Estacada economic panel approves 12-month action plan, asks council to consider larger study

The Estacada Economic Development Commission voted to approve a 12-month action plan on the final page of the document it had been reviewing, and agreed to ask the City Council to consider budgeting for a larger comprehensive economic development study.

Commissioners approved the minutes from the previous meeting by voice vote before taking up discussion of the document the commission had previously called a "strategic plan." After debate, the commission replaced the phrase "strategic plan" with "12-month action plan," approved the revised single-page action plan at the meeting and agreed to present its goals and budget requests to the council on April 28 at 6 p.m.

The move follows objections from a subcommittee that reviewed the draft plan and concluded it was not deep enough to serve as a multi-year strategic roadmap. "If we just went ahead and approved what was presented, we're not really doing our job," said Commissioner Cross, who led the subcommittee and said he had moved to rescind the commission's prior acceptance of the draft plan. That rescission was discussed but did not go to a formal vote; instead the body amended the document into a one-year work plan and approved that version.

Elena Turpin, the city's assistant city manager, told the commission that the city code requires advisory committees to present a project plan and a budget to council in April. "It is in the city code related to all advisory committees that their project plans and their budget are presented in April," Turpin said, noting that a one-year work plan that lists what the commission intends to accomplish in the next 12 months satisfies that requirement.

The approved action-plan bullets that the commission agreed to forward to council include: cohosting two events this year; commissioning a market or economic study (previously described in committee discussion as a hotel market study but broadened in committee conversation to an economic/market study); coordinating with Estacada High School on CTE alignment; outreach to property managers and workforce-housing partners; and an item to "investigate a 5–10 year comprehensive economic development plan" — meaning the commission will prepare the scope and recommended components to support a later RFP or budget request to council.

Commissioners and staff clarified what the commission can budget for directly and what will need to be handled through the city. Turpin said events and routine committee expenses are under the commission's direct control, while larger contracts such as a comprehensive study or an outside market analysis would be a council-level, city-managed expenditure: "Things that are larger budget items like the hotel study are under the city's budget because that has to do [with] contract management, and committees can't manage contracts," she said.

Commissioners discussed timing and funding. Several commissioners urged the commission to assemble a clear scope and, if possible, a ballpark cost estimate to include in the city budget process so the council and budget committee can consider funding the comprehensive study this fiscal year; staff said preparing a request and estimates for the council is feasible but cautioned it may not be possible to complete, contract and pay for a large study within the same fiscal year.

The commission also agreed to an industrial-campus outreach event, with several members proposing the commission either host or cohost an on-site industry visit. Members discussed scheduling that outreach to coincide with already planned summer community events; the commission agreed in discussion to target August 7 for an industrial outreach/open-house-style event and to use the event to connect with industrial employers, educators and workforce programs.

A procedural vote: the commission approved the meeting minutes (voice vote; motion carried) and later approved the amended one-year action plan by voice/hand vote. No roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting minutes; the clerk recorded vote outcomes as "motion carries" and "motion passes." The commission also asked the subcommittee (members Cross and Sale and colleagues) to draft concise language and recommended components for a later comprehensive-plan RFP and to circulate those items to the full commission for review.

Commissioner McElroy and other members emphasized the difference between the approved one-year action plan — a set of achievable objectives the commission will pursue over the coming 12 months — and a multi-year comprehensive economic development strategy, which several members said is a larger, staff- and consultant-driven effort that will require council approval and likely a separate line in the city budget.

The commission nominated the vice chair, if available, to present the action plan and budget requests to City Council on April 28 at 6 p.m. and asked staff to place that presentation on the council agenda and to circulate an edited, one-page action-plan summary for final sign-off before the council hearing.

The vote to approve the one-year action plan and the prior minutes closed the substantive portion of the meeting; commissioners then discussed follow-up items including the industrial outreach event logistics, the commission email archive (staff requested that committee email communications be cc'd to edc@cityofestacada.org so the city retains a record), and the commission's role coordinating with local partners on workforce and marketing tasks.

Ending: The commission agreed the approved one-year action plan will serve as the April submission to council and as the baseline for reporting at the end of the 12-month cycle; the larger comprehensive plan remains an item the commission will scope and recommend to council for possible budget consideration in a future cycle.