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Meetings

Parks

Parks Advisory Board - Oct. 21, 2025

Parks Advisory Board - Oct. 21, 2025

Meeting materials

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Free language assistance services are available for this meeting. Contact bguthrie@clackamas.us (48-hour notice needed).

Agenda

  1. 6:00 Call Regular Meeting to Order
  2. 6:05 Meeting Minutes
    1. Review/Approval of the August 19, 2025 PAB Minutes
  3. 6:10 Citizen Input & Correspondence
  4. 6:15 Park System Plan
    1. Update
    2. PAB representatives to the PAC
  5. 6:35 PAB Board
    1. Open Recruitment
    2. Planning for 2026 Nominations
  6. 6:50 Administrative Updates – Tom Riggs
    1. Local Share Project Planning
    2. Regional Funding Conversations
    3. Internal Promos
    4. MA1 Recruitment
    5. Other
  7. 7:05 Park Updates – Mark Shaw
  8. 7:15 Good of the Order
  9. 7:30 Adjournment

Next Regular Scheduled Meeting: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - Hybrid meeting, online via Zoom webinar, or in person in Room 118, Development Services Building, 150 Beavercreek Rd, Oregon City, OR Clackamas County Parks Advisory Board Meeting Agenda, October 21, 2025 Hybrid: Online via Zoom or at Development Services Building, Room 118 150 Beavercreek Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045 at 6:00 pm

Minutes

Members Present at DSB 118: Mike Ferrell, Sarah Furber, Louise Lopes, Chad Parker, Attending on Zoom: Justin Ostrander, Rob Smoot, Angela Pederson, Tom Hester, Members Not Present: Dana Hindman-Allen, Walter Hull, Don Morgan
Staff Present at DSB 118: Tom Riggs, Mark Shaw, Barb Guthrie, Sarah Eckman, Ellen Rogalin

Citizen Guest: Jim Booker, Advisory Board member, City of Sherwood Dept. of Parks & Recreation.

  1. Call To Order
    Justin called the meeting to order at 6:02 pm
  2. Meeting Minutes
    Justin called for the approval of the August 19, 2025 minutes. There two requested changes, to the spelling of Sarah Furber’s first name and correction to Angela’s last name, Pederson. Rob called for the motion, Angela second the motion; it was approved by the PAB.
  3. Citizen Input & Correspondence
    Jim Booker, Advisory Board member for the City of Sherwood’s Department of Parks & Recreation, wanted to talk with the PAB about the auction of the Magnus Tree Farm. Jim shared some initial information and context, and Tom noted that there was additional discussion on that topic planned for later in the meeting.
    Justin shared with the PAB concerning the Nature and Neighborhoods Community Choice Grant Digital Ballot. The ballot has a list of parks that you can vote for that reflect the top priorities of individuals in the Portland area. One on the list is Billy Goat. Parks staff will send out a link for voting.
  4. Park System Plan
    Tom introduced Ellen Rogalin who is part of the project management team, working with Tom and the consultants on the plan. Ellen has been doing a large part of the organization for putting the kickoff meeting with the consultants we are having later this week. The kickoff meeting will be this Thursday.
    The management team for the system plan is looking for members to serve on the Public Advisory Committee for the development of the system plan. That committee will be a broad cross-section of community interests related to county parks. Cascadia Partners is the primary consultant, with two sub-consultants. The Public Advisory Committee will review and comment on work products, guide engagement efforts, help the project team host public events and activities, act as liaisons to specific constituencies, interest groups, encourage community members, and act as champions of the plan that emerges. We will talk about this committee and review the list we have for possible members, which does include two members of PAB. Some of groups mentioned are CPOs, park users, conservation partners, forestry, recreation volunteers, rural cities and schools.
    The point of the committee is to advise our system planning efforts, develop documents, mission and vision statement. When we have decision points, we will be working with the committee to get input on the draft products before it goes out to the public at large in the form of open houses and surveys.
    Tom asked the PAB to select two members from the PAB to serve on this committee. Justin was asked to open it to nominations. Justin and Rob were suggested. The PAB voted and approved the appointment of Justin and Rob to the Public Advisory Committee for the Park System Plan.
  5. PAB Board
    1. We have an open recruitment for membership to the PAB. We need to fill Eric Pfeifer-Robinson’s position and Dana’s term as ended. Dana is currently traveling, and once she is back, we will have a conversation about her decision to continue on the PAB or step down. There are three positions open. Barb will send the current PAB members a link to the recruitment page and how to apply - we hope you will forward that information to folks that you think might be interested in joining the PAB. The recruitment closes on January 8.
    2. Planning for 2026 PAB Nominations for Chair and Vice Chair: The bylaws for the advisory boards indicates that we should organize a nominating committee to elect the Chair and Vice Chair for 2026 at least 30 days before our January meeting, and that committee will present their list of candidates at the January meeting. Chad and Sarah F. agreed to be on this committee.
  6. Administrative Updates-Tom Riggs
    1. Regional Funding Conversations: Tom has been participating with a group of park directors in the Portland metro region on efforts to look at parks funding. There are efforts by individual park departments to try for a funding levy or a SDC, bond, etc. With a more regional approach, we could take to a kind of standardizing funding approach. It is being hosted by the Intertwine Alliance, the focus is the Portland Metro area, including Vancouver.
    2. Internal Promos: PAB was shown videos of our parks that have been uploaded to the ClackCo YouTube channel. The county does a podcast called We Do the Work. They interview and spotlight various programs throughout the county about the kind of work the county does for the people, and interviewed Tom about County Parks.
    3. MA1 Recruitment: Update - we have hired someone to fill the vacant position. She started on October 13 and will at the November meeting to discuss budget.
    4. Other: A. Magnus Tree Farm. Magnus Tree Farm is currently owned by the World Forestry Center, and was gifted to them 35 years ago, to be used for environmental education. The deed restriction had a 35 year timeframe, and the property is now being offered at auction, with bids due November 12. County parks has been approached about buying the property. Our guest, Jim Booker asked to speak about this issue. He is with the Sherwood City Parks and Rec Advisory Board. He is here specifically because of the Magnus Memorial Tree Forest, which is on the auction block now. It is approximately 63 acres, and for us living in the city of Sherwood, and despite it being across the county line, it is, for us, the closest, seriously forested resource for us. It's unique in our area in many ways. Riley Park, just up the hill from that, under the Chehalem Park and Rec District, has complementary attributes. The Magnus Tree Farm is in Clackamas County, Sherwood is in Washington County, so we're right at a corner, which is unfortunate in some ways. I'm a very frequent user up there, to the extent that one is allowed to be there.
      It was first closed for COVID/or timber harvest and those two events kept it closed for 3 years. Then opened only on Mondays, then alternate Mondays and now closed with no staff. There are some volunteers working at the site.
      Tom added that some of the first conversations he had about the property included the possibility of community fundraising to acquire and donate the land to Clackamas County Parks, but the auction timeline makes that infeasible. County Parks has no money for acquisition, and even if the property were donated, County Parks has inadequate resources to operate or maintain it. Dan and Sarah E. have been made aware of the issue and some of the citizens have also reached out to our County Commissioners, so there has been discussion about it, but the County has not taken a position on it.
    5. Portland Parks and Rec Levy. Tom explained what this levy will fund for PPR- it will primarily cover operations and programs, with a small amount going to capital improvements.
  7. Park Project Updates: Mark Shaw
    • Hazard Tree Season:
      • 60 trees tagged for removal, a bit lower than previous years
      • Removals began in September this year, a full month earlier, allowing us to use summer seasonals to assist with the work.
      • Hazard trees are now logged on Field Maps and can easily be tracked year to year
      • Special hazard tree project- removal of 15 mature cottonwood trees from Feyrer campground. Trees range between 80-120 feet tall and 40-65 inches in diameter at breast height. They pose a high risk due to their size; the project was contracted out.
    • Barton Utility Mapping:
      • The mapping is done, Barton was the last property done – we began the project in 2022 at Eagle Fern Park. AKS Engineering is now using a drone equipped with LiDAR to map the Quarry Pond Area (Barton expansion zone)-once that is done, we can begin planning utility routes, roads and what type of water distribution system we need.
    • Traffic Flow Revisions at Barton:
      • Several improvements were made in 2025, including new signage and new pay stations
    • Partnership with Clackamas Fire
      • Invasive species removal and fuels at Billy Goat; Clackamas Fire doing the work with funding from Federal grants, no County Parks dollars or staff time
    • Boones Ferry New Dock Boxes & New Life Jacket Racks
      • Our preexisting dock boxes were vandalized by people throwing rocks off the railroad trestle. River City Boat Sales staff spotted it and reported to CCSO. They were able to catch the vandals who agreed to pay restitution ($5850). The new units are made of a more durable plastic they can better absorb future impacts.
      • The new Life Jacket loaner racks have been installed at Boones Ferry and Hebb Park for public use provided by a OSMB Grant.
    • Uniforms for Volunteers and Hosts:
      • Ensuring that our staff are both easily and clearly identified by the public – i.e.-Park Host vests with lots of pockets and good ventilation.
  8. Good of the Order
    Tom urged PAB members to reach out to their social sphere to encourage folks to apply for a position on the PAB. Rob suggested we reach out to the community on the mountain, keeping the Hoodland CPO in the loop on what we’re working on.
  9. Adjournment Justin called for adjournment at 7:54 pm— Rob motioned, Sarah second the motion, the motion passed.