Neighborhood Leadership Alliance September 8, 2020
The meeting of the Neighborhood Leadership Alliance was called to order at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 online and by phone.
1. Roll Call: Hans Jorgensen (Chair), Lisa Mushel (Vice Chair), Karen Bergsvik, Chris Friess, Cassie Giddings, Dave Johnson, Steve Pine, Elizabeth Rhodes, Kathy Roche, Summer Sears
Council Liaison: Bill Moseley
Also Attended: Makayla Oliver, Kayla Duddy, Kevney Dugan, Juan Olmeda, Ian Leitheiser
2. Approve Minutes
Changes to the minutes:
Member Mr. Jorgensen said item six ii 2001 needs to be added next to house bill.
Member Mr. Jorgenson made a motion to enter the statement “the NLA had a long discussion about numerous NLA options with regard to illegal fireworks and the consensus of the group was that individual NAs are encouraged to work with Lieutenant Clint Burleigh, but the committee did not feel that an NLA fireworks working group was appropriate. The group also confirmed its support of the NAs who are concerned with this issue” into the record to reflect what was discussed. Member Ms. Mushel seconded the motion, the motion passed (8-2) (Members Ms. Roche and Ms. Bergsvik opposed).
Member Ms. Bergsvik said under the committee trainings, there are two acronyms, DiSC and DEI, that need to be spelled out. Makayla Oliver, Community Relations Managers stated that DiSC is the name of the program, but DEI can be spelled out.
Member Mr. Pine stated his name is spelled incorrectly and the S needs to be removed.
Member Mr. Pine moved to approve the amended September 8, 2020 meeting minutes. Member Mr. Johnson seconded the motion, the motion passed unanimously (10-0).
3. Public Comments
No public comments
4. Visit Bend
Neighborhood Leadership Alliance Page 1 of 6 September 8, 2020 Councilor Moseley stated having Visit Bend speak to the NLA is an opportunity to gain mutual understanding about Visit Bend’s business plan and impacts to our community’s livability and was not to make any particular change to the business plan. Member Mr. Johnson said the NLA could be a resource and sounding board to Visit Bend but also to others as well.
Kevney Dugan, Director and CEO of Visit Bend, presented the following slides on the Visit Bend Plan: • Mission, Guiding Principles, Values • State Law and Local Law • TRT Timeline • Room Tax Breakdown • Allocation of TRT Dollars (FY 19-21) • State of Oregon Direct Travel Impacts • Industry Briefing – TRT, Occupancy, Forecasting • Opportunities to Engage with Visit Bend
Ms. Bergsvik asked for more information about Visit Bend’s expenditures, Budget and where the Fiscal Year (FY) funds are used. Mr. Dungan said historically it was heavy summer marketing and at the time, the resources were enough to get into the Portland market. He said from 2010 to present there have been increases and Visit Bend started marketing in other areas including Seattle. He said in 2015 Visit Bend shifted all efforts to Bend’s shoulder and winter season because hotel occupancy dropped to 25% and restaurants needed help as well. He said coming out of the pandemic, there are marketing plans that are not being implemented, but it is down to the zip codes of which communities are healthy, that have low case rates and focusing on those. He said another thing they are focusing on the state of Oregon as a whole before going anywhere else until more revenue starts to gain again.
Ian Leitheiser, Assistant City Attorney, said the City cannot spend less on tourism and cannot use more of the tourism funds for other needs because of code.
5. Working Group Updates a. Land Use Working Group i. Planning Commission: Hearing Review & Next Steps ii. Reminder: September 16, 2020 Work Session
Members Ms. Mushel and Mr. Johnson presented the following information on the Planning Commission hearing review and next steps: • Heard a lot of points and won on a few that included excluding micro-units becoming short term rentals and making sure there is a provision for parking • Next steps: moving forward to the September 16, 2020 Council work session • Member Mr. Johnson participated in the August 17, 2020 Community Building Subcommittee meeting – Submitted materials to Councilors • Mr. Johnson to forward message to the NLA he received from Old Farm District’s NA Chair in regard to being displeased on the movement with this process through staff Neighborhood Leadership Alliance Page 2 of 6 September 8, 2020
Member Mr. Jorgensen asked if the NLA recommendation included considering a pilot effort on the micro units before moving to throughout the City and asked if the City Council has received the recommendations. Ms. Mushel confirmed that was the case and it appears to be a lot push back from the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC). She said it has reached some Councilors but is not sure which ones have received the recommendations. Mayor Russell shared that this recommendation has been presented to Council.
Councilor Moseley said if the NLA has any specific concern or position on it; it is quite common for Council to receive summary memo from committees as a part of their packet. He said if the committee wanted to draft some key points, that would be a good to make sure Council has heard the NLA position.
Member Mr. Johnson said the recommendations have been submitted to both the Planning Commission and the Council and said it has been ignored. Ms. Oliver stated the NLA recommendation has gone to the Planning Commission but has not gone to Council. She said they are waiting for the Planning Commission hearing to know what the next steps are. She said now would be the time to work on the letter to reflect what happened at Planning Commission then send it to the Council.
Councilor Moseley asked if there would be time, would the NLA have an opportunity to provide Council input. Ms. Oliver said the letter would be finalized at the NLA Land Use Working Group Thursday meeting and will be sent to Council before the September 16, 2020 work session.
Ms. Mushel asked if there was anything needed from the NLA to send the letter. Ms. Oliver stated the NLA would need to make motion giving the NLA Land Use Working Group permission to draft a letter
Member Mr. Johnson said a motion has already been made for the Land Use Working Group to draft a letter to send to Planning Commission and asked if a second motion really needs to be made. Mr. Leitheiser said if the whole NLA wants to support this, it should come from the entire NLA committee.
Ms. Mushel moved to have the NLA authorize the Land Use Working Group to update the letter previously sent to the Planning Commission so that it is appropriate for the upcoming Council work session highlighting the same points that were submitted to the Planning Commission. Member Mr. Jorgensen seconded the motion, the motion passed unanimously (10-0).
b. Outreach & Engagement Working Group i. Neighborhood Association (NA) Website Changes
Ms. Oliver shared there will be a work session on the NLA recommendations for code changes at the September 16, 2020 City Council meeting.
Neighborhood Leadership Alliance Page 3 of 6 September 8, 2020 Ms. Oliver presented the following updates and changes on the City of Bend NA Website: • Board Member Toolkit o Communication Tools . Neighborhood Association Budgets – updated quarterly • Tracking Spreadsheet – Coming Soon
c. Neighborhood Boundaries Working Group i. Representative Interest
Member Mr. Jorgensen asked for more volunteers for the Neighborhood Boundaries Working Group.
Member Ms. Mushel asked if there is a way to let the new NLA members know if they have any NA board members interested participating in the NLA working groups. Ms. Oliver said this is a part of the NLAs policies and procedures. She said if there were any NA board members interested in participating in the NLA working groups, they would need to contact her so that she can get them set up in the systems and meeting schedules. She said the first meeting for Neighborhood Boundaries would be in October. She will include a reminder about working group involvement in her weekly updates.
6. Outstanding Topics
Member Mr. Jorgensen discussed the following outstanding topics: • Town Hall City Committees meeting with Chief Krantz Thursday, October 8, 2020. • City in transition from Webex to Zoom – goal for the October meeting will be in Zoom
Mr. Leitheiser discussed the upcoming election and the transportation bond. He reminded the NLA that all committee members are considered public employees and the state law prohibits public employees promoting or opposing ballot measures or candidates while conducting NLA business.
Member Mr. Johnson asked if he could advocate for the ballot as a board member of the Old Farm NA. Mr. Leitheiser said an NA board can engage in whatever political advocacy it wants consistent with what the NA’s bylaws say. He said you would have to be impartial when representing the NLA.
Councilor Moseley asked if the NLA members could state they are not acting in capacity as an NLA representative. Mr. Leitheiser said that disclaimer is a good idea and is helpful.
7. NLA Representative Reports
Member Mr. Jorgensen presented the following updates for the Awbrey Butte NA: • Member Mr. Jorgensen to present to Awbrey Butte board with approval for candidate forum in October – working with Century West NA. Neighborhood Leadership Alliance Page 4 of 6 September 8, 2020
Member Ms. Mushel presented the following updates for the Century West NA: • Candidate Forum Sunday, October 4, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. o Two sessions with four candidates in each o Will have two formats for questions – will give candidates an online survey using Survey Planet – will create a candidate brochure using survey results o 8 out of 10 candidates confirmed o Partnered with OSU Cascades on technology o Will have sample texts for NAs – signs are ready to be printed o If NLA representatives want to participate send Member Ms. Mushel an email that their NAs is interested o Plan on giving each NLA the roster for who attended or registered for the meeting
Member Ms. Oliver said if a NA is wanting to use this as their general membership meeting, they may be able to depending on their bylaws and the city only requires that the NAs have one membership meeting every 18 months.
Member Ms. Bergsvik presented the following updates for the Southern Crossing NA: • Sending out postcards for the candidate forum to all NAs • Joint NA sharing storage space • Survey Planet – Slow Down Survey • Changing Bylaws for electronic voting for annual meeting – electronic voting platform
Member Ms. Giddings presented the following updates for the River West NA: • No report – NA board meeting this month
Member Mr. Johnson presented the following updates for the Old Farm District NA: • Congratulated Karon Johnson for joining the Land Use Chairs in putting together the Candidate Forum • Mr. Johnson has put together proposed legislation about tree conservation in Bend • Eric Lint will be putting together a website dealing with Land Use questions that have been asked in the Land Use Working Group • BLIS
Member Mr. Pine presented the following updates for the Mountain View NA: • New Empire project roundabouts open • NA concerned about illegal fireworks/fire danger • Using Candidate Forum as general meeting – asking for registration in advance – providing topics to the candidates
Member Ms. Rhodes presented the following updates for the Southwest Bend NA: • SW Bend applied for nonprofit status – move forward with projects • Distributed a dozen slow down signs – waiting to hear feedback from neighbors
Neighborhood Leadership Alliance Page 5 of 6 September 8, 2020 • Land use chair looking into proposal for RV Park and storage facility south of Murphy
Member Ms. Roche presented the following updates for the Boyd Acres NA: • Had general meeting on development – changing character of neighborhood • Fire off of 97th Street, some neighbors had to evacuate • Interested in different slow down sign – not sure of the process • Recruited two new members to the board – board working on board roles
Summer Sears presented the following updates for the Orchard District NA: • NA has been quiet over the summer
Adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kayla M. Duddy Deputy City Recorder
Neighborhood Leadership Alliance Page 6 of 6 September 8, 2020