The Bend City Council (Ryan Brennecke/Bulletin file photo)

A perception that the city of Bend relies more on advisory committees than neighborhood associations has some groups questioning how to best serve their neighborhoods.

Leaders of the Century West Neighborhood Association, which encompasses a portion of south Bend west of the Deschutes River, came to councilor office hours last week to ask what the city expects of them. They contend city goals, which include furthering growth, don’t match neighborhood concerns tied to streets and density.

Neighborhood associations used to give short updates as part of regular City Council meetings, but a review of council minutes shows no such presentations since spring 2015.

Now, neighborhood associations mainly communicate with the individual councilor assigned as their liaisons.

Eliminating the presentations took away a method of communication, former Mountain View Neighborhood Association chairwoman Carolyn Clontz said.

“It really did cut off a way for us to communicate with the council,” Clontz said. “It’s vitally important that all sectors of the city have a way to communicate with the city (government).”

Councilors decided the reports weren’t the best way to communicate, Mayor pro tem Sally Russell said, but they’re interested in having neighborhood associations as part of their informal work sessions.

“It might be useful to understand in a more succinct way what all of the neighborhood associations’ issues are,” she said.

And having a discussion with the full council might work better than having neighborhood associations come to monthly office hours with one or two councilors, Russell said. Along with Century West, representatives from the Southern Crossing and Mountain View neighborhood associations showed up at office hours last week.

These discussions could work better than the presentations, Orchard District Neighborhood Association chairwoman Cheryl Howard said.

“We can come in for five minutes and provide data, but that really doesn’t give a chance for the council to discuss it,” Howard said.

However, Howard wasn’t as interested in a proposal from Councilor Bill Moseley to create a standing city committee looking at livability concerns including noise and short-term rentals. Moseley said the committee could consist of representatives from neighborhood associations, and he contends it would be more efficient than addressing issues as they come up.

“That would seem a little redundant,” Howard said. “Sometimes tasking us with another meeting isn’t really helpful.”

Neighborhood associations already get together each month at a round table meeting, Awbrey Butte Neighborhood Association chairman Bill Gregoricus said. The Awbrey Butte association recently reformed after several years of inactivity.

He said he’d be interested in a livability committee, but the neighborhood association itself already provides a way to connect with city leaders and staff.

“This is a very viable way to get a seat at the table,” Gregoricus said. “It creates a conduit for dialogue that otherwise isn’t really available as far as I’ve seen unless you write a $30,000 campaign check.”

Neighborhoods have different livability concerns, Howard said. For instance, Orchard District, which includes the Bend Parkway and U.S. Highway 20, is most concerned about providing safe routes for pedestrians and bikers.

Boyd Acres, directly north of Orchard District, is most concerned about extending Empire Avenue and putting in more traffic safety measures, neighborhood association chairman Don Leonard said. The group is considering going to city council meetings to discuss neighborhood concerns, he said.

“Our main goal is to facilitate dialogue with the residents of our neighborhood and the city,” Leonard said.

Associations that don’t feel listened to should keep speaking up, said Mike Lovely, longtime president of the Southwest Bend Neighborhood Association. Lovely, who recently stepped down as president, said he used to attend all city council meetings.

“When some people start feeling abandoned, they just drop off,” he said. “When I start feeling abandoned, I start poking and prodding.”

— Reporter: 541-633-2160, jshumway@bendbulletin.com

Bend’s neighborhood associations

Residents can connect with their neighborhood associations online.

Awbrey Butte: www.awbreybutte.org

Boyd Acres: www.boydacresneighborhood.com

Century West: www.centurywestneighborhood.com

Larkspur: www.larkspurneighborhoodassociation.com

Mountain View: www.mountainviewneighborhood.com

Old Bend: www.oldbend.org

Old Farm District: www.oldfarmbend.com

Orchard District: www.orcharddistrictneighborhood.com

River West: www.rwna.net

Southeast Bend: www.sebendna.com

Southern Crossing: www.southerncrossingna.org

Southwest Bend: www.southwestbendna.org