Mayor Newsletter

Significant City Council Actions

March 2, 2023 Meeting

Motion: Councilor Hollett moved to approve and adopt the FY 20-21 “Plan of Action” letter, to be signed by the Mayor and then filed with the Oregon Secretary of State. Councilor Kinyon
seconded the motion. Vote: Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Coker (aye), Kinyon (aye),
Hollett (aye), Hooker (aye). Motion passed 6-0

Comment: This letter to the Oregon Secretary of State details what steps will be taken to correct the deficiencies found in the FY21 audit of city financial practices.

Motion: Councilor Kinyon moved to waive $1,000 of the $2,500 in park rental fees and to grant $1,000 in RTMP funds for the 2023 Oakridge Triple Summit Challenge. Councilor Coker seconded the motion. Vote: Coker (aye), Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (nay), Hooker (aye), Hollett (aye), Kinyon (aye). Motion passed 5-1

Comment: I voted against the majority here because I disagree with giving fee waivers. The revenue from these fees brings in revenue critical to maintaining the very parks they are renting.

Motion: Councilor Hollett moved to approve up to $250 in non-allocated general funds, to purchase a badge and other items for a retirement gift in recognition of his decades of service. Councilor Kinyon seconded the motion. Vote: Kinyon (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Hollett (aye), Hooker (aye), Tarman (aye), Coker (aye). Motion passed 6-0

Motion: Councilor Hooker moved to approve up to $2,500 in ARPA funds to fix the leaking skylight on the roof of the library. Councilor Kinyon seconded the motion. Vote: Hooker (aye), Coker (aye), Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye), Hollett (aye), Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Councilor Tarman moved to approve the recommended new questionnaire for Planning Commission applicants. Councilor Kinyon seconded the motion. Vote: Kinyon (aye), Coker (aye), Hollett (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Hooker (aye), Tarman (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Councilor Kinyon moved to allow the warming center to continue to operate at Greenwaters Park through the month of March, and to approve $50 from the Parks budget to be spent on a plaque for the storage shed donated by Oakridge High School. Councilor Tarman seconded the motion. Vote: Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye), Coker (aye), Tarman (aye), Hollett (aye), Hooker (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Councilor Kinyon moved to save and repurpose the old reader board from fire department at the WAC. Councilor Coker seconded the motion. Vote: Hollett(aye), Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye), Hooker (aye), Coker (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Councilor Tarman moved to approve the Realtor of Record contract with Joy Kingsbury Real Estate through the end of 2024. Councilor Kinyon seconded the motion. Vote: Coker (aye), Hooker (aye), Hollett (aye), Tarman (aye), Kinyon (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Councilor Hollett moved to direct the CA to start drafting an RFP [Request for Proposal] for dispatch services in case the deal with Junction City falls through. Councilor Kinyon seconded the motion. Vote: Hooker (aye), Tarman (aye), Coker (aye), Mayor Cutchen (nay), Kinyon (aye), Hollett (aye). Motion passed 5-1.

Comment: I disagreed with this vote because, and in concurrence with the staff recommendation, publishing another bid could put the ongoing negotiations with Junction City at risk.

Motion: Councilor Hooker moved to approve the draft RFP for immediate posting to hire an architect for the renovation of the WAC. Councilor Coker seconded the motion. Vote: Tarman (aye),Hooker (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye), Coker (aye), Hollett(aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Councilor Tarman moved to approve and adopt version 2 of the revised Admin Advisory Committee Resolution 04-2023, which will repeal and replace Resolution 20-2020. Councilor Hooker seconded the motion.

Amended motion: Councilor Kinyon moved to amend Councilor Tarman’s motion to ask the City Administrator to change the document to say only one (1) member can live outside the city limits. Councilor Hollett seconded the motion. Vote on amending the motion: Tarman (nay), Hooker (nay), Mayor Cutchen (nay), Hollett (aye), Kinyon (aye). Motion failed 2-3. (Councilor Coker lost [internet] service).

Vote on original motion: Mayor Cutchen (aye), Hooker (aye), Kinyon (nay), Tarman (aye), Hollett (nay). Motion failed 3-2.
Motion: Mayor Cutchen moved to appoint Councilor Hooker to the Library Board. Councilor Kinyon seconded the motion. Vote: Hollett (aye), Tarman (aye), Hooker (aye), Coker (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Mayor Cutchen moved to appoint Councilor Tarman to the OEDAC as the City Council Representative. Councilor Hooker seconded the motion. Vote: Hollett (nay), Coker (nay), Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (nay), Hooker (aye). Motion failed 3-3.

Comment: No explanation was given as to why Councilor Tarman was not qualified to serve, other than Councilor Hollett wanted the position. The City of Oakridge Charter states the mayor appoints members to committees with the approval of the city council.

March 16, 2023 Meeting

Motion: Councilor Tarman moved to allow the CA [City Administrator] to sign the Middle Fork Bistro’s OLCC Liquor License application, recommending that the OLCC approve the license. Councilor Hollett seconded the motion. Vote: Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye), Bjarnson (aye), Hooker (aye), Hollett (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Councilor Hollett moved to appoint Councilor Tarman to the RHRP Policy Committee. Councilor Kinyon seconded the motion. Vote: Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Hooker (aye), Hollett (aye), Kinyon (aye), Bjarnson (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Comment: St. Vincent DePaul’s Regional Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program (RHRP), is a program available to Oakridge residents with household incomes at or below 80% of the federal median. It offers low cost loans for home repair. Visit their website for more information on the program: www.svdp.us/services/self-sufficiency-services/regional-housing-rehabilitation/

Motion: Councilor Hooker moved that we direct City staff to draft a Resolution for the surplus of the city properties identified by the Council during this meeting. Councilor Kinyon seconded the motion. Vote: Kinyon (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Bjarnson (aye), Hollett (aye), Hooker (aye), Tarman (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Comment: Surplus properties are city-owned properties available for sale to the public. All public land sales must have a public hearing before they are sold.

Motion: Councilor Kinyon moved to approve and ratify the new 2023-2026 Collective Bargaining Agreements for the Police and General Bargaining Units. Councilor Tarman seconded the motion. Vote: Hooker (aye), Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye), Bjarnson (aye), Hollett (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Comment: The General Bargaining Unit union represents Administrative and Public Works Personnel. Negotiations with the fire department union are still ongoing.

Motion: Councilor Tarman moved we direct city staff to research grant funding opportunities for improved connectivity of alleys throughout Oakridge. Mayor Cutchen seconded the motion. Vote: Bjarnson (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye), Hollett(aye), Tarman (aye), Hooker (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Motion: Councilor Hooker moved to approve allowing the Oakridge School District to reroof the Horton Park softball and dugouts and improve the backstop. Councilor Tarman seconded the motion. Vote: Hooker (aye), Bjarnson (aye), Hollett (aye), Tarman (aye), Kinyon (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

Comment: The city has an intergovernmental agreement with the school district to allow their use of the field. The roofing comes at no cost to the city.

Motion: Councilor Tarman moved to allow the CA to immediately solicit bids for replacing the electrical panel inside the WAC gym using the informal written solicitation process. Councilor Hooker seconded the motion. Vote: Hollett (aye), Tarman (aye), Mayor Cutchen (aye), Kinyon (aye), Bjarnson (aye), Hooker (aye). Motion passed 6-0.

By unanimous vote, the following committee actions were taken:
Appointed Lynda Kamerrer to Seat 3 of the Budget Committee expiring in December 2025.
Appointed Mary Scott to Seat 6 of the Public Safety Committee for a term expiring in December of 2025.

* The official city position is determined by a majority vote on a motion. Comments reflects my opinion and the reasoning behind my opposition to the decision made, however I will support the majority decision.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

Budget Committee Meeting #1 – April 17, 2023, 7pm
City Council Regular Session – April 20, 2023, 6-8pm
Budget Committee Meeting #2 – April 26, 2023, 7pm
City Council Regular Session – May 4, 2023, 6-8pm
Tree Planting Festival – May 5-7, 202

Other news from the desk of the mayor

ODOT Construction Season

This season includes several
projects on OR-58. For more
details, please visit the ODOT
project website here:
https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/
Projects

______________________

Budget Season

The proposed city budget is
available at city hall and the kick
off meeting was postponed to
April 17th
. The meetings are open
to the public. The city budget
must be adopted by June 30th

_____________________

Housing Needs
Analysis Study

The Oakridge-Westfir Housing
Needs Analysis is nearing
completion and the draft study
can be obtained at city hall or by
visiting the city website. Housing
Needs Analysis is a study of the
city’s existing and future housing
needs. It is also used to
determine if the city has enough
land zoned for housing to meet
projected needs over 20 years.

_____________________

Transportation Growth
Management Study

Phase I of this study also nearly
done. This study provides
technical assistance to evaluate
and update our land use code.
Please visit city hall or the city
website to obtain a copy.

__________________