Volume 10 | November 2020 |
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Holiday Tree Lighting: Friday December 4th |
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Things may look different this year, but traditions are traditions!
The City of Sandy is organizing a combination livestream / drive-thru Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday December 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Watch the tree lighting live on our Facebook page, with special seasons greetings from the Mayor and City Council. Then drive by Centennial Plaza to see the tree in person from your car; pick up a take & make craft, drop off a letter to Santa, donate toys, and grab a delicious holiday treat.
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Toy donations will be accepted in support of the Sandy Kiwanis toy drive - we are especially in need of toys and gift cards for older kids and teens.
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Take & make craft: help us make handcrafted cards for our local Seniors. Completed cards must be turned in to the Sandy Library by December 20.
- Write a letter to Santa before the event and drop it off in the mailbox next to the trolley where Santa will be parked. Santa will be waving to passers-by.
- Treats and warm cocoa will be available for the kids; coffee for adults.
We hope you'll join us for an evening full of fun. Happy Holidays!
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Adjusting Rates to Help Fund
State-Required Wastewater Improvements
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Readers of The Sandy Source have learned a great deal over the past year about the significant wastewater system improvements the State of Oregon is requiring Sandy to address. Our wastewater treatment plant has been unable to reliably meet state permit requirements, and our community continues to grow at a fast pace. Investments are needed now to treat our wastewater and comply with laws designed to protect streams and rivers.
Unfortunately, if the WIFIA loan is approved there will still be a need for the City to raise rates modestly. As the City Council discussed at their meeting on November 16, a 13% increase to water and sewer rates is necessary to ensure we can fund these vital projects. For a typical residential customer using 600 cubic feet (about 4,500 gallons) of water per month, this would mean a $3.29 monthly increase for water and a $6.81 monthly increase for sewer.
Here's the good news: even accounting for the proposed increase, Sandy's utility rates will still be largely consistent with other area communities. See the chart below for details. This rate increase is also much smaller than the adjustments made at the beginning of 2020.
The City understands this remains an economically difficult time for many, which is why the Council established a Utility Bill Customer Assistance Program for low income households. Learn more about the program here, and give us a call at 503-668-5533 if you have questions.
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Support Sandy - Shop Local |
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They have been there for us, so let's be there for them!
As Oregon contends with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the "statewide freeze" orders issued by the Governor, we hope you'll join us in choosing to shop and eat locally whenever possible, so we can keep money here in our community and assist our local small businesses during this challenging time.
Clackamas County's "Who's Open?" directory is full of local businesses ready to serve you, complete with contact information, hours, website links, and restaurant delivery and takeout options - perfect for those nights when you just don't feel like cooking.
Earlier this month, the City also accepted applications for a second round of relief grants for Sandy businesses, funded through the federal CARES Act. We look forward to announcing the recipients of the grants later in December.
It may be a bit cliché at this point, but it's true - we're all in this together. So let's do what we can to take care of each other, especially during the holiday season.
We wish all of you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving - be safe!
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Your Voice Matters:
Share Your Input on Proposed Developments
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The City of Sandy receives numerous development applications from local property owners every year. Our role as the city is to balance the interests of the community with the rights of property owners, within the regulatory framework required by the state. You have an essential role to play as well by providing your input and testimony during public hearings.
Make sure to check out the informational video series produced by our Development Services Department, explaining many of the applications currently being processed by the City and the opportunities available for members of the public to testify as the Planning Commission and/or City Council considers whether to approve the application.
For example, watch the video below to learn more about a possible future planned development called The Views, which is proposed to be constructed off of Highway 26 near Vista Loop Drive. The development would include a mix of single family and multifamily housing. The Planning Commission opened a public hearing on the proposal at its meeting on November 23, which will be continued during its December 16 meeting.
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We hope you'll choose to join us at a land use public hearing in the near future. Thank you for helping shape the future of Sandy!
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Congratulations to Our New Police Recruits |
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Please join us in celebrating the Sandy Police Department's newest recruits, Officer Hala Ling and Officer Michael Boyes, both of whom graduated from the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training basic police academy earlier this month! Officer Ling and Officer Boyes completed more than 640 hours of training during a 16 month stay at the academy.
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"It's an incredible sacrifice for them and shows their commitment to our agency and this community. The basic academy covers a wide variety of training topics including state law, ethical decision making, resiliency, pursuit driving, defensive tactics, firearms, physical fitness, and scenario-based confrontational simulations Officers spend many hours in the classroom and are tested weekly. Both Officer Ling and Officer Boyes completed the academy with an average score of over 90%. They have represented our wonderful community well. I'm very proud of them and happy to have them back home."
The City was pleased to be able to hire these additional officers using proceeds from the $4.50 monthly Public Safety Fee, which is paid by utility customers. Thank you Sandy for funding this vital service.
Make sure to say hi and congrats the next time you see our new officers around town!
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Investing in Local Sidewalk Improvements |
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The City of Sandy is committed to improving our local transportation network, and that includes maintaining safe and functional infrastructure for pedestrians.
Many of these ramps were originally installed in the late 70s and early 80s, and do not meet current Americans with Disabilities Act standards. City crews will demolish the existing ramps, and our contractor (D&D Concrete and Utilities) will form, prep, and pour new ramps in their place.
The map shows the project area and when the work is planned to be performed. Work will start in the area circled in red and then move on to the area in blue and finish up with the area marked in yellow. Each area should take about a week for demolition and a week to install the concrete. Pouring concrete is heavily dependent on weather conditions so these dates are subject to change.
This work is funded with a $150,000 federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) administered by Clackamas County and a $28,000 in-kind City match. Please contact Thomas Fisher (tfisher@ci.sandy.or.us) if you have any questions or need more information.
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Be a part of the process! Members of the public are always welcome at meetings of the City Council and other boards and commissions.
During COVID-19 restrictions, the City Council is conducting meetings virtually via the Zoom video conference platform. Learn more about the variety of ways you can still participate by visiting our electronic meeting information page.
Mark your Calendars:
- City Council (Bull Run Terrace public hearing) - 11/30/2020
- City Council - 12/07/2020
- Planning Commission - 12/16/2020
- Transit Advisory Board - 12/16/2020
- City Council - 12/21/2020
Click the image below to access Sandy's full public meeting calendar with date and time details, and learn more about everything your city government is doing to serve you better!
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