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Oregon City approves budget adjustments, development study and cemetery fee changes; court ordinance cleared for second reading
Summary
At its May 21 meeting the Oregon City Commission approved a supplemental budget (Res. 25-10), adopted a Thimble Creek market-readiness study (Res. 25-09), approved new cemetery fees (Res. 25-12, with minor wording change), and gave first-reading approval to an ordinance to declare the municipal court a court of record (Ord. 25-1007).
The Oregon City Commission on May 21 took several formal actions that will affect city finances, development planning and municipal court procedure.
Votes at a glance - Supplemental budget, Resolution 25-10: Passed unanimously. The resolution funds unanticipated but largely positive changes since the biennial budget was set, including higher parks donations revenue, vehicle maintenance and fuel cost adjustments, increased insurance costs, downtown restroom and streetlight maintenance, and funding for a facilities master plan and new facilities department. Finance director Matt Zook presented the staff report and said the items were mostly "good news." No public testimony was received on the item.
- Thimble Creek market assessment and development readiness, Resolution 25-09: Passed unanimously. The commission formally acknowledged and closed out a Metro-funded planning grant and accepted a market-readiness study intended to identify barriers to redevelopment in the Thimble Creek concept-plan area west of Beavercreek Road. Commissioners named two “champions” to work with staff and property owners on next steps such as outreach, policy options and potential public–private partnerships.
- Cemetery fee update, Resolution 25-12: Passed (majority). Parks staff proposed raising Mountain View Cemetery fees to reach a target of roughly 75% cost recovery and to create a separate fund for long-term cemetery maintenance. Staff asked the commission to amend the draft wording to replace the term "perpetual endowment fund" with a city-managed "separate fund for long-term cemetery maintenance." The commission approved the fee changes with that wording update.
- Municipal Court as court of record, Ordinance 25-1007 (first reading): The commission approved the ordinance’s first reading, authorizing staff to apply to the state to designate the Oregon City Municipal Court as a court of record. If finalized, appeals from the municipal court would be handled on the record rather than requiring new trials in circuit court, streamlining appellate review.
What commissioners said Commissioners thanked staff and the finance team for work on the supplemental budget and accepted the Thimble Creek plan as a useful next step. Parks staff emphasized comparables and a 75% cost-recovery target for cemetery operations; the finance director requested that the commission use the less-restrictive wording "separate fund for long-term cemetery maintenance," rather than creating a private-style endowment.
Next steps Staff will implement the supplemental budget adjustments, close out the Metro grant for the Thimble Creek study and proceed with the champions’ outreach. Parks staff will return with a formal ordinance creating the cemetery maintenance fund and with implementation details; the municipal court ordinance will come back for a second reading at a future meeting.
