Hear from Hillsboro’s lobbyists tomorrow at 6PM

Did you know our city hires lobbyists? You might only picture corporate interests when you think of lobbying, but it’s not uncommon for municipalities the size of Hillsboro to try to influence the state legislature. This year Hillsboro lobbied for transportation funding and to oppose limited economic development tools.

You can learn more about these efforts tomorrow at 6PM in conference room C113B of Hillsboro’s civic center. A work session before tomorrow’s city council meeting gives citizens a chance to hear from Andy Smith, Hillsboro’s Government Relations Manager, and  Mike Van Dyke, the city’s lobbyist. They’ll be talking about all the issues they lobbied legislators on; here’s a sheet outlining what they see as victories this year:

We’ll be living tweeting this meeting and probably writing a follow-up; stop by and say hi, while also learning what your city is up to.

The work session will be followed by a City Council meeting in the main auditorium at 7PM. There’s more ceremony and presentations than decision making; here’s a quick summary:

• Performance by the Tualitin Valley Harmony Masters, including the national anthem.
• A presentation about Camp Eagle, a program run by the city for homeless youth.
• A presentation by the Hillsboro School District about the need for a bond to fund schools.
• The Hillsboro 2035 Community Plan annual report, outlining how well the city is reaching it’s long-term goals.

And that’s the bulk of the meeting. There are no public hearings, no ordinances, and no unfinished business; just a few routine items in the consent agenda. Check out the full agenda here, or even download the full packet for more detail.