Hillsboro’s city councillors will vote on a resolution Tuesday outlining their “Guiding Principles” for 2018. It’s a mostly vague list, and doesn’t outline any policy specifics. Still, the wording provides some insight into what elected officials in the city feel they need, or want, to work on. Here’s the list in full, the order of which is not supposed to reflect relative importance. Support community mobility by continuing to improve our transportation system Work with community partners to increase public transportation access and service options Support cultural inclusion and expanded engagement with diverse community members Create partnerships to encourage and support the development of more market rate and affordable housing Continue working with community partners on homelessness Support the development[…]
Author: Justin Pot
Block 67, better known to longtime Hillsboro residents as that place where Hanks Thriftway used to be, is shaping up to become a mixed use development likely not dissimilar to Orenco. At least, that’s what it sounded like during a city council work session last week. Economic Development Officer Dan Dias used the half hour session to announce the city has chosen a developer to work on the site: the oddly named, and impossible to Google, Project^. Hanks Thriftway was closed in 2015; the city bought the lot a year later in order to direct its development. During the working group city officials expressed a desire for the development to connect the main street region of downtown to the medical[…]
Billy, a police dog here in Hillsboro, will soon have a bullet and stab proof vest. From a Hillsboro Police alert: Hillsboro Police Department’s K9 Billy will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Billy’s vest is sponsored by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of K9 Ty, California City Police Department”. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks. Check out Vested Interest in K9s, Inc for more information about the charity providing the vest.
Hillsboro’s entire City Council signed an open letter to congressional represenatives this week, urging them to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The letter, sent to the offices of Senator Jeff Merkley, Senator Ron Wyden, and Representative Suzanne Bonamici, makes the point personal by telling the story of a protected community member. We are personally vested in the DACA program’s future through the many Dreamers who call our city home. One young woman, 17-year-old Fatima, who preferred that her last name be withheld from this letter, has served as a member of our Youth Advisory Council and dreams of graduating from Western Oregon University or the University of Portland, then starting her career as a second grade teacher. We[…]
The two-lane, no sidewalk stretch of Jackson School Road that cuts through Hillsboro was never really built to handle commuter traffic, but that’s what it does now. There aren’t many north-south roads connecting US 26 to downtown Hillsboro, so 7,000 cars a day end up on Jackson School Road, according to the city. On October 3 Scott Dreher, Hillsboro’s Capital Program Manager, laid out a series of improvements for the road. First, the entire road is going to be widened to three lanes, along with a protected bike lane and sidewalk on each side. Here’s what that looks like: And there’s going to be all sorts of other improvements, from pedestrian crossings to traffic circles to new lighting. Here’s a[…]
It’s one thing to read about things, or even complain about them, but it’s another entirely to actually get involved. But decisions are made by the people who actually show up. The city is inviting people to do just that week with its call for volunteers for various boards. There are opening on several decision making bodies in the city, and you have until Monday, November 13 to apply for them. Fill out the form right here. Which boards have positions available? Here’s the list provided by the city, complete with a little about what each committee does. Skip to the things that catch your interest. Budget Committee: Mandated by state law, approves the city’s budget. Members include seven citizen[…]
Saturday is HillsDOer day. Here’s Mayor Steve Calloway encouraging residents to volunteer: Everything helps. When neighbors come together and take ownership in our community, we all benefit. Whether you have just a few hours in the morning or afternoon, or you want to volunteer all day, you can make a big difference, reduce your stress levels, and increase your happiness. Read the full letter here, and sign up to volunteer here. There are all kinds of different projects you can take on so grab some friends and get out there.
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[…]
9,500 people work in downtown Hillsboro. Only 400 of those people live there. That’s just one of many statistics about downtown Hillsboro shared with city councillors last week during a work session about Block 67—the site where Hank’s Thriftway once stood. Citizens attending open houses have expressed a desire to see another grocery store open in its place, but there are several reasons why that’s not likely. Market analyst Jerry Johnson outlined the numbers at the meeting alongside Mark Clemons, Economic Development Director and Dan Dias, Senior Development Manager. The median household income of a downtown Hillsboro resident is $36,584, compared to $67,757 city wide—a wide disparity. And it’s not hard to work out why: most of the housing downtown[…]
We did it: we made it through last week! The weather’s a little cooler now, so let’s get out there. Here are some things to check out. Tuesday night at the Walters Cultural Arts Center you’ll find Open Poetry. Stop by and read some poetry, or just list. On Thursday there’s the Kid’s Bike Rodeo at 10AM. If the kids bring their bikes they can learn about bike safety with the Hillsboro Police Department. If you haven’t seen Kubo and the Two Strings, the acclaimed claymation film made right here in Hillsboro, head to Pix on the Plaza on Friday. Finally, on Saturday, there’s the Northwest Fossil Fest over at the Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals. You’ll learn about[…]