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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item - 2026-02-17 - Number 05.1 - Approval of Meeting Minutes 5.1 COUNCIL REPORT V -w 0 OREGO� Subject: Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes Meeting Date: February 17, 2026 Staff Member: Laural Hawkins, City Recorder Report Date: February 6, 2026 Department: City Manager's Office Action Required Advisory Board/Commission Recommendation ❑X Motion ❑ Approval ❑ Public Hearing ❑ Denial ❑ Ordinance ❑ None Forwarded ❑ Resolution , ❑X Not Applicable ❑ Information Only Comments: ❑ Council Direction ❑X Consent Agenda Staff Recommendation: Approve minutes as written. Recommended Language for Motion: Move to approve minutes as written. Project/ Issue Relates To: NA Issue before Council (Highlight Policy Question): ❑Council Goals/Priorities ❑Adopted Master Plan(s) ❑X Not Applicable ATTACHMENTS 1. November 18, 2025 Draft Regular Meeting Minutes 2. December 2, 2025 Draft Regular Meeting Minutes 3. December 16, 2025 Draft Regular Meeting Minutes Respect. e 'erce Trust. Se'vice 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO, OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY ATTACHMENT 1 F� F� O JtL CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING n MINUTES � O November 18,2025 OREGO� 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Buck called the regular City Council meeting to order at 3:01 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.The meeting was held both virtually via video conferencing and in-person in the Council Chamber at City Hall 380 A Avenue. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Buck, Councilors Corrigan, Mboup, and Wendland Councilors Rapf and Verdick were excused. Councilor Afghan was absent. Staff Present: City Manager Martha Bennett, City Attorney Ellen Osoinach, City Recorder Laural Hawkins, Assistant City Manager Megan Phelan, Finance Director Shawn Cross, Public Works Director/City Engineer Erica Rooney, Community Development Director Jessica Numanoglu Others Present: Cascadia Partners Consultant Sara Goldstein, Consultant Arborist Christine Johnson, City Contract Arborist Morgan Holen 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT There was none. 5. COUNCIL BUSINESS 5.1 Options for Support of those Impacted by Loss of SNAP Benefits and Food Insecurity Assistant City Manager Phelan presented the Council Report, reviewing the following options for Council's consideration to assist those impacted by the loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits: the City's two utility billing assistance programs; approximately$20,000 remaining in Municipal Grants, originally reserved for distribution in the spring by the Municipal Grants Subcommittee; enhanced coordination with Meals on Wheels and/or the Adult Community Center; and utilizing the City's communication channels and social media outlets to promote a community awareness campaign about food insecurity assistance services and programs.The City could also consider a fundraising event to raise awareness and donations. Staff recommended allocating the remaining Municipal Grants funds to Hunger Fighters Oregon and begin a community campaign this City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 10 November 18, 2025 month. If Council agreed, an amended grant resolution would be presented at a future meeting. Mayor Buck noted that since Council discussed the matter at the last meeting, SNAP benefits have been fully disbursed to Oregon recipients and the community provided substantial support to the local food pantry. It remained useful for Council to be aware of options going forward, but at this time, it was prudent for the City to retain its financial resources, knowing they could be allocated in the future if needed. Pursuing some communications would still be beneficial, such as adding a more direct link on the City's website to services like the utility billing assistance programs. Staff noted utility billing staff did an excellent job communicating with residents about available options regarding utility issues and confirmed the City's website could be organized to make utility billing assistance and other services easier to find.While Lake Oswego's specific data was not available,just over 49,000 people received SNAP in Clackamas County. Mayor Buck noted most local information comes from the School District, which the food pantry used for outreach.A positive outcome of the situation was increased awareness of the program, highlighting both the diversity of community members who rely on SNAP and the resources available for those in need and those able to contribute. Council agreed to not allocate funding to Hunger Fighters Oregon at this time and receive an update in the future to further the discussion. 6. STUDY SESSION 6.1 Resolution 25-10, Master Fees and Charges Schedule for 2026 Finance Director Cross presented the Council Report via PowerPoint, reviewing current economic indicators and their implications for upcoming utility rate adjustments, such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which averaged around 3 percent over the past decade but had risen in recent years, affecting City contracts that are tied to CPI and contributing to a tighter financial landscape.The following rate adjustments across the utility funds were recommended: a 3 percent increase for Stormwater to keep pace with capital needs; a 3.2 percent increase for the Street Fund based on the Engineering News-Record (ENR) 20-City Construction Cost Index; and a projected 3.9 percent annual increase for Sewer rates over the long term, reflecting updated modeling for the wastewater treatment plant and anticipated bonding needs in 2027-2028. For the Water utility, a 2 percent increase was recommended, driven by operational costs rather than debt service, with long-term trends showing reduced total water consumption under the tiered rate structure even as the population had grown.The variability caused by wet versus dry years was also noted.The presentation concluded with an overview of the combined customer impact, estimating an average monthly increase of 3.1 percent, or approximately$6.11, along with preliminary projections for next year's rate adjustments. Questions and comments from Councilors were addressed by Staff as follows: • Stormwater capital projects primarily involved redoing big stormwater lines or installing catch basins. With the dig once policy,when a new street is installed or a street project moved up,the stormwater projects were shifted as well because storm drains and catch basins were installed at the same time. Street sweeping to clean the leaves in the fall fell under operation costs. Concerns about the reduced frequency of street sweeping would be addressed after the presentation. • The data presented was the projected capital going into the Wastewater Project/Sewer Fund from all funding sources, based on what the City had with EPCOR. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 10 November 18, 2025 • The Water Fund balance was currently around $14 million. If all Water Master Plan projects are completed and the City issues $15 million to $20 million in Full Faith and Credit Bonds to fund them, the recommended 2 percent rate increases could be maintained.The Water Fund bar graph reflected the projected fund balance assuming all planned Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) projects are executed.The City had been saving money in the Ending Fund Balance to cover water projects that have been delayed. Under this model,the City would issue approximately$14 million in bonds for future projects,which remained consistent with the planned 2 percent annual rate increases over the next 5 to 10 years.The money was spread over 20 years, and the model used a 4.5 percent interest rate for the bonds. • Debt was issued on a near-annual basis to fund ongoing projects. Debt was floated for projects and repaid through rates.The debt structure did not significantly increase, so it did not materially affect rates.The 2013 debt issuance would be fully repaid in 2033.The 2007 Water Fund debt was refinanced and would be fully paid off within the next year.The City would continue borrowing but had sufficient revenue through rates to repay debt continuously, which allowed projects to be funded without requiring a large one-time rate increase of 25-45 percent.The strategy balanced maintaining reasonably flat rates with avoiding an excessively large reserve. • Generally, capital projects were keeping pace with OP needs.The Water Master Plan and related CIP planning ensured projects were aligned with identified needs. • LOIS would be repaid in 2036. Mayor Buck noted recent discussions about street maintenance and the pavement condition index (PCI),that project costs had risen significantly, and that even with existing funding levels, including a substantial General Fund allocation, pavement condition was still trending downward.The Mayor suggested Staff prepare an analysis of potential options for generating additional revenue to support pavement preservation and avoid future costs associated with major deterioration. Staff confirmed that one option would be to evaluate revenue tools beyond the General Fund, including consideration of franchising City-owned utilities, although this would effectively function as a rate increase. Revenue options could be brought to Council the following spring or summer for consideration in the next budget cycle,given that changes to the master fees and charges schedule occur annually. Council commented on escalating paving costs and ways to increase paving revenue without sacrificing other important components of the Street Fund, such as the potential impact of small monthly increases to the street maintenance fee for improving the pavement condition index(PCI).While a long-term goal of 80 PCI was desired, it would require substantial additional investment. Increasing the Street Fund slightly to get ahead of the curve was suggested to avoid sharp fee increases or significant deterioration resulting in big Street Fund deficits. Staff clarified that paving costs generally followed the Construction Cost Index, which the City used for Public Works' departments. A prior 50 percent increase to the street maintenance fee had been targeted toward pedestrian improvements, reducing the portion available for pavement work. Options existed within the Street Fund for re-balancing priorities. However, an organized pavement management effort was underway and recent paving bids had come in more favorably than estimated. The PCI had dipped in recent years as bond-funded pavement work was completed and subsequent activity slowed, but the index was anticipated to begin to rise again. City Manager Bennett recommended placing the topic on the 2026 Council work plan due to uncertainty related to the forthcoming State transportation funding package,which could materially affect the Street Fund.Any fee changes could be considered during the annual update to the master City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 10 November 18, 2025 fees and charges schedule,which would apply to rates taking effect in 2027, while the subject rate adjustments would take effect July 1, 2026. Public Works Director/City Engineer Rooney confirmed street sweeping operations had not changed, but heavy leaf fall made recent work difficult to see only days afterward. Some locations, such as Boca Ratan, required repeated attention because leaves accumulating over catch basin grates created flooding risks during rain events. Arterials were being prioritized, meaning not all smaller areas had been swept. Certain Parks facilities were also being swept. Sweepers operated at only 1 to 3 mph, and one unit was typically down for repairs due to the complexity of the equipment. Residents placing piles of leaves in the street further slowed progress. Weekend shifts, including potential Sunday coverage,were being used to expand service. Public Works Director/City Engineer Rooney could be contacted about specific locations needing attention. Councilor Wendland reflected on whether the City had an adequate number of street sweepers, noting that because one sweeper was frequently out of service, it raised the question of whether adding a fourth unit to the capital budget was necessary. Public expectations for sweeping had grown with the expansion of pedestrian pathways, which highlighted the importance of preventing slipping hazards for people who continue to walk and bike through the winter months.The heaviest leaf-drop occurs within an eight-to 12-week period, and the City's extensive tree canopy contributed to the seasonal demand. Staff would present the resolution on the Master Fees and Charges Schedule to Council on December 2, 2025, and Council would discuss street funding sometime next year. 6.2 Tree Regulation Amendments Project(PP 24-0006) Sara Goldstein, Consultant, and Christine Johnson,Consultant Arborist,Cascadia Partners;Community Development Director Numanoglu; and City Contract Arborist Holen presented four alternative Tree Code amendment concepts via PowerPoint, contrasting them with existing Code and noting the majority of the Tree Code would remain unchanged apart from targeted updates to the Urban Community Forestry Plan and revisions required under State law.The City's Tree Code had been functioning effectively and continued to support a canopy coverage of approximately 50 percent. An overview was provided of the project objectives, schedule, and key regulatory issues, along with policy considerations related to needed housing and other development impacts.The State requirement for clear and objective standards for needed housing was reviewed, and the City must offer a clear and objective path for a subset of Type II development-related tree-removal applications,while still permitting discretionary review as an option. • The first draft Code concept addressed creating clear and objective retention standards for residential development with three alternative concepts based on: 1) retaining a percentage of total trees on a lot or a percentage of the total diameter at breast height (DBH), 2) exemptions for trees within the building envelope on lots 5,000 square feet or less or lots no larger than 15 percent of the minimum lot size required in the zone, and 3) removing the significant tree alternatives analysis and directing applicants to the percentage-based standard, while incentivizing retention of native trees. The Tree Task Force supported allowing both options for retaining trees,tree exemptions for small lots only, and bonus credits for retaining native trees. The project team addressed questions and comments consultants the project team with additional Councilor comments as noted: • Clear and objective standards were defined as anything measurable, such as number, percentage, distance, height, or canopy spread. Some qualitative standards, such as aesthetics or neighborhood City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 10 November 18, 2025 character, could be translated into quantitative measures, for example by using canopy spread to represent tree health or visual impact. • Councilor Mboup expressed concern that relying solely on measurable standards overlooked the broader value trees represent to residents. • The term "reasonable" concerning fees or time was not clear and objective, and the intent of the language was undefined.The City would have to make a proposal "within reason". For example,to say a tree over 6 inches in diameter could not be removed is clear and objective but also unreasonable in terms of cost and delay because then almost every application would fall into the discretionary process. "Reasonable" was a likely way to give cities more discretion than the rule otherwise indicated. • The 33 percent retention rate was just a placeholder. Peer cities examined included Portland and Bend in Oregon; Washington, DC; and Bellevue,Washington. Portland had a flexible retention rate based on density. In Lake Oswego, someone could apply for tree removal, meet the minimum requirement, and then come back later to remove more trees with a landscaping ask. However, if applicants just met the minimum percentage requirements and used the clear and objective process, when they came back for landscaping, it would be through the discretionary process as currently proposed. Staff planned to improve current discretionary process standards to make them easier to administer. • Councilor Wendland challenged the rationale for the 5,000 square foot, small-lot exemption, noting it applies to only a third of lots and risks creating unequal treatment; standards should cover most properties unless there was a clear justification.The 15-inch diameter threshold was also questioned,given typical tree sizes, and using the data was suggested to educate policymakers on average conditions and permit trends. • Staff explained the thresholds come from existing Type I/II distinctions and that the small-lot exemption prevents forcing retention of trees directly in a required building envelope. Larger lots generally have more flexibility,though case studies could help calibrate retention percentages.The exemption for small lots was also an incentive. • Mayor Buck emphasized that the exemption exists to ensure small-lot applicants can realistically use the clear and objective path; otherwise, many would be pushed into discretionary review, which State law disfavors for housing. • Councilors Wendland and Mboup expressed that limiting the clear and objective option to certain lot sizes could create fairness and perception issues. Staff noted that if the City adopted a single path for all Type II trees, it would have to be clear and objective and could permit more removals. Data from 2020 to 2024 showed only 16%of removals were development-related, addressing concerns about developer leniency. • The requirement that tree codes must be subject to clear and objective standards just passed with House Bill 2138, but Staff did not know if the concept had been tested yet. Other cities the team examined did not have the same law as Oregon. Lake Oswego was compared to Washington, DC, due to having large, mature trees like the City was trying to retain, similar density and size, and similar tree canopy coverage. Different cities were also examined for tree code challenges similar to Lake Oswego's and how recently they had redone their tree codes.The State would need to approve the changes, and a defensible system would need developed because changes will be made to the Community Development Code and Tree Code.The City would notify the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), which will review the changes.There would be a Comprehensive Plan amendment review by the State. Portland and Milwaukie were the cities closest to using the concept of percentages of preservation to see the impact on the canopy, but neither had the Lake Oswego's level of tree canopy,which was one of the highest in the region. Currently the City had no minimum retention requirements. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 10 November 18, 2025 • Under the clear-and-objective path, an applicant who could not meet the minimum tree-or DBH- retention percentage would have to pay a per-inch mitigation fee for the deficit unless they chose the discretionary process. Mitigation fees could be calibrated high enough to act as a deterrent, or the City could prohibit a fee-in-lieu altogether and require use of the discretionary track. Portland was one jurisdiction with a high per-inch fee and no discretionary alternative. • Mayor Buck suggested a middle-ground approach: allow a fee to remove trees located within the building envelope but prohibit a fee-in-lieu for trees outside the envelope. • Staff noted this largely resembled the current Type II review framework, where discretionary review would still apply if removal exceeded the clear-and-objective allowances. • Staff confirmed two options would be available for tree removal on lots larger than 5,000 square feet when a house footprint conflicted with an existing tree. Under the clear-and-objective path, an applicant could remove a tree within the building envelope if the remaining trees on the lot still met the minimum retention requirements. If the lot had only that single tree and minimum retention could not be met,the applicant could either pay a fee-in-lieu for the missing inches or proceed through the discretionary review process. A path would always exist to request tree removal. • Councilor Wendland noted that the Tree Task Force had generally approached the issue from a Forestry Plan perspective,while Council was also balancing housing production standards and the statewide housing shortage. Policy should be crafted that recognized both tree preservation and residents' interests, providing incentives for those who valued and wanted to support trees without creating unnecessary complexity for isolated cases. Mayor Buck noted Council's consensus regarding the clear and objective policies for the first alternative concept,with support for allowing both track options, exemptions only on small lots, and the retention credits The project team presented the next draft Code concept which regarded creating tree preservation incentives with the alternate concept that if 50 percent or more tree retention is met, applicants could still apply for a variance for a 50% building setback reduction or choose to be exempt from public notice and appeals and/or be eligible for small adjustments in dimensional standards, such as setbacks or building height, without going through the variance process While a majority of the Tree Task Force voted for small dimensional adjustments, it was unclear if the exemption from public notice and appeals should be an additional incentive. Questions and comments were addressed by the project team with additional Councilor comments as noted: • Mayor Buck questioned the need for the proposed change since the current Code worked well, adding the dimensional standards adjustments would seem to present administrative challenges and could allow excessive adjustments. • Councilor Wendland believed the change would introduce ambiguity due to the subjectiveness involved.The concept basically allowed changing some zoning Code standards around a tree. • The concept came from feedback by a stakeholder focus group of developers that small dimensional adjustments would be a significant incentive to preserve trees. Currently, many developers were developing multiple lots, and it was easier to plant mitigation trees elsewhere,which was why the public commented on many lots being clear cut, because the developers were not replanting the mitigation trees on the same lot. Developers needed further incentives to plant the trees on the lot. Dimensional adjustments could make it possible to get the initial square footage more flexible to move the building envelope into the setback or build it higher to build around a tree. • Councilor Mboup questioned which types of trees would be retained, noting the risk in retaining ash City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 10 November 18, 2025 trees with the threat of the emerald ash borer. Residents would not accept the incentives around adjusting the standards. • Dimensional adjustments were not Staff's favorite focus group recommendation.The numbers and percentages, etc. would need to be figured out, and the burden shifts the impacts on the neighbors. Small reductions might not be able to be developed to really move the needle on saving trees. Some builders on the Tree Task Force had said they would like more lot coverage, but that would potentially have more impact on trees.IExempting the public notice and appeals process was included as an incentive because it increased certainty and reduced time for the builder and developer if the applicant saved more than a certain percentage of trees. • Councilor Wendland supported the public notice and appeals exemption but not eligibility for small adjustments. Whatever percentage Staff decided, the applicant knew they could go through the permitting process and be done, which was enough incentive. Wendland supported expediting things if they followed the rules. • Councilor Corrigan suggested allowing tree retention to receive on-site stormwater management credits based on the size and type of trees. For years, big Douglas firs were removed, and big holes were dug to address stormwater. • Staff confirmed the suggestion was included in the Council Report as an incentive and that stormwater credits were being vetted with the Engineering Department. Feedback will also be sought on Milwaukie's implementation of the concept. Mayor Buck confirmed Council was more in favor of the City's current standards regardless of the tree retention rate and supported the stormwater management credits idea. The project team presented the third draft Code concept regarding evaluating the appeals process to reduce delays and conflicts between groups which involved reducing the notice and appeals process for all applicants to two weeks total,with appeals going to the Development Review Commission (DRC) or a hearings officer and no longer appealable to Council.All Tree Task Force members favored a more streamlined process and appeals going to a hearings officer instead of the DRC,while 60 percent of the members agreed the appeal decision should be final and not further appealable to Council. Questions and comments were addressed with additional Councilor comments as noted: • The proposed process would result in a tighter turnaround time. Currently, a lot of time was spent with applicants to fully complete applications and the three-week notice and appeal period did not include that Staff time. Clear and objective standards would likely help with the turnaround time, as applicants typically did not address the existing standards well.The City would likely need to implement the new process to observe how it worked. • Councilor Mboup supported the concept, except appeals should still go to Council because that was part of Council's purpose.A hearings officer,who was not elected, should not make the decision. • Councilor Corrigan supported reducing the notice and appeal time, adding the appeal should go to DRC, as it was a large group of people with more varied points of view. People appealing could be concerned about bias or a particular point of view a hearings officer might have.The City could lose credibility with just one person reviewing the appeal. • Mayor Buck expressed concern about putting so much on the DRC, which could make it difficult to attract people to serve on the commission.A hearings officer is widely and successfully used throughout the country. Staff's time and energy could be better spent. Mayor Buck supported the proposed path, including no appeal to Council. Having a hearings officer was not a political decision but was supposed to be a clear and objective one. • Councilor Wendland fully agreed with the Tree Task Force,which was comprised of good City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 7 of 10 November 18, 2025 professionals who had handled the appeal process. No other appeal process existed for other decisions City Hall makes.Appeals could be repeated for political reasons. Council was aiming for an efficient system and to reduce the cost of housing. Some appeal processes had stalled a project for six months, and for a $1 million lot with the interest rates,that is a $30,000 to$40,000 decision stalling development from moving forward. • Councilor Mboup stated citizens have the right to appeal decisions made by other bodies. Council should oversee the hearings officer and appeals to Council should be retained. Mayor Buck noted the good points made by Councilors and indicated the item would be set aside for now and brought back for further discussion when more Councilors were present. The project team presented the draft Code concept regarding consistency between development and non-development Type II tree permitting, which proposed adding a third exemption to allow applicants to remove moderate-risk trees even if the removal would have a significant negative impact on the character or aesthetics of the neighborhood if a qualified arborist classifies the tree as moderate-risk as a baseline and then either determines there is no way to currently reduce the risk rating to low or determines a demonstrable history of similar tree failure in the immediate area. Seventy percent of the Tree Task Force supported the alternative concept but raised two concerns: allowing moderate-risk tree removal with no other documented concerns would increase the overall removal of trees in the city, and homeowners should be able to remove trees that do not fall into the moderate-risk category but perhaps have roots that affect walkways or interfere with decks and patios. The project team addressed questions and comments as follows with additional Councilor comments as noted: • Mayor Buck supported the concept but disagreed with expanding the exemptions to allow removal due to moderate damage to decks and sidewalks because the City was erring on the side of preservation. • The City could require arborists to have the new Pacific Northwest(PNW) Wildfire Risk Reduction qualification, if firewise mitigation was the reason for removal. However, because Lake Oswego was not in a high-risk area for wildfire,the argument would likely lack merit. • The City was not unreasonable about tree removal if there was a significant fire risk, but many people want to create defensible space. Avenues existed to remove trees deemed fire hazards. Additionally,the City was focusing on updating tree lists, landscaping lists, and native plants lists with fire-resistant landscaping people could include, emphasizing trimming trees back, but not necessarily removing all the trees. • Councilor Corrigan supported finding a way to remove medium at risk trees. • Councilor Wendland agreed and suggested an insurance industry consultant present to Council, noting concerns about citizens' difficulties obtaining fire insurance even when in a green zone and the County's and Fire Department's work regarding defensible space. Wendland agreed with the Tree Task Force recommendations. • Staff confirmed an insurance industry consultant would be invited to provide insight on current trends and practices. • Councilor Mboup also agreed with the Task Force, adding allowing people to remove moderate at- risk trees was necessary. The project team continued, presenting a second consideration regarding consistency between development and non-development tree permitting with a recommendation to maintain the current two-track process with a clear and objective track for Type II applications for housing development City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 8 of 10 November 18, 2025 specifically and a discretionary track for all other Type II applications. Council's input was sought on whether the clear and objective standards should apply only to housing to comply with State law or be expanded to apply to all Type II permits. No Tree Task Force member took issue with the consultant's recommendation, but the Task Force was not expressly asked for its recommendation. • Councilor Corrigan agreed with the two-track process. Housing was a significant issue and Council needed to get things right in order to meet City standards. Lake Oswego had a beautiful tree canopy and wonderful neighborhoods, so both tracks were needed. • Councilor Wendland supported having one clear and objective standard for all applications. • Councilor Corrigan noted how complicated the process becomes once secondary landscaping permits are submitted, noting a permit was issued to install a concrete pad that killed a 150-foot Douglas fir, which was why the City needed two tracks. Mayor Buck noted the discretionary track was important so Staff could look at alternatives. City's current Code is working and having two tracks [the recommendation] would go well beyond the City's goal to comply with State law, while having one track would likely have unintended consequences and worked against preservation of the tree canopy. Mayor Buck confirmed Council's consent to the two-track process. The project team concluded the presentation, noting next steps included giving the same presentation and Council's feedback to the Planning Commission on December 8th and then drafting the Code amendments, which would be reviewed by the Tree Task Force and return again to Council for a work session.The definition of"significant tree" along with the other existing criteria would be refined to make be more objective, especially with the two-track process. • The project team confirmed they would look at mitigation, which had been tracked more efficiently in recent years. Every April,the data is reported in the Urban and Community Forestry newsletter. On average,the City approved removal of approximately 2,900 trees and 698 trees were required to be replanted for Type II or verification permits last year. Most of the removed trees were dead, hazardous, or invasive.The Parks Department planted more than 20,000 trees this year. • As part of the update to the regulations, the team was evaluating requiring mitigation for more tree removal types and would make a recommendation. Councilor Wendland commended the Tree Task Force, urged making sure the changes to the Tree Code are understandable to the average citizen, and reported hearing that residents feared the City would not allow any tree removal. 7. INFORMATION FROM COUNCIL There was none. 8. REPORTS OF OFFICERS City Manager Bennett reported that the first signs lowering the speed limit from 25 to 20 miles per hour would be installed this week in a small section of the Mountain Park neighborhood as a pilot, allowing for education, outreach, and follow-up conversations with law enforcement. A map of the area would be included in Council's Friday email update. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 9 of 10 November 18, 2025 9. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Buck adjourned the City Council meeting at 5:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Laural Hawkins, City Recorder Approved by the City Council on February 17, 2026. Joseph M. Buck, Mayor City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 10 of 10 November 18, 2025 ATTACHMENT 2 F� F� JtL CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING n MINUTES V O December 2,2025 DREGO� 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Buck called the regular City Council meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2, 2025.The meeting was held both virtually via video conferencing and in-person in the Council Chamber at City Hall 380 A Avenue. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Buck, Councilors Afghan, Corrigan, Mboup, Rapf, Verdick, Wendland Staff Present: Acting City Manager Megan Phelan, City Attorney Ellen Osoinach, City Recorder Laural Hawkins, Deputy City Manager Madison Thesing, Equity Program Manager Guilian del Rio, Sustainability Program Manager Amanda Watson, Interim Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Munro Others Present: Matt Evans, Chamber of Commerce;Jason Morado, ETC Institute; Peren Tiemann, DEI Advisory Board Chair; Vedant Ramakrishnan, DEI Advisory Board Youth Member 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT • Lajos Belogh, resident, suggested including a piano in City Hall and having a music student play before meetings. Belogh also suggested summer concerts in Westridge Park and Rassekh Park and offered to help with the events. • Mark Puhlman, resident, Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) and Lake Oswego Sustainability Network(LOSN) board member,thanked Council for awarding LOSN the grant and the two-year goal for transitioning from gas-powered landscaping equipment. The adverse effects of gas-powered two-cycle engines were noted, as well as similar successful sustainability initiatives like Council limiting pickleball due to sound pollution and the government limiting smoking in public places due to the carcinogenic smoke impacts. • Betsy Wasko, resident,Secretary, Old Town Neighborhood Association and Sustainable Landscaping Subcommittee volunteer,thanked Council for its forward thinking in setting the goal to phase out gas-powered landscaping equipment.The argument that the phase-out financially harms landscaping businesses was addressed.The upfront cost of City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 11 December 2, 2025 replacing a gas-powered blower with a commercial electric blower at$750 to$2,000 was contrasted with the true costs of the impacts associated with gas-powered landscaping equipment, such as $5,000 for hearing aids. Upfront costs could be mitigated through incentives like providing grants or no-or low-interest loans from manufacturers.The costs of inaction were outlined, including chronic illness, climate change, and pollinator loss. Council was urged to act now to phase out gas-powered landscaping equipment. • Jeff Wiens, resident, thanked Councilors for their time and dedication to the citizens in the community and noted the best piece of advice they had received was "Do what you know is right in your heart." A couple years ago, Council was asked to make a change regarding pickleball that some Councilors may not have agreed with, but Council made the right decision.A person should be able to have sanctuary in their own home. Council was commended for its efforts toward eliminating gas-powered landscaping equipment and urged to adopt regulations banning its use in Lake Oswego. Unseen toxic gases threaten the short-and long-term health of landscaping workers and community members. 5. CONSENT AGENDA 5.1 Approval of Meeting Minutes • October 7,2025 Draft Regular Meeting Minutes Councilor Wendland moved to adopt the Consent Agenda. Councilor Mboup seconded the motion.A voice vote was held, and the motion passed,with Mayor Buck and Councilors Afghan, Corrigan, Mboup, Rapf,Verdick,and Wendland voting`aye', (7-0). 6. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA No items were removed from the Consent Agenda. 7. COUNCIL BUSINESS 7.1 Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce Annual Report Matt Evans, Chamber of Commerce, presented the Annual Report via PowerPoint, highlighting strong business formation, with 270 new businesses licensed in the first 10 months of 2025, regular new- business meet-and-greets, healthy vacancy rates, and successful community events, including two Wine Walks and the formation of the West End Business Group. Lake Oswego was characterized as a diverse, small-business-focused community.Two emerging concerns were identified for monitoring: office space that is leased but unoccupied, referred to as "shadow space",for which reliable square-footage data is limited, and a potential future labor shortage driven by retirements and flat to declining regional population trends.The City/Chamber partnership had produced positive economic and quality-of-life outcomes, and the Chamber hoped to continue the partnership beyond the current agreement. Evans recommended Shop Local and destination marketing efforts and highlighted three opportunities for City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 11 December 2, 2025 modest City investments: purchasing a subsidized, full-page Travel Oregon advertisement, coordinating a digital marketing strategy, and consistent advertising in local print media with potential short television spots as budgets allow. Mayor Buck stated a top response of the recent community survey was wanting the City to focus on economic development, even with the positive information reported about the local business community; perhaps citizens were not getting that information or seeing the efforts being made. Evans explained public attitudes could come from negative media coverage.Vibrant economic development would include specifically the Shop Local piece. Residents would like to see their friends and neighbors working in Lake Oswego.The loss of office jobs resulted in people not getting coffee,going to lunch or dinner, or the theater, which impacted economic development as a whole. In 2026,the Chamber would address how to encourage those working but not living in the city to enjoy the city's amenities after work or on the weekends. Mayor Buck noted Council had restructured the Business License fee to have funds to invest directly back into the business community via efforts as Evans had outlined. One Council goal was to start a marketing campaign to attract more people within and outside of Lake Oswego to come both for local businesses, recreation and other city amenities. Mayor Buck confirmed Council supported funding the Travel Oregon Ad and authorizing the City Manager to proceed, noting the Chamber's requests are well timed with Council goal setting in January and that the City should utilize the Chamber more directly.The pilot program for targeted media ads was a good idea as years ago the City's larger economic development department spent a lot of money with little ROI. Now,there were better ways to collect and measure data to make ads more targeted. Evans explained the barriers to participation in the Leadership Lake Oswego and Business Leadership Development programs might be the cost as some may not be in the position to afford a $2,900 course. For others, it may be difficult to take or get permission to take a half-day off once a month to participate in the programs. Expanding the programs' marketing to ensure everyone who might be interested knew about the opportunity would also help overcome barriers. Councilor Mboup noted the importance of the Chamber's work to help Lake Oswego market itself to attract more people to the city and feel safe, because it is a safe place. Lake Oswego could be a third space for many people afraid to go somewhere else. Evans explained that if untrue, negative perceptions were left unchallenged, the City's goals would not advance.The city's past reputation was not based on facts, and the wonderful and connected business relationships in the community were eye-opening. Councilor Afghan stated only good things were said now about Lake Oswego and credited previous Councilors with fostering a vibrant downtown and beautiful Lake Grove District. People come to Lake Oswego for events, not to spend time shopping or walking in the parks. Perhaps the city should have more events to attract more visitors or nurture the city into being a journey city where people come for more than one-time events. Perhaps downtown could stay open passed 9:30 pm. Evans noted one frustration was the inability to get businesses to answer questions about what people do around events; for example, when people come to the Arts Festival, do they eat at a restaurant or shop while in Lake Oswego?Some people might not patronize businesses beyond the event and that tied back to marketing. For instance,the City could market competitions at Lake Oswego Recreation &Aquatics Center(LORAC) and also market local businesses and events to outsiders attending those competitions. Some businesses along A Avenue had developed regular customers thanks to Third Thursday.The City needed to develop a way to let people know more of what is available in Lake Oswego when they visit. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 11 December 2, 2025 Mayor Buck noted youth sports tourism had been a big source of hotel room revenue in the Meadows/Kruse Corridor. LORAC and the skate park also provide opportunities to attract more visitors. Councilor Wendland acknowledged the Chamber's increased efforts and noted supporting the Chamber was part of the infrastructure responsibility Council had for the city.The Chamber carefully accounted for all grants and support received and spent funding wisely. Supporting the Travel Oregon ad was something the City should have been doing anyway, and collaborating with the Chamber on communications and messaging was exciting. When running for Council years ago, one of Wendland's messages was about building the Lake Oswego brand, which needs to be an ongoing effort.The city has events that draw tens of thousands of people, and the ambassador component of many events show that the city is a great place to experience, and it was important for visitors to stay longer and spend money in Lake Oswego.The Chamber Board was all-in, enthusiastically donating their time with many also donating to sponsorships, etc. Councilor Wendland supported continuing the partnership, thanked Evans for all the efforts, and appreciated the data provided to make fact-based decisions. Evans noted the Chamber's appreciation for Councilor Wendland's and Acting City Manager Phelan's participation on the Chamber Board of Directors,which provided important perspectives, adding all City participation and support was appreciated. Mayor Buck stated the City looked forward to working with the Chamber in the coming year. 8. STUDY SESSIONS 8.1 Community Survey Results Deputy City Manager Thesing reported that a statistically valid community survey was conducted this fall as part of the City's ongoing contract with ETC Institute,which administers the survey every other year.The survey was used to measure resident satisfaction with City programs and services and to gauge levels of support for policy initiatives.This was the third benchmarking cycle completed with ETC Institute, following prior surveys in 2021 and 2023.The residents who participated in the survey were thanked. Jason Morado, Director of Community Research, ETC Institute, presented the 2025 community survey results via PowerPoint, reviewing the purpose and methodology, lessons learned, and major findings. The survey used a statistically valid random sample of 400 residents and reflected city demographics. An additional 157 surveys beyond the random sample were completed, but the results presented focused only on the random sample. Results showed residents hold a very positive view of Lake Oswego,with 95 percent rating the city as an excellent or good place to live and raise children,well above the regional average, and 40 percentage points above the national average. Satisfaction with City services and customer service was significantly higher than national benchmarks, and most areas measured saw increases since 2023. Residents'top priorities included economic development, public safety, development services, neighborhood streets, housing planning, sustainability, equity, and mobility. Geographic analysis showed high satisfaction across the city.The only area with more negative than positive responses was the city as a place to find a job.The most significant areas showing decreased satisfaction were the quality of both economic development and the Lake Oswego Public Library facility. Overall,the City was moving in the right direction with increased satisfaction ratings. Councilor Afghan commended Parks and Recreation and the Library team and noted the 2025 Council City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 11 December 2, 2025 goals lined up well with the respondents' top priorities, which was good news. Morado confirmed the Library's satisfaction ratings were extremely high overall and while the decrease related specifically to the facility itself, and not the services provided,the ratings were still very positive for a public library. Mayor Buck noted Council used the survey results to set goals, and the results also align with feedback from the City's boards and commissions, as well as community members. It was great to see the City team's efforts on the goals resonated with the community.The highest increases in satisfaction were also due in part to community groups that have stepped up alongside the City's team,working in partnership to foster the results. Councilor Mboup expressed a desire to focus on improving the satisfaction of the 3 percent of residents who were not satisfied, noting a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, adding Council should not rest on its laurels but aim to be outstanding. Hopefully,those who rated the Library facility low would support a bond to build a new library, as the survey showed the facility needed replaced. Councilor Corrigan noted being impressed that the survey results were even better than the last survey where the City did well and commended the City's amazing team. For residents prioritizing wildfire prevention and education programs, Councilor Corrigan reported a new brush rig for wildfires would be coming to the new South Shore Fire Station, which would be on the ballot. Although the Housing Production Strategy had been challenging to implement, real momentum was building to address residents' concerns about the difficulties of having one's support system move to Lake Oswego,whether moving or relocating to another home in the city, or finding a larger home that meet their needs. Mayor Buck noted a key high priority item was to focus on the quality of development services and asked what that meant. Deputy City Manager Thesing noted the question was phrased broadly, which could result in respondents responding about the quality of development that was occurring in the city; however,the question regarded the quality of services, such as front-counter services. More qualitative research, such as having more focus groups,would be required to understand if barriers exist in getting permits or challenges in development services, and to understand how people define development services. Residents' perceptions of what development looked like often involved subjective feelings and opinions.Additionally,the responses could involve feelings about State-mandated actions as they take effect within the community. Mayor Buck added it might be worth diving in since this was the first time that category had risen to the top. Morado explained the responses from people outside of the random sample were still being processed, although their priorities were similar to the statistically valid survey's results.The satisfaction ratings were probably a bit lower,which was typical. Satisfaction results for Lake Oswego were still very high no matter how the results were broken down, even when compared to cities similar in size to Lake Oswego. Councilor Wendland requested an analysis comparing Lake Oswego to Bellevue, Washington, or a suburb similar to Lake Oswego and particularly to correlate how other cities spent money on the same priorities as Lake Oswego to see whether the priorities aligned. Deputy City Manager Thesing noted the 2023 survey included comparing demographically similar cities, not based on size.The project team could review comp-like cities to see how their rankings compared this year and last year and if the priorities changed. Councilor Wendland explained knowing how cities with similar size and demographics compared was help reveal where Lake Oswego would continue to be attractive. People have high expectations when moving to Lake Oswego.Taxpayers invest a lot in City services, so perhaps the City should be doing better because it has more resources than other cities.The complexity of City City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 11 December 2, 2025 operations and the high expectations were reflected in the survey results.The development part was related somewhat to the experience at the counter.The Code should be simplified so people could have a good experience when doing a project to get a permit easily and be educated about what is required. Councilor Verdick commended Staff on all their hard work to serve the residents, as reflected in the survey results.The City should not rest on its laurels but examine how to keep improving and increase satisfaction. Councilor Verdick noted City fire stations offer wildfire readiness assessments for property owners and thanked the many community groups that helped make a difference in the community. Council unanimously consented to research the development services question. Staff confirmed the survey results would be shared with the City's boards and commissions next week as part of the Summit package. The City Council recessed from 7:03 to 7:15 p.m. 8.2 Diversity, Equity,and Inclusion Advisory Board Recommendations and Updates Equity Program Manager del Rio; Peren Tiemann, Chair, DEI Advisory Board; and Vedant Ramakrishnan,Youth Member, DEI Advisory Board, presented the Council Report via PowerPoint, sharing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)Advisory Board's forward-looking recommendations developed in response to Council's direction in June. Goals, objectives, and suggested action items were reviewed for the focus areas of building a representative community, building a diverse workforce, youth engagement, DEI data and accountability, institutional capacity and policy alignment, and equitable resources and infrastructures. Based on the scope and complexity of the recommended work, the DEI Advisory Board recommended engaging an external consultant to develop a comprehensive equity plan. Ramakrishnan's experience was shared about why DEI work matters from a youth perspective, noting young people experience barriers differently. Peren Tiemann confirmed that, like Ramakrishnan,they first became involved with the City through the Youth Leadership Council during their senior year of high school and that experience led to pursuing a political science degree and returning to Lake Oswego after graduation. Mayor Buck noted the youth engagement seen in the last year delivered exactly what the City had hoped for, youth becoming invested in the community and wanting to return after college. Key Council comments were as follows: • Support was expressed for moving forward on all DEI Advisory Board recommendations, which would make a difference. • Equity directly ties into diversity, which directly ties into inclusion. Some families cannot afford to live in Lake Oswego and people work in the city but do not live in it. Some families needed every member to work to afford food. In light of these realities, achieving diversity and equity should be considered.The City should also figure out how to truly reach equity and diversity. • Talking to residents about the perception of DEI was important as the term often provokes divisive or negative feelings. Every society should embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion. Many types of diversity existed, and each could occur in Lake Oswego. • Creating equity could be expensive, but doing so makes for a good society. Inclusive societies needed to be built. DEI actions were a necessity for the city to move forward and for society to be City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 11 December 2, 2025 more humane and progressive. • Having the recommendations was helpful moving into Council's 2026 goal setting. • Communications with the community were very important with a lot of room for improvement, including with regard to recent social services funding cuts.The City could do a better job integrating services to ensure equity. • A side benefit of youth engagement was engaging the families of youth. Everyone within the community and on the City team should have access to good benefits, such as mentorship, as it keeps people engaged with the importance of DEI work. • Understanding what the City could be doing to better communicate, provide training, etc. would be helpful. When Council had difficult questions around access to housing and services in town, members from community groups like Respond to Racism, LOSN, LO for LOve, and the Watershed Council had testified in favor of initiatives so Council could have political support to pass related items. Work Council can do to help build more community capacity, such as around housing or transportation,was important. Council had done well supporting the community groups through grants and other efforts. Having access to information, knowing about what was happening, and how to engage was also important. • Many of the DEI Task Force's objectives had been accomplished, and the City's information and efforts could be refreshed so residents understand the value received for the investments being made and how they would benefit and strengthen the community. Looking where to go next in the coming years and having the data was important. 8.3 Gas-Powered Landscaping Equipment Council Goal Update Sustainability Program Manager Watson and Interim Parks and Recreation Director Munro presented the Council Report via PowerPoint, reviewing the goals in the 2020 Sustainability and Climate Action Plan relevant to landscaping equipment and outlining the environmental and health impacts of gas- powered landscaping equipment(GPLE), its alternatives, and policies adopted by other cities, including restrictions,financial incentives, and enforcement approaches.The presentation noted Lake Oswego's 2022 tool exchange in partnership with PGE and highlighted Portland's leaf blower ordinance,which would impact local landscapers and be supported by the Portland Clean Energy Fund.The City's own use of gas-powered equipment in Public Works, Fire, and Parks and Recreation was outlined, highlighting operational constraints of electric alternatives. A comparison of leaf blower specifications was reviewed. Stakeholder outreach, including a community survey and landscaping company engagement, found most residents who manage their own yards use electric equipment, while those hiring contractors encounter predominantly gas-powered use. Survey results indicated 55 percent of residents supported phasing out gas-powered equipment, with a slight preference for education and financial incentives over regulatory limits.The City's survey consultant recommended that the City continue to gauge support for GPLE and provide information to residents. Recommended next steps included continuing outreach, providing educational resources, and leading by example through City operations. Staff addressed clarifying questions about landscaping equipment and other items being categorized as small off-road engines; survey respondents and landscape companies self-identifying as currently using either gas or electric equipment; and the constraint of not being unable to charge on the go, requiring extra batteries and added upfront costs. Mayor Buck thanked LOSN for the gas-free landscaping signs, a great education effort, and working with the City through the grant Council provided on continuing educational outreach. Many Portland and regional landscaping companies operate in Lake Oswego, and the City cannot directly access Portland's City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 7 of 11 December 2, 2025 Clean Energy Fund. Bans on gas-powered landscaping equipment elsewhere had caused neighborhood tensions, including fears of immigration reporting. Mayor Buck acknowledged the harm of the equipment and upfront costs for landscapers, but supported the approach outlined because the City could offer incentives. Partnering with Portland and leveraging connections with landscapers was suggested. Mayor Buck offered to help on the political front to establish a partnership. Staff confirmed the City could partner with Portland and/or the Pollution Prevention Resource Center to share information, raise awareness among landscapers, and identify gaps in support. While Portland Clean Energy Fund could not directly fund Lake Oswego, collaboration could inform local incentives and guide Council on potential budget needs. Mayor Buck noted that because Lake Oswego licenses landscape businesses regionally rather than locally, identifying those who work in the city is challenging, and the City would not want to impose an additional local license. Councilor Rapf acknowledged the community impacts of gas-powered landscaping equipment regulations, including concerns related to immigration enforcement. However,this was the least effective use of City resources they had witnessed, although Staff's quality work was recognized. Unlike indoor smoking, GPLE regulations involve personal property, and they opposed government intrusion in residents' homes or property.They agreed the initiative would disproportionately affect people of color and was surprised Respond to Racism had not engaged with the issue.They supported allowing Portland's experience to unfold before Lake Oswego acted and believed education alone was sufficient. Market dynamics would address the concern. Complaints about GPLE were largely tied to the COVID-era shift to working from home and the ability to afford landscaping services. Lake Oswego's response should be independent of Portland's, reflecting local community differences.The matter should be dropped entirely. Councilor Afghan commended Parks and Recreation, particularly on the phased conversion to electric equipment. Compelling data was presented on electric and gas blowers. Staff confirmed that when City workers use gas-powered blowers, they wear hearing protection and could choose whether to wear respirators. Councilor Afghan believed it was the City's responsibility to ensure City workers were working in a safe environment, especially health-wise.The City was proud of how the parks were maintained, but when a gas-powered blower was used,the environment was being polluted. All factors should be considered, not just money. Regulating GPLE was the right thing to do, but banning GPLE could have consequences the City might not be prepared to handle. Councilor Afghan was conflicted. If a person did something that impacts the environment another person lives in,the action should be regulated. Betsy Wasko educated on gas blowers,their environmental effects and that removing leaves was harmful to the environment and ecosystem. Education was good, but doing so with mailings at$7,500 annually might not be effective.The City's educational efforts should reflect Wasko's efforts. Homeowners should be educated that they have more power than Councilors as policymakers. Homeowners could demand landscaping companies they hire use electric equipment.The Sustainability Advisory Board and/or LOSN should develop a way to enforce a policy regulating GPLE so problems do not surface after the fact. Staff confirmed the$500 batteries need to be replaced every two to four years for commercial use equipment. Staff did not believe the overall cost comparison between gas-powered and electric equipment had been tracked; however, less than $400,000 had been spent on electric equipment in the last six years, not including the Parks and Storm contracts. Councilor Wendland noted the contracts could involve another million dollars considering six years of City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 8 of 11 December 2, 2025 $200,000 to $300,000 in contract differentials.The data was important to show people the realistic investment being made over time. Councilor Wendland did not believe landscapers would have any incentive to transition until the policy was in effect. Education would be great, but until the law was in place, no significant change would be seen with landscaping contractors. Landscapers had shared they could not afford the transition and would look for business in communities without GPLE regulations; that working with electric equipment took longer and would result in lost income or increased labor hours; and that they might lose their business, as they did not have the confidence to raise their prices and another landscaper would poach their customers.The landscapers'variability/fragility should be protected. Councilor Wendland believed electric equipment was great for single-use houses, but working 10 hours a day involved a different set of circumstances. During two homeowner meetings in different neighborhoods, homeowners wanted to outlaw both gas-powered and electric equipment due to noise. Councilor Wendland noted incentives were being pulled back due to less grant funding being available and the City did not have the resources either. They liked the plan,which included several solid actions that would not cost a lot of money, but certain realities also had to be considered. Completely banning smoking, both inside and outside, would have better results than trying to address GPLE. Councilor Mboup stated a person's freedom stops where another person's freedom starts, so one could not pollute people from their private property and call it freedom.They supported the ban on gas- powered blowers at some point; it was the right thing to do. Caution was urged about stating the ban would affect people of color differently, as GPLE impacts were also dangerous for people of color. If one cared about people of color, gas-powered equipment would be banned. While 55 percent of survey respondents supported the regulations, proceeding with the ban would cause problems because 45 percent opposed was significant.This must not become an "us vs them" matter. Councilor Mboup purchased electric equipment for their landscaper to use; everyone can participate in helping landscape businesses. Everyone coming to Lake Oswego to work should be respected, and everybody knows gas equipment was harmful.The incentive for change was a majority of property owners demanding that only electric equipment be used.That was how things changed.The City did not have the means to regulate or enforce a ban, so there was time to educate and talk to people. If the community reached 65 percent in favor of a ban,the City would ban it. Perhaps the City would simply take the education route, letting businesses know the transition would be good for them. Investing in electric equipment would make more sense in the future.The City should wait to see what happens with Portland's ordinance process. Council should keep moving toward a ban and keep it as a goal. Staff suggested looking comprehensively at equity when talking about this issue. National studies and surveys of people working in the landscaping industry noted approximately 75 percent identify as Latino.When talking about landscaping workers,the majority are probably people of color. Workers are disproportionately impacted by the health impacts of air pollution from GPLE, resulting in a disproportionate impact on people of color in the community. Given the impact to people's livelihoods and jobs, equity should be considered from the perspective of not wanting to put people out business, which prompted the Sustainability Advisory Board's (SAB) recommendations around financial support for the transition, which would ensure an equitable approach.The City should ensure enforcement does not target communities already being targeted by immigration.The City should continue to look at all the concerns raised and consider mitigations to address equity and disproportionate impacts to communities of color. Councilor Corrigan supported continuing work on the ban, noting when health care professionals speak, the City should listen. Staff confirmed battery technology was changing rapidly. Batteries had improved greatly over the past six years and would continue to improve and store more power, and their prices City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 9 of 11 December 2, 2025 would drop, resulting in potentially decreased upfront costs. Lifetime batteries may be introduced, perhaps helping solve some performance issues over time. Councilor Verdick agreed Council should continue work on the ban. One of the biggest concerns was enforcement, so it would be important to observe how that works in Portland. Hopefully Lake Oswego would see some benefits from Portland's ban.With SAB, LOSN, and others working with the City, the City should keep doing as much education as possible and focus efforts on reaching smaller landscapers. Property owners should also be contacted about creative solutions, such as sharing electric equipment. Council Verdick agreed with the recommendations and continuing to push forward in the right direction. Councilor Afghan noted nobody chooses to buy GPLE to pollute the environment.The equipment had been used for decades and the impacts only recently understood.Through education and progress, a shift was needed.The city's aging generation would likely hire landscapers. Council was tasked with the challenge of protecting landscapers from toxic fumes and protecting their income. Innovative solutions existed, but homeowners had to be able to accept them and push them forward. Creative solutions must be found, staying innovative and pushing forward until a policy was developed that all could agree on and that was enforceable. Mayor Buck noted general Council consensus on following the recommendations and continuing the path of education and incentives.Trade publications noted that once landscapers use the electric equipment, both workers and companies like it.The challenge was getting over the initial hump, but while the life cycle cost was less,the upfront cost could be an issue. Having a coordinated campaign remained a way to publicize the idea to the community and help move toward the goal faster. Councilors commended Sustainability Program Manager Watson,who had overseen tremendous progress over the last four years, including implementing the City's Climate Action Plan and helping elevate the City's work towards a clean and sustainable future. Council presented Watson with an award. 9. INFORMATION FROM COUNCIL Mayor Buck thanked the Chamber and Parks and Recreation for the successful tree-lighting event on Friday and City Staff for decorating around town. Councilor Wendland noted the Chamber Holiday Reception would be held at the Ironlight on December 10' at 5:00 pm and encouraged Councilors to attend. 10. REPORTS OF OFFICERS Acting City Manager Phelan commended Staff for the well-attended tree-lighting event,which had more than 5,000 attendees. 11. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Buck adjourned the City Council meeting at 9:05 p.m. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 10 of 11 December 2, 2025 Respectfully submitted, Laural Hawkins, City Recorder Approved by the City Council on February 17, 2026. Joseph M. Buck, Mayor City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 11 of 11 December 2, 2025 ATTACHMENT 3 F� F� O JtL CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES V —� O December 16, 2025 OREGO� 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Buck called the regular City Council meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.The meeting was held both virtually via video conferencing and in-person in the Council Chamber at City Hall 380 A Avenue. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Buck, Councilors Afghan, Corrigan, Mboup,Verdick, Wendland Councilor Rapf was excused Staff Present: City Manager Martha Bennett, City Attorney Ellen Osoinach, City Recorder Laural Hawkins, Finance Director Shawn Cross, Director of Special Projects Stefan Broadus, Assistant Fire Chief Kristine Artman Others Present: Michael Scott, Hennebery Eddy Architects; David Lintz, OTAK; Spencer Bradley, Bremik Construction 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT • Shaun Christiansen, resident, and Michael Allen Harrison commended the City for its Westlake Park concert program last year.They spoke about their organization, Portland Festival Symphony, its connections with Lake Oswego, and hiring Jonathan Debruyn as its new musical director to carry the legacy of Lajos Balogh.They commended Parks staff and explained the need to address Balogh's concert shell in City storage, highlighting the Symphony's vision and working relationship with the City and noting plans to make the Foothills Park concert an annual tradition.The concert shell could be placed in a location to benefit the entire city and many groups could use it.They also spoke about Balogh's idea to have young people play a piano in City Hall before Council meetings. Harrison's nonprofit, Play It Forward, is willing to donate a piano to the City. Community concerts in City Hall were another possibility. Harrison was open to the Council's creative solutions. • Chris Durkee provided an overview of the Lake Oswego Fire Station Rebuild PAC #24619,the citizens committee advocating for the bond funding the South Shore Fire Station. Regular updates would be provided to Council until the election in May. Durkee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 9 December 16, 2025 also commended Council for the recent community survey results and the Fire and Police Departments for their 97 percent public trust number. • Jeff Gudman, resident, and Travis Duncan, CEO, Mary's Woods, spoke about Duncan's first year with Mary's Woods and their experience in Lake Oswego. Mary's Woods intended to engage in a more meaningful way with the broader Lake Oswego community in the coming year and offered its support to the City. City Manager Bennett thanked Mary's Woods for allowing the City to do vaccination clinics on its campus and for being a partner with the Bookmobile, formerly Rover. • Jeff Wiens, resident, spoke about Council's discussion of regulating gas-powered landscaping equipment (GPLE) and the likely positive effects of transitioning to electric equipment, urging Council to address the public health issue by banning GPLE on January 1, 2027. • Dianne Cassidy, resident, expressed concern about the application to change the zoning at Kruse Way Plaza to R-0, citing signs the owners were intentionally allowing the offices to be vacant. Lake Oswego, and specifically the Kruse Way area, was one of the premier spots in the Portland metro area. Lake Oswego's Comprehensive Plan was being disregarded, and the City must return to getting citizen direction about what happens to the Kruse Way area. 5. CONSENT AGENDA 6.1 Approval of Meeting Minutes • October 21, 2025 Draft Regular Meeting Minutes • November 4, 2025 Draft Regular Meeting Minutes Councilor Wendland moved to adopt the Consent Agenda. Councilor Verdick seconded the motion.A voice vote was held, and the motion passed,with Mayor Buck and Councilors Afghan, Corrigan, Mboup,Verdick, and Wendland voting'aye', (6-0). 6. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA No items were removed from the Consent Agenda. 7. PUBLIC HEARING 7.1 Resolution 25-10, Revising Fees and Charges and Updating the Lake Oswego Master Fees and Charges Schedule Finance Director Cross presented the Council Report, noting no changes were made since the November 18, 2025, Study Session, that the Master Fees and Charges would go into effect January 1, 2026,without changes if approved; and that Council had discussed revisiting the matter early next year to talk more about the Street fees. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 9 December 16, 2025 Mayor Buck opened the public hearing. Dianne Cassidy expressed concern about the City's spending priorities and the way "affordable housing" is discussed, noting affordability is more than just housing costs. The City must consider people who already live in Lake Oswego, especially older residents on fixed incomes who are struggling to pay basic bills as utility and housing costs continue to rise. Thirty-one percent of the City's population was over 60, and about five percent of residents over 65 lived in poverty. While projects such as new sidewalks, a library, or bike paths may be desirable,they are not essential for daily living in the way water and sewer services are. Utility rates, including increases tied to new water and wastewater treatment facilities, play a major role in whether living in Lake Oswego is affordable. Even necessary improvements must be planned with awareness of the end payer, as not all residents can absorb rising costs; they do not have unlimited money. Mayor Buck confirmed there was no further public comment and closed the public hearing. Councilor Mboup moved to approve Resolution 25-10. Councilor Corrigan seconded the motion. Mayor Buck noted that the City allocates a substantial amount of General Fund resources to the Street Fund and suggested Council explore options in the spring to relieve pressure on the General Fund without reducing available resources. Councilor Wendland expressed support for exploring options, but not necessarily to reduce the City's budget contribution, and emphasized the importance of maintaining the pavement condition index at the agreed-upon level, recognizing that street paving is expensive and a valued community service. Council consented to exploring options to reduce pressure on the General Fund related to Street Fund expenditures. A voice vote was held,and the motion passed,with Mayor Buck and Councilors Afghan, Corrigan, Mboup,Verdick, and Wendland voting'aye', (6-0). 8. COUNCIL BUSINESS 8.1 Resolution 25-49,Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Portland for Wastewater Treatment Director of Special Projects Broadus presented the Council Report via PowerPoint, highlighting the history of the Wastewater Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) and key elements of the 2025 IGA, including continuing the 1984 IGA mission for fair and equitable cost sharing, land acquisition shared with a cap from Portland,facility development based on recent flow share,facility operations and maintenance based on actual cumulative flow, continued transfer of biosolids to the Columbia Boulevard plant, and transfer of the parcels on which the existing plant lies to the City of Lake Oswego. Next steps were reviewed. Questions from Councilors were addressed by Staff as follows: • Different scenarios were input into the cost model to assess alignment with Council's goal to keep rates around 3.9 percent.The low-and mid-range estimates aligned well with the model, while some less favorable scenarios began to put pressure on the cap. Staff was working with the City's contractor to ensure the plant was not excessive while making the facility a source of pride and a City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 9 December 16, 2025 good neighbor in terms of appearance, noise, and odor. Staff also maintained focus on keeping rates reasonable. • Designing a plant with the long projected useful life of the proposed facility requires careful consideration of peak flows and future growth.The design balanced accommodating additional housing while avoiding an excessively large plant, which can create operational challenges. • Staff did not have total cost figures yet, but preliminary cost information for both the capital side and the long-term operations was expected soon and then Staff would plug the ranges into the rate model. So far, Staff had used rough cost escalations from previous estimates in low-end and high- end scenarios,which will be replaced with the contractor numbers once received.The contractor's projected numbers were expected in February and their proposal in March, which was agreeable to Portland. Portland's staff was commended for collaboration on the document. • Portland City Council's approach was to have the IGA signed by the Portland City Administrator, which was expected before the end of the year. • Decommissioning of the old facility was included in the costs and a shared cost in the IGA. Demolition and remediation costs would be borne by Lake Oswego because the City of Portland was transferring the land to the City of Lake Oswego for$1.00. • Operating under the cost recovery model, Staff believed including the biosolids transfer to the Columbia facility in the Wastewater IGA made the most sense because it was a cost of operating the plant and providing treatment there. Logistically, it made sense that the cost would be borne by the City of Portland, and it would be easy for Portland to deduct the cost from its payment to Lake Oswego. • Lake Oswego's biosolids were not integral to the ability to operate the facility.The transfer could be amended later if another way was developed to process the biosolids. • A few attachments to the agreement were missing due to waiting on the figures.The IGA as presented provided the structure and the formulas for the major cost components of land acquisition, development, and operations and maintenance. Staff was seeking approval of the structure, and once the costs were known, an IGA amendment would be drafted with tangible costs. • Although the resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign the IGA would include that minor amendments can be made administratively, "minor amendment" was not defined. Staff envisioned a minor amendment as filling in,for example,the actual flow numbers so that costs were shown and the invoice could be completed.A minor amendment would prevent the need for a Council item every time the numbers were updated with the data. Broadus could envision some other clerical corrections as well.The IGA included that major updates would require mutual approval from both cities. • City Attorney Osoinach noted while "scrivener's errors" would usually be used instead of"minor amendment," they understood completely when reading the document that a minor amendment, even undefined, provided the City some flexibility to address items administratively or before Council if Council or the City Manager deemed it necessary. • The percentages for the design and construction phase of the facility were part of the IGA because both cities were buying the capacity and operations and maintenance was the cost to treat the wastewater.The cost would be billed based on the actual flow that each city sent. • The IGA specified the flows would be reviewed and the City would bill according to them.The Interim IGA described billing based on flows with some nuances, essentially less fluid and cumulative based on actuals, and almost locked in rates more than updating by using real cumulative data.The 2025 IGA will update the rates based on the real cumulative data. Outlined in the billing procedures was to insert the respective flow from each city,which then determines the percentage split for the specific billing cycle and would be considered a minor amendment to the IGA. Staff would process the invoice. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 9 December 16, 2025 • The demolition and remediation cost was not included in the IGA with Portland, nor would it be included in the contract the City was currently negotiating.The Finance Director would have to address whether the cost needs funding from the City's biennial budget. Staff confirmed a follow-up would be provided on the demolition and remediation cost, as well as a comparison of the capacity and operating level of the existing wastewater treatment facility and the new facility. Mayor Buck commended Broadus for their work with the City of Portland and for Portland's continued partnership on the project. Councilor Wendland moved to approve Resolution 25-49. Councilor Corrigan seconded the motion.A voice vote was held, and the motion passed,with Mayor Buck and Councilors Afghan, Corrigan, Mboup,Verdick, and Wendland voting'aye', (6-0). 9. STUDY SESSION 9.1 South Shore Fire Station Project Cost Range Assistant Fire Chief Artman; Michael Scott, Project Architect, Hennebery Eddy Architects; David Lintz, Owner's Representative and Project Manager,OTAK; and Spencer Bradley,Construction Manager/General Contractor, Bremik Construction, presented the Council Report via PowerPoint. Key highlights included project goals, conceptual site layout,the estimated overall project cost of $21,229,922, site-specific cost drivers included in the overall bond cost, and millage rate analysis. Prior to any community engagement or education, polling results in June showed 59 to 60 percent were willing to vote yes on the bond in the$20 million to $22 million overall amount range and 61 to 66 percent of household paying in the $100 and $150 range were willing to vote yes. In February,the project team will return with polling results post-community engagement and updating the conceptual design and specific cost information. Cost-saving scope reduction considerations were also reviewed, and if necessary, Staff would recommend removing the community room, as removing bunk rooms and apparatus space would directly impact response and reliability, staffing, and day-to-day operations, which could impact the Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating. Councilor Corrigan commended the team on finding a temporary fire station for$430,000 and noted remarks by firefighters during a fire station Steering Committee Tour that the community rooms created an additional work with managing the public coming and going and creating additional complications in the event of an emergency.The 1.5 percent for art per City ordinance was worthwhile and part of the project. Councilor Corrigan served with Councilor Mboup on the Arts Council and recognized the difference art makes in the way people relate to public buildings, believing this project's art would likely reflect what firefighters want as well as the surrounding community and will help the building fit in. Councilor Wendland stated the project cost estimate was a bit higher than expected due to an increase in construction costs. Hopefully, the City would receive more competitive bids, but as a public entity, Lake Oswego's budget was well-known and bids could be tailored to it. Councilor Wendland agreed the community room should not be included to save$1 million, as the city had plenty of other spaces for resident use, and also agreed the current scope of four bays and eight dormitories should be retained. The process and community involvement was impressive with 25 people already serving on the PAC, a good indicator of the community's acceptance of the project. Councilor Wendland acknowledged the contingency was necessary but preferred not to have to spend it. Questions and comments from Councilors were addressed by Staff and the project team as follows with City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 9 December 16, 2025 additional Councilor comments as noted: • City Manager Bennett believed the bond could be sold in phases, rather than all at once.The bond for design and initial construction could be sold, and then after bids were received,the remainder of the bond could be sold. It was noted the rules had changed about refunding bond balances. Staff would have Finance Director Cross provide a more accurate answer. • Project management services were being handled by Artman and OTAK.The basis for the $600,000 project management costs constituted a couple OTAK colleagues, a project coordinator, and three years of labor, including attending multiple weekly meetings for a couple years.The figure was based on another fire station and OTAK's experience.The contract currently was$100,000 to get the OTAK team through the bond, after which they would likely create a request for proposal for project management services. • City Manager Bennett noted having an owner's rep with City Hall ultimately saved the City construction costs.The project management services cost was a large number but overall would likely reduce the total project cost compared to the Lake Oswego Recreation and Aquatics Center(LORAC) which had several Staff members devoted to project management and the City probably spent at least the same amount of money. • As to why a company was overseeing another company's contract,the project team explained the $600,000 was an estimate of what OTAK would bill for the job cost and hourly rates per month. With over 40 years of experience managing construction jobs in this particular contract form, OTAK aimed to see over the horizon and prevent mistakes, providing technical expertise to the City to save time and money by keeping the process streamlined. • If the project cost ends up being less than the maximum amount the voters authorize for bond, selling all the bonds at once would depend on how long the project lasts.The City could probably sell the bonds in two issues, having a better idea on the second issue. If the project is$20 million, the City could probably sell $8 million the first bond and then $12 million on the second, during the second half of the project, when most of the construction would happen and more bonds are needed. Doing so could save a little bit of interest payments, but it would cost more to issue the bond twice. If the bonds are issued for$2 million more than the final project costs,the$2 million would be returned or perhaps tied into to more than just this project. • The 14,500 square foot building cost was around $940 per square foot,which was reasonable. Similar fire stations have been over$1,000 a square foot, so now was a good time to go out to bid for competitive numbers. • Councilor Afghan noted being sensitive to the cost and highlighted public testimony today noting many Lake Oswego residents living on fixed incomes with rising costs and other capital projects being built, also increasing costs. Councilor Afghan supported the project but wanted to ensure the money would be spent responsibly and asked why four bays were requested and not three. • Assistant Fire Chief Kristine Artman replied that the Task Force saw the need for three and a half bays, looking at current and future operational needs. In the next five years,the fire truck will be replaced, presenting the opportunity for the first time in the city's history to have a reserve fire truck.The first bay would house Engine 212, and the second bay would house Boat 212 with the tow rig.The third bay would house Brush Truck 212 currently sitting in the parking lot at Station 210 because there was no place to store it, and the fourth bay would house the reserve truck. Having a truck to put in service when the front-line truck gets preventative maintenance three times a year,totaling three weeks out of the year,would help determine the ISO rating. A fire truck was a totally different resource from a fire engine. Currently when the front-line truck is out of service,the fire truck crew goes into a fire engine.The 100-foot aerial capacity is not available when the front-line truck is out of service. In five years, all four of the bays would be filled. Artman would also like to have the Medic Unit located at Station 212. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 9 December 16, 2025 • The architects used their extensive knowledge of working on essential facilities and other fire stations as the backbone when beginning the design discovery. Essential facilities have seismic requirements,which does dictate somewhat how the building is constructed and configured.The project team was also taking into consideration full life-cycle cost analysis related to the finishes and components of the structure, ensuring a 50-year-plus fire station was being built. Understanding the crew would be maintaining the facility was also taken into consideration with selections that would lighten that burden.The architects worked in concert with Bremik using these goals and their understanding of the market to select certain systems, the cost per square foot and applying the goals to the program the architects were designing for. All work described went towards the cost presented today.The nature of the site eliminated considerations like butler buildings. • The 6 percent escalation was established through a blend of art and science, as it was unknown exactly where the project would be in mid-2027, assuming the bond passes in May 2026.The recent Consumer Price Index over the past five years had shown monthly changes ranging from 1 percent to 9.1 percent.The average over the past few years was just below 5 percent,which is what the Task Force reflected in its report and is a rather responsible number. Economic volatility with interest rates,tariffs, and similar posed a bit more risk. For a bonded project,the project team believed the responsible number was 6 percent annualized in lieu of the 5 percent from the Task Force report • Tonight's decision regarded which scope to proceed with and what size of a bond to put out, not contracting strategy and/or compensation strategy of executing the project. • Best practices for design of a fire station included a gate as shown in the drawing presented, but the gate was still up for discussion and could be added to a scope reduction. Mayor Buck noted Council consensus to remove the community room but to include the bunk rooms and the four bays. Mayor Buck noted it was phenomenal that the project team was able to fit all elements on the one site, adding the team had done well keeping the project within the initial parameters, notwithstanding geographical barriers like the rock the Task Force was unaware of. Confidence was expressed that the team would work diligently to control the cost as much as possible. The City had done well delivering projects critical to the community's safety and well-being. It was known that community members had a greater likelihood of surviving a cardiac event and other medical events due to how the City geographically dispersed the fire stations throughout town. It was important to continue being able to save lives by providing the appropriate facility for the City's first responders. The City had heard from neighbors that stopping traffic to back fire vehicles in and out was a safety issue, so it was great to get the pull-through for three bays. Council consented to the project team presenting the final conceptual design and bond cost on January 20, 2026. Council's direction would be incorporated to remove the community room and the gate. On February 17, 2026,the project team would make its final appearance to Council for a decision on whether to refer to bond. 10. RECESS,CITY COUNCIL Mayor Buck recessed the Lake Oswego City Council meeting at 4:42 p.m. 11. CALL TO ORDER, REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY Chair Buck called to order the Lake Oswego Redevelopment Agency meeting at 4:42 p.m. 12. BOARD BUSINESS City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 7 of 9 December 16, 2025 12.1 Approval of Meeting Minutes • July 15,2025 Draft LORA Meeting Minutes • September 2, 2025 Draft LORA Meeting Minutes • September 16, 2025 Draft LORA Meeting Minutes Board Member Mboup moved to approve the July 15, 2025;September 2, 2025;and September 16, 2025, meeting minutes as written. Board Member Verdick seconded the motion.A voice vote was held, and the motion passed,with Chair Buck and Board Members Afghan,Corrigan, Mboup,Verdick, and Wendland voting'aye', (6-0). 13. ADJOURNMENT, REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY Chair Buck adjourned the Redevelopment Agency meeting at 4:43 p.m. 14. RECONVENE, CITY COUNCIL Mayor Buck reconvened the Lake Oswego City Council Meeting at 4:43 p.m. 15. INFORMATION FROM COUNCIL Councilor Corrigan reported on attending the Arts Council meeting with Councilor Mboup and shared the update received on the Respond to Racism Project, which would take about a year and start in early January. Council would receive further updates throughout the year. Councilor Wendland reported on a successful Chamber of Commerce holiday event, noting about 130 attendees. Chamber staff and the Ironlight facility were commended. Councilor Mboup reported on attending the Sustainability Advisory Board meeting where work continues on GPLE and on attending the Youth Leadership Council with Mayor Buck, noting the participants were doing great work. Councilor Verdick reported on the Library Advisory Board's productive meeting where next year's goals were discussed, including aligning with Council's goals.The Board was working on Lake Oswego Reads and other programming, including on demonstrating and defining libraries of the future. City Manager Bennett added the new Bookmobile arrived on Friday, and Staff would train on it soon.A soft launch would occur right after the first of the year. A community celebration would be held in conjunction with the summer reading program.The Bookmobile would sport the City's colors. Mayor Buck reported on the first three meetings of the Foothills Task Force, noting the Citizens Advisory Committee was doing good work. The consultants shared results of focus groups,which were mixed. People were excited about Foothills development but also concerned about traffic and housing affordability. • TriMet was moving forward with reductions to service, and the City was trying to have TriMet come talk at a City meeting. Seventy percent of those TriMet surveyed regionally were Portland residents who felt not enough outreach had been done in Clackamas and Washington Counties.TriMet was considering eliminating the County shuttles and the routes with fewer riders and expected its financial situation to continue to deteriorate and cuts to continue. Challenging conversations with TriMet affected Lake Oswego residents who relied on transit.TriMet was trying to focus on areas City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 8 of 9 December 16, 2025 where people had no choice but to use transit. • Mayor Buck also reported on supportive housing services reform and described updates to Metro's governance structure of the supporting housing services measure, which would create a new model, having the Oversight Committee made up more of elected officials and ensure representatives of organizations are not those receiving money from the supporting housing services measure.The model would include one city representative and one county representative from each county, although Portland would also have its own seat. Lake Oswego's Metro councilor had advocated for geographic disparity for the non-elected officials. • It was confirmed the Metro housing services must be put on the ballot again, as it expires in 2030. It remained to be seen if the governance structure would lead to the needed programmatic changes to show better efficacy results. • Metro had created a Safe Streets Fatal Crash Dashboard.The Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) meetings shared the traffic fatalities every month. A desire had been expressed for JPACT to have more transparency about where the accidents were happening, and the group was working on identifying the factors that contribute to the crashes in order to prevent them. • Mayor Buck commended City Attorney Osoinach, as tonight was Osoinach's last Council meeting. City Attorney Osoinach spoke about the professional honor of serving the City. 16. REPORTS OF OFFICERS There were none. 17. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Buck adjourned the City Council meeting at 4:58 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Laural Hawkins, City Recorder Approved by the City Council on February 17, 2026. Joseph M. Buck, Mayor City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page 9 of 9 December 16, 2025