Sherwood council approves consent items; prepares for Highway 99 bridge span installation and launches long-range transport planning

Sherwood City Council on March 4 approved routine consent items, heard details about a planned weekend closure on Highway 99 for a bridge span installation, and received updates on the city’s Transportation System Plan update and local education and library issues.

The council approved consent agenda items without roll-call opposition after removing one item for later revision. Approved items included the Feb. 4 and Feb. 18 meeting minutes; Resolution 2025-013, appointing Aaron Wiebe to the Sherwood Budget Committee; and Resolution 2025-014, naming the Sherwood Center of the Arts main hall the Mira Valley Theater. The council removed a separate resolution on city goals for staff correction and said it will return that item to a future meeting.

Why it matters: The Highway 99 weekend work will temporarily close a key arterial and the transportation plan will guide multi-year street, sidewalk and transit investment, both of which affect travel, construction impacts and future capital budgeting.

Most important items

Bridge span installation and Highway 99 closure — schedule and traffic control

City staff told the council that the contractor will close Highway 99 at Sunset for installation of the first bridge span. The closure is planned from Friday at 9 p.m. through Monday at 5 a.m., with the city hoping to reopen earlier if the work finishes ahead of schedule. The city said additional spans are planned later; staff identified the next span target weekend as the weekend of the 21st, subject to schedule changes. Public works and the city’s IT department will provide limited public viewing areas and some camera coverage; extra patrol officers and mutual aid from Washington County and neighboring jurisdictions will be on duty to manage traffic and safety during the operation.

Transportation System Plan update — citizen advisory recruitment and schedule

City staff said the Transportation System Plan (TSP) update will run from April 2025 through November 2026 and will guide roads, sidewalks, bicycle facilities and public transit planning. The city is recruiting members for a citizen advisory committee; applications are open on the city website and close March 14. The committee’s commitment would be roughly 18–24 months with monthly meetings beginning in May 2025.

Education and library updates

Council members relayed recent school board actions: the district’s middle school adopted a stricter electronic-device policy that removes phones from students during the school day, a change council members said has reduced disruptive incidents. The board also discussed interdistrict transfers; staff recommended reducing transfers but the board voted to retain the district’s current limit of 30 transfers. The council was informed that school board member Krista Thorne resigned and the board has begun the replacement process.

Library funding was a separate concern. Representatives discussed Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) and an expiring library levy; WCCLS staff have proposed a 1–2% funding increase in the next biennial budget cycle while service levels for Sherwood may decline under some levy scenarios. City staff said the WCCLS executive committee will meet May 19 and the city plans a council workshop beforehand to formulate comments.

Other community items and events

The Sherwood Police Foundation was recognized at the police department’s recent awards banquet for fundraising and program support; council members noted the foundation’s May 2 gala as the department’s main fundraiser (tickets available through the foundation’s website). The city’s Cultural Arts Center celebrated its 10th anniversary and the council said staff will work with the family and Friends of the Arts Center to schedule a formal dedication after Resolution 2025-014 named the main hall the Mira Valley Theater. Council members also noted open applications for Metro-funded Community Enhancement Program grants (CEP) with a deadline of April 15 and federal Community Development Block Grant presentations that the council’s advisory panel recently scored.

Meetings and regional coordination

Council members said they were involved in regional work on housing and supportive services funding and noted forthcoming meetings: a May or April work session with Washington County Commissioner Jason Snyder and a delegation to the National League of Cities conference in Washington, D.C., later in March. The mayor and other local officials said they are working with Metro and area mayors on funding and policy for housing and homelessness services.

Ending

Council members closed the meeting after brief final remarks. The council said the pulled city-goals resolution will return after staff revisions, and staff reiterated public notices for the Highway 99 weekend closure, the TSP advisory committee application deadline (March 14) and grant/meeting dates related to library and CEP funding.