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Scappoose council endorses five priorities to send to League of Oregon Cities
Summary
City Manager Ben Birgener presented staff recommendations and the Scappoose City Council voted to forward five priorities — including infrastructure funding and expanded public transit — to the League of Oregon Cities for the 2025 legislative agenda.
Scappoose — The City Council on Monday approved a package of five priorities to send to the League of Oregon Cities, following a presentation by City Manager Ben Birgener and brief discussion among councilors.
Birgener told the council staff and council members had each ranked the League’s multi‑issue list and that staff consolidated the results to recommend five items for Scappoose to emphasize. The priorities the council approved were infrastructure funding; restoration of recreational immunity; investment in community resiliency and climate planning resources; funding and expanding public and intercommunity transit; and community safety and neighborhood livability.
"The table that you have in front of you has what in green were kind of the top 4 that had the most votes," Birgener said in the meeting packet review, noting staff also combined their votes with council input to provide context. Councilors discussed whether the city should emphasize the broader 2025 transportation package or a narrower public‑transit funding item; several members said transit and safe routes to school were locally important because Highway 30 bisects Scappoose.
Councilor Bailey moved to recommend the five priorities and have the city manager submit them to the League of Oregon Cities; Councilor Santiago seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote; the transcript records an affirmative voice vote but does not record a roll‑call tally.
Why it matters: small cities rely on the League to advocate state funding and policy changes. Councilors said choosing the top five helps the League focus on issues most likely to benefit Scappoose and similar communities.
The council packet included staff‑compiled rankings and Birgener said the list was intended to be directional rather than an exhaustive legislative platform. The council did not authorize expenditure changes; the action was limited to forwarding policy priorities to the League.
