The municipal government is administrated by a city manager who implements the policies and goals of the seven-member city council. The council is composed of a mayor, who serves a two-year term, and six councilors, who serve staggered four-year terms.

The city council’s regular meetings are at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month. Meetings are usually hosted at the City Council Chambers, 411 SW 9th St., but are currently being conducted virtually.

Meetings are televised live on BendBroadband cable channel 11 and the city website. All meetings and workshops are open to the public and agendas are posted on the city’s website.

The city has a number of commissions and committees that rely on volunteers:

Redmond Urban Area Planning Commission: A quasi-judicial body of seven members, the planning commission conducts public hearings on proposed developments and other land use issues and develops land use codes and regulations that it recommends to the City Council for implementation. 541-923-7756.

Redmond Parks Committee: The six-member committee manages all aspects of parks to meet the community’s needs. 541-923-7756.

Redmond Committee for Art in Public Places: The nine-member committee’s purpose is to introduce the arts into public locations to create a unique sense of place and enhance community identity. 541-923-7756.

Redmond Historic Landmarks Commission: The seven-member commission’s purpose is to preserve and promote Redmond’s history and culture. 541-923-7756.

Downtown Urban Renewal Advisory Committee: The nine-member committee advises the Urban Renewal Agency board on projects, policies and planning for downtown development. 541-923-7756.

Redmond Airport Committee: Five members are appointed by the city of Redmond and one each by the Bend City Council and the Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson county governments. The committee provides guidance regarding the operation and development of the airport to meet current and future demands for aeronautical-related activities in the Central Oregon region. 541-504-3085

Redmond Housing and Community Development Committee: The nine-member committee’s purpose is to review and recommend housing, neighborhood revitalization, and community development programs addressing the continuum of housing and human services needs for the enhancement of community health and well-being. 541-923-7756

Juniper Golf Committee: The five-member committee advises the Redmond City Council on issues pertaining to the operation and management of Juniper Golf Course. 541-504-2003

Redmond Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee: The seven- to eleven-member committee advises the Redmond City Council on bicyclist and pedestrian issues in Redmond for both quality of life initiatives, innovations in bike/ped transit tools, and transportation cost-saving measures. 541-923-7756

Budget Committee: The seven-member committee is tasked with reviewing and amending the proposed budget. Meetings are public and an opportunity for citizen comment is available. City staff attends the meetings to provide technical analysis and support to the committee. At the conclusion of the budget meetings, the Committee approves a balanced budget that is forwarded to the city council for adoption. 541-923-7729

The sight of a welcome-home event for Desert Storm soldiers in 1991 is what inspired a group of citizens to form the Redmond Flag Committee. A long stretch of Redmond streets lined with American flags was a precursor of Redmond becoming a “Flag City.”

Within eight years, the group had “sold” more than 700 flags: each four-by-six flag is sponsored by an individual or organization and embroidered with a name, usually that of a veteran. Today the committee, with assistance from a variety of civic groups, puts up more than 1,400 flags on seven major display days (and sometimes such as when a fallen soldier is brought home).

Hauling that many wooden poles out of a trailer, unfurling 24 square feet of red, white and blue polyester, and finding an open hole in the sidewalk at 6 a.m. is not an easy task, nor is showing up 12 hours later to do the same thing in reverse.

The group is always looking for new members. It can take as little as an hour to blanket the city in flags if a nice-size group shows up, but it can take much longer if there are just a few volunteers.

A gateway display along U.S. Highway 97 at the intersection of Highland Avenue was completed in 2016, dedicated to Redmond’s designation as a “Flag City, USA.”

In addition to flag display days, the committee holds occasional workdays for flag maintenance and clearing out display holes.

To find out more, visit the Redmond Flag Committee website at www.flagcityusa.org.