City Council Work Session 09/17/2024

The City of Milwaukie, Oregon City Council held a work session on September 17, 2024, focusing primarily on capital improvement projects (CIP) and affordable housing initiatives. Engineering staff provided updates on various infrastructure projects including ramp improvements, street maintenance, water line replacements, and stormwater management, highlighting successful grant awards and cost savings from efficient contracting practices. The council discussed procurement strategies such as best value contracting to select qualified contractors beyond just low bids. Significant attention was given to the Sparrow affordable housing development, including considerations of land trust models to maintain long-term affordability, equity goals in contracting, and potential partnerships for grant funding. The council also reviewed the construction excise tax revenue allocation towards affordable housing and economic development, and discussed oversight and administration of related grant programs. No formal votes were recorded in the transcript, but there was consensus support for further due diligence on land trust models and continued progress on the Sparrow project.