Council approves $5.45 million budget for city

Funds 12 percent less than last year in a down economy

By Evan Jensen

The Estacada News, Jul 8, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

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Last month city residents received a survey about a proposed police department in the mail with their water bills, and the city plans to collect the surveys and look at the date to gauge citizen support for a city-managed police department, Mayor Becky Arnold said. In addition, Clackamas County Sheriff Captain Dave O’Shaughnessy provided the City Council with information about the CCSO’s rate structure for providing public safety services on a contract basis.

Carey’s budget recommendation, approved by the City Council, also included an outline of the city’s challenges that impact the city’s bottom line. The five major challenges Estacada faces in the 2009-10 fiscal year include issues related to personnel, transportation, planning, library services and public safety, according to city records.

“Retaining employees has come to the surface as a top challenge facing the [city].” Carey said. “With Estacada located so close to the Portland metropolitan area, employees are finding opportunities for professional growth at much higher salaries.”

City Manager Randy Ealy resigned at the end of April for a position as assistant to the mayor in Beaverton, and former Public Works Director Lance Weinard was terminated in March after begin arrested for fraudulently using a city-issued credit card. Public works employee Tom Seal was recently promoted to the position of public works director, and the search continues for a new library director and new city manager. Increased personnel costs for 2009-10 are a result of hiring an assistant to the city manager, prior to Ealy’s resignation, and for additional staff needed to cover the expanded hours at the library.

In addition to the City Council approving continuing the partnership with Sandy for the SAM fareless bus, the city also asked TriMet to make a stop at the Estacada Industrial Park part of the route that serves Estacada, but the request “has been met with resistance thus far by Tri-Met officials,” according to city records.

Transportation funds are also allocated by the budget for street improvements, including a major project that will enhance Hawthorne, Juniper and Ivy streets. An estimated $172,000 will be available for the project, with an estimated $90,000 transfer from the general fund to the street fund to pay for the work.

“This is the city’s 20 percent match for a CDBG [Community Development Block Grant] project that will replace water lines, install storm drainage areas, and install curbs and sidewalks, along with improving the street surface on these three roads,” Carey said.

Another major challenge the city plans to tackle during the coming year is to complete the city’s updates to its comprehensive plan, the long-term planning document for the city. The budget provides $10,000 to complete the updates regarding urbanization elements, an industrial and commercial economic opportunity analysis and Urban Growth Boundary expansion.

In other business: The next City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. on July 13 at Estacada City Hall, 475 S.E. Main St.

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