The March 6 Keizer City Council meeting was a quick affair, with one public hearing and two reports.
Mayor Cathy Clark opened the meeting by proclaiming March Women’s History month in Keizer. She invited all the women at the meeting, including councilors, to accept the proclamation.
The council voted unanimously to recommend liquor license renewal for more than 60 Keizer establishments. The recommendation will be forwarded to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Liquor licenses are required to be renewed each year.
Michael DeBlasi gave a report from the Traffic Safety-Bikeways-Pedestrian Committee. DeBlasi related testimony at the committee meeting about the lack of crossing guards near Weddle Elementary and Claggett Creek Middle schools. There was a question about crosswalks at the Chemawa Road-Verda Lane round-about in light of the construction of the Verda Crossing apartment complex under construction on Verda Lane between Chemawa Road and Dearborn Avenue.
Public Works director Bill Lawyer told the council there were no funds additional crosswalks at the round-about, citing the cost of land acqusition and the lack of good alignment on Chemawa Road heading to the freeway.
Mike Jaffe, the Transportation Planning Director at Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments, said the organization will hold an online open house to get public input on shaping a New Salem-Keizer transportation safety action plan. The action plan will take a look at local crash data, get community input, and develop actions to reduce crashes and protect people. The open house will begin March 13 and run through April 3.
The address to access a survey and map for comments is bit.ly/mtsap-ooh1
Barbara Miner, president of the Keizer Community Library board gave a report, telling the council the library’s spring book sale is scheduled for May 19 and 20 at the Keizer Civic Center. Miner reported that the library has issued 300 kid’s cards so far, on top of the 1,100 active adult cards.
Corrie Falardeau, executive director of the Keizer Chamber of Commerce, reported that the chamber, in partnership with Work Source Oregon, will host two business classes. The first, on Thursday, March 9, will center on the current labor market. The second on Thursday, March 16, will center on employee recruitment.
Falardeau also announced May 25 is the date for the 2023 Percey Auction, a fundraiser for the chamber’s Keizer Network of Women.
The council voted to use money from Marion County to create food pods at Keizer Rapids Park. Councilor Bob Husseman was the lone no vote.
Finance director Tim Wood said Keizer’s water consumer reset period was over and no one needed to watch their water use now.