Summary of March 3 board of directors meeting
March 4, 2026
The BPRD board of directors met on March 3 to approve an agreement with the High Desert Horticulture Center for future collaboration possibilities and to review recent survey results. A video recording of the meeting is available.
Agreement with High Desert Horticultural Center
Staff presented a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the High Desert Horticultural Center (HDHC) related to a proposed botanical garden and interpretive center at the SE Bend Regional Park site, also known as the Rose property.
The non-binding MOU establishes a framework for collaboration, allowing HDHC to pursue grant funding for conceptual design and ensuring its participation in the district’s future public planning process for the site. The discussion emphasized that any potential botanical garden would be evaluated alongside other park uses during upcoming master planning, with no commitment to development or district funding beyond currently planned conceptual planning in the capital improvement program.
Public Perception Survey Results
Probolsky Research presented the results of the 2025 Community Awareness and Perception Survey, conducted in November and December 2025. The survey showed high overall satisfaction with Bend as a place to live, and strong community support for parks, trails and recreation services.
Awareness and familiarity with BPRD are very high, and respondents expressed strong trust in the district and confidence that it is headed in the right direction. Parks and recreation were ranked as the highest‑valued local government service, with broad support for future investment, including possible bond funding and continued park land acquisition.
Residents also expressed a desire to maintain park funding as Bend grows, with less support for reducing park revenues to address housing affordability through fee waivers or tax exemptions. The survey also identified opportunities for improvement in transparency and community partnerships. The full results are included in the meeting agenda packet.
Administrative Services Paid Intern Program
Staff provided an overview of the Administrative Services Paid Intern Program, a part-time internship program supporting students in accounting, business and IT while meeting district operational needs.
Two Oregon State University student interns have been gaining paid internship experience in Finance and IT since fall. Staff plans to expand the program to include a third internship focused on Purchasing and Contracts. The program supports workforce development, builds capacity during peak workload periods, and strengthens partnerships with local colleges.
Finally, the consent agenda was approved to award a contract for portable restroom services.
The next board meeting will be a Joint Meeting with the City of Bend at 4 p.m. on March 17, 2026.
