Joint session with Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission on Monday, then city councilors have regular business meeting Tuesday
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
The Monday, April 1, a study session will be held jointly between Ashland Parks & Recreation commissioners and Ashland city councilors in order to review the city’s contracted Diversity, Equity and Inclusion report.
Through the advice of its Social Justice and Racial Equity Commission, the city allocated $40,000 for the assessment of its organization in June 2022. The contract was awarded to Paradigm Public Affairs firm to perform the assessment beginning in August 2023. The results of the survey will be presented Monday.
On Monday evening, the council will also review the potential to expand the urban growth boundary in response to Oregon Senate Bill 1537 and receive a progress update from the Homelessness Master Plan Subcommittee.
During the Tuesday, April 2, City Council meeting, council will vote on the second reading of the new telecommunication’s ordinance. The first reading passed in a 5-to-1 vote during the Tuesday, March 19, council meeting. Councilor Gina DuQuenne voted in opposition while Councilors Jeff Dahle, Dylan Bloom, Paula Hyatt, Eric Hansen and Bob Kaplan voted in favor. A majority vote Tuesday would make the ordinance law.
In other council business Tuesday, councilors will reconsider a section of the proposed project area for the helicopter logging project in the Ashland Watershed and Siskiyou Mountain Park. During the March 19 business meeting, councilors asked that this section of the project area be brought back for further discussion of pile and burn cost .
Council will also hold a second confirmation vote to formally create a Human Resources department within the city and vote to approve an update to the city’s fire code. A potential ad hoc committee to determine the future of 2200 Ashland St. is also on the agenda.
Both meetings will be held in the council chamber at 1175 E Main St. Both meetings can be attended in person or watched remotely through Channel 9 or Channels 180 and 181 (Charter Communications) or live streamed via rvtv.sou.edu (select RVTV Prime). The Monday study session begins at 5:30 p.m., while the Tuesday business meeting begins at 6 p.m.
Public testimony will be accepted for the meetings and can be delivered either via Zoom, in person, or as written comment. To sign up for public comment, fill out the public testimony form.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news.
