City Council Wrap Up – Sep. 15, 2025

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Attendance

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

Absent: Councilor Barrientos

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Introductions, Recognitions, Proclamations

None.

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Public Comment

  • Dallas Resident
    • Self identified as a low sighted person
    • Has been using a cane for 9 years, and just got a guide dog in June
    • Asked the Council (and planning commission) to consider pedestrians when planning
      • Not everyone drives a car
    • Educated the Council on 2 basic cane uses and what they mean
      • Not crossing the street = holding the cane, slanted in and down towards their body
      • Crossing the street = tapping the cane side to side. This means they plan to step out soon
    • Guide dog is kibble focused
      • Gave a small demonstration to the Council
    • Encouraged everyone, to stop if you see someone with a dog or cane at a crosswalk

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The consent agenda is used to pass procedural items. If any Councilor has a question, issue, or wants to discuss something, they can pull the item to discuss.

What’s on the consent agenda?

  • Approve the September 2, 2025 Work Session Minutes
  • Approve the September 2, 2025 City Council Meeting Minutes
  • August 2025 Financial Report

What happened? This passed unanimously.

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Mayor and council Reports

Councilor Shein wanted to follow up with comments made in a previous meeting about the Moonfall Theater. Shein reported it was a good show with a full house. Sold out tickets for that show benefited Friends of the Library. Thanked those who bought or sold tickets.

Councilor Blosser encouraged everyone to go watch and support the Dallas Football team. Reported the team is doing amazing this year and are fun to watch. Blosser said he is proud of the team.

Council President Briggs noted the 2nd Dallas, Oregon Podcast was released. It features Tara Townley, program manager for the Dallas Chamber. Briggs said Townley did a great job. Councilor Shein seconded that comment.

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City Manager report

Friends of the Dallas Aquatic Center

Friends of the Dallas Aquatic Center (FDAC) recently funded the majority of a project to replace over 20 light bulbs at the Dallas Aquatic Center (DAC). Ann Hurd who is FDAC President, and Dean Sprague who is the FDAC Media Specialist, presented a video of the project to the Council.

Sprague provided original guitar music for the background of the video. You can watch the video on the FDAC facebook page.

Hurd shared they have new ad banners going up and they are running out of space. Councilor Shein commented that was a good problem to have.

Councilor Blosser shared going to the DAC this past weekend and being surprised with how bright it is now.

Councilor Shein pointed out that with the new LED bulbs they must be saving on energy costs. Hurd agreed.

City Manager Latta explained this was originally scheduled for the 2027-2028 budget at an estimated cost of $80,000. The city was able to combine the timing of 2 projects in order to save on costs of renting a lift. All of the light work was done at the same time as the project to add a heat and lane section to the DAC scoreboard.

  • Follow the money:
    • $10,750 – Quote to replace light bulbs
      • $10,000 – FDAC will cover this amount
      • $750 – DAC repair & maintenance budget will cover the rest

Hurd shared with new banner payments coming in, the next project they are saving for is to re-plaster the leisure pool. Sprague encouraged everyone to look at the FDAC website and donate.

What happened? No official action was taken, but information was shared with the Council.

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IGA for Electronic Records Management Consulting Services

The Council approved giving the City Manager authority to sign an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Oregon Secretary of State office for consulting services on electronic records management.

Since 2016, the City of Dallas has used the Oregon Records Management System (ORMS) for electronic storage of city records. This system is offered at no cost to all state, county, and municipal governments.

The current IGA, which was signed in 2016, is being cancelled due to updated terms and conditions. This new IGA would accept the updated agreement which is again offered at no cost.

  • What does the new agreement do?
    • improves readability
    • updates formatting
    • clarifies this is a no-charge agreement
    • clarifies ownership
    • clarifies dispute resolution/claims
    • ties expiration of the agreement to the expiration of the Master Service Agreement for the ORMS system

Want to read the IGA for yourself? Page 32-41 of the council agenda.

Councilor Schilling asked if this contract was in perpetuity (having no set end date)? The City Manager confirmed there is no end date.

What happened? The Council voted to approve the City Manager to sign the IGA with an 8-0 vote.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

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

Against:

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Property Purchase at 645 SE Fir Villa Rd

The property at 645 SE Fir Villa Road is under contract to be sold to the city for future expansion of John C. Barnard Park. The Council gave their approval to finalize this purchase.

Google map (with my approximate highlighting) showing the property in question.

The City Manager provided some information for this site to the Council. The property includes a residential home and 4.95 acres of land just south of Barnard Park which is on SE. Academy Street. The city intends to split the property into two lots. The house (which faces Fir Villa Rd.) and some garden sheds would be partitioned off and sold. The profit from that sale would be returned back to the Parks System Development Charges (SDC) fund.

What is an SDC? “(SDCs) are one-time fees charged on new development” – Dallas City website. These funds can only be used for expansion and development. The funds can’t be used to maintain or fix things.

Council President Briggs asked what was originally authorized for the offer. City Manager Latta confirmed $875,000 was authorized. Latta shared some of the negotiating that took place.

  • Follow the negotiation:
    • $900,000 – Sellers original ask price
    • $835,000 – City countered
      • Considering the following estimated costs
        • $15,000 – Partitioning property into 2
        • $30,000 – drainage remediation costs
        • $15,000 – Roof replacement
    • Seller’s hoped for more
    • $870,000 – city’s new counter offer
      • Removed the burden for future partitioning costs
      • Shared some risk of the roof replacement/house repairs
    • $870,000 – Final agreed purchase price

Councilor Schilling wanted to acknowledge that the City Manager did a really good job on this purchase. Also wanted to remind the public that the funds to purchase this property could not be used towards the Police building project. That is because the money comes from the Parks SDC fund. That fund is paid by developers when they subdivide lots or build properties. That is a bucket of money which can only be used for expansion or addition to existing parks.

Rendering of John C. Barnard Park, currently under construction. Academy St is at the bottom of the picture. Image from city website.

The City Manager also added that this property is a future park which is using Park SDC funds. Park funds could not be used towards the Police building. Councilor Shein added most people don’t know that money can’t be shared and has to be used for one category only.

Councilor Schilling also pointed out this park expansion will help grow the city’s offering of large parks. Kingsborough Park on the west, and then moving east is Dallas City Park, Dallas Aquatic Center, and John C. Barnard Park on the far east side of the city.

My approximate property highlight and overlay of John C. Barnard Park.

Council President Briggs asked if this will still leave Park SDC funds for the 10 new pickleball courts. City Manager Latta estimated there is currently about $2,000,000 in Parks SDC funds. After this purchase and the money returned from the future sale of the house, there this enough for the pickball courts. Latta also shared the city is looking at funding some new ADA playground equipment at city parks.

Councilor Shein asked to clarify, if the city took out play equipment and replaced it, that is not eligible for Park SDC funds. Latta confirmed that is considered a replacement and could not use Park SDC funds. However, if play equipment was taken out and new ADA play equipment was added, that would be eligible for Park SDC funds. The difference is that ADA equipment increases who can use the equipment which qualifies it as an expansion.

Council President Briggs asked if the city is seeing a slow down in SDC fees collected from new development. The City Manager said there is a slow down in single family development fees, but an increase in commercial and apartment development fees. Commercial SDC fees are also higher than single family SDC fees. So overall there is not a slowing of growth to the fund. It’s steady.

Important link: View the entire purchase agreement for yourself, page 44-68 of the council agenda.

What happened? The Council voted 8-0 to approve purchasing the property at 645 SE Fir Villa Rd. The closing date for the sale is Sep. 22, 2025.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

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

Against:

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Ordinances

Ordinance No. 1915 – Amending Development Code regarding historic preservation regulations

In August, the Council held a public hearing and approved changing the city code regarding Historic Preservation Regulations in DDC.2.10. Now the Council will read the ordinance 2 times before voting to adopt it. This was the Council’s 1st reading of the ordinance.

Note that the Planning Commission held a separate public hearing in July 2025 and voted to approve of these code changes.

What will the changes do? These changes will bring the code up to standards published by the State Historic Preservation Office.

Read all the proposed changes in page 70-105 of the council agenda.

What happened? The Council passed the 1st reading of the ordinance. It will come before the Council for a 2nd reading on Oct. 06, 2025 and then vote for adoption. If approved it will become effective on Nov. 05, 2025.

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Ordinance No. 1912 – Amending Development Code relating to recreational vehicle parks in conjunction with a golf course

This ordinance will change the city code to allow an RV Park in a Parks and Open Space zone (with a conditional use permit). Previously, the Council passed the 1st reading of the ordinance. This was the Council’s 2nd reading.

Want more information? The Aug 18 Wrap Up has all the details.

What is the proposed change to the city code?

DDC.2.5.030 – Allowed Uses

Recreational Vehicle Park in conjunction with Golf Courses (Conditional Use Permit Review).

What happened? The Council passed the 2nd reading of this ordinance and voted 8-0 in favor of adoption. The change will become effective on Oct. 15, 2025.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

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

Against:

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Ordinance No. 1913 – 415 Hawthorne Avenue annexation and zoning

This ordinance is to annex and zone the property at 415 Hawthorne Avenue. Previously, the Council chose to approve a zone of Residential Medium Density instead of the property owner’s request of Residential High Density. This was the Council’s 2nd reading of the ordinance.

Want more information? Get all the details from the Aug. 18 Wrap Up.

Map showing the property to be annexed, from a previous agenda.

What happened? The Council passed the 2nd reading of the ordinance but adopted it with only a 5-3 vote. The change will become effective on Nov. 5, 2025.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

For: Councilors Holsapple, Jantz, Schilling, Shein, and Spivey.

Against: Council President Briggs, Councilors Blosser, and Fitzgerald

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Ordinance No. 1914 – 11875 Orrs Corner Road annexation and zoning

Lastly, the Council had their 2nd reading of the ordinance to annex the Dallas Golf Club (11875 Orrs Corner Road) into the city and zone it as Parks and Open Space. The property owners have previously discussed their intent to build an RV park on a portion of the Golf Club land.

Map of the site in question, from a different agenda.

Want more information? Learn more about this from the Aug. 18 Wrap Up.

What happened? The Council passed the 2nd reading of the ordinance and voted in favor of adoption with an 8-0 vote. The change will become effective on Nov. 5, 2025.

VOTE BREAKDOWN

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

Against:

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-More Information-

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Dallas, Oregon

Welcome to The Dallas Signal! Your simplified guide to the City Council of Dallas, Oregon.

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