Government
Clackamas County

Governmental Structure (1969, 1981, 1989, reviewed without change 1995)
Support a Clackamas County governmental structure that provides:

• ample opportunity for citizen involvement
• flexibility, efficiency and accountability to the citizens of the county;
• a general grant of powers form of government;
• commissioners having equal power and holding all legislative and administrative power;
• full-time commissioners who are salaried and elected-at-large;
• election of a minimum number of other officials as allowed by law;
• an administrative officer appointed by the commissioners with defined powers to execute administrative and budgetary policies;
• an adequate tax base.

Library Facilities and Services (2000)
Supports quality library facilities and services. Supports seeking maximum public involvement in the decision-making process for maintaining and expanding library facilities and services in Clackamas County, including the exploration of alternate approaches to providing library services.

Supports maximum public dialogue with decision makers in the allocation of public funds between important city and county services, which includes libraries. Encourages the maintenance and development of supplemental sources of library funding and services while acknowledging that public funding through taxation remains the financial foundation of Clackamas County library services.

Supports adequate funding for Clackamas County libraries through the following methods:

• A dedicated city or county operating levy if there is a shortfall of operating funds after due consideration of other city or county needs in the light of current property tax limitations.
• A dedicated city or county capital levy if necessary to maintain service quality after due public consideration of other city or county needs in the light of current property tax limitations.
• Bond issues for funding necessary capital improvements after due public consideration of the need.

Supports the study of new avenues of funding where appropriate; for example, Library Capital Improvement Districts (LCIDs).
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Cities

Lake Oswego City Charter (1972, 1979, 1997)
Support of the Council/Manager form of government for Lake Oswego because it best meets the following criteria of good local government:

• responsive to the needs and wants of the people;
• capable of long-range planning to anticipate future needs;
• effective and economical; and
• organized with clear assignment of responsibilities for legislative and administrative functions.

Support of the following positions in the Lake Oswego City Charter (LOCC):

1. Chapter III. Section 8. Councilors. Support electing councilors at large. (1997)
2. Chapter III. Section 9. Qualifications of Council. No one who is a qualified elector and has resided in the City for twelve months should be denied the right to run for office. (1972)
3. Chapter III. Section 10. Councilor Resignation Required to Run for Mayor. Support a provision, which requires resignation of a Councilor who is filing for the office of mayor. (1979)
4. Chapter III. Section 11. Mayor. Support electing mayor by popular vote. (1997)
5. Chapter III. Section 13. Salaries. No change should be made in the Charter. Expenses of council members should continue to be met by the City and handled in such as way as the Charter is not violated; the word "compensation" should be defined to reflect the actual practice and could be documented by ordinance. (The word "compensation" has been defined in ordinance #OR2107-LOC 12.02.060) (1972, 1979)
6. Chapter V. Section 21A[4]. City Attorney. The phrase "shall engage in no incompatible businesses or occupation" should apply to the City Attorney as well as the City Manager (see Chapter V. Section 20B[10], that the attorney, have no other clients besides the City. (1979)
7. Chapter VI. Section 29. Nomination for Elective Office. This section should remain in the Charter. (1979)
8. Chapter VII. Section 31A. Filling Vacancies. Support current LOCC provision that includes filing of vacancies by appointment. Support expanding Section 31A to establish a public process of appointment that includes application and screening. (1979, 1997)
9. Chapter IX. Section 40. Major Road Expenditures. This amendment should be retained. The League is not opposed to making it more workable as along as citizens know what the changes mean and approve of these changes. (1979)
10. Chapter XI. Section 48A. Previously Enacted Provisions Retained, Modified. 2 (two) mill park levy - no Charter change should be made in view of legal opinion that amendment of the provision may result in invalidating the park levy. (1972, 1979)
11. Chapter XI. Section 48B. Previously Enacted Provisions Retained, Modified. (Charter Amendment.) This section is a permanent record of the bonds voted in by the City, and, as such, should remain recorded in the Charter. (1979)

Recommendations regarding additions to LOCC (1997):

1. Support amending charter to contain a section requiring a vote of the people to annex Metro-designated urban reserve lands (outside the Urban Growth Boundary) that are contiguous to Lake Oswego's Urban Service Boundary.
   Note 1: A majority of units support League action to initiate an amendment regarding this issue).
   Note 2: An annexation amendment was passed in November 1998, placed partially on the ballot due to League action.
2. Support adding a preamble to the LOCC.

Lake Oswego City Library (1999)
The League of Women Voters of Clackamas County supports:

• expanded library facilities and services;
• the retention and use of the existing Lake Oswego Library building at 4th and D Streets as a library;
• maximum public involvement in the decision-making process;
• exploring alternate approaches to providing library services.

LWVCC supports the general criteria as developed by the City of Lake Oswego for rating potential new library sites; however, weighting for specific criteria should be changed as follows:

• Increased weight (10 points)
  • non-automobile access, e.g. bike, pedestrian, public transportation
  • availability of off-site parking
  • proximity to commercial district
  • proximity to public facilities
• Decreased weight (5 points)
  • opportunity for partnership

The League supports the acquisition of a site that would allow for future expansion.

P.O. Box 411, Lake Oswego, OR 97034 | Contact us: lwvclackamas@lwvclackamas.org
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