Planned trail would eventually link riverfront parks

Council reduces offer for waterfront property

The Lake Oswego City Council voted last week to amend a previous offer of about $1.2 million for a home on the banks of the Willamette River.

The new offer of $1.190 million is down from $1.225 million the council agreed to offer in September — a bid contingent on a property inspection.

Despite the new offer price, council president Sally Moncrieff said the plan remains the same: to buy the property and carve out an easement on it in hopes of eventually connecting pieces of a public pathway along the Willamette River.

Officials hope to acquire the property at 455 Furnace St. and then put it back on the market with a public easement across part of it.

Council members voted 4-1 in support of the amended offer, with Moncrieff and councilors Jeff Gudman, Bill Tierney and Donna Jordan in favor of reducing the initial bid.

Councilor Mary Olson said she voted against the new price because she didn’t support buying the property in the first place. Councilor Mike Kehoe said he abstained from voting on the new price because he also had voted against purchasing the house in September. Mayor Jack Hoffman was absent from the meeting.