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01-25-2018 Council Newsletter s omx 6 ,t)Tdws j* 0 Protnded to kl)e 7.Bard Cate Coonal on a Yveek.ty =asrs .+v +tqy arbreaa of Cx117"n!aty tf iejZ January 25, 2018 1. Confidential Material from Legal Council `wed., F,bruaq 7 State of the City On Tuesday night (1/23)Joanne shared a confidential 6-8 l.,x% Broadv.ay Rose memo in your mail. A proposed order has been issued Theater, 12850 SW GrantAve. for the Clackamas Fater Rights Permit Extensions and the confidential memo from legal counsel regards Monday, Feb. 12 Council Winter Outreach implications of the proposed order. `� 6-8 p.m. 1� Summerfield Clubhouse 2. Settlement Claim for Overbilling 10650 Sir'Summerfield Dr. As discussed during Tuesday's Study Session,John Tuesday, Feb. 13 Business Meeting Goodrich attached a follow-up memo on a potential 6:30 p.m. —Town Hall settlement that will come back to Council on 2/13/18. Tues., Feb 20 Workshop Meeting 3. Construction Project Update 6:30 p.m. —Town Hall Mike McCarthy attached an update on construction projects around Tigard. Tues., Feb 27 Business Meeting 6:30 p.m.—Town Hall 4. Public Works Project Update Marissa Grass attached an update of work underway in Public Forks. 5. Approved Special Event Permit The city approved the following special event permit: - Tigard Farmer's Market.•Sundays from May 6—Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. — 1:30 p.m. 6. Thanks! Tigard police received the attached note from the public. 7. News Articles o Tigard officer struck by car on Hay 26 continues to make progress o Sizeable Tigard Street homeless camp cleared o Metro bond measure talks hit bumps o Police pick up puppy on Pacific Hwy. o Tigard groups pitch in for MLK Jr. Day-of Service o Noted Portland public affairs firm sold to two firm mainstays 8. Council Calendar Tues., February 6 Business Meeting 6:30 p.m.—Town Hall 13125.> , Heil Blvd l and SDR x"223 { Web u-u-V_yM_ d i Q�� i Phouc. 7113 6:i9 441 �F_� 503 684;29" � TDD 503.684 2. 2 Item# Newsletter: City of Tigard Memorandum To: The Honorable Mayor and City Council From: John Goodrich, Utility Manager- Public Works Re: Settlement Claim for Overbilling Staff Update Date: January 24, 2018 This memo is to provide additional information as a "follow up" to council's discussion and direction received by staff during the Tuesday,January 23, 2018, study session. This information is provided regarding the overbilling of water and sanitary fees and charges due to an inaccurate water meter at 13534 SW Liden Drive, Tigard—a single-family residence. Council requested that staff review the proposed claim settlement with the account customer to determine and include interest on monies collected as overcharges, notification, late fees, or shut-off charges associated with the metered account beginning April 2006. Staff has issued a one-time credit for $526.19 to the customer account. This clears the account for the next regular billing cycle. The next billing invoice from the city to the customer will be based on the new water meter,with all charges and fees correctly calculated based on the adopted master fees and charges schedule. This credit will be recognized as part of the total settlement within the claim release. Staff has reviewed the account and the notification late fees and shut-off charges total$210.00 dating back to April 2006. Staff has also calculated an "approximate" accrued interest on the overcharges, accumulating on a monthly basis, dating back to May 2006. The overcharges averaged $115 per month during the 138 months (dating back to April 2006). Staff recommends using 1.0% compounding interest (certificate of deposit rates averaged from 2006 to 2017) for calculating the accrued interest for the claims settlement. This equals approximately $981.00 in accrued interest. Additionally, the account customer hired the services of a leak detection company to investigate their high water consumption use. These charges are noted as $300.00 and will be included as a reimbursement within the settlement claim, recognizing that these services where initiated from the overbilling consumption reads. Therefore, staff is recommending for council's consideration the authorization to settle this overbilling claim with the account customer for a total of: Overbilling Consumption Water and Sanitary Fees & Charges: $15,959.50 Other Claims: Reimbursement of Notification and Shut-Off Fees & Charges: $ 210.00 Accrued Interest Compounded Monthly (based on Average Monthly Overcharges during 138 months): $ 981.00 Reimbursement of Leak Detection Services: $ 300.00 Inconvenience to Customer (based on time period): 1$ ,000.00 Proposed Settlement Claim: $18,450.50 Less Account Credit Qanuary 24, 2018): 526.191 Proposed Settlement Claim Check Request: $17,924.31 Staff will bring this settlement claim for council consideration on Tuesday, February 13 during the regular business meeting. Staff recommendation is to authorize the city manager to settle all claims regarding this matter for$18,450.50 based on the information provided in this memo. During the recent study session, council raised concerns regarding our protocols for customer service in investigating and providing actions to prevent the reoccurrence of claims relating to inaccurate water meters. Staff is requesting time to review current protocols, and develop any new procedures to reduce the risks associated with overbilling or excessive water consumption. After this review, we will provide council with a follow up as well as recommended Code amendments to address the refund process. Cc: Marty W.; Brian R.; Eric Z.;Toby L.; Shelby R. Construction Project Update —January 24, 2018Item# Newsletter: Main Street / Scoffins Street Traffic Signal Removal The intersection of Main Streetwith Scoffins Street was converted to all-way-stop operation in March of 2016. Our observations indicate that the intersection has functioned better for all modes of travel since the conversion to all-way-stop operation. City crews have installed enhanced signage and striping. The signal has been turned off and will be removed by a contractor next week. Work will start Tuesday; Expect flaggers and potential traffic delays Wednesday and Thursday. Main Street at Commercial Street Crosswalk Monday morning a Triplet bus knocked over a sign with flashing lights at the crosswalk across Main Street at Commercial Street. The street crew has replaced the post and sign, and will be reinstalling the flashing lights when replacement parts are received. Durham Square Development A developer is constructing site improvements for two commercial buildings on the property south of Durham Road between the railroad and Fanno Creek. The sidewalk on the south side of Durham Road will be closed while the contractor reconfigures it to add the driveway. East Tigard Sewer Improvements The City of Tigard and Clean Water Services have installed a new sanitary sewer line along Red Rock Creek between the railroad tracks and Hunziker Rd. Crews will be repaving Hunziker over the new connection. Fanno Creek Trail (Woodard Park to Bonita and Hall Blvd to Tualatin) The design team is surveying the trail alignment and doing a geotechnical evaluation of potential bridge and boardwalk locations. The project will build the remaining segments of the Fanno Creek Trail from Woodard Park to Bonita Road and build a new connection from the end of 85'Avenue (Hall Boulevard) to the Tualatin Bridge. Contact Mike McCarthy at 503-718-2462 or mikem�tird-or.gov with questions. River Terrace River Terrace subdivisions are under construction particularly on the east side of Roy Rogers Rd south of Scholls Ferry Rd. If you have any questions,please contact Mike White at 503-718-2464. Derry Dell Creek and 118`h Ct Landslide and Stormwater Outfall Repair The Derry Dell at 118`h storm drainage and stabilization project is nearing completion. The trail be closed for a couple more weeks to complete sidewalk repairs. Contact Carla Staedter at 971-255-7726,%-ith questions. Oak Street near 90`'Avenue A contractor is installing storm and sanitary sewer pipes under Oak Street near 90`'Avenue for a new apartment complex along Oak Street. Daytime delays likely. 132na Avenue south of Walnut Street A contractor is installing storm drainage pipes under 132"Avenue for new homes on the west side of 132" Avenue south of Walnut Street. Daytime delays likely. Main Street Parking Signage The street crew is updating the parking signage along Main Street and in the other 2-Hour parking zones to clarify that the 2-hour parking zone is in effect. Pavement Ratings 'k consultant, Capitol Asset and Pavement Services Inc.is rating the pavement of many streets around Tigard. WES Tracio ay Maintenance TriNfet's contractor is making drainage improvements, ditch and vegetation maintenance,and tie and ballast replacement, and other maintenance work along the W ES rail line. Call Triplet community affairs at 503-962- 2150 v ith any questions. Public Works Update -January 25, 2018 Item# Newsletter: /'—25- Below is a summary of activities from Public Works Public Works Day at St. Anthony's Scheduled in February Public Forks plays a role in nearly every aspect of our lives—from turning on the tap,to playing in the park, to helping us get from one place to another on our trails, sidewalks and streets. The preschool class at St. Anthony's will join staff for heavy-duty fun on February 7. Watch a video of the event from last year: htWs://youtu.be/LMHz7-%-n-d7l .06 4 Water Conservation Each year the Clackamas River Fater Providers hold a coloring contest with local elementary schools to create an annual Fater Calendar. The theme for the 2018 calendar was "How I Can Protect and Conserve My Drinking Water." Elementar;School students were encouraged to create pictures depicting what they had learned about their water and what they can do to both conserve and protect it. ' 1 Calendars are available upon request by calling Marissa Grass at 503-718- 2428 or email marissagtigar�d-oror.gov. Item# Thanks from the public! Newslett r.1°-.2 5_lg A new A-LIST has been entered. Employees: Luis Rivera, Cameron Odam Date : 12/29/2017 Behavior(s) Noted ; Going the Extra Mile - Do the right thing;Looking for Solutions - Get it done;Treating People Well- Respect& care Comments : Officer Commendation Following is a posting from a woman on Facebook regarding an event that occurred on a Friday night while Sgt. Odam was following behind Officer Rivera on the way to work. "On Friday night one of your K9 officers passed us on 205, moments later stopped in the road, jumped out of his vehicle and ran to a burning car. I could see flames shooting out toward him as he bravely jumped in. All we could do was pray the vehicle did not explode. I never saw if anyone was pulled out, the fire department came, but no ambulance. My son was in shock watching and everyday he asked if the car was empty, and I promised I would find out. I waited for a news story but nothing ever came. The officer was so brave, he did not even hesitate to put himself in danger. I thought I would share and see if there was an update on whether the driver made it out. Thank you!" Officer River confirmed that everyone was fine and that there had been gas cans in the back of the vehicle. The truck that pulled in front of this person was likely Sgt. Odam who helped block traffic along with a West Linn Officer. Item# Newsletter: Tigard officer struck by car on Hwy 26 continues to make progress Ray Pitz Wednesday, January 24, 2018 Awake and cognitive, Mist resident Matt Barbee was recently moved into a rehabilitation facility. The Tigard police officer seriously injured in a December crash along Highway 26 continues to make improvements, having recently been moved to a rehabilitation center for continued recovery. Matt Barbee Matt Barbee, an 11-year veteran of the Tigard Police Department, was rear-ended Dec. 14 by a SUV after the officer pulled over to the side of the road to attend to mechanical problems in his vehicle. He was taken to Legacy Emanuel Health Center where he was initially listed in critical condition in the hospital's intensive care unit. He was later moved to a specialty unit, making enough progress that he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility about a week ago, according to Tigard Detective Jeff Hering. "Things have progressed a lot better than we expected," Hering said Tuesday, quickly noting that Barbee still has a "huge road ahead"of him. "He'll probably be (at the rehab facility)for another week or two." He said Barbee has been at a point where he's awake and cognitive, speaking to family and friends even though words don't always come out the way they should. Barbee suffered brain and spinal injuries in the accident, said Hering. Still, Hering said support for the 39-year-old officer—who lives in the Mist area with his wife Sherrie and the couple's three children —has been intense among fellow officers. "We've had volunteers continually have nightshifts, watching over Matt," Hering said. "It's been a battle but everyone's staying positive." At the same time, an online support campaign for Barbee and his family at has raised $35,000 (with another$8,000 donated privately) in a goal to reach $50,000, said Hering. Meanwhile, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 31, Tapphoria, a Tigard growler house and pub, will host a fundraiser for Barbee with 100 percent of sales from two special Hop Valley Brewing kegs benefiting those efforts. In addition, a silent auction will be held with items donated by local merchants. The investigation into the crash is continuing by the Washington County Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team and the Hillsboro Police Department, with a Tigard police spokesman saying his department has heard nothing yet regarding any conclusion or findings. Sizeable Tigard Street homeless camp cleared Ray Pitz Wednesday, January 24, 2018 As many as 15 people once occupied the camp, which was located in a wooded area off of Tigard Street. r . F+ x r �x COURTESY TIGARD POLICE DEPARTMENT- Removal of a homeless camp along Tigard Street near Katherine Street began around Jan. 10, according to city officials. A sizeable homeless camp that occupied a portion of Tigard Street near Katherine Street has been removed in recent weeks. Jim Wolf, spokesman for the Tigard Police Department, said getting someone to clean up the area took longer than it normally would have because it was on private property. Wolf said the property owner hired a third party to remove the camp and haul away debris beginning around Jan. 10. Approximately 15 individuals lived at the camp, he said. The issue came to the attention of the city after numerous complaints were made by residents, prompting an investigation by the city's code enforcement officer. "After a check, they determined there was quite an extensive homeless camp set up,"Wolf said. Officials believe it was the biggest homeless camp removal in the city since a large camp on 72nd Avenue across from the Tigard Cinemas was removed in December 2013. Wolf said that, before the most recent camp was taken down, police on Jan. 6 investigated the death of a 61-year- old homeless man there, determining he died from natural causes. Wolf said over the years, several Tigard police officers have had regular contact with homeless individuals around town to the point of them knowing each other on a first-name basis. He said in early January officers even began to contact those in the camp about the pending cleanup. In the past, the area has been the site of previous camps as well. "This area ... has a tendency to proliferate over time,"Wolf said. Chris Bednarek, a nearby resident, said he was glad the camp was finally being taken down. "It's an ongoing problem," he said. "I've been talking to the city about(it for) a dozen years." Bednarek said anyone who stepped back to take a peek into the wooded area off of Tigard Street could have immediately seen the garbage and human waste. "It was disgusting," he said, noting he was glad the city's code compliance officer, Ken Ross, worked to get the problem resolved and has kept him up to date on the progress. COURTESY TIGARD POLICE DEPARTMENT-A third party hired by a private property owner removed the shelters, junk and debris that accumulated inside a homeless camp along Tigard Street. Mayor John Cook said issues related to transient populations have gotten a little worst lately and that the city responds to residents' complaints if they are on city property. The fact that the latest camp was on private property delayed cleanup and response times, he pointed out. "People are allowed to camp on private property if the owner doesn't care,"said Cook. Still, Cook said there were bigger issues with the latest camp with neighbors complaining that people in the camp had tried to open their doors. At the same time, the city continues to look at the issue of homelessness in Tigard. In December, the Tigard city Council met with members of the Tigard Task Force for the Homeless, a 15-member group gathered to present suggestions to the city regarding the best way to deal with the homeless community. Among the task force suggestions were the possibility of paying police overtime to provide four hours of outreach each week to address issues facing the homeless and a request that the city provide $60,000 as a down payment to Just Compassion to aid in running a permanent day shelter as well as fund an annual project that helps homeless residents get access to resources. Still, the problem with the Tigard area's homeless is complex, as noted by members of Just Compassion, a coalition that serves as a resource for adults without homes, operating a small day center in the city. "It has saddened us that the homeless camp has been cleared away, as there is nowhere for our friends without homes to go,"said Renee Brouse, who serves on Just Compassion's board and also is executive director of Tigard's Good Neighbor Center. "They will migrate to other areas where they feel safe." Acknowledging the death of the homeless resident at the camp, Brouse said many of the man's friends and fellow homeless recently gathered to talk, console and digest the weekend the man passed away. "The homeless problem is not going to go away and there is not an easy solution,"said Brouse. "The barriers that exist for those who have found themselves homeless are many: the affordability of housing, mental illness, drug abuse, lack of jobs and much more." Meanwhile, today(Thursday), Tigard is expecting to participate in Point in Time, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's (or HUD's) annual count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals. The count is observed nationwide. COURTESY TIGARD POLICE DEPARTMENT- Loads of trash were removed from a homeless camp on Tigard Street recently. Metro bond measure talks hit bumps Jim Redden Thursday, January 25, 2018 A new plan is now needed to woo voters to approve taxes for the Southwest Corridor MAX line and other transportation projects. loan Yin Vote 25 5 55'K. - r A1n.".Itl COURTESY METRO-This map prepared by Metro shows that major transportation funding measures mostly passed in inner Portland between 2014 and 2016. Green is where they passed; red is where they failed. Metro's work on a possible regional transportation funding ballot measure got off to a rocky start Monday morning. The majority of an advisory group to the elected regional government approved a staff work plan to draft a measure for the November 2020 general election ballot, for an amount yet to be determined. But several members faulted Metro for not yet proposing a vision for the measure that voters throughout the region would embrace. Some even questioned several assumptions in the proposed plan, including whether funds should be directed at improving a limited number of transportation corridors. "When money is directed at corridors, service improves, but they also get more expensive to live in," said Wilsonville Mayor Tim Knapp, a member of the finance subcommittee of Metro's Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation. And no Washington County members attended the meeting, even though Metro represents the urbanized areas of all three counties in the Portland area. Those missing were Washington County Commissioner Roy Rogers, Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle, and Cornelius Mayor Jef Dalin, Doyle's alternative. "There are three members here representing Clackamas County and no one from Washington County," Clackamas County Commissioner Paul Savas said, meaning himself, Milwaukie Mayor Mark Gamba and Knapp, who represents other cities in the county, too. Metro Councilor Craig Dirksen, the subcommittee chair, said all three from Washington County were aware of the meeting. Metro Director of Government Affairs Andy Shaw said staff had discussed the work plan with officials in Washington County, calling them "actively engaged." Before the subcommittee approved the work plan, Shaw and other staff members said their concerns would be addressed. The Metro Council is scheduled to review it in February. The possible measure has two goals. One is raising regional funds to match the federal funds expected to pay 50 percent of the cost of the new MAX line proposed for the Southwest Corridor connecting Portland, Tigard and Tualatin. Metro currently is planning the project, which will be built, owned and operated by TriMet once it is funded. Its cost is estimated at$2.4 billion. The other is to help fund enough transportation projects in tricounty areas outside the corridor to encourage voters who live in them to approve it. TriMet originally had been in charge of the measure and intended to place it on the November 2018 ballot. The regional transit agency had been preparing a $1.7 billion measure, with some of the funds intended to help finance major congestion relief projects in all three counties—rebuilding the 1-5/1-84 interchanges in Multnomah County, widening Highway 217 in Washington County, and widening 1-205 in Clackamas County. But the new transportation funding package passed by the 2017 Oregon Legislature includes and proposes funding for all three projects that do not require local matches. After that package was approved, TriMet tried to find different congestion relief and other transportation projects in all three counties, but ran out of time to meet election deadlines to qualify the measure for the November 2018 ballot. So TriMet and Metro decided to transfer responsibility for it to Metro and try for the November 2020 ballot instead. Poor recent track record During Monday morning's meeting, it quickly became clear that convincing a majority of voters in the region to pass any transportation funding measure will be a challenge. Metro staff working on the measure presented a map (see above) showing the results of four major transportation funding measures in all three counties between 2014 and 2016. The only one that passed was a temporary gas tax increase in Portland. Going down to defeat were a motor vehicle registration fee increase in Washington County, and a road fee and gas tax increase in Clackamas County. The map is colored green where the measures passed and red where they failed. It shows a 50/50 split, at best. None were in the Gresham area. TriMet conducted two public opinion polls and formed a Community Task Force to help draft its measure. Both polls found that reducing traffic congestion was a top priority for regional residents. But Metro is poised to start the decision-making process all over. To win support for a regional measure, it includes new polling, researching multiple financing options, new meetings with elected officials and other stakeholders, and future public forums to help determine what transportation-related problems voters perceive and what solutions they will support. "We are trying to reach for a measure that will actually pass," Shaw said. And while TriMet spent much of its time focused on congestion-relief projects to win the additional votes needed to pass the measure, Metro appears poised to give equal or greater emphasis to other options, including safety projects and so-called active transportation projects, such as new bike and pedestrian paths. "Highway projects are very expensive per mile. You can get a much bigger bang for your buck with active transportation projects,"said Gamba. TriMet will still have a say in the measure and is represented on the subcommittee. Its task force will meet for a final time on the morning of Monday, Jan. 29, to draft recommendations for Metro to consider while drafting its measure. Police Pick Up Puppy On Pacific Highway Tigard officers reportedly found the dog running along the highway around 11 a.m. Tuesday. By Travis Loose,Pa Ch FL-a- Jan 23,20182:21 pm ET!updated Jan 23,2018 5:57 pm ET _ �A 1 ,L I TIGARD,OR—Is this your dog?Tigard police reportedly found it running down Pacific Highway near Park Street around ii a.m.Tuesday. ¢' Tigard police spokesman Jim Wolf told Patch it took three officers to corral the frightened dog,but that the animal calmed down once it was put into the police truck.Wolf noted one officer mentioning it looked like the poor dog had been outside for at least one day or two and that it had no tags or identification of any ownership. Wolf said the dog was taken to the Bonnie L. Hays Animal Shelter in Hillsboro,but employees at the shelter have been unwilling to give Patch any information about the Tigard Police Q , + dog. q Tgar61 dice just scooped-up this pup as it ran down Pacific Hwy near Park St in Tigard. Officers are keeping it warm and providing food. Image via Tigard Police Department, C TigardPolice Tigard groups pitch in for MLK Jr. Day of Service Ray Pitz Thursday, January 18, 2018 The Tigard Public Library held its first 'Together at the Table' event while volunteers helped sort costumes for seriously ill children. TIMES PHOTO: JAIME VALDEZ- Kari Kunst, an employee at Tigard Public Library, left, and patron Sharon Rose, fill out at Q&A form during a MLK Day: Together at the Table event at the library on Monday. lit. Several Tigard groups got into the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, recognizing a push for a "day of service"to the community by hosting activities ranging from gatherings designed to get to know their neighbors better to sorting through costumes earmarked for seriously ill children. At the Tigard Public Library, a steady stream of residents funneled into the facility's Burgess Community Room to participate in "Together at the Table,"a casual walk-in program where residents were encouraged to chat about a variety of questions on placards. Those questions ranged from what residents liked about their library to what quality or ability they would like to possess to what constitutes a perfect day for them? "This is phenomenal," State Rep. Margaret Doherty of Tigard said as she glanced at those gathered at nearby tables. A long-time Tigard Public Library volunteer, Doherty said she was there to shelve books but promised to return to chat with folks later in the event. Doherty said she recalled 1968 when she went to see Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speak at Portland State University and recalls both the deaths of Kennedy and King that same year. "That was a rough year,"she recalled, pointing out she believes deep in King's heart"he was community activist." Jeanette, a participant who asked that only her first name be used, said she frequently attends library events and was enjoying "Together at the Table." "I love coming here,"said Jeanette, who was accompanied by Eros, her Lhasa apso service dog. "It's like my lifesaver." She said she enjoys the library because she comes in contact with a variety of interesting people or topics, most recently attending a lecture on wills. "I'm just a fan of books,"she said. Also present was Tigard Police Chief Kathy McAlpine who talked about anything residents had on their minds. TIMES PHOTO: JAIME VALDEZ-Jeannette, a patron of the Tigard Public Library, attends a MLK Day: Together at the Table event with her dog, Eros, at the library on Monday. "What we ended up doing is just getting to know each other a little bit better,"said McAlpine, who spent an hour at the event. She said for many it was their first encounter with Tigard's police chief, who took over the job last spring. Among the topics addressed was McAlpine explaining how police departments in general have been moving away from a paramilitary-type of presence to community policing. In addition, McAlpine said she had an engaging conversation with a South Korean exchange student who attends Westside Christian High School. Tigard resident Marsden Smith said he was driving by the library and was curious about what the "Together at the Table" event was all about so he pulled in. He said his impression is that many residents don't know each other well so they find it difficult to talk about difficult subjects such as discrimination as one example. In answering one of the placards' questions about what he would consider a perfect day, Smith said it would involve artistic painting while at home. "What I've learned (is)you have to be a patient person to do art,"said Marsden, a Tigard resident since 1993. "I've had to learn patience when I don't have patience." By the end of the day, 64 people came through the library, according to Paula Walker, the library's communication coordinator. "Given that this was the first time for this program and with all the things competing for people's time on Martin Luther King Day, we were very pleased with the turnout,"Walker said. "It seemed like people had a good time conversing with others. Plus, they learned a lot about Dr. King with the informational bookmarks we passed out." Meanwhile, for volunteers at Chelsea's Closet, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service got started on Friday when they sorted through hundreds of costumes that will eventually make their way to parties for seriously ill children in children's hospitals. .. TIMES PHOTO: JAIME VALDEZ- Chelsea Nguyen who works as a home lender with Umpqua Bank, places a costume on a hanger at the Chelsea Hicks Foundation in Tigard. Nguyen volunteered along with other employees , - with the bank to sort through costumes for terminally ill children. Among them was Lauren Thomas, who was volunteering as part of AmeriCorps VISTA program attached to the Washington County Public Health Women Infants and Children. "I never heard of Chelsea's Closet and I was really excited when I found out about it,"said Thomas who along with other volunteers, helped organize everything from infant tutus to a huge selection of princess costumes. Thomas said she found what the volunteers at Chelsea's Closet do, inspiring. Chelsea Hicks was 3 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage IV Wilms'tumor cancer and during her hospital stay loved dressing up, according to the Chelsea Hick's Foundation website. Today, the organization has about 4,000 costumes in its inventory (with another 600 ready to be processed and added). One of the highlights was getting to talk with Alison Hicks, Chelsea's mother, who attended the sorting event, said Thomas. "I was sitting with Chelsea's mom and hearing the story,"she said. "She talked about(Chelsea's) struggle and how she liked dressing up in costumes." Also helping out was Tammy Yamamoto, an Aloha High graduate who majored in natural resources at Oregon State University, who cut out tags and helped organize costumes. She too is part of the same AmericCorps VISTA program as Thomas. "It's pretty cool what they do,"she said. "It was great. I would definitely return." "We had 15 volunteers and were so happy with the turnout and all that they accomplished,"said Jessica Heliker, program and volunteer coordinator for the Chelsea Hicks Foundation. "We just did a final count—324 costumes in three hours!" �C TIMES PHOTO: JAIME VALDEZ-Jeannette Mayer who works in regulatory affairs with Umpqua Bank, hangs up a costume at Chelsea Hicks Foundation in Tigard. ' Yi a Noted Portland public affairs firm sold to two firm mainstays By Andy Giegerich - Digital Managing Editor, Portland Business Journal Jan 17, 2018, mooam A 28-year Portland public affairs firm that spun out from Tektronix has a new pair of well-acquainted owners. CFM Strategic Communications Inc. leaders said Wednesday shareholders Joel Rubin and Dale Penn II will assume the firm's ownership. Penn and Rubin have purchased shares that were held by Gary Conkling, Dave Fiskum,Norm Eder and Tom Eiland. The transition took effect Jan. 1. Rubin has either been a part of or led CFM's federal affairs team since 2oo6 while Penn joined CFM's state affairs team in 2014. CFM also provides crisis communications and marketing public relations services. The new leaders aren't planning to make any staff changes. "CFM is well known for its work in the Pacific Northwest and on Capitol Hill and we intend to take the firm to the next level of success," Rubin and Penn said in a release. Conkling, one of the area's best-known public affairs strategists, and Eder,known for championing the region's manufacturing industry,will help the new owners manage the firm. Eiland will remain as a market research and public opinion polling specialist. Fiskum, one of the firm's founders along with Conkling, retired at the end of 2014. "Over recent years, we have explored numerous ways to transition ownership of CFM, always with an eye on ensuring seamless continuation of client service," Conkling said. "Joel and Dale are established, respected principals in CFM who are committed to retaining the firm's core values." CFM,which employs 14 people locally,will keep its Portland and Washington, D.C. offices.