City Council Work Session - 4/22/2026 - 4:00 PM

The City of Bend, Oregon City Council held a work session on April 22, 2026, focusing primarily on the development and implementation of a climate pollution fee related to building electrification. Key procurement-related discussions included policy decisions on fee exemptions, such as rejecting exemptions for deed-restricted affordable housing and deciding to include dual fuel equipment as a fee schedule item rather than exempting it. The council also set the effective date for the fee as April 1, 2027, aligning with updated building codes. They discussed the administrative feasibility of including triplexes and quadplexes in the fee and agreed to monitor these housing types annually. The council emphasized the importance of annual fee updates and reporting on electrification adoption, energy usage, and fee impacts. Additionally, the session covered water conservation efforts, infrastructure priorities including land acquisition and pre-treatment facilities, and a study on a potential multi-purpose public assembly venue. The venue study highlighted economic impacts, market demand, and the need for strategic planning to balance community benefits and costs. No specific contract awards or vendor selections were made during this meeting, but several policy directions were established that will influence future procurement and capital projects.