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 Bend Chamber
 777 NW Wall St, Ste 200
 Bend, OR 97701

 Phone: (541) 382-3221
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 www.bendchamber.org

Bend Chamber Weekly
September 5, 2008
By Courtney Linville, Communications Coordinator

This Week's Highlights....

• City Councilors receive update on Transportation

• City Council Recap

• Proposed 54 percent salary increase for Oregon’s AG

• In the News

• Correction for Bend Chamber Business Journal

• Upcoming Chamber Events

City Councilors receive update on Transportation

     In preparation for a joint meeting with Deschutes County Commissioners on September 15, the Bend City Council looked at various transportation issues including the Northeast Transportation Study and the current plans for the Highway 97 alignment.
     The Northeast Transportation Study was started with concerns from the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) about Bend’s plan for transportation. According to Transportation Engineering Manager Nick Arnis, the study looked at ways to take traffic off the state highway system and redirect it to local city streets.
     The City of Bend has been working with many organizations on the study and has shared its findings. While no major surprises were found in the study, Arnis said by redirecting some local traffic off the state highway systems, local trips can be reduced by 4 to 5 percent. Though the numbers may seem low, he pointed out to councilors this is actually a very big number in terms of transportation.
     Councilor Bill Friedman stated if the OTC does not come to terms with some agreement to move forward in the north end, the city might have to start looking at other options. “We need to look at options within our control. We need to respect the OTC decision, but we need to recognize the City of Bend, City Council and the Bend MPO has a responsibility to create a transportation system that works effectively,” he said. “We need to keep an open mind to solutions that may not necessarily require connections to the highway system.”
     City Manager Eric King said the key is to look at volume and find solutions that will not cost $300 million like the Highway 97 alignment. He pointed out to councilors by working with the Oregon Department Of Transportation (ODOT) and possibly looking at improvements the study found, the city could get more bang for its buck.
     King sensed ODOT would be more than willing to look at other options if the city focuses on some local improvements. Friedman stressed the city needs to find a solution that will be best for Bend.
     In the exploration of transportation, councilors also reviewed the alignment options for Highway 97. Each version of the alignment has pros and cons. An ODOT representative stated a final alignment has not yet been picked.
     The final plan that is chosen will have an affect on local fire and emergency medical crews. The Bend Fire Department presented its concerns to the council over the various alignments. Right now, the main problem will be access to local roads as well as Highway 20 and Highway 97.
     The Bend Fire Department has been in meetings with ODOT and stated if some details could be worked out, the department would lean toward the “East A” option.
 

City Council Recap

     Time limit to be put on signatures for initiatives: Bend City Councilors debated the possibility of putting a time limit in the gathering of signatures for initiatives. This item was brought up at a previous council meeting by Councilor Mark Capell who thought a realistic time frame needed to be put in place. If the ordinance passes, residents would need to gather all of their signatures in time for the general election following the next general election. Essentially, this means there would be a maximum for four years to gather signatures. The ordinance with final wording will be brought back to council for approval.
     Council approves creation of Legal Division: The City Council voted unanimously Wednesday evening for the creation of a Legal Division for the City of Bend. City Manager Eric King said this would help department heads with legal issues and allow the city to be more proactive. The city currently contracts with Forbes & Schannauer LLP for legal services. King stated the costs for an employee versus a contract are very comparable. The city will have two attorneys and one legal assistant.
     Open Line with the City Council: The Bend City Council will hold its first open forum for the public on September 17 in the Council Chambers. The “Open Line” event will start at 5:30 p.m. and allow the general public to ask questions of the council.

 

     To bring the Oregon Attorney General’s salary in line with other states, the Public Officials Compensation Commission recently asked state lawmakers to increase the salary 54 percent.
     According to an article in Legal Newsline, the current salary for Oregon’s Attorney General is $77,200. The proposed increase would bring the salary up to $118,888. This would be the 22nd highest salary in the nation.
     The Taxpayer Association of Oregon is speaking out against the increase, especially in today’s economic climate. “I would be open to a more modest and incremental increase for the attorney general,” Executive Director Jason Williams told Legal Newsline. “When the average taxpayer family gets a raise it is small. I don’t know anyone who has ever received a 54 percent raise.”
     Williams also pointed out the proposed increase could not only alienate the general public, but also further lower the public’s impressions of state officials.
 

     COCC mentioned in USA TODAY: Central Oregon Community College recently received some national attention in an article by USA Today. The article talks about how colleges plan to deal with “overbooked” freshman classes. COCC is expecting at least a 13 percent increase in first-time students this year. According to the article, “(COCC) plans to run bus service to a church about a mile away that is letting the school use 134 parking spaces.”
     Study: Workers to expect small increases: A new study released on Tuesday by Hewitt Associates, a human resources consulting firm, states American workers can expect to see only a slight increase in base pay. The study found in 2009 the base pay rate will only rise by 3.8 percent. That would be the seventh consecutive year of flat growth. Those who receive merit compensation might see an increase. The study says one-time performance-based pay could increase by 10.6 percent.
     New Web Browser: Google will be giving software giant Microsoft a run for its money with its new browser called “Chrome.” The details of the new web browser leaked out into the media on Monday, one day prior to the actual release. The new browser was released in 100 countries on Tuesday. The “free” browser is being marketed to the public as a sleeker, faster, and more secure alternative to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Microsoft company officials say they do not feel threatened by the new browser.
 

     A correction needs to be made to the article titled “The function of the Bend Business PAC and the upcoming election” that appeared in the September Business Journal. The positions and candidates for the upcoming City Council election were printed incorrectly. The positions and candidates should be listed as follows:
     Candidates for Position #1 are Peter Gramlich and Tom Greene.
     Candidates for Position #2 are Jodie Barram, Jeff Eager, and Dallas Brown.
     Candidates for Position #3 are Linda Johnson and Kathie Eckman.
     Candidates for Position #4 are Jim Clinton and Don Leonard.
     Also, the participants listed in the forums were listed incorrectly. The forum taking place on September 11 will feature Jodie Barram and Jeff Eager for Position #2 and Linda Johnson and Kathie Eckman for Position #3. An invitation has been extended to Position #2 candidate Dallas Brown.
     The October Forum participants will be Peter Gramlich and Tom Greene for Position #1 and Jim Clinton and Don Leonard for Position #4.
     The Bend Chamber and Bend Business PAC apologize for any confusion. The updated information was not available at press time.

 

     September 11 - Bend Business PAC City Council Forum- Join the Bend Business PAC as City Council candidates express their views on issues important to the business community. This month will cover Positions 2 and 3. Issues to be addressed during the forums will include: City spending and taxes, Juniper Ridge, Transportation, and Local Ballot Initiatives. If you are interested in attending this forum, please RSVP at www.bendchamber.org. The price is $25.
     September 16 - Project Management: From Critical path structure to process improvement -Do you have trouble with project management? Are you struggling with organizing and implementing your ideas? Is it difficult to get all your employees on the same page? Key elements in project management are planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. Many projects fail because the processes behind the projects are seldom defined and rarely implemented. Join speaker Kerry Sharp, MBA/Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, and look at project management from a process perspective and help identify the organization as an adaptive system. Please RSVP for this event by noon on Monday, September 15 at www.bendchamber.org. If you have trouble signing up, call 382-3221.
     September 19 - Government Services: Tightening the Belt - In this tough economy, are there ways for local governments to work together on certain services? What are they currently doing? Do you have any ideas to help these entities? Join the Community Affairs Council (CAC) Town Hall luncheon as officials from the city and county talk about what they are doing to combine services and what the future holds. To join the CAC Town Hall luncheon series, register online by noon on September 18 at www.bendchamber.org.