February 8, 2021

Chamber Forum – We hosted the chamber forum from the council chamber this week. I think it went mostly smooth.

SREDA  - We had a SREDA meeting on Tuesday morning. Our membership  has been very beneficial.  They help us with a lot with responses to business leads from the state.

ESPC - We spent a lot of time working on the Energy Savings Performance Contracting project with Ameresco and Public Works.

Tater Tots Trail - Was a lot there was a lot of action on the tater tots trail this week. I spoke with the Department of State lands and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It looks like OPRD wants to tie our acquisition of right-of-way to taking over the State Park. This may be something we need to talk with our legislators about. The Department of State lands gave me applications to file for right of way. There is a piece that is owned by the Department of Transportation so we'll have to work with them also.

Human Resources/Insurance – Peter and I met with Waldo Insurance to go over some transition plans. There is a handing over of the baton that they wanted to be smooth.

Grants – I submitted two grants this week. One was done mostly by Merchant McIntyre. That’s for planning of the north/south trail connector. The other grant I wrote myself was for downtown wayfinding signs. There is a really quick turnaround on the second one.

Budget – Peter, Kari, and I had our budget meeting with Public Works. We went through all of the capital projects. 

Jacobs – We met with Jacobs today to begin negotiating a rate with them. We talked about a lot of the impacts on our systems.

Homeless - We continue to make progress in getting the Boise Rescue Mission to help us in Ontario. It’s really encouraging. We are having success moving people in and out of the transitional shelter.  

Security Cameras – We have made progress on working with a business downtown to partner on getting security cameras. They would allow us to use their internet connection and we would share the feed for that camera with them. That allows us to help the downtown merchants as well as keep the city secure.

Airport
The airport held its first Airport Committee Meeting on Monday night and continued to work on its future development by working through a number of items. However, the main focus was to introduce the new airport manager with the committee and ensure a beneficial relationship moving forward.

The airport recently discovered, through standard airfield inspection, an unauthorized airport access (and subsequent fence damage) that is being handled effectively in conjunction with the Police Department. Both the PD and airport management takes the airport security extremely important.

The airport also held a PDAC meeting with Public Works, and City Planning for a new hangar that is set to be built in the very near future (spring/summer 2021). Lastly, airport management is working closely with its consulting firm regarding the scope and fee for its upcoming master plan. As needed, airport management will quickly notify the council and airport committee of scope, fee, and/or any changes, as they come forth.

Community & Economic Development
Staff reviewed 21 building applications the past couple of weeks and has issued 2 building permits this past week. Three of the permits issued are new single-family homes in the new subdivision called “Brockside Subdivision” with more new homes being reviewed. This is the subdivision near the DMV and cemetery.

Planning Department
Staff is working with the developers of the proposed 170 space RV Park with clubhouse on the SE side of town on the Hanigan property along SE 5th Avenue and SE 10th Street and their rezoning of part of the property will be heard in front of the Planning Commission on February 8, 2021.

Staff held 3 PDAC’s this week.

The Planning department is keeping busy processing the 46 land use actions from last year and the 5 so far this year with one being a new Cannabis retail facility making it number 15 if approved.

Staff is still working on all of the code updates and TSP (Transportation System Plan) changes and will bringing the results to the Planning Commission at the April 12 meeting.

The construction has started on the extension of SE Goodfellow Street and the north side of SE 5th Avenue from SE 13th Street to Malheur Federal Credit Union development but has stalled while waiting on obtaining the DEQ 1200C permit required which is a storm water prevention plan.

Economic Development
Staff continues to work on the Project called Ontario Townhouse which received a $5,325,000 LIFT (Local Innovation and Fast Tract) housing project grant and is in the process of reviewing the re-plat of the property for this development.

Staff continues to work with developers on several large projects as well as the developer on the Stellings property that the City accepted their offer and are in their due diligent process.

Staff is working with the developers on the design of Airport Way which will involve the City to construct their half of Airport Way or grant a DIA and approve the developer to construct only a half street as well as the development and construction plans of the Cannabis retail and industrial subdivision on Airport Way.

Fire & Rescue
Meetings
2/1 The Ontario Chamber started back up their community forums virtually.  This was done from the City Council Chambers with the Help of Adam, Peter, and Chief Leighton.  The speakers were Sarah Poe and Craig Geddes from Malheur County Health.  2/2 We got to finally get our safety committee back together for some good discussion.  2/3 The staff attended 3 different PAC meetings with the building department and Jacobs members.  2/4 Veronica and Chief attended the Rural Fire District monthly meeting.

Inspections
 2/5 Chief and Building officials met with the facilities manager of MCCDC about a remodel to the classrooms. 

Training
2/2 The staff attended a webinar on Causes of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome.  We also learned tactics and methods to reduce the causes of SUIDS. 

Events
1/30, 2/3,4/21 Chief and some staff assisted with three Covid-19 vaccine distribution clinics.  They were Saturday at FRCC, Wednesday at Fire Station 2, and Thursday at St. Al’s parking garage.  1/30 The staff participated in a drive by parade at Brookdale Retirement Center.

Incidents
 This week the crews responded on the normal medical calls and 2 false alarms and then a chimney fire.
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Police
Feb 1st- Chief Romero worked on updating the city’s non-commercial dog kennel application and approval process. OPD has two pending applications for non-commercial kennel permits.
 
Feb 1st- Chief Romero granted an interview and ride-a-long to the Oregon Daily News (Bend, OR) who spent a ½ day with the chief observing the Ontario community. The purpose of their news cast was to show some of the community concerns that are created due to drug addiction, homelessness, and the marijuana retail industry.  
 
Weekly- Lt. Cooper finalized the OPD training center roof repair with the city’s vendor and completed OPD’s latest handgun transition for replacement of older OPD weapons.
 
Feb 4th- Chief Romero attended a 3-hour legal update training seminar regarding Oregon’s Measure 110, which became law on Feb 1st.  OPD should not have to make too many procedural adjustments, as a result of the new legislation.
 
Feb 4th- Chief Romero granted a telephonic interview to a writer from the Cannabis Business Times (GIE Media, Inc. Ohio) regarding the impacts the retail marijuana industry has had on OPD and the Ontario community.  
 
Field Services
 
Feb 1st- OPD responded to a traffic collision with injuries at SE 5th Ave and SE 2nd Street The collision was triggered by an operator of a tractor trailer that committed a traffic violation and collided with a passenger car. The elderly passenger in the car sustained severe injuries and was taken to a Boise area hospital via life flight. The case is active and being referred to the District Attorney’s Office for review and consideration of a criminal complaint against the truck driver.
 
Feb 3rd-OPD responded to a child abuse case in the SW part of the city. The stepfather of a 2-year-old boy was suspected of causing significant injury to the toddler. This case is on-going and the suspect has been charged with various child abuse related felonies. Case was featured in the Malheur Enterprise.
 
Weekly-OPD responded to some intercepted intelligence of a subject from council, Idaho that was upset with the Ontario, Walmart because he was denied entry when he refused to wear a mask. The subject who is a taco truck vendor used his social media platform to create a call to action for fellow “Patriots” to join him in a mask free shopping intrusion at the Walmart this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. OPD has been in contact with the Walmart management and area law enforcement partners to respond if needed.
 
Feb 5th- Chief Romero met with the Ontario Train Depot caretakers to conduct an on-site safety walk through to discuss how to best protect this iconic city asset against trespassers and drug activities that had previously been a problem at the location.