Here is what I have.
#6. Water treatment plant is almost done. The WWTP is just waiting on DEQ to approve funding and authorize City to expend loan funds (anticipate loan execution in September per DEQ email today).
#10. Why would you want to raise the speed limit through a City that is made up of residential, school, and park areas? The City has already spent time at the request of the public going through a speed reduction on OR 211 (Main Street) and a safety driven speed reduction on OR 213. Increasing speeds within the City does nothing for safety.
#11. Water Master Plan, Water Management and Conservation Plan, and Risk Assessment and Emergency Response Plan are in development now and anticipate completion by the end of the year. The City’s water right for Trout Creek is in the process of being relocated to the intake for the water treatment plant and will increase the right from almost 2 million gallons per day to 4.5 million gallons per day.
#18. Its important to talk about the recent history of street maintenance in Molalla. In 2016, the City performed a pavement condition rating of the entire City and moved forward with a proposed street maintenance fee so needed repairs could be made to the City street system. Under City Council direction, City staff held three Town Hall meetings (September 20, 2017, November 30, 2017, and December 2 2017). Based on attendance and comments from citizens, the City Council moved forward with a street maintenance Ordinance and fee resolution on January 10, 2018. Both the ordinance and resolution passed. Following passage of funding to begin fixing the City streets, a local group lead by Jason Griswold, submitted a Citizens Initiative to overturn the City Council's decision. The group was successful and voters overturned the funding in the May 2018 election thereby stripping staff's ability to maintain roadways to the levels they should be. We currently only have funding to do some pot hole repairs, some larger patches, and perform all of the rest of the maintenance related to striping, signage, and roadway lighting. We anticipate some additional funding on the vehicle registration fee, but most of that money has and will be tied up in roadway projects already underway leaving little to no funding for serious maintenance of the streets. OR 211 (Main Street) is owned, operated, and maintained by the Oregon Department of Transportation.
#19. OR 211 (Main Street) is owned, operated, and maintained by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Construction of a bicycle and pedestrian pathway will begin this fall and will be managed by the Oregon Department of Transportation. The improvements in downtown are part of the adopted downtown master plan and were funded by Urban Renewal dollars. They also are dark sky lighting complying with our City Code 21.80 to reduce or prevent light pollution (light pollution = night time glare).
#21. Paving of City streets that are currently gravel can be funded in several way. System Development Charges not already allocated to high priority transportation projects, programming future gas tax funds for reconstruction once existing projects are completed, a local improvement district where the property owners along the gravel section pay for the roadway to be reconstructed, or a Community Development Block Grant through Clackamas County as long as the property owners meet certain financial and/or minority requirements.
#22. Funding of 7th Street can be funded in several ways. Programming future gas tax funds for reconstruction once existing projects are completed, a local improvement district where the property owners along the gravel section pay for the roadway to be reconstructed, or a Community Development Block Grant through Clackamas County as long as the property owners meet certain financial and/or minority requirements. 7th Street was not identified for street maintenance in the 2016 report because of its condition and poor construction. Additionally, City Council moved forward with an LID for streets in Sunrise Acres many years ago and the residents opposed the improvements. No request for reformation of the LID has been brought to City staff or City Council.
#23. Have you requested City staff look at signage or enforcement through the Police Department? Speed humps are not allowed and reduce response times for emergency services. Other speed calming measures, such as curb extension or chicanes, can be used but they also cost money to design and construct.
#24. Debt is only used for projects that have large costs and that the City cannot pay cash for on a year by year basis.
#29. New park and open spaces have been acquired on Ona Way near Lowe Road and south of the new development on Toliver Road. A small park will be in design this year on Mary Drive and improvements continue at Clark Park. Money is being set aside for playground equipment replacements as funds allow. More funds would be available if staff didn’t have to continue to make repairs due to vandalism.
#36. Master planning and continued work on high priority capital projects.
#40. See 19 above.
#49. See 11 above.
The rest appear to not be related to Public Works. I do have an opinion on #44. I’m not sure that we are not being held accountable at City Hall. When you are accountable you do good work, improve the livability and viability of the City, and run a tight ship financially. All of that without internal strife or drama is accountable. Perhaps the lack strife and drama appears to some as a lack of accountability, but I just don’t know how or what others think that haven’t taken the time to educate themselves on how far this City has come in the last 6+ years.
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
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From: Dan Huff <dhuff@cityofmolalla.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2020 2:09 PM
To: Frank Schoenfeld <fschoenfeld@molallapolice.com>; Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>; Chaunee Seifried <cseifried@cityofmolalla.com>; Diana Hadley <dhadley@lincc.org>; Christie DeSantis <cdesantis@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: Podcast Questions
Attached are questions for a planned Mayoral candidate pod cast. If you have responses shoot them to me.
Dan Huff
City Manager
City of Molalla, Oregon
(503)829-6855
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