City manager previews utilities work session, budget schedule; community development reports business interest

City Manager Ron told the Lebanon City Council on Feb. 12 that staff will hold a utilities work session the first meeting in March and a joint City Council–Planning Commission meeting later in March, previewed the budget schedule, and said staff is pursuing federal infrastructure funding and advocacy opportunities during Water Week in Washington, D.C.

Key scheduling items: the utilities work session is planned for the March 12 meeting (5 p.m. start), a joint Council–Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for March 26, and the council’s first budget-committee meeting is tentatively set for April 16 after the April 9 regular meeting so budget books can be distributed.

Ron said staff is advocating for wastewater and water infrastructure dollars and plans to travel to Washington, D.C., in April for Water Week to meet congressional offices and press for federal funding. Staff noted the city’s wastewater facility and other projects would compete for funding and that the trip aligns with state legislative advocacy.

Kelly, Community Development Director, gave a year-end report for 2024 and said the department processes planning, building and economic-development work. She said planning-case volume was steady (45 applications in 2023 and 45 in 2024) but that the valuation of building permits declined while permit count increased, indicating smaller projects. Kelly reported several businesses in the pipeline: Tractor Supply is building north of Walgreens; a company relocating from Corvallis (named in packet as Tunnel Radio/Angent) is planning new construction; and there is interest in a new car-wash site.

Kelly also said the city processed the largest subdivision in more than 20 years in 2024, is implementing the Housing Production Strategy, and is monitoring FEMA’s midyear changes related to endangered-species pre-implementation compliance that could require future code changes.

Votes at a glance: At the meeting’s start the council approved the consent calendar — including awards for the North Santiam Highway waterline extension and the Grove Street sanitary sewer extension projects — on a voice vote (motion moved and seconded and passed). No roll-call vote totals were recorded in the transcript.

Ending: Staff will provide the utilities work session and draft budget materials on the schedule described and will continue to pursue federal funding opportunities; Community Development will continue to process permits and bring any code-change proposals to council as needed.