[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6621980,"mediaKeyId","2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea","parentId",2793367,"title","Bend staff present draft resolution expanding 'welcoming city' commitment to 2SLGBTQIA+ community; commissioners raise wording questions","audioSeconds",1011,"startMs",6008000,"endMs",7019000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea&start=6008&end=7019","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea/thumbnail_6008000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6621980/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Bend-staff-present-draft-resolution-expanding-welcoming-city-commitment-to-2SLGBTQIA-community-commissioners-raise-wording-questions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621980-074e2770f39768270a79da76d926b8b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771040384&Signature=m-g6rv9-c6D5FBnFEMTfZCgqxpLFX8RKIbGp-74shF7cvBcUdbMaQv1pBe2kjoYxPb-Imv-OoRNLUgKfHpwQGMQ43SIf048GhqBslUrNcgRnP3lOeqCV68mqtJR5j6v1S~uBTP0by62w53kcnHnLSdKdSwldV8EGHVw1F06Ihmw3TuN95ikqehf4rKHnWBXjiEG9J1fSyMzVbxPHa8ECwTBNAY5VPgR0P6g5gig~xn-389k-RALI-cB9H~FqQGvV32~bLoMdZ21fuTW6EKRLU4tUi6osODL~4wINjlerWhRNutPIWjTrb8SO~OyXVeT0d5HvefuD3CCf0JRV~J5JJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bend, OR","date","2025-03-27T07:31:51.98Z","article","City staff presented a draft city council resolution that would expand Bend's 2017 welcoming-city commitment to explicitly name and support 2SLGBTQIA+ people, including transgender and non-binary residents.

Andres Portela, equity and inclusion director, read the proposed resolution aloud and said the measure affirms the city's \"commitment to fostering a community where individuals of all sexual orientation, gender identities, and gender expression are treated with dignity, equity, and respect.\" He said the draft would \"expand its welcoming city commitment to 2SLGBTQIA+ people\" and would \"actively oppose legislation or other actions at the state or federal level that threaten the rights, safety and dignity of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.\"

Commissioners and staff emphasized the document is a policy statement rather than a law, and flagged several drafting and outreach issues. Commissioner Linda Heamer, who identified herself as a 2SLGBTQIA+ community member, noted the draft highlights that transgender and non-binary people face \"heightened risk\" yet the body of the resolution speaks broadly about the entire 2SLGBTQIA+ community. She recommended the title reflect the resolution's substantive scope and suggested the content, not the title, should determine how the item is labeled when it goes to council.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify how the resolution would interact with local anti-hate and anti-discrimination work. Portela said the city has been coordinating with a nonprofit partner on outreach, education and tracking complaints and that the city is working with internal groups (including an employee resource group) and community leaders. City Attorney Ian Lighthizer said the draft intentionally uses the existing \"welcoming city\" framework because that was the structure adopted in 2017 and because the term \"sanctuary\" has no consistent legal meaning and can create divergent expectations.

Several commissioners asked about adding explicit language addressing hate speech and direct harms at the local level in addition to the pledge to oppose state or federal actions. Portela said that issue is part of broader outreach and that the equity team is tracking legal and policy developments at the state level. He told commissioners staff planned to meet with local 2SLGBTQIA+ leaders in the coming week and that the city is aiming to bring a revised draft to city council in mid‑April.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff framed the resolution as a visible municipal commitment that can guide local policy and outreach. They also emphasized the need to align the title, text and community expectations and to coordinate with community organizations for language and implementation details.

What happened next: Commissioners asked staff to continue outreach to affected groups and to revisit the draft's title and language before it goes to council. Portela invited further edits and said staff would incorporate HREC input before the mid‑April council packet.

Ending: Portela said staff would meet with local 2SLGBTQIA+ leaders and return to council in mid‑April; commissioners asked to be notified about further edits and outreach opportunities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bend Human Rights and Equity Commission Meeting - 3/26/2025 - 4:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a draft city council resolution that would expand Bend's 2017 welcoming-city commitment to explicitly name and support 2SLGBTQIA+ people, including transgender and non-binary residents.","taxTitle","Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon","taxId",2850,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6621973,"Mayor Pro Tem updates HREC on council priorities: traffic (Greenwood), transportation utility fee and tourism tax changes under consideration",278,512000,790000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea&start=512&end=790","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea/thumbnail_512000.jpg","/articles/6621973/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Mayor-Pro-Tem-updates-HREC-on-council-priorities-traffic-Greenwood-transportation-utility-fee-and-tourism-tax-changes-under-consideration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621973-9b49df3f206bbc4b3d236f63adf2c1c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771040384&Signature=YQinipkfV3exe8zEIlRF~5wt4jIr0yPhlu9wcUcaDmUlu-4~Ruyr5BaPOBfWorUCrYMivV6lipCnJZ~bGoJIIUc5y7LjxIipw5zs05dWmOswuRnX2ideXPzErCuEwvjYVXwBTzLEsYDT~1izYR9e5bFIGvvmFf0-wJzUYobko25kIEkVSZ4PNp5RzOnCJdxvzZ1A776a1PaOCrZEyMV217cFM04qnLj17bPUat-0N8caifdlOjX4DrvDMpr0mMhq8VP4mO6hHo8RzhZSgw6SI~l1mAWaWilyJpyW90AgdLUsAw8YfcXWuNSJVMxT6~8IkaWVQ~ykUmcd9B4FLbLD-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Pro Tem Perkins, the council's liaison to the Human Rights & Equity Commission, told commissioners the City Council has been focusing on mobility, the council-goal framework and funding for streets and services during recent work sessions.

Perkins said council work sessions have spent considerable time on traffic and traffic‑calming options for Greenwood; the council is collecting more data about commute times and impacts on people who drive daily for work or to drop kids at school. \"We spent a lot of time talking about traffic, and, particularly everyone's favorite subject, Greenwood,\" Perkins said, and invited commissioners to share observations about commuters and impacts from specific neighborhoods.

Perkins discussed the transportation utility fee (a fee on water bills used to address a street-maintenance funding gap) and said the residential component is expected to double next year to close a significant shortfall. She said the Bend Economic Development Advisory Board is reviewing the nonresidential component and whether larger businesses should be treated differently so the fee will not disproportionately affect some employers. Perkins noted the city has a utility assistance program for qualifying households.

On tourism tax policy, Perkins described a bill currently in the state legislature that would change how transient lodging tax (TLT) revenue is split and expand allowable uses. She said Bend currently receives about 70% of TLT revenue and Visit Bend receives about 30%; a change in law could flip that split and allow a larger share to be used for infrastructure, road maintenance or public safety. Perkins said staff are engaged with Visit Bend as the city considers potential shifts in allocations and allowable uses.

Perkins also asked the commission whether members would like an overview of the new council-goal framework in a future meeting; commissioners expressed interest in a future discussion. Perkins said the stewardship subcommittee will discuss tourism policy on April 4 and invited commissioners to attend.

Why it matters: Street maintenance, fee structure and transient-lodging tax allocation affect households, businesses and funding for public safety and infrastructure. Changes at the state level could alter local revenue distribution and program eligibility.

What happened next: Commissioners urged staff to gather commuter data (neighborhood and sector-level) and to engage employers and institutions (hospitals, colleges) in reviewing traffic impacts. Perkins asked staff to return with a council‑goal overview at a future HREC meeting.","Mayor Pro Tem Perkins briefed the Human Rights & Equity Commission on recent council discussions including traffic-calming on Greenwood, the need to double the transportation utility fee next year to fund street maintenance and a state bill under consideration that could change the allocation and allowable uses of Bend's transient lodging/tourism",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6621978,"City staff present target-sector analysis; commissioners ask for demographic disaggregation and community‑college inclusion",1338,1558000,2896000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea&start=1558&end=2896","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea/thumbnail_1558000.jpg","/articles/6621978/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/City-staff-present-target-sector-analysis-commissioners-ask-for-demographic-disaggregation-and-communitycollege-inclusion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621978-88baebe14fef78d7a369eea448726af4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771040384&Signature=Wx8pH6Gq8OFwgm4AQDj26gaJ-mDZ6hYHo5O210hXSbX89X-pnqAcAV90Ck8EssDMTYwdggXMaVBPV2M8S40YAyPXTC0k3vq7NzEPIb~JeVjLP0~I-PyXbGQhl-ou5woOeFdZ2Bsweuuc3YxVQWEA7xRoyVSQnOlJg~c9QH7BZogQLVnOB~2cOOe49DuLiVDCQWom9XFBxK-GBbgBbPZuuTYjiCmeCimGhU8AoEiZXz3dyiVmpbSokBXmatXs2hC8qimzhzyBD9NhdlkNY87tX~uEOwUgcWCdZTz~TwTyAwSl8eCJjdHhFWEpMZI-8Y-rzCeh10O8vsaK60RL361RBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City economic-development staff briefed the Human Rights & Equity Commission on a consultant report identifying target economic sectors for Bend and described next steps for using the analysis to support an update of the city's comprehensive growth plan.

Damian Strandick (presenting for the team) said the analysis relies primarily on the Oregon Employment Department's Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) and NAICS industry classifications. The report identifies sectors that have shown job growth in Bend, summarizes average wages by sector and offers suggestions for implementation and community engagement. Strandick said staff will present the sector recommendations to city council on April 2 and then prepare a request for proposals to hire a consultant to update the city's comprehensive plan (advanced comprehensive plan / growth plan).

Commissioners raised concerns about how the sector analysis intersects with equity and housing. Commissioner Agatha Ventura asked whether the data can be disaggregated by worker demographics to show which groups hold better‑paying local jobs and which are concentrated in low‑pay sectors. Commissioner Linda Heamer highlighted wage differences in the consultant exhibit (scientific/technical services averages near $93,000 in 2022 compared with accommodation and food services averages below $30,000) and warned that targeting hospitality or retail without housing and commute strategies can exacerbate inequities because many lower‑wage workers commute from surrounding towns.

Staff said the underlying QCEW wage data do not include employee demographic breakdowns and that the consultant report does include implementation recommendations and comparisons to peer cities. David Sernick and Cyrus Mooney (city/business advocacy staff) said the analysis will inform housing, transportation and land‑use elements of the growth plan and that staff will pursue community engagement and stakeholder outreach as implementation next steps. Commissioners asked staff to incorporate Central Oregon Community College (COCC) and local workforce pathways and to consider brownfields remediation and state funding programs referenced in the presentation.

Why it matters: Target sectors feed the city's growth‑plan and land‑use work, which affects housing, transportation and job access. Commissioners asked staff to ensure equity and workforce pathways are integrated into implementation rather than only using the analysis for economic targeting.

What happened next: Staff will present the sector recommendations to council on April 2, prepare an RFP for a growth‑plan consultant, and continue follow‑up discussions with HREC on disaggregated data and stakeholder engagement.","City staff returned to HREC with a final target-sector analysis intended to guide Bend's growth-plan update. The presentation summarized sector performance and recommended target sectors for economic development. Commissioners asked for demographic disaggregation of employment data and for community-college workforce pathway input.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6621979,"City emergency manager asks HREC to help close equity gaps in disaster planning; discusses hazards and local readiness",2344,2961000,5305000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea&start=2961&end=5305","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2793367-7aff56bcb198f798330fb25f4ab7f5ea/thumbnail_2961000.jpg","/articles/6621979/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/City-emergency-manager-asks-HREC-to-help-close-equity-gaps-in-disaster-planning-discusses-hazards-and-local-readiness","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621979-880735f90398c0bdc0ddba1b715817fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771040384&Signature=ZTy~oZgC3GGD6ZZemppS5YRwtrMMpz-GqSKNcj2QxJAr07OGxihiE8rzR9L5LGbnh9yEmMui-qIHUu92Xeuk9lqKsQt1GO0sKhC8fzEv6bTOXNanWtBVRh~Wxz72lSCo7oCBT5xmyK29M2doii2S9JBdsdHrXIXdxYG0~sU1Ue6mVwCDiMzS3Hwrd9GliNuWLDsfygM7VEZF7wqvAlznLDqq8kCHhdwAjpEmt~w9vzunG6iOd75zXQcW7JxrRfS4yNtWAPsEVdBkFd63vpFCCaV3MbmB8Bi-5jtbCphYQDW326GY3NIosUNYLwe-~g3GgC8Xs1XbIHfjGr~OPJz9vQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The city of Bend's emergency management director told the Human Rights & Equity Commission that disasters disproportionately harm people with access and functional needs and asked commissioners to help the city identify gaps and improve outreach and equitable response.

Carrie Carl, director of risk and emergency management, explained the four phases of emergency management — mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery — and described the mission areas the city uses (prevention, protection, mitigation, response, recovery). \"Emergency management is really about reducing the vulnerability to the hazards that we see or experience in the area in which we live,\" Carl said.

Carl listed hazards Central Oregon faces, including wildfire, flood, landslide, and seismic risk from both local faults and the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Carl said a Cascadia event would produce strong shaking locally and large regional impacts, and warned that many people would travel inland seeking safety. She also raised recurring concerns about air quality during wildfire season and noted that air-quality events can occur even without a local fire.

Carl described specific equity challenges from recent incidents: some people who were unhoused after the Darlene/Mile Marker 132 fire avoided or were turned away from traditional shelters and instead sought help through culturally trusted community organizations. She said the city is working with partners (for example, the Latino Community Association) to coordinate culturally appropriate sheltering and translation support during activations.

The director asked HREC to provide an equity lens in planning, saying the city has designated a liaison (Equity & Inclusion) to the emergency management committee to highlight access and functional needs in planning and response. She noted some funding comes from federal grants: the city's emergency management analyst position is partially funded by the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG), a federal pass‑through to the state, which paid roughly 50% of that analyst position's salary.

Commissioners pressed on tangible preparedness steps for at‑risk neighbors. Commissioner Linda Heamer said personal preparedness (go‑kits, neighbor checks) can be burdensome and expensive; Carl agreed, saying planning is a privilege and urged neighborhood planning and use of existing support systems. Commissioner Scott Jones and others asked how the city would ensure non‑congregate or culturally appropriate shelter for people who avoid standard shelters; Carl said that is an ongoing area of work and that partnerships with community organizations are key.

On air quality the director said the county, through public health and DEQ, leads forecasting and activation decisions for clean-air or cooling shelters but that the city can provide logistical supports (cleaning, staffing, facilities) when asked. Carl urged commissioners to help spread language-access planning and neighbor‑planning efforts and suggested HREC members could host or promote community preparedness events.

Why it matters: Emergency incidents tend to magnify existing inequities. The city's emergency management staff said it needs community partners to reach people who are less likely to use conventional shelter or alerting systems and to ensure language access and culturally appropriate options during activations.

What happened next: Commissioners offered to collaborate on outreach and neighborhood preparedness, and staff said they will return with follow-ups and ask for HREC guidance on mitigation and inclusive outreach.","Carrie Carl, Bend's director of risk and emergency management, briefed the commission on the city's emergency management program, phases of disaster management, expected hazards (including Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, wildfire and air quality events) and the disproportionate impacts on older adults, people with disabilities and unhoused","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bend staff present draft resolution expanding 'welcoming city' commitment to 2SLGBTQIA+ community; commissioners raise wording questions

Mayor Pro Tem updates HREC on council priorities: traffic (Greenwood), transportation utility fee and tourism tax changes under consideration

City staff present target-sector analysis; commissioners ask for demographic disaggregation and community‑college inclusion

City emergency manager asks HREC to help close equity gaps in disaster planning; discusses hazards and local readiness