News

July 9, 2018 – The City of Wilsonville is set to embark on a project to replace a 40-year-old corrugated metal outfall pipe and install a new diffuser at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The project provides increased wastewater treatment capacity to accommodate future growth, improves Willamette River water quality and satisfies Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) compliance requirements.

Leakage from the outgoing outfall pipe was discovered in 2014; the City completed interim repairs on the outfall in 2015.

The Wilsonville City Council approved preliminary design and permitting or the replacement pipe in October 2015, and authorized final design and bid support in November 2016. In May 2018, Council authorized a contract with Northbank Civil and Marine to complete the $1.1 million replacement and diffuser installation. 

July 3, 2018 — On July 2, the Wilsonville City Council adopted an amendment to the SMART 2017 Transit Master Plan (TMP) which identifies and prioritizes proposed service upgrades that could be funded by the new Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF). The amendment updated project cost estimates listed in Appendix B of the TMP as to meet the planning requirements set forth by the State. All projects and their prioritization remain the same as originally identified through an extensive two-year TMP public involvement process. Identifying service priorities is a requirement of the Oregon Department of Transportation, which is expected to distribute STIF funding annually, beginning in spring 2019.

The Summer 2018 edition of the Wilsonville Public Library newsletter "Check Out" features articles and information about events at the library throughout July and August. Check it out!

June 29, 2018 – A new flyer that details which items can be recycled – and those items that cannot – is being distributed throughout Wilsonville in the July edition of the all-city newsletter, The Boones Ferry Messenger. The flyer is also available at the City’s website, www.ci.wilsonville.or.us/recycling.

June 27, 2018 –  South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART) has introduced two new routes this month, providing convenient alternatives to automobile travel for Wilsonville-area commuters.

SMART is collaborating with Canby Area Transit (CAT) to provide a new midday express service between the Wilsonville and Canby transit centers. Route 3X runs 12 times every weekday between 5:30 am and 7:20 pm.  The 20-minute trip costs $1.50 ($3 round-trip). The service, which debuted on June 21, is possible because of a grant awarded to CAT by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA); CAT has an inter-governmental agreement with SMART to deliver service to Wilsonville.

June 20, 2018 — At a public hearing on June 18, 2018, the Wilsonville City Council adopted the City’s all-funds $185.8 million budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The budget, recommended and approved on June 6 by the Budget Committee for Council consideration, includes $37 million for the General Fund, which funds services such as Parks, the Library and Police, and an unchanged property-tax rate of $2.5206 per $1,000 of assessed value that funds $7.5 million or 20% of the General Fund budget.

As part of the budget-approval process, the Council adopted two resolutions that confirm Wilsonville’s eligibility and election to receive State-shared revenues totaling $2.3 million, with $0.7 million for the General Fund and $1.6 million of gas-tax revenues for the Road Operating Fund.

June 7, 2018 — The City of Wilsonville is hosting a Signage and Wayfinding Open House on Tuesday, June 26, 5:30-7:30 pm, at City Hall, 29799 SW Town Center Loop E., to gather community feedback on initial design concepts that will inform the City’s Signage and Wayfinding Plan.

After a brief presentation about wayfinding, three design concepts are being presented for public review and comment. An online survey is collecting additional feedback from community members unable to attend. A survey link is being posted on the City’s Facebook page and on the City’s website at www.ci.wilsonville.or.us/signageandwayfinding after June 26.

June 5, 2018 - At a public hearing on June 4, 2018, the Wilsonville City Council selected a preferred alignment to locate the proposed French Prairie Bridge over the Willamette River that would serve as both an emergency incident response route for I-5 and a daily use amenity by bicyclists and pedestrians.

Working in partnership with Clackamas County, the City Council acted on a unanimous recommendation from a 21-member citizen task force empaneled to review and recommend an alignment and design for the bike-ped-emergency bridge. The Clackamas Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution supporting the Alignment W1 recommendation on May 24.

The City of Wilsonville learned yesterday afternoon, May 31, that a treated water sample recently tested for contaminants revealed trace levels of microcystin, a cyanotoxin produced by cyanobacteria, sometimes referred to as blue-green algae.

The City is rushing a sample to a laboratory in Seattle this morning for more thorough testing; results are expected on Monday.  Based on the result of the test, the City will determine if a public advisory is necessary pursuant to state and federal guidelines. The Environmental Protection Agency strongly recommends obtaining results from a confirmation sample prior to issuing a public advisory.

If necessary, the public advisory would likely apply to anyone who is under the age of six, who has a compromised immune system, who is receiving dialysis treatment, who has a pre-existing liver condition, who is pregnant or nursing, or who has other sensitivity concerns.  

What are the health risks posed by exposure to these toxins?

Although these toxins are not absorbed through the skin, a red, raised rash or irritation of the skin and eyes can develop after contact with toxins in the water. If affected water is swallowed, you may experience one or more of these symptoms; headaches, cramps, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, numbness, dizziness, fever. Children and pets are at increased risk of exposure because of their size and level of activity. The most severe reactions occur when large amounts of water are swallowed. Symptoms of exposure can mimic food poisoning. Food poisoning symptoms usually go away fairly quickly once your body gets rid of the spoiled food. Symptoms of exposure to a HAB will go away, but not as fast. Again, if symptoms are severe or persist you should seek medical attention.

The Cities of Tualatin and Wilsonville are a step closer to completing the Basalt Creek Concept Plan, which provides a vision for development of 850 acres of low-density rural residential and farmland located between the two communities.

Portland’s regional land-use authority, Metro, recently approved land-use designations for Basalt Creek’s “Central Subarea,” determining that the area should remain designated for employment use. With this resolution in place, a project team from both cities is now developing the final draft concept plan for land uses, transportation facilities and related infrastructure.

The collaborative effort ensures that both cities are involved in creating a vision that appeals to members of both communities, provides adequate services, coordinates land use and transportation, and preserves the area’s primary natural resources.