News/Press Release

North Clackamas Parks & Recreation District (NCPRD) is scheduled to remove a portion of the transient dock from Milwaukie Bay Park on Thursday, Oct. 31. This removal is done each year to avoid debris from building up against it during heavy rains.

Large branches, logs and, occasionally, foreign materials accumulate against the upstream side of the dock, which causes unwanted force against it as well as the pilings. This can cause severe damage, if the furthermost portions of the dock are left in the river.

Following a competitive recruitment process, the City of Milwaukie selected current Milwaukie Police Captain Luke Strait as the next police chief. He will replace Steve Bartol, who is set to retire on April 15.

“Stepping away from this position and moving into the next chapter of life is bittersweet, but it’s encouraging to know someone as capable as Luke is taking my place,” said Chief Bartol. “He’s an ideal fit for the department, and I’m confident they’ll accomplish great things.”

The Oregon Transportation Commission voted to award the City of Milwaukie $1,152,330 in Safe Routes to School funds to construct sidewalks, bike lanes and improved crossings on SE Linwood Avenue. The improvements will help make walking and biking to and from school a safer and healthier choice for Milwaukie families traveling to and from Linwood Elementary School.

During its 93^rd annual conference at the end of September, the League of Oregon Cities presented the 2018 Helen and Alan Berg Good Governance award to the City of Milwaukie in recognition of its “All Aboard” community visioning project. Created in 1998, the Good Governance award honors city programs that connect citizens within a community. In 2010, it was renamed in honor of the late Mr. and Mrs. Berg, former mayors of Corvallis and presidents of the League of Oregon Cities.

At its Aug. 21 regular session meeting, City Council approved an ordinance that bans single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam packaging by restaurants and retail stores with a store footprint of 10,000 square feet or larger, as well as businesses located on city-owned property. The ban would go into effect on March 1, 2019.

Introduce the five topics for Block 2 of the Comprehensive Plan Update: Housing, Parks and Recreation, Energy/Climate, Hazards, and Willamette Greenway.

Portland General Electric (PGE) and the City of Milwaukie recently announced plans to partner on the addition of a new Electric Avenue charging hub in the heart of downtown by the end of this year. 

The new charging hub is part of PGE’s Transportation Electrification plan that is designed to advance Oregon’s transition to a clean energy future with new electric transportation options for car owners and mass transit riders.

City Council recently announced the recipient of the 2017 Volunteer of the Year award is Lisa Gunion-Rinker. Other nominees for the award included Ray Bryan, Linda Hedges, Greg Hemer, Julie Tanz, and Yvonne Tyler. This award recognizes a Milwaukie resident who has made a significant contribution to the community during the past year. 

City Council recently announced the recipient of the 2016 Volunteer of the Year award is Joel Bergman. This award recognizes a Milwaukie resident who has made a significant contribution to the community during the past year. 

The city has been awarded the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the city’s Biennium 2017-18 Budget. Milwaukie has received this award since 2011.

“I’ve volunteered for the city’s Budget Committee for the past six years and during that time, staff have consistently worked for better quality and transparency for Milwaukie’s budget document and quarterly financial reports,” said Jon Stoll. “The city’s finances are well-positioned for growth opportunities in the future.”