Committee for Community Involvement - Feb. 18, 2025

Agenda

Link to Join Zoom Meeting: https://clackamascounty.zoom.us/j/84454257151

Meeting ID: 844 5425 7151

Minutes

CCI Attendees: Karen Bjorklund (Chair), Marrion Kaufman, Bill Merchant, Brent Parries (Vice-Chair), Gordon Slatford

CCI Members Absent: Pat Erdenberger, Amy Nichols, Danielle Weber
Attending PGA Liaison to the CCI: Tonia Holowetzki
1. Welcome, Introductions
Chair Bjorklund welcomed CCI members, public attendees, and PGA staff.

2. Approval of Meeting Minutes
Marrion Kaufmann motioned to approve the minutes for December. Brent Parries seconded the motion. The committee unanimously approved the minutes.

3. Public Comment.

None.

4. 2025 Work Plan: Report from CCI workgroup on CPO handbook
Tonia reported that the CCI workgroup has received a copy of the handbook to review and prepare comments and recommended edits. Two PGA staff will join the workgroup: Maria Magallon and Donna Hockey. The CCI workgroup will select a spokesperson at the first meeting, on March 3, who will report on progress at the monthly CCI meetings.

5. 2025 CCI Action Plan

a. What specific actions could CCI accomplish in the next 10 months?

i. CCI members discussed the list of actions considered at the last meeting and agreed on moving
forward with seven action items, removing the sending a letter to the state CCI at this time.
These action items are:

i. Community leaders meeting

ii. Two CPO listening sessions, possibly dedicating one to code enforcement issues

iii. Revising the CPO handbook

iv. Evaluation of the community engagement program

v. Code enforcement and improved relationship with CPOs

vi. Pursue establishing a definition for neighborhood livability

vii. Issues that emerge for the year and justify CCI’s attention

ii. CCI members also discussed two additional actions: (1) a citizen of the year award and (2) reinstatement of the Citizen Academy, with which CCI has not been involved.

i. Tonia clarified that PGA is already working towards establishing an award program and is taking the lead on this initiative. She will provide more information and seek CCI’s input as this work progresses.

ii. Tonia added that PGA is considering a similar program to encourage increased public involvement with the county. The program’s scope will depend on available resources and funding. She will provide more information and seek CCI’s input as this work progresses.

iii. CCI members discussed the importance of neighborhood livability, especially for CPOs, regarding code enforcement and land use decisions. Tonia explained that DTD does not have a codified definition of neighborhood livability but rather priorities they address to improve
neighborhood livability. These priorities were established and approved by the BCC in 2018, and DTD plans to present an updated proposal for the BCC to consider and approve in 2025. She also suggested that CCI consider contacting DTD to see if there’s an opportunity to partner
with DTD to establish a definition. CCI considered two approaches to move forward:

i. CCI proposes a definition for neighborhood livability to the county’s planning division for adoption.

ii. CCI starts a conversation about neighborhood livability with CPOs to collect their perspectives, which would then inform a proposed definition for the county to respond to and eventually adopt.

iv. Karen and Brent agreed to bring

i. A draft on the 2025 action plan to the March CCI’s meeting for approval.

ii. A draft of CCI’s 2024 accomplishments for CCI approval.

v. Tonia shared that the Community Leaders Meeting was moved to June 2024.

vi. CCI agreed to hold its first CPO listening session in April and may invite Michael Barnes to join and listen. CCI will share what it is already working on: (1) code enforcement, (2) neighborhood livability, and (3) two-way communication with the county. The session will be an open forum
with some leading themes. Some suggestions for the session include:

i. Start with what is working.

ii. What do they mean when they feel the county isn’t listening? What do they need to feel heard by the county? What can work better? What else can the county do to make you feel heard?

iii. Is livability an important issue? Is this why CPOs feel the county isn’t listening?

6. CCI 2025 Action Plan: Neighborhood livability
See discussion notes above in Section 5.a.iii. In addition to the summary above, Bill Merchant noted that Michael Barnes, code enforcement supervisor, has been actively engaged with CPOs and seems to take
engagement very seriously. For example, he shared how CPOs can access Accela, the program DTD uses to manage code enforcement efforts. He continues to follow up and follow through. CCI will continue to observe the improved engagement over time.

7. Possible new business to consider for future CCI agendas CCI candidate interviews.

The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m.