On October 7 the Fire Department held a ceremony recognizing individuals who had joined the department during Chief Wilson's tenure, and those who have been promoted. The ceremony opened with a nice touch: the presentation of colors by the Police Department's Honor Guard. Congratulations to all 23 individuals recognized in the ceremony!
Emergency Preparation: We'll Leave a Light on For You
Staff representatives from all departments participated in a winter storm "tabletop exercise" on October 29. One issue that came up is that a major storm or natural disaster could strand employees, or make it hard to report to work. It occurred to me that my wife and I would be glad to make a guest bedroom available to any staff member caught in that situation, and wondered if others of us who live in or near Lake Oswego might be willing to do the same. If you live in Lake Oswego, or within an easy drive, would you be willing to be contacted about a spare bedroom if we face a serious emergency? If so, please let Bonnie Hirshberger know, at x3992 or bhirshberger@ci.oswego.or.us. If we can develop this list ahead of time, it is one less thing to have to worry about in the middle of an emergency. Thanks!
City Council Decisions and Issues
On appeal, the City Council voted to override the Development Review Commission's 3-2 decsion,
and to approve the application for development of Block 137 (the "Wizer Block"). Planning & Building Services Director Scot Siegel recognized staff from his and other departments for their teamwork in managing this long and complex process. In breaking news, a notice of intent to file an appeal to the state Land Use Board of Appeals has been submitted.
In other actions, over the past two months the Council:
- Approved a lease of property in Foothills as temporary space for Parks Maintenance to make it easier to upgrade the Operations Center
- Received an award of $80,000 from the Energy Trust of Oregon for the street light LED conversion project
- Adopted an updated Transportation Systems Plan
- Approved changes to the Community Development Code that will make the code more clear
- Directed staff to proceed with the Laurel Street pathway, including a section of sidewalk between Hallinan and Cornell
- Directed staff to proceed with a number of changes to the Sensitive Lands regulations that can be done in 2014 without raising too much concern from Metro and DEQ (more extensive changes will be made in the first half of 2015, supported by more research and data)
- Joined other cities in Oregon in adopting a local tax on marijuana sales as a preemptive step in case the ballot measure passes
- Held a joint meeting with the Lake Oswego School Board
The nation will celebrate Veterans Day on November 11. A special "Honor Their Service" tribute will be held at our Adult Community Center at 2:00pm on the 11th. Many city staff members have served our country in the armed forces. Many have seen active duty in combat zones, and several continue to serve in the Reserves. One behalf of all your colleagues in the City of Lake Oswego, thank you for your service.
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