Volume 20 | December 2021 |
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Season's Greetings from the City of Sandy |
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In this season of celebration, we at the City of Sandy wish you and yours the happiest of holidays filled with peace, love, and good cheer!
We would also like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make our recent holiday events such a resounding success.
The Season of Giving celebration saw a fantastic turnout. We enjoyed music, photos with Santa and The Grinch, and we raised over $2,000 for Sandy Area Meals on Wheels. Thank you all for your generosity!
The Holiday Tree Lighting also went off without a hitch. It was an evening full of carols, holiday treats, and tons of family fun. Check out the video below in case you missed it!
Stay warm everyone, and enjoy this festive season with friends and family!
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Sandy Clean Waters: 2021 and Beyond |
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We replaced aging concrete sewers in two of Sandy’s eight sewer basins. This work will reduce the infiltration and inflow of rainwater and groundwater into Sandy’s sewers by up to 40%. This was the first step in the City’s plan to improve the wastewater system.
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We began upgrades at the City’s existing wastewater treatment plant. The plant upgrades are designed to increase capacity at the plant and protect Tickle Creek during the rainy season.
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We secured $14.7 million from the Oregon Legislature for the Clean Waters Project. The funding is part of the $2.6 billion awarded to the Sate of Oregon as part of the American Rescue Plan passed by Congress earlier this year. This grant will help keep rates affordable for Sandy residents as the City makes much needed improvements to the sewer system.
Looking ahead into 2022, Sandy will continue to move forward with improvements to the City’s sewer system.
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We'll continue to upgrade aging pipes by replacing sewer lines in two more basins. By the end of 2022 half of Sandy’s sewer lines will be less vulnerable to infiltration and inflow.
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We're working to finalize a $63.8 million low-interest federal loan awarded under the U.S. EPA’s WIFIA program. The loan will cover up to 80% of project costs and will save Sandy ratepayers over $15 million. This loan is a cornerstone of the strategy to maintain affordable sewer rates in Sandy.
Want to learn more?
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Introducing: Sandy Speaks! |
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We're thrilled to announce a new way for our residents to engage with the City and share input: Sandy Speaks!
Sandy Speaks is a is a one-stop online public engagement platform where you can learn more about projects the City is working on, and provide your opinions / input using surveys, forums, interactive maps, and more!
Register today, and don’t miss our Parks and Trails Photo Contest and the chance to win a gift certificate to Tollgate Inn! The deadline to submit your photo is January 14th.
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Comprehensive Plan Update
One of the first projects featured on Sandy Speaks is our Comprehensive Plan Update. We're looking forward to hearing from our community as we plan for the next 20 years!
What is a comprehensive plan?
A comprehensive plan is a series of policies accompanied by a land use map, through which Sandy has set out its vision of its future. It includes a text describing goals and policies, and the factual data and projections on which the policies were based, together with a map, which generally designates future locations of various types of public and private uses of the land for residential, commercial, industrial, and parks and open space.
Comprehensive plan details guide elected and appointed officials in land use decisions, such as whether to allow a zone change or grant a conditional use permit. Because comprehensive plans are so vital in major land use decisions, the law requires an open, transparent process to create or amend them, including citizen and stakeholder input.
Why does the comprehensive plan need to be updated?
While the City of Sandy’s Comprehensive Plan has undergone several incremental changes, it has not been fully updated since 1997. Since 1997, Sandy has experienced rapid population growth and development. In fact, Sandy’s population was only approximately 5,000 residents in 1997, and, today, Sandy has nearly 13,000 residents. Today, the average home in Sandy was built around 2000, three years after the last comprehensive plan update. Moreover, several master plans are not incorporated into the existing comprehensive plan.
How can you learn more and get involved?
We're excited to begin this process and move forward with a new comprehensive plan. Comprehensive plan updates typically take 2 to 3 years to complete, with numerous opportunities for public involvement. You can learn more about this process and stay involved by visiting sandy-speaks.org/comprehensive-plan
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Welcome Our New Parks and Recreation Director |
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Last month we were thrilled to welcome Rochelle Anderholm-Parsch as our new Parks and Recreation Director!
“I am looking forward to working with city staff, the community, local organizations, and the parks and recreation team to enthusiastically meet the needs of the growing Sandy community,” she said.
Rochelle has two decades of parks and recreation management experience and most recently served as the Aquatic and Recreation Manager for Oregon City since 2006. In that role she managed multiple successful parks capital improvement projects, revitalized the city’s aquatic facility, and was instrumental in building widely popular special events and community programming including an award-winning summer concert series.
“Rochelle’s enthusiasm, drive, and experience is what our city needs to elevate and lead our new Parks & Recreation Department,” said City Manager Jordan Wheeler.
Rochelle holds an Executive Master of Public Administration degree from Portland State University. She is also a Certified Parks & Recreation Professional (CPRP) and a certified Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO).
Rochelle has hit the ground running as a vital member of Sandy’s leadership team, as we continue working to develop the Community Campus site (formerly Cedar Ridge Middle School), expand recreation programming, support local seniors, and implement the newly-adopted Parks and Trails Master plan to meet the needs of our community now and into the future.
Please join us in welcoming Rochelle to Sandy!
38348 Pioneer Boulevard
Sandy, OR 97055
(503) 668-5569
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City Council Allocates ARPA Funds |
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Last month, the City Council decided how to allocate Sandy’s initial $1,263,900 share of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. ARPA was a measure passed by the federal government in an effort to mitigate the economic effects of COVID-19. This is the first half of Sandy’s expected funding; the other half is expected to be received in August 2022.
ARPA funds are required to be expended in one of four general categories: (1) Public Health and Economic Impacts: Responding to COVID-19; (2) Premium pay for essential workers; (3) Replacement of revenue lost due to COVID-19; or (4) Infrastructure investments.
The City Council prioritized the following programs for ARPA funding:
Covered Structures Program: $440,000
The Covered Structures Program provides restaurants and gyms with 80% funding towards the construction of permanent Sandy Style gazebo structures to help local business owners stay in operation during the pandemic
SandyNet Expansion: $449,000
Affordable, high-quality broadband is an essential. This funding will help provide SandyNet to areas within city limits where service is not currently available.
Small Business/Non Profit Recovery Grants: $100,000
City staff are currently developing a proposed program to provide grant relief to local businesses that experienced financial disruptions due to the pandemic.
Fat, Oil, and Grease (FOG) Incentive Program: $50,000
This program will provide subsidies for installing grease traps and grease interceptors in food establishments, to keep FOG out of sewer pipes where it can accumulate and cause problems for the wastewater system.
Special Service Contract Program Supplement: $10,000
This allocation will help fund the portion of the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Recovery Program that assists businesses within city limits.
City Revenue Replacement: $214,900
Like most other organizations, the City of Sandy experienced financial impacts due to the pandemic. This allocation will help offset the reduction in taxes and fees collected by the City.
The Council will discuss how to allocate the second half of Sandy’s ARPA funding this summer. Remember, Council meetings are open to the public and attendance / participation is encouraged. You can access meeting information and agenda documents on the City’s public meetings portal.
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Free COVID Boosters at the Community Center |
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Appointments are required. To schedule an appointment REGISTER ONLINE with Clackamas County.
First appointments each Friday are available at 2:10 and the last appointment is available at 4:20. It may take a few weeks to find an open appointment.
Special accommodations are available for people with sensory needs and/or physical, mental or intellectual disabilities. Options include home vaccinations or small clinic settings that are less stimulating and overwhelming.
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Now Hiring - Telecom Utility Worker |
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We're now accepting applications for the position of Telecom Utility Worker. This position is tasked with the installation, repair, and maintenance of the outside plant telecommunication infrastructure. It requires intermittent knowledge of fiber and fiber-optic maintenance techniques, as well as familiarity with the installation and maintenance of wireless systems.
Essential functions include:
- Installation of service drops for the FTTH network, extending service from the distribution network to customer premises.
- Installation of in-home equipment for SandyNet Fiber and Wireless services, in customer premises.
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Assistance with the repair and preventative maintenance of outside plant infrastructure for the SandyNet Fiber and Wireless networks and tower infrastructure.
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Current Land Use Applications |
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City staff keep the database updated as often as possible, so everyone can stay in the loop on what applications have been received and where they are in the process. You'll also find links to opportunities to take part in the decision-making process by submitting your own testimony.
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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.
Get meeting details and learn more about the variety of ways you can participate by visiting our online meeting portal.
Mark your Calendars:
- City Council - 01/03/2022
- Parks and Trails Advisory Board - 01/12/2022
- City Council - 01/18/2022 (Tuesday)
- Planning Commission - 01/24/2022
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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