By Sarah Brown
Lebanon Local
Mayor-elect Ken Jackola and elected councilors Carl Mann, Michelle Steinhebel and Dave Workman were sworn in Wednesday, Jan. 11, at the Lebanon City Council meeting.
Councilors Wayne Dykstra, Jeremey Salvage and KJ Ullfers were also present.
The year’s first meeting was fairly uneventful, but members of the public filled the seats and were left to standing-room only spots. Lebanon Downtown Association Manager Cassie Cruze and former councilor Gamael Nassar spoke during the public comment period to update the council on LDA happenings and plans to help promote more tourism in the city.
Councilor Salvage told the councilors that both he and Steinhebel have received comments of concern about increased traffic at Weldwood Drive and South Main Road due to construction of more apartments and the fact that the Sand Ridge Charter School is nearby.
“Right there at Weldwood Park (also known as Bob Smith Park) where Weldwood Drive comes off,” Salvage said, “they were requesting a flashing pedestrian crosswalk there.”
Engineering Services Director Ron Whitlatch said that the city received multiple calls about speeding in the area and mentioned that discussions have taken place about installing a crosswalk across South Main Road.
“We would not recommend that without some kind of a stop-control measure – i.e., a stop sign or a traffic signal or rapid flashing beacon,” Whitlatch said.
Salvage recommended the city explore the flashing-beacon option near the park, and Whitlatch agreed that it was a good idea. However, he added, it would need to be placed on next year’s budget with a price tag of about $30,000. The city is currently working on installing a flashing beacon crossing on Tennessee Road for the Marks Slough Trail.
In other business, the council:
♦ Held a brief work session to train the new mayor and council members on matters pertaining to meetings procedures;
♦ Awarded a water treatment plant on-site chlorine generation system to TMG Services, Inc. for $236,104;
♦ Approved a right-of-way dedication for the newly constructed half-street improvements along Vaughan Lane and South Main Road;
♦ Selected Workman as liaison for the Parks, Trees & Trails Advisory Committee, Dykstra as liaison for the Library Advisory Committee and Steinhebel as liaison for the Cascades West Area Commission on Transportation;
♦ Repealed old code and approved ordinances 2023-1, 2023-2, 2023-3, 2023-4 and 2023-5 replacing and updating municipal codes to reflect the latest state building codes. They refer to the structural code, fire code, board of appeals, camping vehicles and recreational parks, and regulations for the placement of recreational vehicles.