Monmouth, OR

8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 updated but maintain their historical feel. Wine says it’s one of the best places to gather in the city. In addition to their DEI goals, the council has established a community value of sustainability and pursues that value by building on local assets. The City of Monmouth owns its electric utility and is building capacity within it. The city police department stepped up and has become one of the first to have a Tesla outfitted as a police cruiser, but they’re also looking at a variety of other ways to reduce emissions, including asking private garbage collectors to offer compost bin programs and to take on additional recycling methods. Monmouth and their neighboring municipality of Independence received a grant from the state legislature and the American Rescue Plan to operate a trolley transit service between the two cities, a 3.5 mile route from the Willamette River on the east to Western Oregon University on the west. Monmouth also co-owns a fiber internet company with Independence. Dufner admits that in order to do most of the small city’s big projects they look to partnerships, and one of the most important ways to promote the town and its benefits is partnering with the Western Oregon University – the major draw for new residents. She notes, “We see the University as a partner in our economic development. That goes back to the history of our town and the founding of it. It continues to be a very important part of our economic development story. We are always looking for partnership opportunities to help promote each other and local events, and ways to encourage new and entrepreneurial startups; using our assets to build the workforce and keeping recent graduates in our area. These are key areas of our economic development strategy.” MONMOUTH, OREGON