COMMUNITY INPUT SOUGHT REGARDING POLICING

The City of Bend wants to hear how local government can be more responsive and accountable to the community when it comes to law enforcement policy.

We are inviting people in Bend to answer open-ended questions located at bendoregon.gov/community-input by 5 p.m. on September 25.  Questions ask about individuals’ experiences with Bend Police, seek ideas for best protecting the community and solicit suggestions about ideal public engagement with police. People can answer as few or as many of the four questions as they want.

The City will also conduct a virtual listening session on Saturday, October 17, on similar topics. The City Council will receive a report of all input later this year.

“We need to hear ideas about ways Bend Police can best serve our community,” said Mayor Sally Russell. “Your experiences matter to us and we’re making an effort to listen, especially from those people most impacted.”

All input opportunities will be made possible in Spanish: bendoregon.gov/aporte-comunitario.

APORTE COMUNITARIO DESEADO SOBRE PRACTICAS POLICIALES

La Ciudad de Bend quiere escuchar de ustedes sobre cómo podemos mejorar nuestra respuesta y cumplir con nuestra responsabilidad a la comunidad en relación a pólizas policiales. 

Empezando hoy la Ciudad invita a los residentes de Bend que respondan las preguntas en bendoregon.gov/aporte-comunitario. Esta oportunidad para aportar en línea cierra a las 5 p.m. el 25 septiembre. Las preguntas se tratan sobre las experiencias de individuos con la Policía de Bend, ideas para mejor proteger a la comunidad, y sugerencias sobre participación pública ideal en el desarrollo de pólizas policiales.

La Ciudad también tendrá una sesión virtual en octubre para escuchar a la comunidad en respecto a temas similares. El Consejo Municipal recibirá un reporte resumiendo los comentarios de la comunidad a fin de año.

“Necesitamos escuchar sus ideas sobre cómo puede mejor servir la comunidad la Policía de Bend,” dijo Alcaldesa Sally Russell. “Sus experiencias nos importan y estamos haciendo un esfuerzo para escuchar, especialmente de las personas más impactadas.”

Todas las oportunidades para brindar aporte se harán accesible en español.

MEET OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF:

Hear how Mike Krantz plans to work to make sure the Police Department provides the service today’s community wants.

WATCH the video on our YouTube Channel!

OREGON WILDFIRES

Firefighters across Oregon continue to battle several large wildfires burning more than 800,000 acres.

Locally, smoke has inundated the area creating hazardous air quality levels. As the blazes continue to put off smoke west of the Cascades, we could continue to see areas of smoke and haze here on the east side for many days. To track the latest air quality conditions head to airnow.gov.

Sign-Up for Alerts!

Deschutes County alert system gives you critical information about natural disasters, including fire and air quality due to smoke, and other emergencies that need your attention.

Traveling to and from Bend could be an issue if you’re trying to head into the valley. When the fires began, many of the main highways over the mountains were closed. Highway 97 to our south near Chiloquin was also closed for a period of time. It’s a good idea to stay up to date on road closures in our region. Head to TripCheck’s website for more information.

Stay informed and safe with information from the Oregon state government.  The website wildfire.oregon.gov, is a hub for accessing Oregon Wildfire Resources.  It has translation options for multiple languages. There are links to the Red Cross Safe & Well Status to list yourself safe OR search the registry to check on the status of loved ones.

How to Help

We’ve seen a tremendous acts of generosity coming out of Central Oregon and Bend. If you’d like to find out ways you can help head to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management’s portal to get registered: oregonrecovers.communityos.org.

A Message From The City Manager

Many of our City staff members have been assisting in responding to the wildfires across Oregon. Here at home, Bend Fire & Rescue employees have remained exceptionally responsive to the needs of this community. Police and Fire teams have been working on education and enforcement in homeless populations, to work on lessening fire risk. And, others have worked to help individuals without homes to find emergency shelter from the smoke.

Bend Fire & Rescue has 10 people assigned to five different fires:

• An engine and crew in Paisley on the Brattain Fire
• An engine and crew at the Lionshead Fire burning near Mt. Jefferson on the Warm Springs Reservation
• A deputy chief is at the Beachie Creek Fire along Highway 22
• A battalion chief is assisting the Holiday Farm Fire along Highway 126
• A captain is at the South Obenchain Fire in Southern Oregon

Bend Police has also sent a few members to assist Jackson County Sheriff’s Office with recovery efforts and patrolling areas that have been affected by looting.

The City’s Accessibility Manager is assisting the Red Cross as a Disability Integration Supervisor.

I am proud of the effort and continue to be humbled by the dedication of the team here at the City of Bend.

     - City Manager, Eric King

COVID-19 UPDATE: 

Travel

The City of Bend extended its order discouraging travel in Bend through Oct. 26. All stays in Bend at hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, RV parks, short term rentals, and all other temporary lodging facilities are discouraged unless for reasons of health, safety, or employment, or other permitted essential travel.

The City wants to emphasize that Bend is open to those seeking shelter or who have been displaced from their homes by the fire situation. During this unprecedented time of fires in Oregon, the City of Bend stands ready to help however we can.

Masks

The Bend City Council has allowed local enforcement of statewide mask requirements.

The City of Bend’s Code Enforcement division has set up a hotline to report mask violations in the City of Bend. Mask Complaint Hotline: (541) 323-7155.

There are a number of places to report issues related to COVID-19 restrictions. Use this list to find out where to report your complaint.

Relief Programs

In response to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people in our community, the City of Bend developed payment relief programs to support our community members and local businesses.  

To date, the Utility Relief Program has provided $34,000 in assistance to commercial utility customers, out of $50,000 in available funds for business relief.  

Municipal Court has not been suspending driver’s licenses for non-payment of fines or failure to appear in court, affecting over 1,200 people. It has also extended existing payment plans without penalty and extended the timeline for people to attend traffic school. Also, more than 450 people have used a new online option for traffic school.  

To learn more about the City’s payment relief programs, visit bendoregon.gov/covid19.  

EMPIRE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT UPDATE

The Empire Avenue Extension was completed in August. This extension begins at the east side of the new roundabout at Empire Avenue and Purcell Boulevard and continues southeast to the intersection of 27th Street and Butler Market Road. In mid-August the new roundabout at 27th Street and Butler Market reopened to traffic in the northbound and southbound directions.

The east leg of the Butler Market Road & 27th Street roundabout and the north and west legs of the Butler Market Road & Deschutes Market Road roundabout opened to pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic on Sept. 4.

The opening of the western Butler Market Road approach will occur in late September or early October.

For more information on the Empire Corridor Improvements project head to its website: bendoregon.gov/empire.

END OF THE SEASON BACKFLOW TESTING REQUIRED

The City of Bend wants to remind its water customers that irrigation backflow assemblies must be tested before the end-of-season sprinkler system blowouts.

Read more here.

COUNCIL UPDATES:

Neighborhood Parking Benefit District Pilot Program Approval

Council approved an Old Bend Neighborhood Parking Benefit District pilot program to help resolve parking challenges that residents and business owners have experienced over the years. Councilors shrunk the originally-proposed boundary to properties generally west of NW Broadway. The pilot program lasts through Dec. 31, 2021, and could be extended if it effectively manages parking in the area. Annual residential parking permits could be in the $15-30 range. Read more at bendoregon.gov/parking-district.

Easton Master Planned Development

Council approved a first reading of an ordinance to create the Easton Master Planned Development on 75 acres of residential land on the city’s south end, near SE 15th Street and Knott Road, east of the new Caldera High School. The plan provides a mix of housing types for owners and renters. It includes 428 lots for future single-family homes, 114 townhome lots, 8.4 acres of open space including a private park, community center and public park. Here is a summary.

WINTER IS COMING

With wildfires in our current midst, it’s hard to imagine winter already. But we are a geography of extremes!

Bend is a 3,623-foot-elevation town known for great downhill and Nordic skiing. That means we get snow! Average snowfall is more than 20 inches of snow in a winter. Storms vary from a couple of inches to more than a foot. The severity of snow and road conditions also can vary depending on which part of town you live in.

Get the resources and supplies you need on hand before you’re snowed in. It’s never too soon to make some phone lists, find your snow tires and buy snow shovels and roof rakes.

Many of our neighbors rely on a clear sidewalk to get to and from work, school or bus stops – and it’s the property owner’s responsibility to shovel! To help keep sidewalks safe and passable for your neighbors during winter snow storms, read these guidelines about snow removal from sidewalks.

Are you an experienced snow driver? Deschutes County offers a great winter driving training for those lacking winter experience. And be sure to peek at the Oregon Department of Transportation’s helpful winter driving guide.

More tips for preparing and protecting your home can be found at bendoregon.gov/winter.

NEWPORT DESIGN UPDATE

The Newport Corridor Improvements project addresses a failing and deficient storm drain system serving the South Awbrey Butte drainage basin while simultaneously replacing aging water and sewer infrastructure and bringing the entire corridor up to current standards, increasing safety, connectivity and mobility for all users of this corridor. 

Construction on the project is slated to begin in Spring 2021 and will last through Fall 2022.

City staff have been working with property owners and community members adjacent to the construction area, which runs along Newport Avenue from College Way to 9th Street, and down Nashville Avenue to the Deschutes River. An open house is being planned later this Fall.  

Sign up to receive this information along with other project updates, closures and detour routes online at bendoregon.gov/newportimprovements.