Seaside’s City Council used a Dec. 8 work session to ask staff for direction on priorities for early 2026 and to identify items that can be ready for council action in the next few meetings.

City staff demonstrated a prioritization view labeled “ready for council action,” explaining the score mixes urgency and importance and that items marked “soon” are ones staff believes can be prepared for council consideration in the first quarter. Staff identified the pavement preservation plan as a near-term item, noting the consultant’s recommended program would cost about $20 million but that current funds require the city to select combination projects that maximize network life. A staff presenter said the city is doing in-house analysis to identify which projects to bid and recommended the council provide feedback on tradeoffs such as spot reconstruction versus network-wide preservation.

Staff also proposed compiling a consolidated fee schedule to be reviewed as part of the annual budget process so the council reviews and readopts fees each June; staff suggested including the fee list as an exhibit or appendix to the budget so fee changes are captured routinely. On emergency authority, staff said the city lacks a local ordinance that codifies the existing one-step practice (mayor declares an emergency and the council ratifies later under the emergency operations plan) and recommended a brief ordinance to formalize that process.

Other items staff flagged as ready soon included formalizing leases for city property used by local organizations (to clarify maintenance and insurance responsibilities) and an events ordinance to set minimum standards and charge bigger events for costs such as extra officers, sanitation and restrooms. Staff recommended creating an events-related budget line where fees collected could be used to reimburse departments for overtime or other event-driven costs.

Staff suggested the council identify five top priorities to help narrow agendas for January and February and noted that some items—such as a master policy for boards, commissions and committees—would involve follow-on work by citizen committees or subcommittees. The pavement program, staff said, will require budget amendments and a bidding process if the council decides to move forward.

The council did not adopt policy at the work session but directed staff to bring the pavement preservation plan, the emergency ordinance and the events ordinance forward as items the council could act on soon. The council also discussed scheduling a presentation from DOGAMI and a follow-on community discussion to inform next steps.