City Council

City of Durham CITY COUNCIL MINUTES January 28, 2025 A. OPEN REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. Council President Joshua Drake opened the meeting at 7:11 PM at Durham City Hall. B. ROLL CALL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. Councilors present: Council President Joshua Drake, Councilors Leslie Gifford, Gary Paul, David Streicher, and Sean Lee (late). Councilors absent: None Staff present: City Administrator Jordan Parente and Administrative Assistant Kait Garlick Visitors: Resident John Gage, Rachel Schutz Representing the Family Justice Center C. OATH OF OFFICE FOR COUNCILORS GIFFORD, PAUL, AND STREICHER. D. ELECTION OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT. Joshua Drake was elected for the 2025 Mayoral term. Leslie Gifford was elected as Council President for the 2025 term. E. COUNCIL MINUTES. Council President Gifford moved to approve the minutes from the December 17, 2024, regular City Council meeting. Councilor Paul seconded the motion. The vote passed (4-0). MO 012825-01 F. Mayor Drake read the CALENDAR OF MEETINGS.  Tuesday February 4, 2025, Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission at 7:00 PM  Monday February 17, 2025, City Hall closed in observance of Presidents’ Day  Tuesday February 25, 2025, Regular Meeting of the City Council at 7:30 PM G. PUBLIC FORUM. None. H. PLANNING COMMISSION UPDATE. City Administrator Parente gave the Council an update on the last Planning Commission meeting which included a delayed decision, after a previous split vote, denying two tree removal permits submitted by a new Durham resident on Rivendell Drive; the approval of a temporary sales sign for Durham Estates; and the approval of three tree removal permits required for a home being built in Durham Heights. I. OATH OF OFFICE FOR COUNCILOR LEE. J. FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER 2024 UPDATE. Rachel Schutz joined the meeting via Zoom to give an annual update for the Family Justice Center. Ms. Schutz began by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to discuss the work of the Family Justice Center (FJC) and highlighted the ongoing support from the City of Durham and other municipalities in Washington County. This collective backing aligns with the center’s collaborative model, which brings together agencies to support survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Reflecting on the past year, Mr. Schutz noted that 2024 marked a record-high number of survivors served and services provided since their arrival in 2021, a time when the pandemic was still at its height. The FJC assisted 7,202 survivors with 11,691 services—a notable 26% increase from 2023. This growth was attributed to expanded outreach efforts and increased service partnerships. 1  Ms. Schutz outlined four key initiatives driving this success:  Countywide Risk Assessment Program – Implemented with law enforcement to evaluate the lethality risk during domestic violence calls. This program led to an impressive 80% reduction in homicides in 2024.  On-Site Restraining Order Hearings – Previously held exclusively at courthouses, these hearings are now conducted at the FJC, creating a safer, more supportive environment for survivors and their legal teams.  Food Pantry Partnership – In collaboration with the Oregon Food Bank, the FJC distributed over 22,000 pounds of food in its first year, addressing a critical community need.  Peer Outreach through the Voices Committee – Composed of survivors who accessed FJC services, this group connects with other survivors to raise awareness and provide support. Additional data from the annual report underscored the FJC’s impact:  389 survivors received emergency assistance (e.g., phones, gift cards, locks).  701 after-hours calls were routed through a centralized emergency line.  Over 1,900 survivors accessed food, clothing, and essentials. Demographically, 70% of survivors served came from urban areas within Washington County, with notable representation from the Durham, King City, and Tigard regions—likely a reflection of both accessibility and strong local awareness efforts. The discussion also touched on the FJC’s transition to partnering with the Oregon Food Bank after a key church food supplier closed. This new partnership significantly increased the volume and efficiency of food distribution. Certification as a food pantry site took nine months but proved worthwhile. Looking forward, the FJC is set to complete construction of its expanded Family Peace Center, which will incorporate child abuse evaluation and medical services through CARES Northwest. The center anticipates serving over 10,000 people annually by the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Lastly, Ms. Schutz clarified that the Family Justice Center is a nonprofit organization, primarily funded by grants (approximately 78-80%), with the remainder covering operations and administrative costs. She closed by offering to provide further resources or information as needed, emphasizing the organization’s appreciation for the City’s ongoing support K. APPOINTMENT OF FORREST BOLEYN TO A FOUR-YEAR TERM ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. Councilor Paul moved to approve the motion. Council President Gifford seconded the motion. The vote passed (5-0). MO 012825-02 L. APPOINTMENT OF ANDREW MAST TO A TWO-YEAR TERM ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. Council President Gifford moved to approve the motion. Councilor Paul seconded the motion. The vote passed (5-0). MO 012825-03 M. RESOLUTION 671-25 A RESOLUTION OF THE DURHAM CITY COUNCIL, WASHINGTON COUNTY, OREGON, AMENDING THE CITY OF DURHAM PERSONNEL POLICY AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 614-19. 2  City Administrator Parente presented Council with a resolution updating two components of the current personnel policy for City employees. The first update was to the pay frequency stated in the personnel policy. The City will be moving to a bi-weekly pay frequency for City employees, which is an update from the monthly pay frequency. This update was prompted by the City employing a new accounting firm and their partner payroll company, that offers a better pricing model and more flexibility for employee pay schedules than the City’s previous payroll provider. The second update was to clarify conflicting language within the existing policy that states (per the City’s charter) the City Administrator sets the pay for the Administrative Assistant as opposed to Council approving the pay that the Administrator submits. Councilor Streicher asked to amend the proposed resolution language to include that the City Administrator will notify Council of any changes to the pay of the Administrative Assistant, but approval will not be required. Mayor Drake moved to approve the motion, with the amended verbiage of “and shall notify the Council accordingly” added to the resolution wording. Councilor Gifford seconded the motion. The vote passed (5-0). MO 012825-04 N. ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT  There will be an upcoming City Council work session scheduled for Monday, February 3, 2025, at 5:30 PM. This session will allow the City Administrator to provide Council with an overview of the upcoming calendar year’s goals, in addition to allowing the new Councilors to provide feedback and goals of their own.  There is a celebratory get-together in the planning stages for two recently retired City Councilors, Keith Jehnke and Chuck Van Meter. Mr. Parente let the group know that he would be reaching out to both former Councilors to find a date that would work for them.  Council was made aware that the City’s current City Planner, Keith Liden, will be retiring later this year and a replacement will need to be found.  The City’s grant application for funding to address the emerald ash borer beetle was denied.  The City’s new accountant has been in place for a couple of months and has been able to assist with closing out FY 23-24’s annual audit, as well as getting all the financials up to date. O. FINANCIAL REPORTS Council President Gifford moved to approve the Financial Reports for July, August, September, October, November, and December; payroll checks 700-701; vendor checks 17660-17674; and ETFs totaling $5,656.66. Councilor Paul seconded the motion. The vote passed (5-0). MO 012825-05 P. COUNCIL COMMENTS & MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATIONAL ITEMS  Councilor Streicher inquired about the status of the proposed updates to the City’s Tree Ordinance. City Administrator Parente let the Council know the ordinance was still under review by the City’s attorney. Mr. Streicher stressed that our service providers need to be timely with their review turnarounds, and the City should consider pursuing an alternative legal firm if the current one is unable to respond to requests in a reasonable amount of time.  Council President Gifford asked to move future City Council meetings back to 7:30 PM due to an ongoing scheduling conflict. After a brief discussion as a group, the other Councilors agreed to the time change. Meetings will begin at 7:30 PM, starting with the February 2025 regular meeting. Q. ADJOURN. Mayor Drake adjourned the meeting at 8:16 PM. 3 Approved: __________________________________________ JOSHUA DRAKE, MAYOR Attest: _______________________________________________ JORDAN PARENTE, CITY ADMINISTRATOR/RECORDER 4