The Banks City Council convened for an executive session, a work session, and a regular business meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Shortly after the council’s business meeting began, City Councilor Catherine Sawyer resigned.
Sawyer’s impending resignation was known by city staff at least as early as Nov. 8, when an amended agenda was issued to note that two council seats would be vacated. The other resignation, that of City Councilor Marsha Kirk was precipitated by her election to mayor on Nov. 5. Kirk’s council term ends December 31, 2026.
“I am resigning from city council,” Sawyer said. “That is all. I don’t want to add more than that.”
Sawyer’s position, CC5, was for a term that expires December 31, 2026.
Mayor Stephanie Jones thanked Sawyer for serving as a councilor.
“It has been an honor to serve with you all,” Sawyer said, removing the name card on a plaque bearing the words “Catherine Sawyer, City Councilor” and leaving the council dais for the last time.
With both resignations, the six-member council is reduced to four councilors and the mayor, who will be replaced in January by Kirk.
Other council business
The Banks City Council had a packed agenda, meeting at 6 p.m. for an executive session and then a lengthy work session.
Executive and work session
After the earlier executive session to discuss “Real Property Discussion,” a session closed to the public and which the news media may attend (Editor’s note: I did) but not report on what was discussed (Editor’s note: I won’t), the council moved on to a work session.
There, the six councilors and the mayor heard a report from the city’s auditor, Russ Ries of Jarrard, Seibert, Pollard & Co., LLC,
Following that, an update on the city’s latest water projects was delivered by the city’s longtime consultants Rob Peacock with Kennedy Jenks and Bob Long with CwM-H2O.
The final work session agenda item was a briefing on changes coming to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s National Flood Insurance Program., but owing to the meeting’s length, the item was moved to the council roundtable discussion during the business meeting.
Business Meeting
After opening with the Pledge of Allegiance, a councilor roll call — all were in attendance — and a time for citizens to speak before the council, the meeting moved to an annual celebration of one of the best the Banks-area has to offer.
Every year, the city opens nominations for the Banks Citizenship Award. In 2024, six nominations were received, according to records obtained by the Banks Post in a public records request.
But only one winner, or sometimes a pair as in the case of 2021’s Josh & Melissa Merritt, can be selected and the 2024 Banks Citizenship Award recipient is another duo: Zach and Rhonda King.
The Banks Post will have a full story at a later date outlining the duo’s numerous contributions to the Banks community.
Following Sawyer’s resignation, the city heard a report from Washington County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Frank Ward, reports from city staff on various departmental affairs, and adopted several fairly routine items. They included approving a memorandum of understanding between Washington County and the city over future road construction design standards, adopting a new comprehensive fee schedule, and officially starting the process of finding two new city councilors.
Audio from the city council meeting will be posted on the city’s calendar online on the Nov. 12 entry.
Following the city council meeting, councilors moved into an Urban Renewal Agency meeting.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
