Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Where can I find Council Actions?

A. Each week Council actions are summarized in the Weekly Update. Minutes, once approved, are posted online. For specific information, contact the City Recorder. Documents older than one year old are maintained on microfilm and are available by contacting the Records Coordinator.

Q. How can I get help in resolving a problem with my neighbor?

A. When staff hear of or find a situation or conflict between neighbors, often times they are referred to the Police Department or the Citizen Information Coordinator for help to try to resolve the problem. The Citizen Information Coordinator has received mediation training to help resolve issues between neighbors. In the event that the situation or conflict cannot be resolved at the City level, cases will be referred to a Clackamas County mediation program geared toward resolving issues. Before being referred to the County, all participants in a dispute are required to be committed to mutually resolving their dispute.

Q. Does the City have any merchandise that I can buy?

A. The City Store was established as an enterprise fund to have one place residents can look at all the merchandise that the various city departments have available for sale. The merchandise ranges from City maps to Department, aprons, hats and T-shirts from the Farmers’ Market, to the holiday ornament. The City Store is located in the lobby of the first floor of City Hall, by contacting Debbie Russell at 503-635-0279 or the Finance Counter on the first floor (503-635-0260), or on the city website at www.ci.oswego.or.us/CITYSTORE/.

Q. Is it possible for my Neighborhood Association* to have an event posted on the City Calendar? (*Non-profit Associations, governmental agencies)

A. A few years ago, several community-wide groups had unknowingly scheduled their fund-raising events for the same evening. Each group’s fund-raiser was drawing from the same base of citizens. By the time they learned of the conflict, it was too late to reschedule. Council proposed creating a Community Calendar on the City’s website in response.

The intent of the City's Community Calendar is to include events that have community-wide interest, such as public events at Millennium Plaza Park; fundraisers sponsored by organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Lakewood Center, Lions, Rotary, or Kiwanis; and events and meetings of neighborhood associations and homeowners associations.

It should be noted that classes and sporting events generally would not be included on the community calendar. If an organization feels that a class or sporting event is important for the community to know about, send a short statement as to why the event should be included on the Community Calendar. If an event is deemed not suitable for inclusion on the Community Calendar, the point of contact will be notified.

Event information should be mailed to Jane McGarvin at P. O. Box 369, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, e-mailed to her, or faxed to 503-697-6594. If you have any questions, call Jane at 503-635-0236.

Q. Where do I get a copy of my birth, marriage or death certificate?

A. In Oregon, cities do not issue original birth certificate, death certificate, or marriage licenses. The County where the event occurred issues those records, and then information is transferred to the Oregon Health Division. The address and phone number for the Oregon Health Division, Vital Statistics Section is:

Oregon Health Division
Vital Statistics Section
P.O. Box 14050
Portland, OR 97293-0050
Phone: (503) 731-4095

For information about what records are available at the Oregon Health Division, and how to order, click on http://genealogy.about.com/library/vital/bloregon.htm

Some older records are also located at the State of Oregon Archives, located in Salem, 800 Sumner NE, or http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/vital.html

Q. I need to find out information about a specific piece of property (who owns it, tax records, etc.) Is there someone at the city who can provide me with that information?

A. Clackamas County Assessor’s Office in Oregon City has information regarding property ownership. They can be contacted at 503-655-8671 and is located at 168 Warner-Milne Road in Oregon City.

Q. Where can I get a copy of a deed?

A. Copies of deeds, easements, etc. are filed with the Clackamas County Recording Division. It can be contacted at 503-655-8551 and are located at the Clackamas County Public Services Building at the corner of Beavercreek and Kane Roads on the second floor.

Q. What does the Citizen Information Office do? How does the CIC help the public?

A. We help people by answering questions, providing information, and solving problems. The Citizen Information Center was created in 1993 to be an initial point of contact to help citizens solve problems and interface with their City government. The "one stop shopping" approach aims to avoid bouncing you around to voicemails or sending you from office to office before getting to the person or information you need.

The Citizen Information Coordinator staffs the center and has varied responsibilities in general roles as an information officer and ombudsman. The Citizen Information Coordinator has the following responsibilities:

• Provide information, answering questions, solving problems, hearing complaints

• Facilitate mediation between residents, businesses

• Serve as liaison to City departments

• Write and distribute press releases, media advisories

• Arrange press conferences, put together press packets

• Answer media requests

• Design, print, distribute publications

• Edit documents, research issues for departments

• Plan special events

Q. What does the City Recorder do?

A. As the Clerk of the Council, the City Recorder prepares and distributes the Council agenda, ensures that the meeting minutes are completed, maintains a calendar of pending issues and events, and maintains the legislative history files.

The City Recorder, as the City Elections Officer, ensures that information about the biennial election is available to citizens who are interested in filing for the position of mayor or councilor, and submits the list of candidates and any citywide measure referred by the Council to the County Election’s offices.

The City Recorder’s office works with the Records Section to maintain the legislative history and documents from other departments that need to be retained for future research purposes.

Q. What kinds of records are available in the Records Center? How do I access them?

A. City Departments generally keep only current projects, land use files, etc. in their files and routinely transfer completed files to the Records Center for storage. In some departments, such as in Planning and Public Affairs, documents with permanent retention are microfilmed. The original documents do not have to be kept since the information is available to staff and citizens on microfilm.

Other documents may have retention periods of between one to ten years. Those documents can be put in storage. They are still available to staff as needed. At the end of the required retention period, those documents can then legally be destroyed.

Q. How are articles selected for Hello LO? Does the City accept advertising in Hello LO?

A. Staff submits articles to the Citizen Information Coordinator, who is the editor of Hello LO, and articles that are selected deal with current or upcoming events that will impact residents of the City. In addition, there is a calendar of city related meetings and events, information on programs or classes that the departments of Parks & Recreation and the library will be holding during the month.

Advertising is not available in Hello LO.

Q. Where do I find current information about what is happening in city government?

A. The City has several ways to provide information to residents:

• LO Down . This weekly publication is a compilation of reports on department activities that is sent to members of the City Council, staff, media, and citizens, and also posted on the city’s website under “Weekly Updates”.
• Hello LO. This monthly publication includes articles about city programs that might be of interest to city residents. It includes a calendar of events, programs in the Parks & Recreation Department, Adult Community Center, and the Library. This publication is sent to over 21,000 residents and businesses in the city and posted on the city’s website.
• News Releases. The City routinely issues press releases about what is happening to The Lake Oswego Review and The Oregonian. Both newspapers routinely publishes events and other information in special sections.
• City Website.
• Community Calendar. This area on the website is provide a central place for city and other events of interest to Lake Oswego residents, businesses, and visitors.
• City’s Bulletin Boards. Notices of public hearings or other legal notices and meeting notices of the City Council, and other Boards and Commissions, including sub-committees and task forces, are posted on the bulletin board on the first floor of City Hall. The notices of public hearing, legal notices and Council agendas are posted in the library and the Adult Community Center.

Q. Where do I locate old city documents?

A. The Records Coordinator maintains city documents on microfilm dating back to incorporation in 1910. Historical photos are available at the Oswego Heritage House (503-635-6373, or 398 10th Street, Lake Oswego, OR 97034). Historical photos are also available at the library’s site.