Hillsboro City Council Sets 2021 Priorities And Guiding Principles

Press release from the City of Hillsboro:

February 16, 2021

The Hillsboro City Council has finalized its annual list of priorities and guiding principles to help focus on the areas that need the most attention in the year ahead.

For 2021, the Council unanimously adopted the following priorities — and guiding principles — during its February 16 City Council meeting.

2021 City Council Priorities

Racial Equity

• Build diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) competencies in City leadership, including City Council and City boards and commissions, to utilize an equity lens and institutionalize equity in the delivery of City services and policy-making
• Remove unintentional recruitment barriers with the goal of increasing the number of qualified applicants from historically underrepresented communities for City employment opportunities; and the number ultimately hired by the City
• Develop a supplier diversity procurement program to enhance local economic opportunities for minority-owned, women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and emerging small businesses

COVID-19 Response and Recovery

• Continue to provide immediate support and to plan for long-term recovery in the areas of rent relief, utility assistance, food stability, and small business support
• Explore opportunities to provide focused support to childcare and elder care providers to reduce barriers for people to return to work

HiLight

• Continue to develop Hillsboro’s municipal broadband utility, HiLight, to deliver reliable and affordable high-speed internet connections to Hillsboro residents, businesses, and schools
• Explore the feasibility of expediting the build out of HiLight to expand the delivery of high-speed internet access

Police Advancement & Review

• Continue grassroots engagement to involve community perspectives on policing and public safety
• Implement the Police-Community Advisory Group to engage community perspectives on police department policy and practice with the goal to provide an ongoing forum for transparent community dialogue
• Implement the Internal Use-of-Force Review Board to provide multiple perspectives on use-of-force incidents, and to ensure they align with law, training, policy, and objective reasonableness

Housing & Homelessness

• Make capital investments to provide long-term support to unhoused community members
• Continue evaluating policies and opportunities to provide strategic housing development to address both homelessness and affordable housing needs
• Improve connections and collaboration with service providers, community partners, and impacted stakeholders to address homelessness regionally
• Implement House Bill 2001 (Middle Housing) and continue exploring middle housing opportunities
• Continue implementing the Metro Affordable Housing Bond measure and Hillsboro Affordable Housing Implementation Plan, and identify new opportunities to deliver affordable housing

Economic Development

• Continue focusing investment in the North Hillsboro Industrial Area and Technology Park, Downtown Hillsboro, and the 10th Avenue corridor
• Expand workforce training and internship opportunities with a focus on post-pandemic needs

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Develop a Citywide framework with goals for active community engagement, including project-specific engagement

Environmental Sustainability

• Continue to support the Environmental Stewardship Committee to advance the actions identified in the Hillsboro 2035 Community Plan

2021 City Council Guiding Principles

We exemplify diversity, equity, and inclusion. Instill diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential parts of internal and external policy-making and the delivery of City services.

We are a full-opportunity, full-service City. Remain the full-opportunity, full-service City that serves all of our diverse community members by removing barriers to access to City services in areas such as public safety, job creation, arts, recreation, libraries, housing supply, civic engagement, and transportation.

We value accessible community engagement. Be intentional in our outreach to engaging all community members in policy-making by designing safe and accessible engagement opportunities, providing clear expectations, and removing barriers to engagement.

We are a safe community. Provide exceptional public safety services with a continuous focus on improving relationships and strengthening connections with all community members.

We are exceptional public stewards. Continue the City’s tradition of exceptional stewardship and accountability for City assets, including maintaining appropriate fiscal reserves and funding long-term asset management programs.

We are leaders in supporting local businesses. Attract and support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes through strong relationships and strategic investments that grow prosperity in our community, region, and state.

We are transparent. Operate with proactive transparency and openness.

We balance growth by honoring our community identity. Promote Hillsboro’s unique cultural identity as an innovative leader that blends an urban lifestyle, a world-class local economy, agricultural heritage, and a welcoming, family-friendly community.

We are prepared and resilient. Continue to plan ahead for the City’s future success by focusing on environmental, fiscal, and economic sustainability.

We value education and training. Support high-quality education, training, and workforce development in Hillsboro.

This press release was produced by the City of Hillsboro. The views expressed here are the author’s own.