[{"_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",6569047,"mediaKeyId","3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a","parentId",3192688,"title","Board approves meeting minutes by voice vote","audioSeconds",14,"startMs",676000,"endMs",690000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a&start=676&end=690","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a/thumbnail_676000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6569047/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Board-approves-meeting-minutes-by-voice-vote","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569047-299d962a87cde009b0407a8aa3c0f12a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771129378&Signature=lC8DBst0TmbWHyS6uBfEydktxMMwlrgRfwozcPg7M8ueLNlnJJdxHWTdPpzV-y7j-7hgUmVGf6LsOYXtIrP9yI7NC7MrqpMD0n9CTizmGMAoZfADTh0dklJXSb1KNuIgAausJmaVoDFfiSRw-AqttNMHcUxoDC1dxtCP42AqbYtkI42TaVVrwTgGBwIewjJReg6nLCAsf3JWkLbzpSlAi-0-Ff~jk-mF0ZExEqMkJksTHIuD~hLO4Eu0mg-xOVWgLPmvywDanHn78-3CY80voVXtZHF6VCMf~onRNKAoiG3mvKGOXSZaMXNnWPicFZYQxlK~2bxpyum0JGVh1bHWiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bend, OR","date","2025-05-05T21:19:20.297Z","article","At the meeting’s opening, a member asked for changes to the minutes and then moved to approve them. A second was called; the chair conducted a voice vote and the minutes were approved by voice.

No individual roll-call votes or named mover/second were captured in the transcript; the approval was recorded as a voice vote.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bend Economic Development Advisory Board Hybrid Meeting - 05/05/25 - 12:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The advisory board moved and approved the meeting minutes by voice vote; no roll-call votes were recorded in the transcript.","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},6569050,"Redmond Airport outlines $180 million terminal expansion, steady passenger growth and staffing challenges",298,3436000,3734000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a&start=3436&end=3734","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a/thumbnail_3436000.jpg","/articles/6569050/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Redmond-Airport-outlines-180-million-terminal-expansion-steady-passenger-growth-and-staffing-challenges","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569050-9cdd2ab6fb974f98e3630afe67435796/orig.mp4?Expires=1771129378&Signature=nVEDFHQ1FTjKgRWVWL5yZMOo2dyAh7zUZuox6EtTcFTxRDdNM6ldFe9w5fV2OZAB-UUSSjQq09V3dlZZEM-OrmXfw5ySeeEf-IRDrpSw586gI4H9ICU1ZL-k6-Ab-bek5-GUvMqW0jhanxF51cfpI1Agkb1NeY9UWRMWQEcUHPJHOL1xjltKBqYgCkiHkPYalq~CNSTARcVhzTbJZqYhCjU4pJB8mEc3vfyMW47wMyOhLwtZ3tqBVzVe0BPt5JbJyFy7jTpPITEBVBlL~RTBZ2Sn-cprFs26jWYPgHIA7brOsX98gEyknADmFUK-BNjyEHIE6fhgYjNwZMfAfyRlpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Zach Bash, director of the Redmond Airport, told the advisory board that the airport will start construction on a terminal expansion within weeks and that the project totals about $180 million, funded through airport revenue bonds, federal grants and roughly $40 million in airport cash.

“The Redmond Municipal Airport is completely self-sustaining,” Bash said, noting the airport does not draw city general-fund dollars for operations and that most revenue comes from commercial traffic, parking, concessions and contractual fees.

Project and service overview

Bash said construction will add a new concourse with seven jet bridges, new concessions and roughly 850 additional waiting-area seats (the airport currently offers about 250). He said the expansion will create about 383 full-time-equivalent construction jobs during the build and estimated a $65 million short-term economic boost from construction activity; once complete, Bash estimated about 207 ongoing jobs and roughly $39 million in annual economic output tied to expanded operations.

Funding and timeline

Bash said the airport will rely on an airport revenue bond (not a general-obligation tax bond), about $10 million from a Connect Oregon grant, and a substantial airport cash contribution amassed over several years. He said construction should finish in 2027 with phased occupancy and that communications about the project will begin this month.

Air service and capacity

The airport reported continuing passenger growth: Bash said Redmond is the third-largest commercial airport in Oregon, has added seven destinations in the last decade and posted roughly 65% passenger growth over 10 years. The facility currently offers about 13 nonstop destinations on five airlines, and Bash said summer seat capacity would increase by about 60,000 seats compared with the prior year and the airport expected to be busier than any previous summer.

Bash also discussed air-traffic-control staffing and irregular operations. The on-site tower is short-staffed: he said the tower is staffed by five controllers currently but is staffed for 11 controllers under FAA planning. The airport has paid retention stipends to controllers to maintain operations, Bash said, and he described coordination with FAA facilities and with a regional Central Oregon air-service recruitment team to attract new routes.

Bash invited board members to schedule tours of airport operations, noting that day-to-day service quality depends on carriers, ground handlers and irregular-operation conditions that the airport does not directly control.

","Redmond Airport Director Zach Bash briefed BDAB on passenger growth, a new $180 million terminal project, funding sources including a Connect Oregon grant and airport revenue bonds, and air-service recruitment priorities.",{"_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},6569056,"Visit Bend to resume measured summer marketing, keep grant funding levels and refocus on group sales",2955,1772000,4727000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a&start=1772&end=4727","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a/thumbnail_1772000.jpg","/articles/6569056/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Visit-Bend-to-resume-measured-summer-marketing-keep-grant-funding-levels-and-refocus-on-group-sales","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569056-d9115210282771770375e5ca81febec9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771129378&Signature=Y481IJNR4AeSFwAuUVULND1Jnfy~XbCJbOpg8MGHiF3zqBYqG~ZJFQFbza8xoiGgb9bP9R1AJ0LjrJGaUYqY5XwsJPwyBHQtd1YgV9ym55ayuqhwWY~bktGIdiljWFMtm87bgWm-zt3NqIGBwqh8gDAeHIOdZsp6AODCewhvK5mJkuy-S3TVianmbNLB1a3waXBkXlnok3y3d-MyzxDCteDzSxFWCL9Lw3hYZ1WMOfHoGDF190lpUy0DQi39IxsOtKJHrRnGZVPFSD5MocwxDPKqGl1CurvHggsj8jPx3b9JN3ikLdm8l28c4h-IhUzW~Uo5-dP5-RPMwrntMd97dA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeff Knapp, chief executive officer of Visit Bend, and Nate Wyeth, senior vice president, presented Visit Bend’s high-level budget and strategic priorities to the advisory board, emphasizing stewardship of room-tax revenue, grant programs and a renewed, targeted summer marketing push.

“We are a private nonprofit 501(c)(6),” Knapp said, describing Visit Bend’s role as a contracted steward of a portion of transient room taxes. Knapp and Wyeth said Visit Bend currently stewards about 35.4% of the city’s transient room tax revenue and reinvests that funding in marketing, destination stewardship grants and research.

The organization said it will hold grant funding levels steady for the coming year. Wyeth reported that Visit Bend awarded $561,832 in destination stewardship grants in the past year and that the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund distributed about $300,000 last year; since 2015 those cultural grants have totaled roughly $2.5 million.

Summer marketing and resident sentiment

Visit Bend said it will reintroduce limited, strategic summer marketing after pausing multi-year summer campaigns due to crowding and wildfire/smoke concerns. The DMO plans midweek and value-based marketing aimed at underrepresented audiences and will coordinate messaging with the city on public-safety and wildfire communications. “It’s around 8,000%,” Nate Wyeth said when asked about the return on investment reported for Visit Bend’s influencer marketing efforts.

Wyeth said resident sentiment toward tourism is shifting: in recent surveys more residents say the benefits of tourism outweigh the costs compared with earlier years, although a significant minority still see costs as greater than benefits. He said awareness of the tourism tax remains low among residents and Visit Bend will work to increase awareness along with showing concrete projects funded by visitor dollars.

Group sales, accessibility and stewardship

The presentation outlined a renewed push for group business (conferences, corporate retreats and select sporting events) as a more reliable source of occupancy and room-tax revenue. Visit Bend reported generating organic leads that previously translated into roughly 9,000 room nights and said the DMO will invest further in group sales and in a feasibility study on conference and events capacity.

Visit Bend also highlighted investments in accessibility and inclusion, noting partnerships with Oregon Adaptive Sports and other groups and saying Bend’s web presence ranks highly for accessibility. The organization described its destination stewardship grants as aimed at cultural projects, accessibility improvements and seasonal-event support.

Budget posture and next steps

Visit Bend said it is budgeting conservatively with near-flat revenue assumptions for the coming year, holding grant programs at current levels and adding internal staff capacity for PR and marketing functions. The DMO expects to return to the advisory board and city council with a more detailed budget and recommended contract adjustments in June.

","Visit Bend presented its annual plan to BDAB: stewarding about 35.4% of the city’s transient room tax, maintaining grant programs, restarting carefully targeted summer marketing and increasing focus on group sales and accessibility.",{"_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},6569060,"Bend officials outline shelters, temporary safe-stay area and funding for houseless services",614,1089000,1703000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a&start=1089&end=1703","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192688-c6e9c940146be26541b996662bc4c54a/thumbnail_1089000.jpg","/articles/6569060/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Bend-officials-outline-shelters-temporary-safe-stay-area-and-funding-for-houseless-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569060-9b8d077b9cb721ab8c196f0f94cfee99/orig.mp4?Expires=1771129378&Signature=ji4VnkN1dgDxXcoSGvG5MdxzyFkpa299ro7ymqPRVmGSp37W6koWTzDVqt3g6D1vzVgfyoTH31LR4PSuqCRIvus6UXYEn67eJwIxoDNZDtMcP0rLtyOxgBUfgz~OsotHbodr-NBa0WmD9s1RmxCsapKRB-PVjfeW8qMUaaJG0lYYu-6CdR9fUT7mHGCpA10nznOVQUQjV44vyE3I0TnyrAABZlsosrlyJ9NSNifmTlOaDuZv-AmF~ig9oQw7TZcy-IEID8~2vl0GcmPqLE5QrMuT271O1rOFVLrIg7n2RI4mk068OBwoGF2QAKnRfiR3fBx2oZBh5Aol871uyc1NIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Amy Franley, the city of Bend’s senior program manager for Houselessness Solutions, told the Business Development Advisory Board that Central Oregon counted 1,811 people experiencing houselessness in 2024 and that Bend’s total was about 959, a decrease compared with prior counts.

The city has about 537 shelter beds available as of the presentation; 226 of those are designated as low-barrier beds, Franley said. “Low barrier doesn’t mean no rules,” Franley said, describing low-barrier shelters as sites where people can bring pets, enter with family members and are not screened for sobriety or for some background issues before admission.

Franley reviewed recent city-led purchases of shelter properties and partnerships. The city used ARPA and other local funds to acquire the Stepping Stone Shelter (formerly Bend Value Inn) for $2,970,000; that building provides 56 beds, she said. The Navigation Center, a converted thrift-store site operated by Shepherd’s House, provides 100 low-barrier beds and is the only walk-up shelter in Bend where someone who loses housing “tonight” can request a bed, Franley said. Central Oregon Villages operates about 20 tiny-home units on Bear Creek; those units use porta-potties and a shower truck rather than indoor plumbing.

Franley said the city does not run shelters directly but acts as property owner and contract administrator while nonprofit partners operate day-to-day shelter and services. NeighborImpact convenes case conferencing and Shepherd’s House and other nonprofits run shelter operations, she said. The city has also funded safe-parking sites and tiny-home clusters operated by REACH and Central Oregon Villages.

Juniper Ridge temporary safe-stay area and funding

Franley described a temporary safe-stay area (TSSA) in the Juniper Ridge area that includes some mix of city and county land and abuts Bureau of Land Management property. The city’s funding for the TSSA is time-limited; Franley said the city must fully expend the dollars by Dec. 31, 2026. The TSSA has service providers on site for case management, veterinary care and basic vehicle repair; Franley identified Mosaic and HomerNow among partners providing services and said NeighborImpact coordinates transitions into permanent housing. Eleven people had transitioned out of the TSSA in the program’s first months, she said.

Franley said that because of state and federal shifts in homelessness financing the city has been changing its role; she identified Policy Option Package 501 linked to House Bill 3644 as pending legislation that would establish a statewide shelter financing approach, shifting some funding relationships and letting providers work more directly with funders. Franley called this “Policy Option Package 501, which is funding that's tied to House Bill 3,644.”

Utilization and transparency

Franley addressed public perceptions that shelter beds are empty. She said shelters the city supports averaged about 98% utilization since January of the year of the presentation and pointed the public to an online dashboard where occupancy, client counts and transitions to permanent housing are posted. She also described a city houseless services grant program that pools state, county and city funds to support shelter and navigation services.

Questions from board members focused on how the TSSA operates, who provides security and how transitions to housing are tracked; Franley said the city and county provide security checks two to four times a day and that compliance staff, sheriff’s office personnel and the nonprofit providers together enforce TSSA rules such as fire and animal restrictions.

The presentation ended with Franley offering to take questions and provide further clarification to board members on specific program details.

","City staff described current shelter capacity, recent facility purchases, a temporary safe-stay area at Juniper Ridge and pending state funding tied to House Bill 3644.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves meeting minutes by voice vote

Redmond Airport outlines $180 million terminal expansion, steady passenger growth and staffing challenges

Visit Bend to resume measured summer marketing, keep grant funding levels and refocus on group sales

Bend officials outline shelters, temporary safe-stay area and funding for houseless services