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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-07-20 Study Session MIN ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MINUTES Monday,July 20,2026 I. EXECUTIVE SESSION 4:30 p.m. To consult with counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed pursuant to ORS 192.660 (2)(h). Council Present: Mayor Graham and Councilors Bloom, Dahle,DuQuenne, Hansen,Kaplan,and Sherrell. Staff Present: Sabrina Cotta,Johan Pietilla, Scott Fleury, and Alissa Kolodzinski From Ashland.news Kayla Heffner. II. Call to Order Mayor Graham called the study session meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Council Present: Mayor Graham and Councilors Bloom, Dahle,DuQuenne, Hansen, Kaplan,and Sherrell. Staff Present: Sabrina Cotta City Manager Alissa Kolodzinski City Recorder Bryn Morrison Interim Finance Director III. Reports and Presentations a. Houseless Services Follow-up and Discussion Cotta reported that the City convened a working group including OHRA, Rogue Retreat, Access,and the Ashland Library to evaluate options for addressing issues at the Night Lawn. After reviewing City's owned properties,the OHRA location,and 2200 Ashland Street, staff concluded that a managed pilot program at the current night lawn location, in partnership with OHRA,was the most appropriate path forward. The pilot would run for six months,with OHRA providing management in lieu of Police Department oversight,and would be formalized through a professional service agreement. Councilors expressed broad support for the pilot while emphasizing the need to advance a longer- term policy discussion concurrently. Considerations included the importance of ensuring any pilot does not become permanent or status-quo by default and that a series of structured council discussions on long-term solutions should occur to include review of site location,operational standards, daytime options,and management models. A preference for a nightly winter shelter rather than a severe-weather-only shelter was raised as were questions about the budget impact, noting that $100,000 had previously been redirected from the homeless services fund to support a childcare grant program.Councilors discussed returning a prior proposal regarding long-term solutions to the agenda and inquired about regional solutions given the overcrowding on the Night Lawn. Graham clarified that absent new funding,the City should plan for a severe weather shelter rather than a nightly shelter during the upcoming winter. Public Comment Seven members of the public provided comments. Key concerns raised included dangerous overcrowding (with as many as 45 individuals on a lawn with a recommended maximum of 20-23), City Council Study Session July 20,2026 Page 1 of 5 daily heat-related medical emergencies,the need for a wildfire smoke emergency shelter plan,the absence ofovvnnnen's safe section, storage vvoit|ioto and o request to allow tents to remain inplace during extreme heat above 9O^F. Speakers uniformly supported retaining the night lawn with professional management over police-centered oversight. After further discussion Council came tou consensus on staff direction. Council directs staff to proceed with negotiating a six-month pilot agreement withOKURA to manage the Dusk to Dawn lawn at its current location as recommended,and further directs staff to schedule a series of council discussions over the course of the pilot to work through,in consultation with Council,the elements mWa long-term solution—including site location,operational standards, daytime options for night lawn residents,and the management model proposed at the May 18th mmeeVing—so that Council has developed and adopted wn long-term direction,not just received a staff report,before the pilot concludes. Councilors clarified with staff that the question of allowing tents toremain up during temperatures above 90OF would be taken up as an operational matter by OHRA under the pilot agreement. � � b. Opportunities and Beautification n/Southnide � Graham introduced the topic and with DuQuenne presented a PowerPoint on revitalizing the � � southeast corridor ofAshland, beginning at Interstate 5 Exit l4and extending up Ashland Street toward � Siokk/ou Boulevard (see agenda puckeA. DuOu*nn*framed the effort oa extending beyond � beautification to encompass economic growth,workforce housing,and increased density within the � Climate Friendly Area.She noted that the corridor serves as the primary gateway into both the city and the state ofOregon. DuQuenne reported having engaged the Ashland Chamber of Commerce regarding business accountability under AMC Chapter 13 and held a productive conversation with Blair Sundell,Executive Director of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development /SORE0\ who expressed enthusiasm for a follow-up walk-through of the corridor in August.Graham and DuQuenne also noted ongoing � conversations with White Rabbit about a design workshop for the medians. Council discussion included strong support for the initiative.The"Gateway District"identity designation � was suggested to move from the mid-term to the short-term action list. Establishing a named district � � identity would serve as a foundational marketing and funding tool potentially increasing eligibility for nimLe grants. Councilors considered the need for public art in the corridor and considered whether to explore acquisition of the Exit 19 interchange area from the county. Council discussion emphasized the significant quantity of underdeveloped industrial land in the district and the opportunity to attract employers consistent with the Cih/n Economic Opportunity Analysis. Cotta noted that the City has only one code enforcement officer and one weed abatement staff member operating citywide on a complaint-driven basis and that proactive enforcement would represent a change in current practice.Graham suggested leveraging the SeeClickFix platform and Chamber outreach tngenerate complaints organically and raised the possibility of engaging CERT volunteers for weed abatement awareness efforts. City Council Study Session Jmy20,2D28 Page 2of5 Affirmed by consensus,council direction to staff included moving forward with the"Gateway District"identity designation elevated to the short-term action list;and staff outreach to ODOT, continued engagement with private landowners regarding the welcome sign,coordination with the Chamber,and follow-up with SOREDL DuQuenne committed to returning to Council in September with a detailed cost breakdown. c. Financial Policies Dahle and Bloom jointly presented a set of proposed financial policy updates aimed at improving fiscal transparency, establishing structured oversight mechanisms,and positioning the City for long- term financial stability. Dahle acknowledged extensive collaboration with City Manager Cotta, Interim Finance Director Morrison,and City Recorder Kolodzinski in preparing the materials. Both councilors emphasized that the impetus was not impropriety, but rather the cumulative effect of COVID-era fiscal decisions and a structural imbalance between revenues and expenditures that, if unaddressed, projects to eliminate all general fund carryover by 2029. The presentation included six proposed staff directions, each addressed in sequence: Staff Direction I — General Fund Balance Framework: Council directed the City Manager and Finance Director to return no later than September 15,2026, with a resolution repealing and replacing Resolution 2023-09 to update language for clarity and enforcement and replace the single 16.67%floor and 50%ceiling structure with a 3-zone general fund balance framework.The defined thresholds of 20%and 37%are open to additional Council discussion. Detailed conversations addressed the differentiation between the budgeted minimum and the real- time fund balance.The three-zone general fund balance framework dictates a 16.67% hard floor; below 20%triggers a mandatory corrective action plan; 20%-37% is a healthy target zone requiring no action; above 37%triggers a mandatory transfer to the Reserve Fund and new Capital Fund. Staff emphasized that adopting a 20% policy floor would preclude presenting a budget that commences in the corrective action phase,thereby adjusting the effective floor to 16.67%. Dahle explained the purpose is not an immediate cut to operational expenditures, but to create an ongoing early alert system that compels a Council review should the balance fall below 20%. The Council agreed to suspend the rules to extend the meeting by 30 minutes Staff Direction 2 — Quarterly Compliance Reporting: Council directed staff to incorporate policy compliance reporting and a 60-day corrective action requirement into all future quarterly financial reports to Council,applicable to the general fund,to be implemented following adoption of the updated financial policy. Morrison confirmed this was feasible. Staff Direction 3 — FTE Staffing Report: City Council Study Session July 20,2026 Page 3 of 5 Council directed staff to add a standing FTE staffing report with budgeted versus filled positions by department and management/non-management classifications with variances over 5%called out to the quarterly financial reports. Morrison confirmed her team could implement the staffing report request, aimed at increasing transparency and oversight into staffing levels. Staff Direction 4 — Capital Fund Policy: Council directed staff to develop updated funding and use policies for the dedicated capital fund, and to provide that capital projects be budgeted and implemented within the capital fund rather than the general fund. Clearly differentiating capital project funding enhances financial planning and infrastructure investment focus.The structure addresses past issues like the community center and pioneer hall projects to avoid unexpected general fund withdrawals.This aligns with best practices for transparency and sustainable management. Having dedicated capital funds clarifies general fund access and promotes systematic infrastructure investment. Staff Direction 5 — Budget Transfer to Reserve and Capital Funds: Council directed staff in developing the proposed 2027-29 budget,to include a transfer to the reserve fund and capital fund,with the final amount subject to council discussion and budget adoption. The specific 25% figure originally included in the draft was removed in favor of a more flexible approach. Cotta explained that this direction underscored the need to clarify the reserve fund's purpose and the pace for building reserve and capital funds. Staff will return with options illustrating the trade-offs of various speeds of fund-building.Councilors additionally requested that the future discussion encompass the contingency fund and its acceptable uses,citing a desire for greater transparency around discretionary spending. Staff Direction 7 - PERS liability modeling: Council directed staff to return within 110 days with a report on updated financial policies and best practices which we're working on including PERS liability modeling for future forecasts and a comprehensive financial policies manual. ors then provided a seventh staff direction to return within 110 days with a report on updated financial policies and best practices, including PERS liability modeling for future forecasts and a consolidated financial policies manual. Cotta noted that the City is currently in year one of a three-year study on whether a PIERS side account is advisable.The direction was affirmed by consensus. Graham noted that the broader conversation about the reserve fund target warrants a dedicated study session in advance of the September 15 resolution deadline,given changes in federal disaster funding posture and rising FEMA thresholds. City Council Study Session July 20,2026 Page 4 of 5 Staff Direction 6 — OpenGov Transparency (Checkbook-Level Detail): Council directed the City Manager and Finance Director to enable transaction-level,checkbook- style detail in the City's OpenGov transparency platform,viewable by the public down to the individual line-item transaction,within 60 days. Morrison explained that the City is already in the process of rebuilding its OpenGov reports due to a platform upgrade, making this request largely concurrent with existing work. The upgrade will allow the public to see not only budget line items but also the specific vendor and transaction amount. Staff Direction 8 - III.Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 pm. City Recorder Alissa Kolodzinski Mayor Tonya Graham City Council Study Session July 20,2026 Page 5 of 5 'Il- SPEAKER REQUEST FORM Study Session Submit this form to the meeting Secretary prior to the discussion item. 1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak 2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone 3) Limit your comments to the time allotted 4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary 5) speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement Date: Name: (Please Print) Ashland Resident: YES ❑ NO City: Agenda Topic/Item Number: - �Iy) Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are loud or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to leave. Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, vulgar, or profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my speaking time may be terminated, and I may be requested to sit down or leave the building. SPEAKER REQUEST FORM Study Session Submit this form to the meeting Secretary prior to the discussion item. 1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak 2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone 3) Limit your comments to the time allotted 4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary 5) speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement Date: Name: (Please Print) Ashland Resident: YES NO City:LAJI Agenda Topic/Item Number: Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are loud or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to leave. Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, vulgar, or profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my speaking time may be terminated, and I may be requested to sit down or leave the building. SPEAKER REQUEST FORM Study Session Submit this form to the meeting Secretary prior to the discussion item. 1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak 2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone 3) Limit your comments to the time allotted 4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary 5) speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement Date: Name: (Please`Print) Ashland Resident: Ij YES NO City: Agenda Topic/Item Number: Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are loud or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to leave. Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, vulgar, or profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my speaking time may be terminated, and I may be requested.to sit down or leave the building. SPEAKER REQUEST FORM Study Session Submit this form to the meeting Secretary prior to the discussion item. 1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak 2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone 3) Limit your comments to the time allotted 4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary 5) speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement Date: Name: (Please Print) Ashland Resident: YES NO City: Agenda Topic/Item Number: Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are loud or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to leave. Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, vulgar, or profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my speaking time may be terminated, and I may be requested to sit down or leave the building. SPEAKER REQUEST FORM Study Session Submit this form to the meeting Secretary prior to the discussion item. 1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak 2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone 3) Limit your comments to the time allotted 4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary 5) Speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement Dater Name: (Please Print) Cal Cle Ashland Resident: f-vCf YES ' NO city: "-S �4,1c) Agenda Topic/Item Number: Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are loud or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to leave. Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, vul,gar, or profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my speaking time maybe terminated, and I may be requested to sit down or leave the building. SPEAKER REQUEST FORM ALI Study Session Submit this form to the meeting Secretary prior to the discussion item. 1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak 2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone 3) Limit your comments to the time allotted 4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary 5) Speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement Date: L 0 . _ (_ J � Name: PleaseXint) Ashland Resident: YES NO City: Agenda Topic/Item Number: Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are loud or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to leave. Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, Vulgar, or profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my speaking time may be terminated, and I may be requested to sit down or leave the building. SPEAKER REQUEST FORM Study Session Submit this form to the meeting Secretary prior to the discussion item. 1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak 2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone 3) Limit your comments to the time allotted 4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary 5) Speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement Date: Name: (Please,Print) ul � � Ashland Resident: —YES NO City: Agenda Topic/Item Number: � � � �� Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are Loud or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to leave. Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, vulgar, or profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my speaking time may be terminated, and I may be requested to sit down or leave the building. r SPEAKER REQUEST FORM Study Session Submit this form to the meeting Secretary prior to the discussion item. 1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak 2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone 3) Limit your comments to the time allotted 4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary 5) speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement Date: 7l2.01No Name: (Please Print) ca ee Ashland Resident: 0 YES ® NO City: Agenda Topic/Item Number: Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are loud or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to leave. Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, vulgar, or profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my speaking time may be terminated, and I may be requested to sit down or leave the building.