The challenge: Consistent delivery of urban services

During the past five decades, Washington County has become one of the fastest growing regions in the state. The City of Hillsboro, in particular, along with other cities working with Washington County have developed the economic engine of the Portland metropolitan area and, as a result, the County has become a popular place to live and work.

In 1950, Washington County was home to slightly less than 10 percent (61,269 persons) of the population of the tri-county (Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington) region. By 2005, nearly one-third (31.7 percent) of the tri-county population, or 692,835 persons, lived in Washington County.

Currently cities provide traditional municipal services to their residents, although no two cities provide services in the same manner.  Some cities within Washington County rely on service districts for the delivery of most services, while others use services districts for only some services, and a few don’t use them at all.  The unincorporated areas within Washington County receive services from a combination of the County, the Sheriff and the services district.

The next 50 years will bring another population boom, changing the face of the community. At the center of the debate are the future roles of the County, cities and special districts in delivering urban services to the unincorporated communities and future urban areas of the County.

Just a few of the questions posed to forum members at an April 24, 2008 public meeting include:

• What is working and not working in terms of governments and service districts meeting the needs of urban Washington County residents?
• What are the options and policies for delivering these services?
• Does the city-delivered or district-delivered service vary depending on community preferences?

You can listen to a digital recording of that meeting in the Documents section.  The debate will continue 2008 and beyond.