Message from the Mayor
Happy spring to y’all. I have been enjoying watching the sunrise from my house, as it gets a bit earlier each morning. It’s another beautiful season in Hood River.
It also means that the short session of the State legislature has wrapped up. We anticipate some funding, $2.4 million, for our 780 Rand Road Affordable Housing development. Although we are not at the finish line yet, this funding is a crucial piece of the puzzle, and I am eager to see the development get underway.
During our City Council meeting on March 11, our Finance Director provided us with a quarterly budget update. I feel good about the process as the staff keep an eye on things day-to-day and periodically presents to us on City Council for direction and course correction. Having the right amount of detail makes these decisions effective. From the end of April through May, we’ll hold Budget Committee meetings to create the FY 2024-2025 budget.
Finally, we’ve all noticed that the intersection at 2nd and Oak is closed. We first approved this traffic light when I was on Council in 2005, but the Great Recession changed the traffic assumptions and delayed the timeline. Although it is not convenient for the businesses or traffic flow, the final result will be a big improvement, especially in the summer. The contractors have promised that it will be finished before Memorial Day.
Those are some of the things on my mind; I wish you well as the days lengthen and summer approaches.
Onward! Adelante!
Mayor Paul Blackburn
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