Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City of Happy Valley asks district to lend logo to state funding flyer for proposed community recreation center
Summary
City officials asked the board for permission to use the North Clackamas School District logo on a flyer supporting a $5 million statewide funding request for a proposed Happy Valley community recreation center; the board asked for more detail about state funding sources and access policies.
City of Happy Valley staff and councilor David Golby told the North Clackamas School District board on March 13 that they are seeking the district’s permission to include the district logo on a flyer used to solicit support for a $5 million request in a state "Christmas tree" (earmark) bill for a proposed community recreation center.
Ben Bryant, Happy Valley assistant city manager, and Councilor David Golby presented the project vision and the legislative request. Bryant said the city has purchased a 40‑acre site and estimates construction costs around $60 million. The city is considering a general obligation bond measure for voters (potentially November 2025) to cover part of the cost and is seeking approximately $5 million in state capital assistance to help fund the center’s amenities.
Bryant and Golby described proposed amenities—recreational and lap aquatics, a multi‑court gym, indoor track, fitness and group exercise space, reservable community rooms and expanded outdoor park infrastructure—and said the design process incorporated community input from focus groups, principle meetings, sports leagues and a steering committee. The presenters said they are aiming to serve a regional population larger than the city itself and compared the proposal to the earlier state funding support that helped build the county library.
The specific ask to the board was limited: the city asked whether the district would allow the North Clackamas logo to appear on a one‑page flyer used inside the state Capitol to show community support while legislators consider projects for the end‑of‑session capital package. Bryant emphasized the flyer would be used in the Capitol and not as a community‑bond campaign piece.
Board members asked several clarifying questions, including: - Will the $5 million compete with state funding for school capital projects? City staff said the capital earmark process is separate from the state school funding formula, but advised board members to consult state funding experts because project lists can overlap in limited capital buckets. - What happens to the $5 million request if the city’s local bond (to cover the bulk of the project) fails? City staff said a range of options exist: scale or phase the project, postpone other local capital projects, or reprioritize; specifics would depend on council decisions and funding availability. - Who will have access and at what rate? City staff said access policies and resident vs. nonresident rates have not been finalized and will require policy work if the project moves forward.
Board members praised the city for extensive community outreach and said the request to use the district logo for a Capitol flyer was reasonable but asked staff to retrieve more detail about the state funding source and potential overlap with school funding. No formal district endorsement of the bond or financial support was requested or made at the meeting.
