Episode 24: How Hillsboro Water Rates Are Set

It’s the mission of the City of Hillsboro Water Department to provide community members with continued access to safe drinking water, while protecting public health. Community members advise Hillsboro Water’s leadership and the Hillsboro Utilities Commission, on setting rates for all customers.

In this episode, Mayor Callaway welcomes a panel to discuss Hillsboro's Water Rates, how they’re set, and how Hillsboro residents’ voices impact the decision-making. Featuring:

• Water Department Director Niki Iverson
• Utilities Commission Chair David Judah
• Community Advisory Panel member Jim Yent

Homes. Parks. Schools. Roads. Sidewalks. Sewers. Sustainability. Community. These are key ingredients to making a neighborhood from scratch. Has South Hillsboro matched the vision planned more than a decade ago? And what’s next for the neighborhood?

Find out in this episode of Community Conversations with Mayor Steve Callaway, recorded at Tamarack Park in the South Hillsboro neighborhood.

Featuring:

• City of Hillsboro Economic & Community Development Director Dan Dias
• Reed’s Crossing Community Manager Kiley Cook
• Brookfield Properties Vice President of Operations Eric Peterson

Mayor Callaway invites a panel of experts to discuss Hillsboro's public safety planning and services.

Featuring:

• Chief David Downey, Hillsboro Fire & Rescue Department
  
  
• Chief Jim Coleman, Hillsboro Police Department
  
  
• Tina Bailey, Assistant Director of the Hillsboro Public Works Department

Mayor Callaway and guest panelists discuss Downtown Hillsboro's three unique hubs: Main Street and the Avenues, Calle Diez/10^th Avenue, and M&M Marketplace!

Featuring:

• Nik Whitcomb, Producing Artistic Director of Bag&Baggage
  
  
• EJ Payne, Executive Director of the Hillsboro Downtown Partnership
  
  
• Jaime Miranda, Owner of M&M Marketplace

Community Conversations episodes are also available for listening on Apple & Spotify podcasting apps.

Mayor Callaway and guest panelists discuss how local education partners help students in Hillsboro take their next step in school, in their careers, and on their path into the future.

Featuring:

• Travis Reiman, Superintendent of the Hillsboro School District
  
  
• Dr. Mary Von, Executive Dean: College of Health Professions, Pacific University
  
  
• Alfredo Moreno, Westside Community Relations Manager, PCC

The City of Hillsboro’s Supplier Diversity Program creates economic opportunities that historically may not have been accessible to all. Local government projects and contracts to build facilities, infrastructure, and more are valuable opportunities for small businesses.

Hillsboro’s Supplier Diversity Program ensures that women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned businesses are included and participating in these economic opportunities.

In this episode, Mayor Callaway discusses Hillsboro’s Supplier Diversity Program with: 

• Danny Morato, Supplier Diversity Program Administrator for the City of Hillsboro
  
  
• Diana Delgado, Part-Owner of CE Engineers
  
  
• Paris Wahlstrom, Co-Owner of Beyond Uniforms and Apparel

Great things are growing in Hillsboro with our hometown values and agrarian roots.

In this episode, Mayor Callaway is talking about food and farmers’ markets in Hillsboro with special guests:

• Hillsboro City Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair, founder of Eat Drink Washington County and The Green Fork Initiative.

• Mindy Crosato, owner & Baker of Downtown Hillsboro’s Decadent Creations and Collective Kitchen, and the 2015 champion of the show Chopped.

• Krista Olsen-Rahf, President of the Hillsboro Farmers’ Market Board of Directors, and the owner of Mountainside Herbal Nursery.

The Hillsboro 2035 Community Plan is the ultimate reflection of community engagement. In 2024, it’s time to update the plan again, which the City does every five years.

Mayor Callaway discusses what this means with special guests:

• Jorge Cano-Rodriguez: 2035 Community Engagement Committee Member
  
  
• Dacia Bakkum: 2035 Plan Program Lead
  
  
• Simone Brooks: Assistant City Manager

Share your ideas for the 2035 Community Plan update!

It’s a city within a city. The world of Junior Achievement… now in Downtown Hillsboro.

A student experience like no other. Real-life financial lessons will stay with our youth a lifetime — and inspire them to dream.

Why are students and educators drawn to the JA program? And how did Hillsboro earn the chance to be the host site for the Junior Achievement Discovery Center?

Mayor Callaway discusses this and more with special guests:

• Priscilla Trevino of Junior Achievement
  
  
• Raya Cadiz of the Hillsboro School District
  
  
• Jared Casupanan, a student at Hillsboro High School

As the fifth largest city in Oregon, Hillsboro has spent decades at the forefront of our region’s housing and economic growth.

• How do we thoughtfully plan for future growth and keep Hillsboro an attractive and thriving community?
• How do we maintain our small town feel while also providing diverse housing options?
• How do we sustain a vibrant economy?

Mayor Callaway leads this panel discussion of how planning for housing and economic growth in Hillsboro leads to a complete community, as well as how we can continue to create opportunities for all of Hillsboro’s diverse population — now and in the future.

• Kelly Ritz, President at Stone Bridge Homes NW and Venture Properties Inc.
  
  
• Sam Johnson, Vice President Manufacturing & Operations, General Manager Technology Development at Intel
  
  
• Dan Dias, City of Hillsboro Economic & Community Development Director

Applying and serving on a City of Hillsboro board, commission, or committee may seem unfamiliar or even a little intimidating. 

Hear directly from Hillsboro community members who have served as they talk about their own experiences and motivations, the biggest challenges, and their advice for neighbors who are thinking about applying.

Mayor Callaway leads this panel discussion with:

• Councilor Beach Pace: current Hillsboro City Councilmember and former Hillsboro Planning Commissioner
• Ramon Cancel: Hillsboro Arts & Culture Councilmember
• Mujidat Saaka: Hillsboro Planning Commissioner

Hillsboro has earned its reputation for incredible parks and playgrounds. The addition of Oro the Friendly Forest Giant and the amenities at Hidden Creek Park West takes everything to a new level of awesomeness. 

Mayor Steve Callaway hosts this episode of Community Conversations on site at Hidden Creek Park West, with Oro in the background. Joining the Mayor are: 

• Jen Lindamann, a mother of two elementary school-aged boys in the Orenco neighborhood. Jen was a part of the team of community members who engaged on the project.
  
  
• Laurie DeVos, City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department Project Manager. Laurie oversaw the planning, design, and construction of the park.
  
  
• Robby Hammond, Hillsboro’s City Manager. Robby helped lead the behind-the-scenes work to prioritize this fully inclusive park and to secure the funding needed to build it.

Mayor Callaway discusses Hillsboro's Police Community Advisory Group with:

• Taneshia Redmond: Hillsboro resident & Community Advisory Group Co-Chair
  
  
• Lynette Thompson: Hillsboro resident & Community Advisory Group member
  
  
• Jim Coleman: Hillsboro Police Chief

Mayor Callaway discusses affordable housing in Hillsboro with: 

• Erica Calderon: Housing Director, Bienestar
• Steve Messinetti: President & CEO, Habitat for Humanity Portland Region
• Chris Hartye: Senior Project Manager, City of Hillsboro

Or listen to the podcast:

Wine tasting, professional baseball, concerts in the park, and so much more! Mayor Callaway discusses tourism in Hillsboro with:

• Deanna Palm: President, Washington County Chamber of Commerce
• Dave Parulo: President, Washington County Visitors Association
• Angela Gray: General Manager, Aloft Hillsboro Beaverton

Or listen to the podcast:

What's it like working for the City of Hillsboro? What advice do City employees have about the hiring process?

Mayor Callaway discusses in-demand jobs and tips for getting hired with:

• Noah Benjamin, Senior Recruiter in the Human Resources Department
• Yohana Parra, Special Events Supervisor in the Parks & Recreation Department
• Brian Wilber, Police Commander in charge of recruiting in the Police Department

Or listen to the podcast:

Mayor Callaway discusses Hillsboro's Youth Advisory Council with:

• Michaela Canete, City of Hillsboro YAC Coordinator
• Mariana Monroy Gonzalez, YAC Co-Chair & Century HS Student
• Naim Ferris, YAC Co-Chair & Early College Student

Or listen to the podcast:

Mayor Callaway discusses the Hillsboro School District with:

• Mike Scott, Superintendent
• Brooke Nova, Director of Student Support Networks and Career and College Pathways
• Francesca Sinapi, Equity, Access, and Engagement Officer

Or listen to the podcast:

Mayor Callaway discusses Hillsboro's Cultural Arts District with:

• Bridie Harrington, Cultural Arts District Manager for the City of Hillsboro
• Raziah Roushan, Executive Director of Tualatin Valley Creates
• Salvador Mayoral IV, Public Art Program Manager of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC)

Find out how the City of Hillsboro, Intel, and Portland Community College are working to provide new and better job opportunities for those who are new to the workforce, those with experience, and the next generations.

• Josh Laurie, Director of Student Success Programs at Portland Community College
• Kristi Wilson, Workforce Development Manager at the City of Hillsboro
• Diane Vidmantas, Business Operations Director at Intel

Mayor Callaway discusses the City of Hillsboro's commitment to supported employees with:

• Randel Richardson, Parks & Recreation Maintenance Aide
• Jessica Stark, Parks & Recreation Adaptive Program Supervisor
• Josh Bearman, TVW Inc. Executive Director

Before his time on the City Council ended due to term limits, former City Council President Kyle Allen joined Mayor Callaway in November 2022 to discuss his eight years of service on the Council. 

Mayor Callaway discusses public safety and the Hillsboro Police Department’s emphasis on outreach and building relationships with Latino community members.

• Police Chief Jim Coleman
• HPD Program Specialist Earleen Reimann
• HPD Officer Ernesto Villaraldo

The September 2022 debut of Community Conversations focuses on community engagement and the Engage Hillsboro online platform.

• Simone Brooks, Assistant City Manager
• Lauren Scott, Economic & Community Development Department Public Information Officer
• Krista Snell, Public Works Department Public Information Officer
  
  
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