City Council Wrap Up – June 15, 2026

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-Work Session-

Attendance

Present: Mayor Slack, Council President Briggs, Councilors Barrientos, Blosser, Fitzgerald, Holsapple, Jantz , Schilling, Shein, and Spivey

Absent:

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2050 Vision

The Dallas 2030 Community Vision is winding down to its completion date. To get ready for the future, the City Council started with discussions on a new Community Vision and next steps in planning for the future.

City Manager Latta explained that a community vision describes what the Council wants the city to look like in the future. Community visions also guide city efforts in planning, determining budget priorities, and help to establish a sense of community identity.

John Schulte, a Dallas resident and member of the Planning Commission, volunteered to be the first on the Citizen Advisory Committee and spoke to the Council about the need for this project.

Schulte has lived in Dallas for many years and reported seeing organic manageable growth. Neighbors have described the last 5 years of growth to Schulte as changing too fast. They don’t think Dallas is recognizable anymore.

This upcoming community vision and the engagement with residents will be the most important project for the city this year, according to Schulte. The city will be able to learn what people need and want. Then the city can translate that into projects or code. And if the city is unable to meet the needs they will at least be able to communicate with the residents.

Due to the large impact of the community vision, a professional consultant will be hired for this project to work with city staff and the new committee.

Follow the money: The estimated cost for the consultant work is $50,000.

A Citizen Advisory Committee will be created with Dallas residents, business owners, youth representatives, and community stakeholders to work on this project. The larger community will also be engaged with online surveys, town halls, focus groups, and public workshops.

Councilor Blosser asked if the Citizen Advisory Committee would have Councilors on it. The City Manager recommended only citizens be on this committee.

Council President Briggs stated this project was good timing to go along with the City Charter Review Committee. Councilor Blosser added that it sets a good framework.

  • Proposed schedule for the 2050 Vision
    • July – August 2026
      • Request for proposals for consulting services
      • Open applications for the Citizen Advisory Committee
    • September 2026
      • Select the consultant
      • Committee appointments made by the City Council
    • October – December 2026
      • Phase 1 – Community Engagement
        • Surveys and initial public workshops
    • January – March 2027
      • Committee analyzes community feedback
      • Establish draft goals
    • April – June 2027
      • Phase 2 – Community Engagement
        • Public open houses to review and refine draft vision
    • July – August 2027
      • Committee and consultant to finalize the 2050 Community Vision
    • September 2027
      • Final Dallas 2050 Community Vision presented to the City Council for adoption

Proposed 2050 Vision schedule, work session agenda, pg. 3

Councilor Shein said this topic touched a hot button issue of balancing residential availability with commercial and industrial availability. The city is slowly losing their tax base with less commercial and industrial space. Shein hoped this community vision will help provide some strategy.

Councilor Spivey asked if the finished product would be similar to the 2030 Community Vision which is a 10 page document. City Manager Latta said a document is part of the final product, but the real output is the vision. Things like the city strategic plan and the development code will be informed by this vision.

Councilor Spivey followed up with a desire to have more than just “pretty words” at the end of the project. Would like to see the Council actually use the document. If it is important and valuable, Spivey believed the Council should do something with it after it’s done. Latta recalled after the 2030 Vision was created, each council meeting item that was discussed called back to the 2030 Vision and how it related. Latta suggested something like that could be done again.

Council President Briggs asked if the proposed work with the consultant would be reviewed by the Council first. City Manager Latta agreed to bring the proposal back to the Council for review before starting the consultant search.

Councilor Barrientos wanted to see quicker action. Asked about doing a 15 year vision instead of 25 years. The City Manager explained the length of vision can be set by the Council. 25 years is the standard used, as the length of time allows major projects with 20 year horizons to be accounted for. 15 years might not line up with the scheduled comprehensive plan update either.

Barrientos thought it’s more difficult to know trends 25 years in the future. Would like to see quicker results. City Manager Latta asked the Council for their thoughts on the length of years for the vision.

Councilor Shein liked longer visions.

Councilor Blosser asked how long the 2030 Vision was set for. The City Manager said the 2030 Vision was a 15 year plan because it was written in 2014. Generally cities do 25 year plans.

Councilor Shein saw arguments for both 15 and 25 years and suggested a compromise with a 20 year vision. Shein also agreed with Spivey in not letting the vision “sit on the shelf and collect dust”.

Councilor Holsapple pointed out that the vision is a 1,000 foot view. Benchmarks should be set up to work towards the vision. Holsapple wanted a 20 year vision at least.

What happened? The Council discussed developing a 20 year Community Vision. A proposal for the consultant work on the project will be presented to the Council in a future meeting.

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Central Business District Uses

The City Council agreed to continue looking at possible changes to what types of businesses can operate in the Central Business District (CBD), otherwise known as downtown. Tyler Ferrari, Economic Development Specialist for the City of Dallas, presented this topic to the Council.

The Urban Renewal District (URD) Plan covers the downtown CBD and calls for, “a mix of retail, commercial, and residential uses oriented to pedestrians.” (work session agenda, pg. 22)

According to the staff report, “restricting automobile-oriented uses within the CBD could be reasonable since other commercial zones including future mixed-use zones are able to accommodate auto-oriented uses.” (work session agenda, pg. 12)

The staff report also pointed out recent changes which affect the CBD. Those changes allowed indoor recreational uses inside the industrial zone and the introduction of a new mixed-use zone later in the meeting under Ordinance 1924.

7 changes were proposed by city staff to the Council for initial consideration.

Proposed changes from city staff (work session agenda, pg. 11-12)

Councilor Holsapple was concerned that the plans calling for more pedestrian use and less auto-oriented uses didn’t meet the reality of a state highway running through downtown. Thought the plan focused on outside goals instead of how the city actually is. Asked what the proposed changes would take away from the current community.

Ferrari pointed out making changes would not kick out current businesses. Changes to the code would only affect future businesses coming into downtown or if a current business wanted to expand.

The reason to move auto oriented businesses away from downtown is to better utilize available land. In the downtown area, space for a drive-thru or parking lot is better used as another business to help generate more revenue.

City Manager Latta addressed the desire to make downtown more pedestrian friendly. The goal is not to stop car traffic. Instead, a downtown with restaurants, shops, cafes, homes, and some office space is the goal. The idea is to create an environment where a customer gets out of their car and uses 3 or 4 businesses during their time downtown. A driver using 1 or 2 businesses and then driving away is less ideal. Pedestrian spaces allow people to stay longer and hopefully visit and spend more money at local businesses.

Councilor Shein reported that residents say downtown is special and call it the heart of the community. That is why downtown has its own unique CBD zone with a desire to be mostly retail with foot traffic.

Councilor Fitzgerald asked about the restriction on drive-ups and how it might affect restaurant delivery services. City Manager Latta said it will not affect restaurants because they are different business models than a drive-up food business.

Council President Briggs wondered about the uphill battle with affordable housing and state requirements. Latta confirmed affordable housing is permitted in the CBD because of state law. Briggs believed this was the state preempting local choice.

Councilor Holsapple wanted to avoid looking like nearby cities, with empty buildings downtown. City Manager Latta pointed out there are still a lot of allowed uses in the CBD and the Council is only reviewing a few for potential changes.

There was a discussion between Councilors Shein, Schilling, Fitzgerald, and Ferrari about auto services in the CBD. The proposed change would remove the last remaining code that allows auto services inside the CBD. Tim’s Automotive Specialties was discussed as being affected. Councilor Shein stated a desire to remove any and all auto services out of the CBD.

Councilor Schilling talked about the Urban Renewal District and how schools in the CBD don’t contribute to the city revenue. There are also 2 shipping warehouses located in downtown. Schilling asked the Councilors what they want the city to be. This is their chance to create what they want.

City Manager Latta added that the schools in downtown moved into buildings that were previously paying into city revenue. Those buildings don’t anymore.

Councilor Fitzgerald asked why educational services would be a conditional use instead of not permitted, like schools. Latta explained educational services is more like a tutoring company which would pay taxes.

Councilor Holsapple was not aware that current businesses would be unaffected from code changes. However, Holsapple stated a preference to encourage businesses to make things happen and have the city get out of the way. Wants to see drive-ups in downtown as a conditional use instead of not allowed. Also believed having schools in downtown added to a small town feeling.

Councilor Spivey asked if the businesses not permitted in the proposed changes would have another place to go in the city. Ferrari confirmed there are zones in the city for all proposed changes. Some changes would likely be better for the businesses than their current location in the CBD.

Councilor Shein recalled a local business who wanted to move from the CBD into the industrial zone as an example of finding a better use elsewhere.

Changing topics, Council President Briggs asked Ferrari to provide a quick general update of new business activity in the city.

  • Ace Hardware
    • Old Rite Aid building
      • Moving forward
  • Autozone
    • Old Hong Kong Restaurant
      • Building now demolished
      • Moving forward
  • 430 Main St.
    • Former 7 star gas station
    • New plan in 2 phases
      • Phase 1
        • Gas and convenience store to be built
      • Phase 2
        • Separate residential building at the back of the property
  • 791 Main St.
    • City staff meeting with a potential developer this week
  • 811 Main St.
    • Former Antique Mall
      • Façade restoration
        • 2 business entrances
          • Like how it used to be back in the day
        • More progress to come this summer

Learn more: Check out all new construction projects going on in the city with this interactive map.

What happened? The Council agreed to move forward with reviewing the 7 proposed changes. All changes will go to the Planning Commission for review first before coming back to the Council for approval.

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-City Council-

Attendance

Present: Mayor Slack, Council President Briggs, Councilors Barrientos, Blosser, Fitzgerald, Holsapple, Jantz , Schilling, Shein, and Spivey

Absent:

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Introductions, Recognitions, Proclamations

Public Works Employee Introduction

Nathan Tullock, City Water Distribution Supervisor, introduced 3 new employees in the Public Works department: Richard, Mason, and Zyra.

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PUBLIC HEARING

Supplemental Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026

The Council held a public hearing on a supplemental budget that makes changes to 3 funds. When a budget changes by more than 10%, a public hearing is held to give residents a chance to comment.

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Staff Report
  • Proposed changes to the 2025-2026 Budget
    • Risk Management Fund
      • $108,000 – Increase to Risk Management Fund
        • Reason – Unanticipated increases to premiums and claims
    • Grant Fund
      • $22,000 – Increase to Grant Fund
        • Reason – Engineering costs this year from an Oregon Department of Transportation Grant for Godsey Road
    • Stormwater Fund
      • $0 – No increase or decrease, reallocation of expenditures only
        • Reason – Engineering costs for Godsey Rd. and unexpected developer reimbursement for infrastructure costs

Summary of budget changes, council agenda, pg. 4

Council President Briggs asked if the money was coming out of contingencies. City Manager Latta said the Stormwater money is, but the Risk and Grant fund are not.

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Public Comment

None.

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Discussion

None.

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What happened? A public hearing was held on the proposed supplemental budget. No public testimony was given on the recommended changes. A vote for adoption of the supplemental budget took place later in the meeting under Resolution No. 3075.

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Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27

The City Council also held a public hearing on the full 2026-2027 Budget to gather feedback from residents.

Learn more: Review the proposed city budget in the council agenda, pg. 6-30. For a more detailed breakdown of the budget, read the full 90 page budget document on the city website.

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Staff Report

City Manager Latta explained that the 2026-2027 Budget for the city was approved by the Budget Committee in their May 2026 meeting. After the committee’s approval, some amendments were added to the budget. These changes represent things the city thought would happen in the 2025-2026 budget but didn’t finish in time. The amendments will move those items into the 2026-2027 Budget to be completed.

  • Amendments to the budget since the Budget Committee approval
    • GENERAL FUND
      • $290,000 – Increase to the beginning balance
        • Reason – The city did not secure two public safety vehicles by the end of FY 2025-26. Needs to be rolled into the FY 2026-27 budget to make purchases
          • $210,000 – Fire Department – ambulance remount
          • $80,000 – Police Department – police vehicle
      • $4,410 – Increase to Municipal Court prosecution
        • Reason – Prosecution services
      • $5,000 – Increase to Administration Emergency Management
        • Reason – EOC grant match
      • $9,410 – Decreasing unappropriated fund
        • Reason – Balance the fund
    • TRUST FUND
      • $75,000 – Increase to Friends of Dallas Aquatic Center
        • Reason – New donations
      • $15,000 – Increase to Friends of Library
        • Reason – New donations
    • GRANT FUND
      • $1,410,000 – Increase from ODOT Infrastructure Grant
        • Reason – Godsey Road Improvements
      • $428,810 – Increase from Business Oregon Housing Infrastructure Grant
      • $15,000 – Increase from EOC Grant
        • Reason – complete EOC work
    • STREET FUND
      • $146,120 – Increase to beginning fund balance and expenses
        • Reason – Carryover of unspent funds for the Public Works Building and to complete the Public Works Building
    • SEWER FUND
      • $292,250 – Increase to beginning fund balance and expenses
        • Reason – Carryover of unspent funds for the Public Works Building and to complete the Public Works Building
    • STORM WATER FUND
      • $104,375 – Increase to beginning fund balance and expenses
        • Reason – Carryover of unspent funds for the Public Works Building and to complete the Public Works Building
    • WATER FUND
      • $292,250 – Increase to beginning fund balance and expenses
        • Reason – Carryover of unspent funds for the Public Works Building and to complete the Public Works Building

Summary of changes, council agenda, pg. 6-7

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Public Comment

None.

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Discussion

None.

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What happened? The Council held a public hearing on the proposed 2026-2027 Budget. There was no public feedback offered. A vote on adopting this budget under Resolution No. 3571 happened later in the meeting.

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Public Comment

  • President of Friends of the Dallas Aquatic Center (FDAC)
    • Reported a busy week
      • Summer camp started
        • Gives things to do for the kids
    • Bad news and some good news
      • Therapy pool heat exchanger kept going out
        • Chemical build up had to be blasted out
        • Pool then got cloudy
          • Might be due to the high heat
        • Will open again on Tuesday June 16, 2026
      • Showers last week were cold
        • Women’s showers colder than the men’s
        • 9 year old equipment
        • City facilities worker figured out a simple solution
          • Now fixed
    • FDAC is waiting for the “next shoe to drop”
      • Ready to go with money
    • Will share with patrons in an e-mail how to make tax deductible donations

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What’s on the consent agenda?

  • Approve the May 18, 2026 Work Session Minutes – pg. 31
  • Approve the May 18, 2026 City Council Meeting Minutes – pg. 32-33
  • Approve the June 1, 2026 Work Session Minutes – pg. 34
  • Approve the June 1, 2026 City Council Meeting Minutes – pg. 35-36
  • May 2026 Financial Report – pg. 37-69

What happened? This passed unanimously.

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Mayor and Council Reports

None.

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City Manager report

None.

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ORDINANCES

No. 1924 – La Creole Mixed-Use Zoning District

The 1st reading passed for an ordinance to create a new zone planned for future development in the new La Creole Node. If approved after a 2nd reading, the new mixed-use zone category would be added to the city Development Code.

In the public hearing held in May 2026, the Council made 3 changes to the mixed-use zone that was originally approved by the Planning Commission. Those changes removed building sizes limits in the commercial zone, restricted the height of mixed-use buildings from 8 stories to 3, and removed conditional uses that would allow less commercial space in mixed-use zoned multi-family buildings.

Learn more: Review the entire proposed mixed-use code, with changes, in the council agenda, pg. 70-90.

What happened? The Council passed the 1st reading of the ordinance for a new mixed-use zone to be used in the La Creole Node. A 2nd reading is scheduled for July 20, 2026. If approved after the 2nd reading, it would be effective on Aug. 19, 2026.

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RESOLUTIONS

No. 3569 – Transfer of budgetary funds

Budget transfers were approved by the City Council. This resolution specifically approved 5 transfers in the 2025-2026 Budget.

Proposed transfers in the 2025-2026 budget (council agenda, pg. 91)

Councilor Blosser asked why there are different amounts for Godsey Road in different funds. City Manager Latta explained the Godsey Rd. project is being funded by 3-4 different funds. Different work from each department determines how much that fund pays toward the project.

Council President Briggs asked how the city can better plan budgets for the part time Aquatic Center staff. Latta would need to discuss further with the Finance Director as variable schedules make it hard to plan that budget a year ahead. Most of the increased staff time came from added classes and instruction time. However, Latta pointed out, more classes also means more revenue. The Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) was only a small part of the increase.

Councilor Shein asked if there was a warning in the payroll software when someone was getting close to activating PERS. The City Manager confirmed there is a notification in the system.

What happened? The Council voted 9-0 to approve the 5 proposed 2025-2026 Budget transfers.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

For: Council President Briggs, Councilors Barrientos, Blosser, Fitzgerald, Holsapple, Jantz , Schilling, Shein, and Spivey

Against: 

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No. 3570 – Supplemental budget for fiscal year 2025-2026

The 2025-2026 Supplemental Budget was approved by the Council. The changes approved were both under and over 10% in size. All changes that were greater than 10% were considered in the public hearing earlier in the meeting.

The supplemental budget summary provided in the staff report is below:

Proposed changes to the budget (council agenda, pg. 96-97)

Council President Briggs asked if this was the last supplemental budget for 2025-2026. City Manager Latta confirmed, this will bring all the records to match what was approved.

What happened? The Council passed the 2025-2026 Supplemental Budget with all 9 Councilors voting for approval.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

For: Council President Briggs, Councilors Barrientos, Blosser, Fitzgerald, Holsapple, Jantz , Schilling, Shein, and Spivey

Against: 

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No. 3571 – Budget for fiscal year 2026-27

The 2026-2027 Budget was approved by the Council. The total budget came to $82,546,662 with $19,142,164 specifically in the general fund.

The Budget Committee reviewed and approved the budget in their May 2026 meeting. After the committee’s approval, some amendments were added to the budget. Those amendments were introduced and explained earlier in the meeting during the public hearing.

Did you know? A fiscal year is any 12 month period used for budgeting. It can start at the beginning of any month and stop exactly 12 months later. The City of Dallas 2026-2027 fiscal year starts on July 1, 2026 and ends on June 30, 2027.

This resolution also set the city taxation rate at $4.1954 per $1,000 of assessed value. This is the same as last year and is a permanent rate set in 1997 with Oregon’s Measure 50.

The budget summary provided in the staff report is below:

Proposed 2026-2027 Budget (council agenda, pg. 101-105)

Learn more: For a more detailed review of the budget find the full 90 page budget document on the city website.

What happened? The Council voted 9 to 0 in approval of the 2026-2027 Budget.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

For: Council President Briggs, Councilors Barrientos, Blosser, Fitzgerald, Holsapple, Jantz , Schilling, Shein, and Spivey

Against: 

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No. 3572 – Election to receive state revenues

The Council agreed to ask the State of Oregon to receive shared revenue. This resolution is required for the city to get any shared revenue money from the state.

Councilor Spivey asked if there were any strings attached to this money from the state. City Manager Latta confirmed no, except to pass the resolution.

What happened? The Council unanimously agreed to ask the State of Oregon for shared revenue money.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

For: Council President Briggs, Councilors Barrientos, Blosser, Fitzgerald, Holsapple, Jantz , Schilling, Shein, and Spivey

Against: 

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No. 3573 – Refuse and recycling rate changes

The Council approved a modified resolution to increase garbage rates by 3% for Republic Services (Republic). The change comes after the Council had previously agreed to increase garbage rates by 5% in their last meeting, even though Republic requested more.

Council President Briggs acknowledged not being at the last meeting and asked for a recap. City Manager Latta explained, after discussions most of the Council voted to approve a 5% increase to the garbage rate.

  • Quick History:
    • Feb 2026 –
      • Republic requested a 3% rate increase
      • Council voted no increase
        • But agreed to re-visit in 6 months
    • June 1, 2026 –
      • Republic requested a 10% increase
        • To catch up for the missed 6 months
      • Council said no to 10%
        • But a 5% increase was agreed on in a 5-3 vote

Learn more: Get caught up with the Wrap Up post from that city council meeting.

Council President Briggs asked where a 5% increase put Republic’s margin for the year. City Manager Latta shared that the accepted range is a 8-12% margin. In 2023 and 2024 Republic got over 12% margin. That margin dropped in 2025 to just over 8%. The 5% increase presented would put Republic up to 9% margin for 2026. Latta said that was lower than Republic wanted but higher than bottom of the allowed range.

Council President Briggs did not want to front load profit for Republic and would not support 5%. Wanted a 3% increase.

Councilor Jantz agreed 5% was too much and wanted to revisit 2 or 3%. Jantz noted everyone is seeing rising costs and believed this would lead to smaller increases in the future.

Councilor Shein commented that Republic actually said only the higher rate would get them back to smaller rate increases in the future.

Councilor Jantz wanted to change the resolution to 3%.

The Council voted to amend the resolution from a 5% increase to a 3% increase.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

For: Council President Briggs, Councilors Barrientos, Blosser, Fitzgerald, Holsapple, Jantz , Schilling, Shein, and Spivey

Against: 

  • What would a 5% rate increase have looked like?
    • per month increase
      • $1.11 – 20 gallon cart
      • $1.43 – 35* gallon cart
      • $1.75 – 64 gallon cart
      • $2.19 – 90 gallon cart
    • Proposed 5% rate increase, council agenda, pg. 110
  • What will a 3% rate increase look like?
    • per month increase for residential customers
      • $0.79 – 20 gallon cart
      • $0.84 – 32* gallon cart
      • $1.07 – 64 gallon cart
      • $1.30 – 90 gallon cart
    • from the Feb 2, 2026 council agenda

*Differences in cart sizes listed on specific materials

What happened? The Council voted to approve an amended resolution for a 3% garbage rate increase for Republic. The new rate will become effective on July 1, 2026.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

For: Council President Briggs, Councilors Barrientos, Blosser, Fitzgerald, Holsapple, Jantz , Schilling, Shein, and Spivey

Against: 

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-More Information-

Do you want to run for City Council?

“Candidates running for Dallas Mayor and City Councilor can now pick up Candidate Information Packets at Dallas City Hall. This packet has all the information you need to run for Mayor or one of four City Councilor positions in the November 2026 General Election.

Councilors serve four-year terms and the Mayor serves a two-year term. Candidates must be a registered voter of the State of Oregon and have been a legal resident of Dallas continuously during the twelve months immediately preceding the election.

The first day candidates can file paperwork to run for office is Wednesday, June 3, 2026, with all completed paperwork due no later than Tuesday, August 25, 2026.

For more information, contact Kim Herring, City Recorder, at 503.831.3502 or [email protected]”

June 3, 2026 News release from the City of Dallas Oregon

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