Housing supply, transportation improvements and effective City government remain top priorities in the City Council’s new two-year goal plan. Additional goals this biennium include equity, justice, environmental stewardship and addressing homelessness. Two-year goals reflect the Council’s priorities, help drive the City’s work plan and influence discretionary funding.
“This fresh set of goals focuses on values and needs expressed by our community members, while the City of Bend continues to provide the core services our Bend community depends on,” said Mayor Sally Russell.
“With many people in Bend suffering from the impacts of the pandemic as well as long-standing inequality, we are laying out ambitious goals aimed at helping the community recover and we are moving towards a future where everyone in Bend can thrive,” said Mayor Pro Tem Gena Goodman-Campbell. “We know we have a lot of work to do, and we are asking the community to hold us accountable to these goals.”
Councilors approved the two-year goal plan at their meeting Wednesday. That approval follows a variety of inputs and feedback from the community, and a Council goal-setting effort.
The Council goals fall into six categories. Many strategies support each goal category. See the full list of goals and strategies at this link.
The six goals are:
Accessible & Effective City Government: Meet the diverse and changing needs of the community and build connection between community members and City government by providing services in ways that work for everyone, build public trust and promote civic engagement.
Environment & Climate: Improve quality of life for more people in Bend by increasing equitable access to clear air, water and to a healthy environment. Implement solutions that fulfill the City’s commitment to being good stewards of our natural environment, decreasing carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Safety, Health, Accountability & Justice: Work to create an environment where all community members feel safe accessing the services they need and confident the right service will be provided. Deliver public safety services in ways that build community resiliency and trust.
Shared Prosperity: Cultivate tomorrow’s economy to assure that we are creating opportunity for all community members to equitably share in Bend’s prosperity.
Transportation & Infrastructure: Design, build and maintain a connected multimodal transportation system that allows people to move around safely, equitably and efficiently. Invest in Bend’s infrastructure systems to meet community expectations.
Housing: Take meaningful action to make this statement a reality; people who live and work in Bend can afford housing in Bend.
The Council’s Preamble:
We believe Bend can be a city for everyone. We can all share in the prosperity and promise of this unique and beautiful place. We honor the people that came before us on these lands and acknowledge that the health of our community relies on the health of our environment. As stewards of the City, we are accountable to the people of Bend and are responsible for delivering excellent City services. We are committed to serving everyone equitably, creating a more connected community, and preserving Bend’s spirit as we grow. We will strive to achieve equity and justice for everyone in Bend.
