Bend Current. News from The City of Bend.

City of Bend Police officers drinking lemonade in front of kids' lemonade stand.

BEND POLICE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

You have seen them greeting youth at schools, walking the streets downtown and eating lunch in local senior living facilities. Bend Police have been building relationships with residents in positive ways, contacting and connecting with people outside of typical enforcement work.

“We don’t want a kid’s first view of an officer to be when they’re in a bad situation. We want kids to know these are open, friendly people,” said Bend Police Chief Jim Porter.

Officers are roaming downtown at night, talking to revelers about how intoxicated they are before they get in a car. Over lunch, Police provide seniors with tips to protect themselves from identity theft.

During the recession and due to staffing shortages, a very lean Police Department could only respond to the most urgent necessities. But Chief Porter believes that engaging with the community proactively through this Community Enhancement Program is an important part of a broader effort toward building safer communities.

“These non-enforcement contacts build relationships,” Porter said.

One of the City Council goals is to keep residents safe with innovative and cost-effective public safety services, including a Community Enhancement Program in the Police Department. The program has resulted in more than 1,500 community interactions in the last year. Here's the breakdown:

Youth Outreach: 464
Veteran Outreach: 15
Traffic Safety: 275
Community Safety: 190
Senior Outreach: 49
Downtown: 527

A 2017 Portland State University survey showed that in 2016, 79 percent of Bend residents believed Bend Police were trustworthy, above the national average of 57 percent. In 2016, 61 percent of Bend residents rated Bend Police as “good” or “very good” at developing relationships with the community.

Watch the Police video!

City of Bend snowplow plowing a street during storm.

NEW WINTER STREET OPERATIONS PLANS

With lessons learned last winter, the City’s Streets and Operations Department has adjusted its winter operations plans to improve service this year, including reviewing and improving priority snow routes.

The City prioritizes plowing and sanding on the streets that get the highest use and accommodate the most drivers - major employment areas, hospital area, schools and transit routes. The new street priority snow plow routes map can be found on the Winter Street Operations webpage. This priority routes map shows which routes the City will plow first.

After six inches of snow falls, the City considers variables such as the weather forecast and decides whether to call contractors to help the City crews. Contractors are typically used to help the City clear local, residential roads, which are not first priority routes.

Modifications this year also include phasing in a new Emergency Snow Zone parking restriction plan, changing shift schedules, coordinating with other agencies, and increasing staffing and winter equipment.

Winter Streets Video

Water faucet pouring water into a glass.

SAVE WATER AND MONEY ON YOUR UTILITY BILLS

Saving water indoors this time of year will lower monthly sewer charges throughout the year!

Your average water consumption during the months of December, January and February each year (called Winter Quarter Average or WQA) is used as the basis for monthly sewer volume charges.

During the winter months, water leaks may result in a higher sewer bill. If you have a water leak during these months, be sure to notify the City of Bend Utility Billing Department within 60 days of repairing the leak. The City will review your account and determine whether a leak existed that would have a negative impact on your WQA. The City will adjust your sewer volume charge appropriately when WQA’s are updated annually on July 1.

Need help?

Call (541) 388-5515
Email Utility Billing
Visit online Utility Billing
In person City of Bend
639 NW Franklin Ave.
Mail PO Box 1024,
Bend OR 97709.

WQA Info Video

COUNCIL UPDATES

COUNCIL PUTS FIRE OPERATING LEVY RENEWAL ON MAY BALLOT

The Bend City Council agreed to ask voters if they want to renew a Fire Department operations levy on the May 15, 2018, ballot.

In 2014, Bend voters approved a levy of 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. This added about $2.6 million per year to the Fire Department's budget. Investments from the levy funding have been credited with improving response times and cardiac survivability.

The measure on the May ballot will ask voters if they want to renew this levy when it expires.

Read the resolution here.

COUNCIL APPROVES TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Council selected a Citywide Transportation Advisory Committee this week, a significant component of the public involvement process that will help update our Transportation System Plan (TSP). The goal is to ensure that the updated plan reflects the community's vision for how the transportation system will continue to develop.

The committee will develop a transportation vision, review existing goals and policies, identify near and long-term needs and identify funding. In the new year, information about the committee will be available from the City committees webpage.

What is the TSP?

CHARTER AMENDMENT UPDATE

The Council heard public feedback this week following a proposal from the Charter Review Committee on the idea of a directly-elected mayor and a ward system for electing Councilors.

The Council directed staff to prepare a resolution asking voters in May if they want to directly elect the City's mayor and if they want to remove Mayor and Councilor pay from the City Charter (and instead set pay by ordinance, to be effective for a future Council, based on a recommendation from an independent committee). Councilors did not choose to proceed with efforts to develop a ward system for electing Councilors.

Councilors will consider the resolution at its January 17 meeting. Watch bendoregon.gov/councilagenda later in January.

HAPPY CLOG-FREE HOLIDAYS!

Fats, oils and grease will clog your drains, causing costly and messy problems. This short video illustrates how to prevent clogged drains. Watch the cute video.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

There are openings on the Planning Commission and the Arts, Beautification and Culture Commission. Learn more and apply at bendoregon.gov/committees. Application deadlines are Dec. 29.

DO YOU HAVE A SEPTIC SYSTEM?

If you've heard about Bend residents on septic systems who may need to hook up to sewer and you want to learn more, visit this Septic to Sewer project page for more information.

NEFF & PURCELL AREA SEWER CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

The current construction in the Neff and Purcell area is the final leg of a big sewer line project that has progressed along 27th Street. We are happy to report construction crews are ahead of schedule and plan on having all of the pipe in the ground early next year. Crews are expected to return in the spring for some final paving. We are excited for the successful completion of this project! Learn more at bendoregon.gov/SEI.

Eric King and the executive team standing in front of a Christmas tree. Merry Christmas!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE CITY

We want to wish everyone a happy, healthy and relaxing holiday and say thank you for keeping yourself informed about City business! Happy New Year to you all from (left to right) City Attorney Mary Winters, Fire Chief Larry Langston, City Manager Eric King, Assistant City Manager Jon Skidmore, Assistant City Manager Kevin Riper, Communications Director Anne Aurand and Police Chief Jim Porter.

(541) 388-5505
communications@bendoregon.gov

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To obtain this information in an alternate format such as Braille, large print, etc., please contact Anne Aurand at: communications@bendoregon.gov; Relay Users Dial 7-1-1.

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