Everyone's help is needed to keep our neighborhood safe when celebrating this July 4th. Illegal fireworks cause serious injuries and devastating fires every year. Illegal fireworks include any device that:

• flies off the ground more than 12 inches
• moves across the ground more than 6 feet
• explodes

You can help by:

1. Spreading the word that illegal fireworks are dangerous and subject to a $750 fine.
2. Reporting illegal fireworks activity to 541-693-6911.
3. Setting a good example by using legal fireworks, which are sold at locally-permitted fireworks stands, or find fun alternatives to fireworks.
4. Leaving the big show up to the pros.

Also, remember that dogs are easily traumatized by illegal fireworks.
Click here for more.

Even when fireworks are legal, we all need to be careful. Last year Bend Fire & Rescue responded to two structure fires that destroyed both homes due to the improper disposal of LEGAL fireworks. To use legal fireworks safely:

1. Light fireworks on a paved surface at least 25 feet from buildings, cars and combustible vegetation.
2. Have a garden hose nearby to douse any misfired fireworks.
3. Make sure children and pets are at a safe distance away.
4. Light one firework at a time and move away quickly.
5. NEVER try to relight a “dud” firework -- wait 15 to 20 minutes before picking it up.
6. Soak used fireworks overnight!

Four Bend City Council positions will be on the November 3, 2020, ballot. The filing period for those interested in getting on the ballot is open through August 25.

Due to COVID-19, for this election, prospective City Councilor candidates can choose to pay a $25 fee instead of collecting signatures to get on a ballot. Typically, candidates are eligible for the ballot by filing a nominating petition containing at least 150 signatures of electors of the city of Bend. The Council approved temporarily allowing eligible electors to be nominated for the November 3, 2020 election by filing a declaration of candidacy and paying a $25 filing fee to allow candidates the option to avoid the in-person signature-gathering requirement to support social distancing practices that help reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Candidates will still have the option of filing by nomination petition.

Individuals elected this November will begin serving in January 2021. Council members are elected to four-year terms. The City Council is comprised of six council members and an elected Mayor.

For more information about filing, including eligibility requirements and expectations of Councilors, click here.
 
The four positions that expire at the end of December are positions 1 through 4, currently held by Bruce Abernethy, Justin Livingston, Bill Moseley, and Chris Piper. Livingston and Piper have announced that they will seek re-election.

Bend’s mayor, Sally Russell, city manager Eric King, and city councilor Chris Piper held a virtual meeting on May 21st to inform the neighborhood associations about the City’s response to COVID-19 and its plans for reopening.  

Among the items currently being implemented or receiving serious consideration are the following:

• Expanding outdoor seating capacity for restaurants, including possible street closures in Downtown, the Old Mill, and North West Crossing.
• Suspending downtown parking enforcement.
• Creating areas for curb-side pick up.
• Making hand-washing stations available in key locations throughout town.
• Continuing food support to those in need through Pandemic Partners, Meals on Wheels, and other programs.
• Providing prescription delivery to home-bound and high-risk individuals.
• Assisting with water and sewer bills for business and individuals.
• Canceling special events with more than 150 persons.
• Continuing construction of infrastructure projects like the North Sewer Line and Empire Road improvements.
• Continuing to discourage tourism from outside Central Oregon.

There has been some reduced access to City services as 60% of employees are working from home. Some will begin moving back to their offices and providing in-person service as safety allows. In the interim, they are trying alternative methods, such as virtual support for permits and using drones for remote inspections.

The City is expecting reduced revenue from numerous sources, including room taxes and gas taxes. All departments are being asked to propose plans to reduce expenditures by 5% and 10%. They are looking at increased efficiencies, delaying travel and training, decreasing the use of consultants, freezing vacancies, not hiring temps or seasonal employees, and delaying some projects — all while trying to have the least negative impact on services.

To support neighborhoods, the City will maintain funding for neighborhood association communications. They plan to be flexible with the requirement that neighborhood associations hold a general meeting every 18 months (keeping safety in mind). And, they plan to continue to maintain communication with the NAs using new virtual methods.

​The City of Bend has extended the COVID-19 emergency orders, allowing for temporary policies related to procurement practices, facility closures, employee teleworking and public meeting protocols. It also says: 

• The City won’t shut off water for non-payment of unpaid water bills during Phase I of reopening, and potentially into Phase II.
• Permitted special events are not allowed through Phase II, except for farmer’s markets on public property (exempt from the Governor’s order).  
• The City has flexibility to allow additional space on sidewalks, parking areas or streets for eligible business operations to meet COVID-19 public health guidelines, provide a safer environment for customers and employees and to stimulate the recovery and support of local businesses. 

The extended declaration of a local state of emergency can be found here.

The orders were extended through Phase II of the Governor’s Reopening Oregon plan (which explains phasing). The start and end dates of Phase II have not been established by the state yet. Phase II could begin as early as June 5, if Deschutes County is able to meet state criteria for entering Phase II.  

The City Manager also updated an order discouraging tourist travel and related activities in Bend through the completion of Phase I. In Deschutes County, Phase I began May 15 and could end on June 5 at the earliest. Under this order:

• Travel away from home for recreational or vacation purposes is strongly discouraged and should be avoided. 
• All stays at temporary lodging facilities in Bend are highly discouraged, unless for reasons of health, safety or employment. 
• Operators of temporary lodging in Bend are strongly requested to refrain from booking any new reservations for tourist or vacation travel. 

This order does not apply to reservations for stays longer than 30 days or residential stays of any length for people without permanent homes who are staying at a lodging facility through a voucher or other program. The extended administrative order on travel can be found here.

​The NorthWest Crossing Saturday Farmers Market will be held each Saturday beginning June 6th and ending October 17th.

Like grocery stores, farmers markets are allowed as essential businesses under the Governor's emergency orders. Protocols will be in place to ensure physical distancing and avoid congregating by groups of people.

Visit www.NWXFarmersMarket.com to learn more.

The City is about to kick off a season of street preservation work all over town.

All of the streets in NorthWest Crossing east of Mt. Washington are slated to be slurry-coated this season. This is a treatment for low-volume residential streets, where a coating is spread on the surface to help seal and preserve the existing pavement. One-day street closures can typically be expected.

The City will provide more detailed information to residents as the scheduling becomes clearer.

It’s time again to clean up yards, create defensible spaces around homes, and recycle the debris at no charge at FireFree collection sites.

This year, Deschutes County will offer expanded FireFree event dates from May 9 - 24. In partnership with Brooks Resources and Bend Fire & Rescue, the Bend west side location will also be open for three weekends in May. 

• Knott Landfill: 7 days a week, Sat, May 9 through Sun, May 24; 7am to 5pm.
• Westside Collection Site: weekends only, Sat & Sun, May 9-10, 16-17, and 23-24; 8am to 4pm. Crossing Drive at Skyliners Road, west of Miller Elementary (Crosby Dr.), near the Tree Farm subdivision.

Residents are asked to wear masks when they drop off their yard debris and to keep an appropriate space between themselves and other vehicles.

Drop off: grass clippings, brush, plant prunings, pine needles, pine cones, weeds, trimmings and branches, stumps or trees (no larger than 12” in diameter).
Not accepted: sod, dirt, rocks, lumber, metal, trash, or plastics of any kind, including plastic bags.

Food banks are in serious need of donations as more of our neighbors are out of work due to the coronavirus emergency. There will be two opportunities this week to help out by donating food at drop off locations in Summit West:

• Thursday, April 16th, from 12:00-2:00 pm -- in Skyliner Summit at the Horseshoe Park on Flagline Drive (enter Flagline from either Mt. Washington or Skyliners Road)
• Saturday, April 18th, from 12:00-2:00 pm -- in NorthWest Crossing in the parking lot behind The Washington Restaurant and Roundabout Books

Please drop off your donations of canned goods and other non-perishable foods. The food will be donated to the Giving Plate, which is requesting any non-perishable food you are able to spare, as their demand has gone up and supply is quickly dwindling.

The Skyliner Summit event is sponsored by Aperion Management Group (an HOA management firm) and their sister handyman company AMG Fix It. The NWX event is sponsored by Lisa Connors, a Realtor with Harcourts The Garner Group and 100+ Women Who Care Central Oregon.

The City has announced that the local state of emergency will be extended through May 6th.

The City’s new webpage bendoregon.gov/covid19 includes updates and information about how to access services via phone or email when public buildings are not open.

If you need help or want to lend a hand, click here.

Relevant news and financial assistance programs for businesses can be found at bendoregon.gov/bizresources.

To find out what your public lands managers want you to know about what you can still do outside to stay active, click here.