TD Council holds Epic session - housing, boosting business, contracts, houseless, parks
By Tom Peterson
City Councilors approved spending $44,199 to purchase property on West 15th Street in an effort to create a utility corridor and route access when 15th street is extended east.
The property lies east of Elberta Street.
City agrees to purchase this lot east of Elberta Street in west The Dalles.
Development of the area with residential housing has spurred the City to act as they look to provide access to landlocked property. Locals are struggling with both housing costs as well as availability as The Dalles continues to be a sellers market.
Since 2004, the City has acquired two properties immediately adjacent to a parcel that is owned by the Marlin and Constance Nunnally Revocable Living Trust (Trust), according to the staff report.
Locater map. Click to enlarge.
City Council approved the deal to purchase the property from the trust unanimously on Monday, April 11th.
MCCAC, Parks Approved for Funding
Councilors unanimously approved giving federal COVID relief funds to Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation and to Mid-Columbia Community Action Council.
$400,000 will go to parks for irrigation and tree planting at Sorosis Park
$500,000 will go to MCCAC for the development of a Navigation Center where multiple services are brought to single location to serve people who are houseless - However, the money to MCCAC was made contingent upon receiving an approved site plan review from the City’s planning department.
Chamber
The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Farquharson proposed an annual marketing and visitor center operations contract with the City.
The contract request is for $426,702 - an increase of more than $100,000 when compared to the last, largest contract of 2019-2020, according to the tourism budget Farquharson presented.
Click above to enlarge.
The contract would be funded by the City’s room lodging taxes.
Farquharson pointed out that hotel occupancy was up for January and February and room tax fees were projected to be above pre-COVID levels.
Within the proposed budget, marketing costs are up from $69,548 to $125,000.
Television campaigns with Portland television stations and addition of a new technology service called Datify are partially responsible for the uptick in costs.
Faraquharson said the contract with Datify would cost $20,000. The technology tracks cell phones and would find where tourists in The Dalles are spending money. She said the technology was able to identify people by zip code.
“It can tell us who we are attracting and who is spending money,” she said.
Councilor Darcy Long noted it was a huge invasion of privacy, but also said the information could be used for good in this instance - meaning the information would be used to better target marketing in The Dalles to bolster local business and boost the economy.
After the presentation, Mayor Rich Mays said the Chamber contract would be reviewed by the budget committee on May 2nd. Final review and approval by Council would come thereafter.
Audience Participation
Russ Brown told Council that additional police and code enforcement officers are needed as property crime and code violations are spiking. Mayor Mays said he expected a $10,000 signing bonus for police officers would eventually bring The Dalles Police Department back to full staff.
Jennifer Dewey thanked the Mayor for attending a business meeting last week that dealt with the uptick in property crime. “The following week I saw some things change, and it was inspiring,” she said. Dewey had previously told Mays and Council that Ray Schultens Motors had made 52 calls for police service in the past two years. “I want to say thank you for all of you that came,” she said referring to the meeting.
Dewey also suggested upping police salaries to attract more applicants. “Continual pay is even better,” than signing bonuses, she said.
City Manager Contract Approved Unanimously
Matthew Klebes
Councilors approved the contract for new city manager Matthew Klebes. Starting salary was set at $145,000.
To read the entire contract click here and go to pages 76-88.
It was also noted at the meeting that current City Manager Julie Krueger was retiring after 33 years working with the City.
Klebes starts as City Manager on May 16.
Outreach Team Goes to D.C.
Councilor Tim McGlothlin
Councilor Tim McGlothlin said he and members of the community outreach team - including Dr. Marta Yera Cronin, Port of TD Director Andrea Klaas, Port Chair Greg Weast and Wasco County Commissioner Steve Kramer traveled to Washington D.C. to lobby for local projects.
The Group met with both the National Association of Counties and Cities to learn about grant opportunities. In addition, they met with Reps. Cliff Bentz, Jaime Herrera Beutler and Patty Murray as well as Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley.
“It was valuable in finding economic opportunities for agencies,” he said.
McGlothlin said the following are projects the community outreach team is looking to fund:
Columbia Gorge career tech jobs investment - $1.35 million for CGCC
TD Marina Fire recovery - $1.4 million
Grant sources in the event Kramer Field is moved from current location to property next to NORCOR regional jail
He also said they requested a management plan for federal forest fuel reductions and spoke against the removal of Lower Snake River Dams because of the impact on the Columbia River.
