Update from the City Manager - The City of West Linn sent a letter to the Oregon Department of Transportation explaining why the West LInn City Council unanimously voted not to approve an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with ODOT related to the 10th Street/8th Court Corridor. Here’s an excerpt from the letter:
"At its meeting of October 13, the West Linn City Council reviewed the proposed IGA between ODOT and the City of West Linn. Following its discussion, the City Council unanimously voted not to approve the IGA. Some of the reasons for this decision are:
• If approved, the IGA would transfer jurisdiction of 10th Street to ODOT which has stated that its top priority in this area is I-205. This is unacceptable to the City Council; the City’s top priority remains the community of West Linn.
• Limiting traffic movements on 8th Avenue and 8th Court to right-in and right-out only traffic is unacceptable to the business owners in that area who believe that such restrictions would create a significant hardship for their businesses.
• The developer of Willamette Marketplace has completed the project and has tenant agreements that are based on the installation of a traffic signal.
• To install a traffic signal with the purpose of removing it in less than five years is a waste of money and public infrastructure which reflects poorly on all agencies involved.
• Any further restrictions placed by ODOT in this area could greatly impact economic development in the vicinity of the I?205/Tenth Street interchange that is expected to include more than 500,000 square feet of commercial and office development in the next several years. This type of economic development provides jobs for people living in West Linn and Clackamas County, currently underserved by employment opportunities. This development is also part of the City’s adopted Sustainability Plan, and promotes the Governor’s stated economic development goals.
ODOT had an opportunity to appeal the Council’s approval of the Willamette Marketplace to LUBA, and did not. Millions of dollars have now been invested in this project and ODOT is choosing to significantly restrict the opportunities for businesses in this area. We believe that ODOT should remove its objections and allow the traffic signal to be installed without restrictions or the requirement for the City to convey 10th Street to ODOT."
Public Works - At the Council Work Session on Monday, October 20th, the Public Works Department will be presenting the proposed road improvement/maintenance projects scheduled for 2009. The projects include the application of slurry seal on 36 streets, overlay on seven streets, and the reconstruction of three streets. Projected cost of the projects is $2 million.
Library - The library is teaching an Excel Basics class this month. This introductory class is for people with basic computer skills (i.e., using the mouse and keyboard), but who have little or no experience using Microsoft Excel, a popular spreadsheet program. Students will learn about working with Excel worksheets and workbooks, identifying rows and columns, entering data into cells and ranges, creating simple mathematical formulas, and using some of Excel’s built-in functions. Saturday, October 25, 9:30 a.m., or Thursday, October 30, 6:30 p.m. Please call the information desk to register: 503-656-7853.
