Council hears renewals and staffing shifts: Sunday Creek Horizons contract and staffing/appropriation amendments introduced

Council read Ordinance 30‑26 authorizing a one‑year agreement with consulting firm Sunday Creek Horizons to support grant applications, grant administration and lobbying for infrastructure projects. Council Member Swank said the contract will cost $10,000 per month and that Sunday Creek has contributed to projects including the Armory.

Members also discussed Ordinance 34‑26, which would delete the environmental coordinator position from the city's staffing ordinance and move those duties to a contracted arrangement with the Soil and Water District. Member Thomas said the change and a companion appropriation amendment (Ordinance 35‑26) will reallocate about $75,000 from personnel lines in water, sewer and storm sewer funds to professional services to cover contracted work.

Member Thomas also read Ordinance 33‑26 to reconcile ODOT pass‑through payments in the 2026 appropriation ordinance; he cited that the ordinance shows changes "from 4.3 to 11.3" but did not specify units in the reading and said the item will return on second reading for suspension and final action.

These items were at first reading and will return to council with additional fiscal detail and potential suspension requests on later readings.