City of Carlton

This document outlines the City of Carlton's mission to safeguard and enhance community vitality and livability by providing essential services with professionalism and integrity. It establishes five core goals: Effective & Efficient Infrastructure, Housing & Livability, Citizen Involvement, Good Governance, and Financial Sustainability. These goals guide strategic actions to maintain public infrastructure, provide diverse housing options, promote citizen participation, ensure transparent governance, and achieve financial stability, ultimately enhancing the community's physical character and meeting public service expectations.

The Work Session agenda covered two main items. The first was a presentation by the Northwest Accreditation Alliance regarding the Carlton Police Department's accreditation status, including an overview of the accreditation program's benefits. The second item involved receiving an overview of an Urban Renewal & Economic Vitality Audit from Healthy Sustainable Communities and discussing the potential inclusion of this audit in the FY27 work plan and budget to support financial sustainability and economic development goals. Future Work Session Agenda Items included discussions on water conservation, modifying the WW Plan for East Main, Public Works Design Standards, zoning/code options, sidewalk repair/replace programs, Adopt-A-Park, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and updates related to the Emerald Ash Borer Plan and Street Tree List.

The meeting centered on discussions regarding sidewalk policy, funding mechanisms, and infrastructure improvements. Key topics included evaluating potential funding increases (estimated at around $15,000 above the current $30,000 budget) based on approximately 1,400 dwelling units connected to services, and establishing customer assistance programs for concrete work. A significant portion of the discussion focused on right-of-way permit fees, specifically the standard $250 flat rate for work in the right-of-way, covering plan reviews and inspections, with debate on whether this fee should be reduced for simple removal and replacement projects where engineering or curb/gutter work is not required. Furthermore, council members emphasized the priority of ADA compliance for new and replacement sidewalks, specifically criticizing designs that force wheelchair users into traffic at 45-degree angles, and discussed leveraging grants like 'Safe Routes to School' instead of imposing new fees on ratepayers, noting current Urban Renewal Agency funds are largely designated for other utility projects.

The meeting commenced with the call to order and roll call, confirming all council members were present. Citizen comments addressed concerns regarding an appealed gas station application and a request for clarity on the appeal process and public notification. The consent agenda was approved. Key discussions included an update from the Superintendent of the Carlton Yamhill Public School District regarding fall sports successes, including boys soccer making league playoffs for the first time in 15 years and boys cross country advancing to state. Student leadership activities like Brew Volleyball and Powderpuff Football were highlighted, along with the recent Homecoming event which featured a 'Night on the Bayou' theme. The district is also running a canned food drive in partnership with YCAP, prompting discussion on how council members and the community could contribute, including potential local drop-off locations. Updates were provided on new district administrators: Morgan Bishop as the new principal at Yamhill Carlton Elementary School and Richard Cedar as the new Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at the high school. The hiring of Melanie Nice as the new Business Manager with extensive finance experience was noted. Ongoing safety initiatives include the implementation of security lock boxes and utilizing the 'Safer Watch' app for internal communication during emergencies. The Superintendent also detailed coordination efforts with Carlton police and fire departments for emergency management scenarios and planned tabletop exercises. Finally, the financial constraints related to capital improvements in Oregon, which lack dedicated state funding pools, were reiterated, alongside ongoing HVAC system repairs and concerns about slight enrollment decline.

The meeting included discussions with Allison O. Sullivan and Allison Harrell from the Oregon Department of Forestry regarding urban forestry best management practices. Topics covered included the definition and benefits of urban forests, strategies for fostering urban forests, and detailed information about emerald ash borer management. The council also touched on the importance of urban forestry policy, adherence to ANIE A300 tree care standards, the principle of 'right tree, right place,' biodiversity, and the use of tree inventories for informed management decisions.