City News: BOLD Program | Election | Flood Insurance | Grants | Tax Assistance… Building a Better Beaverton

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Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the BOLD Program – Apply now!

Recruitment for the tenth annual Beaverton Organizing and Leadership Development (BOLD) Program, to be held March-May 2022, is now open. BOLD is offered through a partnership with Unite Oregon and is a key strategy to increase engagement of underrepresented communities in city government. The program has graduated over 170 leaders to date.

BOLD builds leadership and civic engagement skills for emerging immigrant and refugee leaders and leaders of color in Beaverton. The program includes hands-on sessions focused on strengthening cross-cultural relationships; building leadership, community organizing, and advocacy skills; and providing an in-depth orientation to city government and opportunities for engagement. It also includes sessions with current city leaders and elected officials and practice giving public testimony.

There is no cost to participate but applicants must commit to attending all training sessions. English language proficiency is not necessary; interpretation is provided.

Visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/BOLD for more information and a link to apply. Questions? Contact Paolo Esteban at 503-526-2439 or equity@BeavertonOregon.gov.

Beaverton City Council Election Filing to Begin January 20, 2022

Beaverton residents interested in running for election to the Beaverton City Council can obtain a Candidate’s Filing Handbook beginning January 20, 2022. Four City Council positions are open, as follows:

Councilor Positions 1, 2 and 5

These positions are: Nominated at the Primary Election and elected at the General Election; elected at large; and serve a four-year term – January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026.

• City Councilor Position 1 (currently held by Ashley Hartmeier-Prigg);
• City Councilor Position 2 (currently held by Laura Mitchell); and
• City Councilor Position 5 (currently held by Marc San Soucie; seat open due to term limit).

At the Primary Election, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes for each position shall be deemed nominated and their names forwarded to the General Election ballot, unless one candidate receives a majority (50% + one vote) of all votes cast, then that candidate alone shall be deemed nominated and their name will be forwarded to the General Election Ballot. The candidate receiving the majority of votes at the General Election will be the elected candidate.

Councilor Position 3 (vacant position due to resignation of Councilor Mark Fagin effective January 1, 2022). Three years remain on the unexpired term for this office.

Council declared the seat vacant on January 4, 2022, and by resolution directed that the election to fill the vacancy be held at the May 17, 2022 Primary Election. Per the Charter of 2021: 1) the person elected must receive a majority of the votes cast for all candidates for this office; 2) if no candidate receives a majority, then a run-off election between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes must be held at the Special Election of August 23, 2022; and 3) the candidate receiving the majority of votes at the Special Election will be the elected candidate. The term of office for this position commences upon the certification of the election by the City and expires December 31, 2024.

Candidates must be 18 years of age by the election date, must be a qualified elector of the state, and must have lived in the Beaverton city limits six months prior to the election date.

The Candidate’s Handbook can be obtained from the City Elections Officer/City Recorder, Beaverton City Hall, 12725 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton, OR; or from the City’s Web site at www.BeavertonOregon.gov. Candidates must file a prospective Petition for Nomination Signature sheet with the City Elections Officer for approval. Once approved, the petition may be circulated for signatures. The petition must be signed by not fewer than 10 and not more than 20 qualified voters in the City of Beaverton. The position for which one is filing must be specified by City Councilor Position Number. Once signatures have been obtained, the petition is filed with the City Elections Officer.

Candidates should allow time for the signature verification process prior to the filing deadline. The City Elections Officer will submit the petitions to the County Elections Office for signature verification and notify the candidate of the results. If it is determined there are not enough valid signatures and the filing deadline has not passed, the candidate may submit additional signatures.

• The Filing Deadline is: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 5:00 p.m.
• The Primary Election is May 17, 2022, and the General Election is November 8, 2022.

Flood Insurance Update

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is undergoing a big change that affects property owners in Beaverton who purchase flood insurance policies

Floods can happen anywhere — just one inch of floodwater can cause more than $25,000 in damage. Most homeowners’ insurance does not cover flood damage.

The NFIP provides flood insurance to property owners, renters and businesses, helping them recover faster when floodwaters recede. It is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and usually provided to property owners by approximately 60 private insurance companies.

Starting Apr. 1, 2022, NFIP policies that are bought or renewed will all be rated on a new system, Risk Rating 2.0, designed to be more equitable and easier to administer. The new methodology incorporates additional flood risk variables to better reflect a property’s individual attributes, including location, elevation, and the actual cost to rebuild.

Homes and businesses located within FEMA’s mapped floodplains, which have mortgages from government-backed lenders, are required to have flood insurance.

To find more about Risk Rating 2.0, visit www.FEMA.gov/flood-insurance/risk-rating. To learn more about the NFIP, visit www.FEMA.gov/flood-insurance.

Is my property in a mapped FEMA floodplain? To see the current FEMA floodplain maps, enter your address in the search bar at: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home. You can also contact staff in the Community Development Department at 503-350-4021 or by email at: sitedevelopment@BeavertonOregon.gov.

Nonprofits invited to apply for Social Services Funding Grants

The grant application for city Social Services Funding Grants will be made available on Monday, Feb. 7 and will be due Monday, Mar. 28. Recipients are selected through a competitive process and grants are open to nonprofit organizations for operations and activities in Beaverton from July 2022 through June 2023.

The Social Services Funding Committee will make recommendations to City Council, which has prioritized projects that address homelessness/housing, affordable after school and educational programming, and health needs in the Beaverton community. For this round of applications, the city will award approximately $310,000 in social services grants. Currently, funded organizations include food pantry services to the Beaverton community struggling with hunger and culturally specific educational and mental health support, among others

Informational sessions about the grant will be held in February. For more information, visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/SocialServices or contact Megan Cohen, Community Service Coordinator, at 503-526-2584, mcohen@BeavertonOregon.gov. (Photo taken prior to COVID-19 pandemic).

Free Tax Assistance

In partnership with the city, CASH Oregon/Metropolitan Family Services will be providing free tax preparation and filing assistance in a hybrid setting this year. The service will be provided by staff who will help scan your tax documents on-site and then assign a certified volunteer to help you complete your taxes over the phone.

This service supports low-income Beaverton residents, especially those without access to internet at home. The program helps residents claim the tax credits that they deserve, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, which adds an average of $2,500 to a tax return.

This service will be offered from Saturday, Jan. 29 through Friday, Apr. 15 by appointment only at the Beaverton Community Center (12350 SW 5th St.).

CASH Oregon can also help with applications or renewals of individual taxpayer identification numbers (ITIN).

Visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/taxprep for requirements and more.