Bend Current, Newsletter for the Community, February 2023
Council Supports Fire Levy on May BallotBend City Council passed a resolution to support a five-year local option levy for fire and emergency medical services in the May 16, 2023 election. Bend Fire & Rescue, which serves the City of Bend and Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2, will ask the voters for an increase and renewal of a levy that will provide essential funding that will allow them to keep pace with an increasing call volume and growing demands for service. A local option levy, or operating levy, is a tax voted on by the community that will allow Bend Fire & Rescue to fund and maintain staff such as firefighter/paramedics and expenses related to staffing. If approved, the new levy would take the place of an existing levy that is set to expire in June 2024. Learn more about Bend Fire & Rescue, and the proposed levy at bendoregon.gov/fire-levy.
Inside Bend: Emergency Medical Services with Deputy Chief Drew Norris
Bend Fire & Rescue provides medical serves not only the City of Bend but 1,450 square miles of surrounding rural area. That’s a big job! Making sure there are enough firefighters and paramedics to cover that area is imperative to keep our community safe. Deputy Fire Chief Drew Norris is our guest on the Inside Bend podcast this month as he explains how important it is to make sure there are enough resources to properly serve the community. Listen now at bendoregon.gov/inside-bend or on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify. City Council Updates An Update from Mayor KeblerMayor Melanie Kebler gives an update on some of the work that the City Council accomplished this past month. Parkside Place Master Plan ApprovedA unique housing opportunity is one step closer to becoming reality after the City Council voted unanimously (6-0) Wednesday, Feb. 15, to approve the master plan and annexation for new development, Parkside Place, at the city’s eastern boundary. Parkside Place is the product of House Bill 4079, a state bill that passed in 2016 that designated 35 acres east of Bend to be brought into the urban growth boundary through a non-traditional process as a pilot project. The goal was to aid in the effort to build more affordable housing. Read more in this news release. Transportation Update
Neff/Purcell ClosureThe existing traffic signal at the Neff and Purcell intersection is regularly over-capacity and needs replacement. With its proximity to the St. Charles Medical Center and multiple schools, increasing the capacity of this intersection for all modes of travel is a priority for the City. Follow this link to learn more at bendoregon.gov/neff-purcell. Wilson/15th RAB ConstructionThe next phase of the Wilson Avenue Corridor Project is set to get underway with the construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of Wilson Avenue and 15th Street. The intersection is scheduled to be closed for construction starting February 20 through April of 2023, weather permitting. This project is the first project of the Transportation General Obligation (GO) Bond, approved by voters in 2020. Project benefits include safety improvements for all users of the corridor, improving east-west connectivity and infrastructure modernization. Learn more by clicking this link to bendoregon.gov/Wilson. City Launches Dashboard to Track Transportation GO Bond Projects |
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communications@bendoregon.gov
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Accommodation Information for People with Disabilities 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. |
