The City is conducting an online community survey as one of several means of informing the Council's goal-setting process to guide planning for the next two years.

The survey seeks community feedback to help set priorities and direction. The City recently concluded a phone survey asking participants about the City and its services. Community groups have also been asked to submit input, which the Summit West NA board is doing.

To access the online survey, click here.  The survey is available in both English and Spanish, and will be online through December 27th.

The community survey intends to get a sense of how Bend residents perceive City services and to assess what City services the community prioritizes. Community participation will help the City set priorities and will be presented to the City Council as it embarks on its next round of biennial goal setting.  

The Summit West Neighborhood Association (SWNA) is looking for motivated individuals to join the Board of Directors. The goal of the SWNA is to work together to make our neighborhoods vibrant, safe, and livable. The Board works as a liaison to voice our neighborhood's interests to local government.  

We are seeking individuals with experience utilizing social media, this web site, and an email newsletter to share information with our members. We also need a treasurer and  someone interested in being the SWNA representative on the Neighborhood Leadership Alliance (NLA). The NLA is a City Council advisory committee and requires attending  one meeting a month. For more information about the NLA, click here.

The SWNA Board meets at least four times a year and hosts a General Membership meeting annually. Board members are required to live within the SWNA boundary and should be willing to educate themselves on local issues and help enhance our community.

Those interested in learning more about the SWNA Board should contact Board chair Erik Moberly here.

The Planning Commission is the City's official citizen involvement committee. Commissioners are volunteers, appointed by City Council, and can serve two 4-year terms, or up to 10 years if appointed mid-term. The Planning Commission conducts quasi-judicial and legislative public hearings on Type III and IV planning applications, and makes recommendations to City Council. Type III and IV applications include Deschutes River design review, master plans, and Bend Development Code amendments. This committee has two positions to fill.

Planning Commission webpage
Apply here. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020.

The Budget Committee is comprised of the seven City Councilors and an equal number of citizen members. The committee receives the City Manager's proposed biennial budget and budget message, which explains the proposed budget and significant changes in the City's financial position. The Budget Committee may make additions or changes to the proposed budget, at which time the committee will approve the document and forward it to the City Council for adoption. The Budget Committee also approves a rate of total ad valorem property taxes to be certified for collection. Citizen members serve a term of four years and are subject to the City of Bend policy on term limitations (maximum two terms or six years, whichever is greater). This committee has three positions to fill.

Budget Committee webpage
Apply here. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020.

As the holiday season approaches, plans are underway for a festive season, though there will be changes this year:

• In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, VisitNWX will not be hosting its 9th Annual NWX Tree Lighting Ceremony, as the City is not issuing event permits.
• However, the NWX tree will be decorated and lit for everyone to enjoy during the month of December.
• From December 1-20, the NWX Business Association will host a Tour of Lights. Businesses and residents are invited to participate by decorating their home or business with their favorite holiday lights.

For more information and details on how to participate in the Tour of Lights, click here.

The Bend Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the annual update on the State of the City at noon on Oct. 29th.

Mayor Sally Russell and City Manager Eric King will address challenges related to COVID-19, and the impact of growth on transportation, housing and other services.

To register for this free event and obtain a link to it, click here.

The Council has appointed an advisory committee to develop recommendations to implement the City's Community Climate Action Plan. The group will also provide input and evaluate City policies and actions related to the city's stewardship of natural resources and the environment.

The Committee is made up of individuals who have experience or expertise in: energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy efficient building, environmental justice, equity in environmental stewardship and sustainability, alternative transportation and mobility, energy and environmental policy, forestry, water resources, ecology, other life sciences, carbon emission reduction, and other related areas.

For more information and a list of committee members, click here.

The neighborhood speed radar program rotates mobile speed radar signs to different neighborhood streets, where they serve as an education tool, encouraging motorists to drive the speed limit. The signs show drivers how fast they are actually traveling, while collecting speed and volume data displayed on the Neighborhood Speed Radar map.

The radars signs are placed from May through October at locations selected by the neighborhood associations. The schedule allows for about three sign locations per NA, for two to three weeks at each location.

For more information on the program, including how to request a speed radar sign at a problem location, click here. Keep scrolling on that web page to reach a map showing the speed and vehicle counts from previous locations (click on the green squares).

For example, in the following 25 mph zones:

• On Crossing Drive (eastbound), the speed at which 85% of the traffic was moving was at or below 32 mph, and the average daily traffic (ADT) in the one direction was 921 vehicles.
• Flagline Drive (eastbound) had an 85% speed of 26 mph and an ADT of 287 vehicles.
• Skyliners Road (eastbound) near Flagline had an 85% speed of 36.6 mph and an ADT of 2,594 vehicles.

These figures show that 15% of the vehicles (1 in 7) were going faster than the 85% speed, suggesting that the biggest problem area in terms of the largest number of vehicles traveling much faster than the posted speed is on Skyliners Road, where the speed drops from 40 to 25. Speeds actually pick up by another 2 mph as traffic moves farther east on Galveston. If that's part of your travel route, please be cautious.

The other trouble spot is on Mt. Washington (southbound) near Polarstar, across from COCC. In this 35 mph zone, the 85% speed was 44.4, and the ADT was 2,960 vehicles.

Deschutes Recycling, located at Knott Landfill on SE 27th Street, will take yard debris at half price ($2 per cubic yard) from Monday, Oct. 26th through Saturday, Nov. 7th (closed Sunday, Nov. 1st). Please note times on the flyer below.

Residents are encouraged to improve the defensible space around their homes and other structures by bringing grass and plant clippings, brush, pine needles and cones, tree trimmings and branches, and stumps or trees 12 inches in diameter or smaller.

This event is an alternative to the fall burning of yard debris, which is not allowed inside the city limits of Bend.

The FireFree program reduces the cost of fall clean up, while making our neighborhood more resilient to wildfire. The program is made possible through a generous partnership with Deschutes Recycling, now Republic Services.

The Summit West Neighborhood Association (SWNA) is currently recruiting for three positions on the Board of Directors. The Board is the governing body of the Association and participates in a variety of tasks to maintain and enhance the livability and sense of community of the Neighborhood.

Candidates must live or have a business in the boundaries of the Neighborhood Association (see the map on the About tab), be able to attend quarterly Board meetings and our Annual Meeting, and be motivated to work with the Board to achieve our purpose and obligations.

If you are interested in joining the SWNA Board, please submit a letter of interest to Erik Moberly (SWNA Chair) at erikmoberly@gmail.com.

If you would like more information about the Board and our purpose, please visit our website or contact Erik. 

The land use chairs from Bend’s 13 neighborhood associations have teamed up to coordinate a forum for this year’s candidates for City Council. This will be the only forum focused on land use issues, such as development, traffic, parking, and wildfire planning, as well as the effects of growth on livability and the character of Bend’s neighborhoods.

The forum will be held using a virtual platform on Sunday, October 4, 2020. Each of two one-hour panels will feature the candidates for two positions on the November 3rd ballot:

• The first panel, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. will be composed of Position 1 candidates, Justin Livingston and Melanie Kebler, and Position 2 candidates, Anthony Broadman and August Paul Johnson.
• The second panel, from 4:10 to 5:10 p.m. will have Position 3 candidates, Chris Piper and Megan Perkins, and Position 4 candidates, Rita Schenkelberg and Michael R. Hughes

The forum will be moderated by Matt McDonald, News Director of Central Oregon Daily. Matt and the candidates will interact via a video conference, while the public will watch a live stream of the event on YouTube. A recording will also be available afterwards.

Members of the public are asked to register for this free event by going to:  https://tinyurl.com/BendNAforum. Details on how to link to the live-stream will be provided there, along with a link to the candidates’ answers to a written questionnaire.

The production of this virtual event is being handled by Connect Central Oregon and OSU-Cascades.