Clockwise from top left: Press conference on mail slowdowns with Senator Wyden, Central Oregon Cities Organization luncheon with Senator Broadman and Representative Levy, celebrating with City staff at the opening of the apartments at Old Mill Inn and Suites, receiving $5 million PRO Housing Grant from US Dept of Housing and Urban Development, speaking at League of Cities annual conference in Bend, rainbow crosswalk for Bend Pride, visiting the White House to lobby on homelessness solutions, cutting the ribbon for the opening of Wilson corridor, attending the Guns to Gardens event at Antioch Church, crowning the Homecoming Court at Bend Senior High.

Bend City Council accomplishments in 2024

After year two of serving as your Mayor, and I’m pleased to report once again on the great work the Council has done this past year as we followed through on our goals and priorities. Below you will find the highlights of what we accomplished in 2024, as well as the City’s year in review video and a link to how you can engage in our goal-setting process this year.

With two new members and two returning members joining the Council after November’s election, we’re well situated to continue bringing progress and pragmatic solutions to Bend. It’s an honor to serve with the Council and work closely with our incredibly City staff. I’m excited to continue to move our city forward with the collaboration, advocacy, data-driven policy work, and smart planning that our community’s challenges require.

Sincerely,

Mayor Kebler

Affordable housing and sustainable development

Accessible and Effective City Government

Transportation and Infrastructure

Public Safety

Environment and Climate

  • Updated and passed new code around preserving trees during large developments, balancing our acute need for housing with concerns about loss of especially large trees. The code update came after a yearlong process with input from a special advisory committee and the public. A lawsuit filed against the code by developers was recently dismissed.

  • Completed an in-conduit hydro feasibility study to determine how we can harvest energy within our current water system without taking any additional water from our water sources.

  • Worked through policy options for electrification in buildings with our Environment and Climate Committee, with additional steps in the process to happen in 2025.

  • Committed to electrification in City buildings via a new resolution, building on the work we’ve already done with our all-electric new public works building and solar panels on existing city buildings.

  • Opened a new turf lawn replacement program that was used by residents to reduce water consumption, as part of our continuing water conservation efforts. More people signed up than we could fund, and the program will open again in spring of 2025. Our conservation efforts have resulted in decreasing water use per capita in Bend despite our population doubling in the past 20 years.

Above are just some of the highlights of what we’ve accomplished this year at the Council level – I’m sure I’ve missed some! Please check out the video below for even more information.

You also have the opportunity as we head into 2025 to give Council your input on what our priorities should be for the next two years, and how we should allocate our budget. Please go here to find out more about the ways you can weigh in during Council’s goal-setting process.

We want everyone to feel welcome and safe and will put that outcome at the center of our decision making and actions. Our engagement efforts will amplify the voices of historically excluded populations and work to ensure all groups have a seat at the table. We will apply an equity lens and consider the community of today and future generations with our actions and policies. We will strive for a Bend where everyone has a voice in
decision making that leads to shared prosperity.”

– the Bend City Council, 2023-25 Council Goals Guiding Principles

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