A Beaverton resident warned Washington County commissioners in written public comment Tuesday, Aug. 18, that a county road project would eliminate the only parking lot and disability access at the Aloha Grange, a community center that has served the area since 1932.
Sarah Richmond, president of the Hoedowners Square Dance Club, submitted the comment about the Alexander Street enhancement project.
She said the county mailed planning notices to the Grange's physical address rather than its PO Box, leaving the organization unaware until plans were already drawn.
"Under the current Alexander plans, our only parking lot and our only disability access to the lower level would be removed," Richmond wrote. She described the Grange at 185th Avenue and TV Highway as home to three square dance clubs, three churches, three ballroom groups, Zumba classes, an IEEE chapter, a sewing club, a wine club and regular Red Cross blood drives, with most users being seniors and people with disabilities.
The board took no action on Richmond's comment.
Surveillance concerns raised, then passed over
In other business, according to draft minutes of the meeting, Hillsboro resident Sam Richards Davidson asked commissioners to pull a Motorola public safety communications equipment expenditure from the consent agenda. Davidson argued the county lacks definitions for surveillance technology, biometric identification or data brokers in its procurement rules, and that automated license plate recognition cameras were previously purchased sole-sourced and grant-funded without competitive bidding or community feedback.
He wrote that those decisions should be happening in public.
The board approved the Motorola item as part of the consent agenda without pulling it. All 11 consent items passed 4-0, with Chair Kathryn Harrington, District 1 Commissioner Nafisa Fai, District 2 Commissioner Pam Treece and District 4 Commissioner Jerry Willey voting in favor. District 3 Commissioner Jason Snider was absent.
Procurement rules updated, 'equity' language removed
Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve updated Rules of Procurement, effective Aug. 18. The motion also directed removal of the word "equity" from a section where it had not been previously corrected. Commissioner Fai said she was comfortable with answers staff provided to questions she had raised at a prior work session.
Housing bond update draws questions
Staff from the Department of Housing Services, including assistant directors Jill Chen and Jes Larson and Hacienda CDC CEO Ernesto Fonseca, presented the Affordable Housing Bond and Supportive Housing Services quarterly update. Commissioner Treece asked why the Cedar Grove project was not included and requested it be added to future presentations. She also raised community reaction to the Aloha Housing Pods.
Chair Harrington asked staff to add a slide showing how SHS funds support people in the community and their housing.
What's next
The next regular board meeting is Tuesday, Aug. 25, when commissioners will hold a public hearing on the vehicle registration fee ordinance advanced 3-1 on Aug. 4. The county is also recruiting applicants for vacancies on boards and commissions through Sept. 29. Meetings are held at the Charles D. Cameron Public Services Building, 155 N. First Ave., Hillsboro.
