City Council Approves Purchase of SMART’s Third Electric Bus, Approves Building, Fire Code Updates
March 16, 2021 At the March 15, 2021, meeting, the Wilsonville City Council authorized the purchase of a new electric bus by South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART). The $850,000 purchase is to be funded primarily by a Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) Grant. The City’s match, nearly $170,000, is to be funded by SMART’s existing Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) revenue.
SMART anticipates ordering a 35-foot bus from Proterra, Inc., the California based manufacturer that provided delivery of the City’s first electric buses in 2019. The new bus could arrive as early as January 2022.
The Council also adopted a pair of resolutions updating City Building Code. The first update implements revisions to State Building Code, while the second adopts Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Fire Code for Wilsonville.
The City’s local state of emergency was extended by the Council in order to allow staff continued latitude to coordinate an effective COVID-19 response.
At a public hearing, on first reading, the Council approved a supplemental budget adjustment in accordance with State law. The modified budget provides the current-year budget with about $1 million from contingencies to replace Wastewater Treatment Plant hardware and software systems, and to cover the costs associated with debris clean-up and disposal in the wake of February’s ice storm.
The Council also approved a $146,000 agreement with Portland & Western Railroad to provide preliminary engineering services for grade crossing improvements at the 5th Street railroad crossing in conjunction with the 5th Street/Kinsman Road Extension Project.
During Communications, Republic Services shared a bi-annual report summarizing operations between July-December of 2020, which highlighted new services and customer service improvements.
Charbonneau resident Linda Moulton shared details of her recent collaboration with the City and the community to produce the “Soaring Spirits” display at the Park & Recreation Admin. Building. The project, commemorates Oregonians lost to COVID-19, and includes several hundred origami cranes fashioned by Moulton and community members.
Natural Resources staff updated the City Council on actions to be taken to meet the Department of Environmental Quality’s directive to limit mercury pollution in the Willamette River. Management activities are to focus on reducing erosion and runoff to waterbodies, the primary pathways by which mercury enters streams and rivers.
At the work session held prior to the meeting, the I-5 Pedestrian Bridge & Gateway Plaza project leaders provided an update on the progress on bridge and plaza design. Working with the community’s preference of a “Tied Arch” bridge, staff sought the Council’s feedback on several design elements under consideration, including lighting, protective screening, walls, and landscape material preferences.
The Council directed staff to urge legislators to consider including the entire Wilsonville community — including Charbonneau , current Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) areas and designated future urban reserve areas — within one district of U.S. Congress, the Oregon House and the Oregon Senate as redistricting occurs. The once-a-decade process is underway to redraw new boundaries that account for population changes. More information is available at oregonlegislature.gov/redistricting.
The next meeting is scheduled to be held virtually on Monday, April 5, at 7 pm; a pre-meeting work session is scheduled at 5 pm.
Community members can watch all City Council meetings on cable (Xfinity Ch. 30, Ziply Ch. 32) or on the City’s YouTube channel: ci.wilsonville.or.us/WilsonvilleTV.
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