Tualatin’s annual State of the City event is always fast-paced and entertaining as it highlights the city’s accomplishments of the previous year, and this year was no exception.
Kicking off the early-morning breakfast at the Marquis Tualatin Community Center was a video featuring improvements to the city’s transportation system, parks and trails, and the Tualatin Public Library, and showcasing the Latino Business Network Group and two urban renewal areas, with Mayor Frank Bubenik declaring at the end, “We’ve been busy in Tualatin.”
Eric Schmidt was the master of ceremonies, asking the mayor and city councilors questions about the city’s eight priorities: housing, transportation, the environment, parks, culture and identity, infrastructure, economic development, and communication and engagement.
After Schmidt noted that 37 percent of households in the city are financially burdened by the high cost of housing, Bubenik said, “Transportation and housing are the two things we hear the most about. Housing is something that every city council in the state is dealing with.”
More housing is on the horizon or already available at Plambeck Gardens, the first Community Partners for Affordable Housing affordable-housing project in Tualatin with 116 units; the Autumn Sunrise development; and the Commons on the Tualatin River. With the Commons project completed, the last piece of the Tualatin River Greenway Trail in Tualatin was finished between the library and Brown’s Ferry Park.
City Council President Valerie Pratt noted that Tualatin Moving Forward, a $20-million bond measure to fund 24 projects throughout the city, in reality was able to spend $24.8 million and fund 36 projects, which “were wrapped up last year.”
She added, “And Tualatin is updating its Transportation System Plan. The current plan is 10 years old. We need to update the plan to get federal and state funding. We hope to get that done this year.”
Pratt also discussed local opposition to tolling, which helped delay its implementation, and Tualatin’s Climate Action Plan that is now in draft form. “If we do nothing, by the turn of the century, our climate will be like Sacramento,” she said.
Last year the council approved a 20-year water master plan, and Pratt said, “The city’s water providers will increase their rates, and Tualatin will have to gradually increase its rates, but the rates will remain the lowest in the metro area.”
The city also started a composting pilot program last year that runs through the end of 2024, and Pratt said that the City Council will revisit the program in 2025.
Councilor Bridget Brooks, who had recorded a video with Bubenik for the event, talked about the 2022 $25 million parks and trails bond being used to connect parks, paths and people and make upgrades to parks. It is funding the construction of the Veterans’ Plaza at Lake of the Commons, which should be substantially completed by next fall’s West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta. And “the plans are almost ready to go” on improvements to Stoneridge Park, now renamed Las Casitas Park, Brooks said.
Bubenik noted that Charlie Rollins, who could not be there, was the 2023 Employee of the Year, and Bubenik introduced police Officer of the Year Brian Miller, who is a school resource officer working primarily out of Tualatin High School, and police Supervisor of the Year Eric French, who is a community services sergeant. The police staff Employee of the Year is property evidence clerk Denise Taplin.
Councilor Christen Sacco discussed Tualatin’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Advisory Committee, known as the I.D.E.A. Advisory Committee, which was established in 2023 to make Tualatin more inclusive. Sacco is the council liaison to the committee, which is currently working on a vision statement. “They are very productive,” she said.
Sacco noted that Tualatin’s biggest annual event is the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, which 30,000 people attended last year; other popular events include the Tualatin Light Parades in December, Tualatin Pride Stride in June, and the distribution of hand-blown glass hearts in city parks in February.
“We’ve got lots going on,” she said.
Councilor Octavio Gonzales talked about Tualatin Moving Forward, the result of a May 2018 $20 million bond measure to support citywide high-priority transportation projects. Projects are providing congestion relief, neighborhood safety, and safe access to schools and parks. He noted that under the plan, residents can request small projects to be done. Bubenik interjected, “We get emails from people with glowing reports about city employees.”
Gonzales also talked about the city’s current five-year Capital Improvement Plan that will fund improvements to existing infrastructure and develop new infrastructure and facilities. Improvements to the library include new carpet and self-checkout machines. “It’s an amazing place to be,” Gonzales said.
Councilor Maria Reyes discussed economic development, including urban renewal projects, and big picture items such as updating the city’s Code to smaller livability issues like adding more food carts. In 2022 voters approved a $25 million bond measure to finance capital improvements to trails, natural areas, sports fields, parks and river access
Reyes said the Basalt Creek area will eventually be home to 790 housing units over 30 years, and on the social/cultural/environmental front, she said the Hispanic Business Networking group that meets on the first Thursday of each month is thriving. “Our community has engaged more and more with them, and they feel comfortable talking to me,” Reyes said.
Councilor Cyndy Hillier talked about how the city is working to engage the community, especially Spanish-speaking residents, and encouraged people to reach out to the city if they would like to get involved. “It is very obvious our city wants to be engaged with residents, and so many things happen in our city because of the accessibility of our City Council and our mayor,” she said. “There are some things we don’t have control over, but our community survey showed that people like to live in Tualatin because the quality of life is high.”
You can watch a recording of the 2024 Tualatin State of the City at tinyurl.com/567yzhyz.
