Trees will take center stage Monday night at the Philomath City Council meeting with an Arbor Day proclamation, information on upcoming activities and the first-ever resolution vote related to the Heritage Tree program.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. April 10 at City Hall.
The Heritage Tree program’s selection committee met March 30 to review six nominations and determine if they met qualifying criteria. Five trees moved forward — the elm in front of Philomath Community Library, the giant sequoia that serves as the community Christmas tree in front of Benton County Museum, a white oak at a private residence on 24930 Grange Hall Road, a cedar at a private residence at 1506 Applegate St., and a black cottonwood on the south end of Ninth Street at the Marys River.
Also on the meeting agenda, the council plans to review and vote on the adoption of a $9.8 million capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2023-24 following updates that went through the Public Works Committee.
The council plans to take a look at how to use $179,796 in remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds. Included in proposed projects is the installation of new lighting on North 13th Street in connection with the Downtown Safety and Streetscape Project.
Julie Arena, Benton County HOPE (Home, Opportunity, Planning and Equity) program coordinator, also plans to give a presentation. The council will also consider entering into an agreement with Oregon State University to provide diversity, equity and inclusion training to councilors based on a recommendation coming from the city’s Inclusivity Committee.
The city will meet in executive session at 5:30 p.m. prior to the regular meeting as allowed under state law to consult with legal counsel related to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed and to consider information or records that are exempt by law from public inspection. Executive sessions are closed to the general public.
For those not attending in person at City Hall, the regular meeting at 7 p.m. will be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel.