agree with you there. Um, I I would disagree that I do think it is a real value and I don't think I mean my understanding is they paid pennies on the dollar for these extra lots at the outset under the understanding they'd never be able to use them because of these air easements. So now we're g giving them the opportunity to use them. I think we should get the recompense for the value of that. Um, that's just my take. um whatever that works out to be within reason. I I like I said, I don't think real market value for a lot is worthwhile.

I think it's minimal. Yeah. Whatever. Um the other thing I would say is in terms of the view, as I look at these pictures, it looks pretty much like we got a solid fence line back there. Um and so the unobstructed view argument is not particularly compelling to me. Um, so I would I I would I would agree with giving the option to opt in to the land owners. Councelor Gary. Yeah, I would just add if they if the ability to to develop something because we didn't charge them for something created a taxable structure, we've got a customer for life.

Councelor Kaham, did you want to weigh in? Yeah. Uh just the 4,900 for the um appraisal. That's for all nine lots. Yeah, that's for the complete. Okay. Um I'm I'm pro- infill. Um, so I would support uh uh doing the optin though because I I think that they shouldn't be forced to do it because I've actually walked through all of that and a lot of them have pretty nice little little yards back there. So I don't I don't know if everybody would on the public. I've walked on the public part. Yes. Thank you.

I do have a question on the one my understanding if I heard this correctly. one is out of compliance with a structure already on it. So talk to me about what happens if we do put an opt-in in place. Does that become a requirement for them since they've already violated the

easement? Well, so that's an interesting parcel and we've done a lot of history on that particular parcel. They they actually combined their two legal lots into one lot, consolidated it and the theory is that that sort of took that air easement off. That's how the city interpreted. That's what I've been told in terms of hearsay. We don't have documents that say that. But the air easement travels with the land whether the property lines are adjusted or not. So um to me again what they've been able to build is accessory structures and not residential development on that property.

So there is value to being able to build residential development on the property. Is that your question? this result basically through code enforcement as a requirement for an optin because they've already opted in by virtue of doing it. Uh if somebody wanted to submit a complaint to us and put it into the code enforcement process aggressive, we we would provide the property owner with two options or several options actually. So they would need to bait the issue, right? So they could tear it down, they could remove the easement, participate in the program. There's several paths.

Councelor Payne, did you want to share? Affirmative request. I'm sorry, we didn't understand what you said in the packet. It's the options are listed. There's four options. Okay.

So option three is by notification and affirmative request. So, in order to accomplish one of these options, and I have heard um some desire for one of three of our alternatives, we will need a motion to either adopt the resolution, which is to divest of the air easement. That would need to come along with a council recommendation for the method by which we do that. In that case, I have only heard by affirmative request. So that would be a motion to adopt the resolution and to put in a process for affirmative requests. Um, alternatively, this could be a motion to direct staff to come back with the appraisals. Alternatively, this could be a motion to um take no further action. Actually, that doesn't need a motion. So, your first one was what I heard most generally here was to take a motion to allow the option for the homeowner.

Then we'll need to hear that motion. Okay. If we do that, does that then if we do that, does that then make it to where you just automatically go get the appraisal and do it or you still come back with the appraisal? Option one for the resolution in place will include no appraisal. It's option one is just releasing them. No value, they're just released. That's right. We're saying by by notification, affirmative request, right? That's what the general consensus seems to be. Um giving specific guidelines of what that looks like. If we choose that, because you said in just the options, one of the motions could be go get us the appraisal and come back.

That's right. So, if we don't if we choose notification, affirmative request, does that mean we're leaving the the process to you and not getting that appraisal back? Yes. Those are two different alternatives. One is the giving away of the easement. That's the resolution in front of you. The other is come back at a future date to consider the selling of the easement. Come back. Come back. I I move that we have you come back at a future date to consider selling it when you have a value. I have no motion on the floor for this. So So we have the motion for that. Do I have a second for councelor Chennowith? Yeah, second.

Okay. So I have a second. Any further discussion on councelor Chennowith's motion? Nope. Councelor Payne. Nay. Councelor Giri. Hi, Councelor Cunningham. Hi. I councelor Tolski. Hi. Councelor Chennowith I. Council President Peralta. No. The motion passes by a vote of 4 to two. Thank you all. The resolution was not adopted and we will come back at a future date having completed the appraisal with further information for you. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. So now we are going to move to ordinances. Consider the first reading with a possible second reading of ordinance number 5169. Does any counselor need to declare an actual or potential conflict of interest or recuse themselves regarding this ordinance? always got to find the ordinance because can I It's really late. Is can we check in on time? What are we looking at for time to keep going through the super items?

Um yes, it is a a later hour, but uh some of these items before you this evening have uh statemandated deadlines and so it is important that we get through them tonight. So we can we can talk really fast. I'm not saying don't get through them. I'm just saying if we're going to be here till 11:00, I'm out.

We're probably going to be here another 45 minutes, I'm going to guess, to do all of these. If you need to go, we understand. We If you can stay, that's great. But I understand whatever you need to do, Jessica. Uh I'll go ahead and get started just in the interest of time. My wingman is getting the uh Okay. presentation up for me. Got you. You're my wingman and technical expert. Are were you gonna read the ordinance by Yeah, you need to do that first. Title only waiting.

Are you requesting that I read the ordinance by title only? Yes. Does any counselor have a problem with that? Nope. Okay.

Thank you. This is the first reading of ordinance number 516-9, an ordinance adopting the 2025 McMinnville Municipal Airport Master Plan as a supplemental document of the McMinnville comprehensive plan and amending volume one data and background. Volume two, goals and policies, and volume three, title 17 of the McMinnville Municipal Code of the McMinnville Comprehensive Plan, Docket G2-25. John Pascal, airport manager, and GF Hunucker, public works director. Good evening, mayor and council. Uh, happy to be here for my first council presentation since I Oh, we got to get really close. You do have to get close.

All right. Uh, so going to move the slides for me, but we just have a brief presentation and I I can I can speak quickly. So, um, just a little bit of master plan history. Um the current airport master plan that we're operating under was adopted in 2004 and those are generally 20-year planning documents. So it was due again uh and the FAA provided uh $450,000 of the required $500,000 that it costs to do the plan uh back in 2023. The other uh 50,000 was a combination of state grant money and then airport operating funds. Uh the planning advisory committee uh was established in 2023. The project actually kicked off in August of 2023 and the planning advisory committee was a was a a 15 member cross-section of local, state, county uh federal uh representatives, airport commission representatives, city staff. It was a it was a broad uh cross-section of folks that participated in developing this plan. Uh and over the next uh 24 months uh they uh finished the plan that is in your packet. It's about 300 plus pages. uh and it was submitted to the FAA back in August of 2025. I would have expected we would have an approval by now, but I think the the government shutdown there for six weeks in the fall kind of backlogged the FAA. Um uh the key project elements in the master plan, uh pretty straightforward. Uh we start with an existing conditions analysis. What do we have? Uh one of the two FAA uh required approvals is the aviation activity forecast. So, what are we expecting in the next 20-year planning period uh for growth in aviation activity? And then what does that mean in terms of facility requirements on our airfield? Um, and once we have those established, then we can look at development alternatives. How do we fit all of that into the property that we have? Excuse me. And then a capital improvement plan. What is all that going to cost? And then ultimately, the second FAA required approval, which is what

we're waiting for now, is the actual airport layout plan. and I'll speak to that momentarily, but then we do an implementation strategy and a timeline uh how we we plan to get all these projects done in the next 20 years. This is actually what the airport layout plan looks like. Uh you can see it's pretty populated. Uh it's very technical. It's got a lot of information on it uh both for current and for future development. Uh you'll notice at the bottom there are two signature blocks, one from the FAA and one uh for the city manager for the city of McMinnville. And that's the uh formal handshake that we make that this is how we're going to develop our airport. The FAA will not fund a project that is not included in the airport layout plan. So it's important that those planned projects are in here. Uh but obviously you can see this is a really important document from an airport management perspective uh as we u talk about development alternatives. Uh so this is really kind of when we say airport layout plan, this is actually what the airport layout plan looks like, but it's it's 21 pages of documents. And so, um, the next this is an example if we needed to drill down into one section because that that other document is really hard to develop to. This is, uh, this is an example of how I would use this document when we're trying to navigate around the park and the border of McMinnville Landing and existing buildings and so on. How do we how do we manage vehicular uh, access? Where do we put parking lots? How do we get taxi ways through there? And so we could we have these snapshots east to west all across the airport. Uh and this actually really helps us make sure that that uh the development actually makes sense and that we build things the right way so that we do it one time and do it correctly. Um a couple of the other documents inside the actual airport layout plan. This is an on airport land use plan and this is also very helpful for us. Um it's colorcoded uh for people like me that like simple words and and and pretty colors. Um and it it helps

identify particularly areas that are not developable. So in this case the yellow's the runway protection zones, right? Where aircraft land and depart. We can't build there. Uh purple is designated as you know aircraft operating areas. And so it really just kind of helps us u look at what is developable both in terms of aviation development and non-avviation development or or both possibly both. And so that's on airport land use. And then we have a similar uh document for offair airport land use and this is obviously much wider. Uh this encompasses not only u the city of McMinnville, you'll notice on the right side there it's Yamhill County and also the city of Dayton. The approach paths and departure paths to this airport impact uh folks outside of the city limits. Um, so we always want to be cognizant of land use and zoning around the airport to make sure we have compatible land uses that we work with our stakeholders particularly over in planning uh to talk about what the impacts might be not only to the folks that want to develop but also what those developments how they might impact the airport because we have asurances to the federal government that will protect the airport from incompatible land uses. So this is a another key uh sheet here. Excuse me. So, next steps, uh, adopting the airport master plan into the city's comprehensive plan. That's what we're here talking about this evening. Um, sometime I expect in the next 60 to 90 days, uh, that we'll actually have the formal approval, the signatures on the airport layout plan. Uh, and once we have those, uh, we would then move to project and grant closeout. So, sometime between probably summer and towards the end of the year. And then separately from this, we would move into an airport business and economic development plan. So, I'm always careful to make sure folks understand that the airport master plan is not either of these. It really is an airport development plan uh primarily for airfield infrastructure. Uh but we're going to put money into the airport's budget in the next fiscal year

uh to uh undertake a business and economic development plan so that we can talk about the growth of the airport and the the financial self-sufficiency of it. So, uh those are the next steps that we're uh we're looking forward to. And then um some couple of future council considerations just to kind of get these on your radar screen. Obviously on the left side there any aviation and non-avviation development opportunities and there may be some coming to you in 2026. Uh we're already having discussions with entities that want to develop on the airport, some large, some small. Uh and then I mentioned the airport business and economic development plan. Uh once that's done, I would expect that to be probably the summer of 27. We'll bring that back to council for adoption. Uh and then at some point we'll have to have a discussion. Uh I won't say have to have we'll likely have a discussion about the other runway, the second runway, the crosswind runway, which is 1735. It's the smaller sort of general aviation runway. Um the eligibility of it, that question's been solved recently with the FA. It is technically eligible for federal funding now as a as a legacy crosswind runway, but the justification for the federal government to put money into it and actually having the funding available, it they're not going to score very high and and it's likely that that runway is not going to receive federal funding down the road for maintenance. So, it's going to become a cost to the city to maintain that runway. It encompasses roughly 90 acres of property along Airport Road there. So, it's it's not an insignificant amount of land. And then when you consider the runway protection zones and all of the other property that can't be developed around that runway, it's it's even greater than that. So, um, you know, do we let it die a natural death over time or do we be proactive and think about how we want to redevelop the airport and how long we want to keep that runway? What's the value? What are the pros and cons? So, those are discussions we can have, you know, sometime down the road. Um, so that's really kind of all I had on the master plan itself. Um, when we get to the ordinance, uh, I'm just going to go

ahead and take this on for Heather so she doesn't have to move. U, ordinance 5169 is adopting the, uh, McMinnville Airport Master Plan as a supplemental document to the transport transportation system plan and the comprehensive plan. It amends uh, volume one, volume two, and volume three. And then it adopts findings for state and local regulatory compliance. Um, and really what you'll see in these next two slides, uh, the amendments that we're making are really just verbiage amendments. Uh, for instance, uh, the the current language identifies the 2004 master plan, but as we do development projects on the airport, the airport layout plan constantly changes. We're required to keep the ALP updated at all times. So, what we wanted to do is just say the most recently approved. It's just sort of a technicality to make sure that we're referencing the most recently approved airport layout plan. Uh and similarly on the the next two here, I'm just using verbiage that's either a little bit more accurate or uses terminology that's more current. Uh for instance, transitional surfaces. These are just some of these imaginary surfaces that weren't identified in here. So those are just uh what the amendments are. And uh we did receive some public testimony. I believe it came in as part of the planning commission um meeting that we had back in December. uh 10,00 friends and friends of Yh Hill County both were in support of the planning commission's recommendation to the council to adopt the master plan into the comprehensive plan. And then your options this evening um as required by uh McMinnville Municipal Code 17.72.130 etc. Uh upon receipt of the decision of the planning commission, the city council shall either adopt an ordinance and that's what we're here asking for tonight. That is the staff recommendation as submitted by the planning commission. Or you may adopt an ordinance affecting the proposed change in an amended form. You may refuse to adopt the amendment through a vote to deny. Or you may call for a public

hearing on the proposal subject to any notice requirements uh in the code. With that, I'll take any questions that you may have. Uh yeah, thank you for any counselors have any questions? Okay. I'd like to move option A. Mayor. Uh, okay. So, councelor Peralta has has made a motion to accept option A of work for ordinance number 5169 to pass. Second. I have a second from councelor Tekkowski. I'm losing my voice. Yes, I'm going to do council discussion. I don't think Do we have any other discussion?

There is. Yeah. Councelor Payne. Hi, Council Giri. Hi, Councelor Cunningham. Hi, Councelor Tokolski. Hi, Councelor Chennowith. I council President Peralta. Yes. Uh, ordinance 5169 passes on its first reading unanimously. Attorney David Lightenberg, can you do a second reading, please?

Thank you, Scott. This is the second reading of ordinance number 5169, an ordinance adopting the 2025 McMinnville Municipal Airport Master Plan as a supplemental document of the McMinnville Comprehensive Plan and amending volume one, data and background. Volume two, goals and policies, and volume three, title 17 of the McMinnville Municipal Code of the McMinnville Comprehensive Plan, Docket G2-25. Perfect. Thank you. Do I have a motion? I have so a motion. Councelor Takowski has a motion. Second. A second from councelor Payne. Any discussion? Claudia. Councelor Payne. I. Councelor Giri. I. Councelor Cunningham.

I. Councelor Tolski. Hi. Councelor Chennowith. I. Council President Peralta. Yes.

Ordinance. Ordinance 5169 is adopted by a vote of six to zero. Perfect. Thank you. Councelor Plane, do you need to leave? Okay. All right. We're going to consider the reading with a possible second reading of ordinance number 5170. Does any counselor need to declare an actual or potential conflict of interest or accuse himself for this ordinance? And I'm trying to find the ordinance. You tell me what the ordinance is.

Are you asking for me to read it by Just tell me what the ordinance is real quick. 5170. Yes. But what's it about? It's an ordinance adopting the amendments to the November 23rd housing needs analysis. Perfect. Thank you. I just want to make sure I didn't have to excuse myself because it's not on here. I do not. Okay. Could you please read the ordinance? Any counselors? Are you okay with reading it by title only? Yes. Okay.

Thank you, mayor. This is the first reading of ordinance number 5170, an ordinance adopting amendments to the November 2023 housing needs analysis, the September 2024 economic opportunities analysis, and the December 2025 framework plan. Okay. Who's presenting? Heather Richards.

Yes. Thank you, mayor. So, tonight, this is uh the effort to finish our sequential UGB work plan with the state. This is due this is work task two. It is due to them by March 1. We're bringing it to tonight because the ordinance takes 30 days to become effective. But really what we're doing is we're looking at three different dockets uh in planning to uh create land use efficiency measures to meet our housing and employment land need. Uh you just went through what it is. There's an addendum to the um housing needs analysis from November 2023. The addendum is a memo that explains what the land use efficiency measures are and the findings associated with it. The same is true for the economic opportunity analysis. We're adopting a amended framework plan uh that brings all that information into our planning program and then the decision document for this effort. A land use efficiency measure just to remind you is a policy action. So we have to take action on it that changes the comprehensive plan or land use regulations to quantifiably reduce land needs. So we need to show the state that we've taken action for these. If you recall, we identified uh land need in both the housing and employment lands relative to residential land need. Um we are um deficiencies were 1,1 dwelling units. And so that's approximately 202 acres. This is for the planning horizon of 2021 to 2041. Uh we identified a deficiency of 29 acres of industrial land and 159 acres of commercial land. We're bringing to you a proposal that's uh been recommended by the planning commission and staff uh that has land use efficiency measures that exceed our residential land need. So exceeds it by a little over 175 dwelling units. Um

exceeds our industrial land needs with 40 acres and then is uh remains it we keep a deficit of commercial land need of about 114 acres. We do not need to meet commercial land need. we do need to meet the housing land need. Uh this describes uh and this is in the findings for you. Describes how we got to the calculations of the residential uh land need that we're meeting. We did that based on dwelling units and not acres because we are looking at different densities in in the different zones relative to this. Um to sort of summarize it for you, we're changing the assignment of land in what we call the urban holding comprehensive plan designations that are in the urban growth boundary. That's the gold areas if you want to think of that where we're doing the area planning right now. Um so if you remember in 2025 we adopted an ordinance that reduced the amount of land in that area needed for parks by 127 acres. We then um also reduced our public and institutional land need by 44 acres. We took that action in 2024 by ordinance and we have been told by the school that they don't need the amount of land that's identified in there for future school needs. And so that is an action that will be occurring tonight. The other action occurring tonight is taking all those acres that have been reduced and reassigning them to housing. We're memorializing that in the framework plan. And so if you remember the framework plan gives us direction on how those future UGB lands should be built uh and developed and what needs they're meeting. Uh we have previously sort of identified it relative to the UGB work we were doing. So the uh McMinnville growth management urbanization plan and then this 2021 to 2041 process. We're bringing you a framework plan uh tonight that simplifies all that. Now it's just focused on okay how

is this serving our future land needs based on these calculations. Um we also did several uh reszones in the last several years uh in terms of upzoning residential land to higher density residential land and that's created the u additional housing capacity for the city. And then we've had a a big change in terms of the Lynfield University's campus. This is impacting all three land needs. In uh 2020, they gave us a letter asking us to take this land off the buildable lands inventory. They wanted to use it for their own purposes. Uh they did send us a letter here on October 8th, 2025 saying they would like to put it back on the buildable lands inventory. They are moving forward with leveraging that undeveloped land into the private marketplace. Uh and so that then allows us to put that back on the bill of lands inventory and identify it as meeting a city need. So for that you have for our four land about 20 acres, R2 land, half an acre, uh industrial land at 3 acres, and commercial land at 44 and a half acres. And that's all the vacant land that's in that overall campus area. So for your industrial land use efficiency measures, you just went through the process of adopting the airport master plan. That was important to do before this because in the airport master plan uh for that uh layout plan that uh John had talked you through, there is 37 acres identified in there for future industrial development. So that will come back on the buildable lands inventory. The the airport land is not on it. Um, and combined with the three acres at Lynfield's campus, that's 40 acres. So, you've met the 29 acres of need. For the commercial land, we the only land we have coming on the buildable lands inventory is the 44.6 acres from Lynfield. We needed 159. So, that leaves

us with a deficit of 114. We've done the work session with you to talk about what we see as future land still within the city limits today that is still buildable for commercial land and we'll continue to watch that to see if we need to bring something to you in the future but we feel comfortable with this recommendation. Uh we think it will put some pressure on some of our properties that need to be redeveloped too of public testimony. We need to let you know we did get public testimony from Thousand Friends and Friends of Yamill County. that was in your uh packet tonight uh for you. There was uh commentary about several items that they had issues with in terms of the housing needs analysis and the econom economic opportunity analysis. Those were all items that they appealed through the state. That um appeal was um upheld in the city's favor at an LCDC meeting in October of 204. Um and we're still waiting on the decision for that. Um and then they also recommended um looking at smaller lot sizes for the city. We do have that in our code audit that's underway right now, but we do not need it for the land use efficiency measures. So that will be a future dialogue. So this ordinance adopts all of those amendments that we just talked about and just like your previous um ordinance that came from the planning commission, you our code tells us how to walk through it and how for you to make your decisions. So I'm happy to answer any questions.

Any councilors have any questions? Councelor Chennowith. So the of theund of the acreage that we're saying we're we have on commercial land. The commercial land that we're saying actually does exist includes the commercial land out by Evergreen Aviation Museum. Correct. Yes. That we have been told will not develop. Yes. So, how many acres there is considered buildable? That really isn't buildable. Well, your definition of buildable, I think, is different than the state's definition of buildable, but it won't be built out.

So, um, in terms of the property owner communication as to what they're going to do with the property that, uh, I think that was 27 or 29 acres that that piece of land and they would need to bring. So, this is the land that they put into um uh wine vines if you uh grape vines, excuse me, uh just recently over the last couple of years, and it's in the UGB. It needs to annex into the city to develop. It did come in as part of our UGB amendment in 2020 uh to meet commercial land need based on the process we had to go through for that. So, 27 acres, you said? Yeah, I would say it's a little less than 30.

Okay. So that puts us up closer to 144 acres that we don't have available for commercial at this point. Um Yes. If you're thinking of market Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Which um I I again I'm going to continue to advocate that this is a bad decision. Um and I will be no vote on this. Any other comments? Do I have a motion or any guidance?

I move to uh accept ordinance number 5170, an ordinance adopting as amendments to number November 2023 housing needs analysis, the September 2024 economic opportunities analysis and the December 2025 framework plan. I have a motion from councelor Cunningham. Do I have a second? Second. C. a second from councelor Payne up in the sky. Any further discussion? The only thing um uh that I would add is that we do have some acreage in the Mcmminville landing that will be commercial but doesn't show up as commercial. So, right,

it's it No, it's part of these numbers that that land that's in McMinnville Landing is already part of the UGB and is included as expected land that we're going to have available. Correct. It's not included in the commercial buildable lands inventory because it's zoned industrial. So, if you recall, um that was we did a plan development overlay for that per the city's code to do that. So the buildable lands inventory per state law is based on the underlying zoning relative to that land. So that washes almost with what we're doing out at still 114. We're short. Okay. Yes. May I ask a question? Yes. Council

there's land at the southeast corner of Boothbend and 99 which is currently being developed into the farm store. Is that uh part of the available land still even though it's been utilized?

Yeah. So the inventory was done back in 2019. Um and so it the land need that was identified relative to the population moving forward to 2041 is capturing acreage that was unbuilt at that time. So we h we haven't updated the buildable lands inventory. We haven't done that work to bring it up to date to 20 25. Um that we will be so the city will be embarking on a per state law we have to go through a buildable lands inventory process and a needs analysis in uh now five years to be able to do it in time and get it to the state. Um and our recommendation as staff that is that we have to do that for housing. Our recommendation staff is do the buildable lands inventory for employment land at the same time so we can understand what's happening with the commercial land. There's no reason why you can't come back and look at a UGB amendment in the future when you have this commercial land deficit showing on on the books so to speak. Our but our recommendation is for today and the and this day and time that we don't feel it's necessary to go through that process.

Thank you. uh counc in service of discussion what the the pending DLCD decision what's the effect on this and as it moves forward now

yeah so our land our legal council has been working with DLCD's do department of justice about that what we have learned is that we to move forward with this adoption since that decision was made but that still could be appealed so just like your um UGB amendment that occurred back in 2003. There were some decisions made it and then we went forward and did some other work, but it got appealed and was up in the system working through the appeal which impacted our other work. The transportation system plan is a great example. We that our current transportation system plan is based on the old proposed UGB that never that came back and was remanded to us. And so that's the risk to the city, but we're also under the state mandate to get this work done by March 1. So they they are 16 months past issuing their decision.

Any further discussion? Nope. Okay. So I have a motion on the table. So Claudia, Councelor Payne, I councelor Giri. Hi. Councelor Cunningham. Hi. Councelor Tokolski. Hi. Councelor Chennowith. Nay. Give me your first reading. Council President Peralta. Yes. Uh, ordinance number 5170 passes by a vote of 5 to1 on its first reading and will be brought back for a second reading on February 10th, city council meeting. I will need a special meeting. I think

in order to meet the timeline. Okay. How do we go about that? Interim city manager Adam Garvin.

Um perhaps we'll visit with legal counsel and I've I've been I sent uh this interim city manager an email tonight noticing how late the meeting was going. So I didn't know if you defer this. We'll visit with uh land use legal counsel about what needs to be presented to the state and and the condition that it's in. We have when you adopt a ordinance for a land use decision, there's a 21-day appealable period. And so it's not considered final through the city until that appeal appeal period is passed. Um, and so that might that might be the grace that gets us to February five to adopt this and get it in by March 1, but the state may allow us to submit it without that appeal period being finished yet. That's what we need to find out. So,

okay. So, I guess we'll wait to hear back from Yeah, we we'll wait to hear back from Missy with B site land use attorneys. Okay. Thank you. Okay. This our last? No. Oh, two more.

Okay. Consider the first reading with this possible second reading of ordinance 5171. Does any counselor need to declare an actual or potential conflict of interest or recuse themselves regarding the ordinance? Okay. We'll now consider the matter of ordinance 5171. Does any counselor object to having the ordinance read by title only? Hear no objections. Attorney David Lightenberg. Thank you, Mayor. This is the first reading of ordinance number 5171, an ordinance amending chapter 2.28 of the McMinnville Municipal Code to update the airport commission standing meeting schedule.

Okay. John, is he gonna present anything? Uh I can do a quick this just came from the um meeting we had on boards and committees and there was the recommendation moved to quarterly and this is just changing that code to meet that recommendation. It's been vetted through the airport commission and everything. So um just dotting eyes and crossing te's. Perfect. Any questions about that? I'll just say it also allows them to hold special meetings as necessary. So they're already doing that anyway. So, it's I think it's a great move. All right. Do I have a motion to I motion? Second.

Okay. I have a motion from councelor Tokulski and a second from councelor Chennowith to accept ordinance 5171. Aia. Councelor Payne. I. Councelor Giri. I. Councelor Cunningham. I. Councelor Takulski. Hi. Councelor Chinith. I. Council President Peralta. Yes. Ordinance 5171 passes on its first reading unanimously. David Lightenberg, we have a second reading.

Thank you, mayor. This is the second reading of ordinance number 5171, an ordinance amending chapter 2.28 of the Mcmminville Municipal Code to update the airport commission standing meeting schedule. So moved. I have a motion from councelor Cunningham. Do I have a second? Second. Second from councelor Takowski. Any further discussion? Claudia. Councelor Payne. Hi. Councelor Giri. Hi. Councelor Cunningham. Hi. Councelor Tolski. Hi. Councelor Chennowith. Hi. Council President Peralta. Yes. All right. Ordinance number 5171 is adopted unanimously.

Perfect. All right. Now, we're going to move on to consider the first reading with a possible second reading of ordinance 5172. Does any counselor need to declare an actual potential conflict of interest to recuse themselves regarding this ordinance? Uh, does anyone have any objection to reading the ordinance by title only? Okay. City attorney David Lightenberg. Thank you, Mayor. This is the first reading of ordinance number 5172, an ordinance amending section 2.04.010 010 of the McMinnville Municipal Code to adjust the standing dates of regular city council meetings. Thank you. I'd like to call in interim city manager Adam Garvin to present.

Thank you, Mayor. I'll refer you to your staff report this evening. This is a continuation of uh the conversation from the last council meeting and to put a resolution or to put put this in front of you guys to vote on an an ordinance. And um I did amend the the ordinance to include an active date of uh April 1st if you guys were to pass this. It is an ordinance. So, if you don't pass it unanimous tonight, it will come back for a second reading at a February 10th meeting or potentially a special meeting if we have to hold one of those for that land use decision.

Anyone have any questions for Adam? Okay. Do I have a motion to accept ordinance number 5172? So moved. I have a motion from councelor Chinwith. Do I have a second? Second. Second from councelor Takulski. Any further discussion? Yeah, Cunningham.

Yeah. Um, so it was astutely pointed out by one of the people in in public comment emails that um I may have been on another planet last week or two weeks ago and that was um in in fact the case, Planet Dayquil. Um, with that being said, I' I've I've struggled um with this uh particular ordinance. Um, I've talked to um interim city manager Garvin. I've talked to uh Claudia uh city reporter Claudia. And um I am finding the need to move the meetings um not meeting my bar um to do that. And I think that one of the things that I've really had to take into consideration is the fact that um councelor Payne informed us that if we were to move to Wednesdays that she would have to be uh strictly on Zoom. Um I don't think um Zoom in this uh realm is is is particularly good. Um, and I think that our public comes here to to look at us on the dis and to look us in the face and to talk about their concerns. And I think that um although we have um we have Madame Bayer, we do not have another woman on this DAS and I think we'd be doing a disservice to our community um to uh move it to a day that would force um councelor Payne um to to not be able to come in person.

Okay. Any further discussion? I I would counter a bit on that one. Um, counselor Payne is oftentimes on Zoom. I think she's found it pretty effective and uh just because she's unable to attend every Wednesday night on Zoom. She may be able to be in person sometimes, but I don't want to speak for her. I think she's still online. If she has any kind of opinion on that, but I do know that she's frequently not here, but she is on Zoom. So, she's found a way to be effective. Um, thank you for the comments. I don't feel like I'm as effective over Zoom. Um, and I am aware that I was not present for part of August and September. That's wildland season. I married to a firefighter. It's a hazard of his job. Um, and as a parent with a young family, I the late nights are challenged enough, but moving the meetings to Wednesdays. My husband is the training officer for local fire department and he has drill every Wednesdays. So, it is not likely that I will ever be able to attend in person. I think that on my best guess would be maybe once every 3 to four months. And thank you Scott for the kind words. I appreciate it.

Any other comments? Okay, so Claudia, we have a motion on the floor. Councelor Payne, nay. Councelor Giri, nay. Councelor Cunningham. Nay. Councelor Tolski. Hi. Councelor Chennowith. Hi. Councilor President Peralta. No. Ordinance 5172 fails by a vote of 4 to2. Okay, I think that's it. I'll now adjourn the meeting at 10:19 p.m.