By Scott Unger • Of the News-Register • 

City of Mac puts number on rec bond: $152.5 million

City of McMinnville graphic##This “test-fit layout,” included in MacPAC’s final report published in 2021, shows how the committee’s recreation center concept and required parking could fit on the site bordered by Riverside Drive and Marsh Lane, which is the preferred site for a new recreation and aquatic center.
City of McMinnville graphic##This “test-fit layout,” included in MacPAC’s final report published in 2021, shows how the committee’s recreation center concept and required parking could fit on the site bordered by Riverside Drive and Marsh Lane, which is the preferred site for a new recreation and aquatic center.

The city of McMinnville will ask voters to pass a $152.5 million capital bond in May to fund facility and recreation improvements.

The amount of the bond needed to pay for a new rec center, library and senior center improvements and the first five years of a 20-year parks plan was revealed by city staff this week after months of discussions.

The city council will vote Tuesday on a resolution to allow reimbursement on bond spending if the measure passes.

Parks and Recreation Director Susan Muir said the resolution will streamline timelines and allow for capital funding without waiting for the city to receive bond funds.

“One example is if the bond passes, the city might be able to start spending resources on an architect, prior to receiving the bond proceeds, knowing that we would be reimbursed once the funds transfer to the city,” Muir said.

The proposed bond comes from recommendations in the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, which calls for $80 million worth of parks and open space projects over the next 20 years, including $13.6 million in projects in the first five years. Of the $13.6, an estimated $9 million would come from the bond and the remaining $4.6 from grants, fees and other sources.

Details of how the $152.5 million bond will be spent are still unknown, other than the estimated $9 million earmarked for park improvements in the first five years.

The resolution is the only item marked for discussion on an otherwise brief council agenda that will include an annual report from the McMinnville Economic Development Partnership.

Prior to its regular meeting, council will convene for a work session on proposed transitional housing guidelines and compliance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Endangered Species Act.

Under ongoing updates to the ESA expected to be finalized in 2027, Oregon counties must show they followed “Pre-Implementation Compliance Measures” if they are to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. The program requires local governments to enforce floodplain management ordinances in exchange for enabling residents to purchase federal flood insurance. Counties have until Dec. 1 to show compliance.

Gov. Tina Kotek wrote a letter to FEMA last month protesting the Dec. 1 deadline and asking to pause the pre-compliance program and work with Oregon agencies to set up a collaborative framework.

Under the pre-compliance rules, communities can choose to prohibit all development in the floodplain, incorporate the ESA into local ordinances or require permit applicants to show development in the floodplain will result in no net loss to flood storage, water quality and riparian vegetation to preserve fish habitats.

The city’s flood plain zone essentially prevents development, but some permitted and conditional uses may need to be revisited to comply with FEMA, according to Community Development Director Heather Richards.

“Staff is concerned that those permitted and conditional uses allowed in the floodplain would need to go through Floodplain Habitat Assessment documenting that the proposed development in the Special Flood Hazard Area will achieve no net loss,” Richards stated in the staff report.

The work session is for information and council won’t hold a vote on how to proceed at this time.

Council will also discuss municipal code amendments needed to support transitional housing developments in the city.

City committees have been discussing the need for year-round transitional housing (which represents a step between living on the streets or in an emergency shelter or permanent housing) and are close to finalizing code amendments that would set rules for the facilities.

Council will hear a presentation from Medford-based nonprofit Rouge Retreat about their facilities and discuss the proposed amendments.

Council will convene for the work session at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kent Taylor Civic Hall, followed by its regular meeting at 7 p.m.

The meeting packet and agenda can be found on the city calendar page at mcminnvilleoregon.gov/meetings.

Comments

TTT

So what is the monthly cost to each tax payer?

Bigfootlives

$152 million in the hands of these people? No way. The “we can start spending money right away” statement should disqualify them from ever touching the checkbook.

CubFan

Hopefully the city will do a BETTER job of explaining to taxpayers what the cost will be. Regarding the fiasco with new fire district tax language and the old fire district tax money…this has been a particular piece of brilliant word play by those who wrote the surveys, and (most of) the city who knew full well the implications but didn't make them clear. To come back later and say, "We told all of you this was happening. It's not our fault that you didn't comprehend it", is abuse of power.

I still have a bitter taste in my mouth with that. And while the city can never “right the wrongs” they did with the fire department tax, they MUST give a better, more clear, explanation of what this bond entails. Give citizens a breakdown of examples of what it will cost at various home assessments. Or CLEARLY explain how we can look at our tax statement and figure it out ourselves.

In a May 31, 2024 News-Register article, Park and Rec Director Susan Muir estimated a bond at $152 Million and gave this quote:
“Residents were asked if they would support the full project through a bond measure that would cost an additional $2.52 per $1,000 assessed property value, costing $54 per month for the average McMinnville homeowner.”

Let that sink in! The average household will pay $54 a MONTH more for this proposed rec center.

Let’s do some math for how much MORE the average household will pay each MONTH when we add up all we are facing: Rec Center $54. Utility service charge $13 (rumored to go up next year), Storm water fee $10 (estimated), when the city adds back the $1.50/M they underhandedly took from citizens when they passed the new fire district: $32. This is an ADDITIONAL $109 PER MONTH for the average household.

Then add to this, rising costs for everything we are buying (groceries, insurance, clothes, utilities, prescriptions, gas, rent, services etc). It’s too much. Something has to give.

NJINILNCCAOR

From what I’ve read so far:

Nope.

They have a lot more selling to do to convince this retired taxpayer.

BC

CubFan -

"Regarding the fiasco with new fire district tax language and the old fire district tax money…this has been a particular piece of brilliant word play by those who wrote the surveys, and (most of) the city who knew full well the implications but didn't make them clear. To come back later and say, "We told all of you this was happening. It's not our fault that you didn't comprehend it", is abuse of power."


I couldn't agree more with you since those are my words. Feel free to keep using it. The more people who see and understand how much we were disregarded, the better.

Now to get better leaders and hired employees who will quit being so clever with words and start being more honest with those of us footing the bills.

CubFan

BC... Sorry...I should have cited you on the quote! ;) You stated it so eloquently!

Bigfootlives

26 days until the we can chuck politicians into the proverbial dumpster.

And why put a pool and rec center all of the way out next to W&L in an industrial zone? Kids on the west side aren’t riding their bikes over there, and it’s right next door to the sketchy homeless camps in the woods along the Yamhill River.

Bigfootlives

26 days until the we can chuck politicians into the proverbial dumpster.

And why put a pool and rec center all of the way out next to W&L in an industrial zone? Kids on the west side aren’t riding their bikes over there, and it’s right next door to the sketchy homeless camps in the woods along the Yamhill River.

Moe

How about being a little selfish?

$109 / month for canned goods & so on for a rainy day, such as they are having in NC. Let's pay ourselves first.

Remember, when in doubt, neither vote for a new tax / tax increase nor an incumbent.

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