Sherwood City Council Work Session - July 7, 2026

The Sherwood City Council held a work session on July 7, 2026, focusing primarily on planning commission discussions, public safety fees, and the transient lodging tax (TLT). Key procurement-related topics included the consideration of a new public safety fee structure aimed at funding additional police officers and associated equipment. Various fee scenarios were discussed, including flat monthly fees per equivalent service unit (ESU) for commercial and industrial accounts, with considerations for rate caps and differentiated rates for manufacturing versus retail businesses. The council showed preference for a fee structure that would fund two new officers and help protect existing staffing levels. Regarding the TLT, the council reviewed current allocations and debated raising the tax rate from the current 3% to between 4% and 6%, with a consensus leaning toward a phased increase to 5% in year one and 6% in year two. The TLT funds support tourism promotion, the art center, and economic development, with discussions on maintaining or adjusting the allocation split, including a proposed 50/50 split between the general fund and economic development. The council emphasized the importance of protecting core services like the art center and field house while exploring additional funding for trails and public art. No formal votes were recorded in the transcript, but clear direction was given to staff to prepare ordinances reflecting the discussed fee structures and tax rate increases for future council consideration.