Mayor Delivers State of the City, City Council Updates Public Contracting Code
May 7, 2024 — On May 6, 2024, Mayor Julie Fitzgerald delivered a 2024 State of the City address that highlighted many of the critical partnerships that support Wilsonville’s progress. The address noted many several recent successes – including funding for an affordable housing complex at the Wilsonville Transit Center and a Clackamas County-led project to build a roundabout at the 65th Ave./Elligsen Rd./Stafford Rd. intersection – as well as challenges and opportunities awaiting the City in the year ahead.
On first reading, the City Council approved updates to the City’s procurement code to improve clarity and expedite public contracting. Mindful of inflation since code was last updated in 2005, these updates expand the City Manager’s administrative authority to approve contracts of up to $250,000.
The Council approved a $458,000 contract with Aaken Corporation to fund the third phase of the City’s LED Street Lighting Conversion, which is converting 335 Wilsonville streetlights from older, traditional sodium vapor lights to new long-lasting, energy-saving LED lights.
The Council approved the allocation of nearly $110,000 in Wilsonville-Metro Community Enhancement grant awards for the upcoming fiscal year:
- $13,260 to Grace Chapel, in support of Heart of the City’s Client Services Accessibility Project
- $19,929 to Friends of Trees, to support Tranquil Park stewardship and restoration
- $11,187 to Portland State University, to support Art and Stories from Behind the Walls at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
- $29,000 to the City’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee, to support “Many Cultures, One Heart” Public Arts Project
- $17,000 to the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, to support the Murase Music Garden
- $19,500 to the City’s Natural Resources Department, to support the Wilsonville Field Guide
To fund a new card access system and security cameras at the South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART) administrative offices, the Council approved a $136,000 contract with Absco Solutions.
The Council approved Intergovernmental Agreement with Clackamas County to cost efficiently establish fiber connections to City reservoirs located at Elligsen Road and SW 82nd Ave. The project enables the City to meet more stringent security requirements for water infrastructure established by the federal government.
To advance a project to build a pedestrian bridge over I-5, the Council approved a resolution that authorizes the acquisition of properties and property interests; this action facilitates construction of the west side bridge landing, trail construction, and utility relocation.
The Council adopted an intergovernmental agreement with Metro to begin the Wilsonville Industrial Land Readiness project. The project allocates $290,000 in Metro grant funding to identify priorities that would ready the Basalt Creek Planning Area and other industrial-zoned properties to welcome future development.
The Council adopted an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Portland for consultation on the formation of a local improvement district (LID) that efficiently advances roadway improvements to SW Parkway Avenue and SW Printer Parkway Avenue to accommodate new industrial development.
By proclamation, the Council recognized May as Building Safety Month.
During Communications, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue staff updated the agency’s recent progress and summarized the how the District would allocate a levy being considered by voters in the May primary.
Senator Aaron Woods and House Representative Courtney Neron, speaking immediately after the State of the City, lauded the City’s collaboration on several legislative issues, including work to address homelessness, make housing and childcare more affordable, and to pause a State plan to toll portions of Interstate 5.
During City Manager’s Business, Bryan Cosgrove shared news of a pending $550,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, procured by the City’s Parks and Recreation staff, that is to be used for the purchase and installation of new play equipment at lower Memorial Park.
During Legal Business, the City Attorney updated the Council on a collaboration with non-profits Wilsonville Community Sharing and Heart of the City to successfully procure more than $500,000 over two years from Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services to fund programs that provide hotel vouchers and other supportive services to aid people experiencing homelessness.
Additionally, the City Council established a procedure that the City is to follow in response to the anticipated appeal by Home Depot of Development Review Board Resolution 432. To hear the appeal, a meeting would be held on May 17 at noon between the City and the applicant. Because the appeal is not a public hearing, there is no period of public comment.
At the work session held prior to the meeting, the City’s Planning staff sought additional input from the City Council to inform development code amendments consistent with the Frog Pond East & South Master Plan. The session sought to finalize standards for homes with narrow side yards and compared the Plan’s proposed housing variety to that in Villebois and other new urban areas.
The next regular meeting of the City Council takes place on Monday, May 20, at 7 pm; a pre-meeting work session is scheduled at 5 pm.
Community members can watch all City Council meetings on cable (Xfinity Ch. 30, Ziply Ch. 32) or on the City’s YouTube channel: ci.wilsonville.or.us/WilsonvilleTV.
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