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Staff said the last major revision was in 2011 and that the new draft draws on examples from other Oregon cities (Ashland, Bend, Corvallis, Medford and others) to add clarity and public transparency. The draft explained the city’s goal of maintaining a general‑fund reserve (currently a 25% minimum fund balance policy), updated the capital improvement and project‑management language, and added a new purpose section tying the policy to the city’s strategic plan and urban renewal considerations.

Council discussion focused on process rather than content. Several councilors asked for the draft to be reviewed by members of the city’s budget committee (some of whom have finance backgrounds) before council action. One councilor recommended distributing the draft to the entire budget committee for comment and allowing committee members to provide voluntary feedback. Staff agreed to circulate the draft to budget committee members for review and to return with any recommended edits and a proposed adoption timeline, with the aim of finalizing the policy after committee input.

Why it matters: the financial management policy sets the city’s standard for reserves, debt management, capital planning and transparency; changes can influence budget messages, creditworthiness and long‑term fiscal strategy.

Next steps: staff will provide the policy draft to budget committee members, collect feedback and return the document to council (the presenter offered to go line‑by‑line at a future meeting if council so directed). Council did not adopt the policy at the workshop and asked staff to incorporate budget‑committee comments before bringing it to a future business meeting for adoption.

Ending: Councilors and staff described the next step as committee review followed by a council adoption vote at a business meeting after committee input.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Grants Pass City Council Workshop April 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a detailed revision to Grants Pass’s financial management goals and policies, including fund balance guidance and new sections on capital planning; council directed staff to distribute the draft to the budget committee for comment before formal adoption.","taxTitle","Grants Pass City, Josephine County, Oregon","taxId",48732,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6605559,"Council weighs options for Caveman Pool; staff to contact school district and YMCA about interest",1341,11051000,12392000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2985725-b2322a8f4eaa3145ed3d129ceebe4e5e&start=11051&end=12392","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2985725-b2322a8f4eaa3145ed3d129ceebe4e5e/thumbnail_11051000.jpg","/articles/6605559/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Council-weighs-options-for-Caveman-Pool-staff-to-contact-school-district-and-YMCA-about-interest","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605559-1440b80a550abef6e706bf5333572cb2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188376&Signature=nbYmE7uKNOtzxF9HI4WFtVT58UJE6BNAZGMrvyXnBQyofOsmnOJG9~OVm8wNHR35xcri4x80hTHEKvcNkdaQbe9bYM9S7gM9asH02lpYNyTx3ntpzXlxlKlI-6GomOeJNnE0lBO6bY2TB2sCd~XUeAer5fea4U2dZmUeedokWDe86We4P1m0Q8KgCYmkBMIvdxMhv1u-lOCVBEu75dmisM4SXA7u8I360jilP5qVfGIeHQSzaJVdv4AVVId6o8IwcBDprgjkX~n44RQX1TcW-5ROlpWJOGeL8mTK1JigtdHlMsH91ynsVWZsck-feHw-aiwIoI21geOgzkOXivC7Dw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Grants Pass City Council reviewed options to repair, renovate or replace the Caveman Pool during the workshop and directed staff to ask the Grants Pass School District and the local YMCA whether either organization would be willing to explore a partnership or take ownership.

Josh Hopkins, Parks superintendent, summarized earlier work on a replacement project and a lower‑cost renovation option. Hopkins said the city previously had aimed at a roughly $6.5 million construction target for a new aquatics facility in 2024 planning work but that the council had not funded that plan. Hopkins described a renovation option using a recirculating gutter and PVC membrane (a pool liner), new deck surfaces and a two‑flume slide. He estimated the ballpark cost for that renovation package at about $1 million; he emphasized the figure did not include replacement of the bathhouse, major mechanical rooms or the pool’s underground main drain and piping.

Hopkins gave additional price guidance: a boiler and heat‑exchanger replacement for the facility was on the order of tens of thousands (Hopkins cited roughly $85,000 as a comparable recent project cost), filtration and chemical system upgrades and piping would likely add roughly $350,000, and a combined set of mechanical and filtration work could total about $500,000 before engineering and any main‑drain replacement. Hopkins also reported the city has spent $148,205.25 to date on design work and that the LB 6393 fund (the ballot measure/restricted account used for the pool project) had an available balance of about $82,461 after recent roof repairs.

Several councilors asked whether the YMCA or the Grants Pass School District might operate the pool; Councilor Kathleen proposed formally offering the project to those partners. Councilors agreed staff should first reach out to those organizations to determine interest and capacity, and they asked for a follow‑up workshop if the groups expressed interest. Councilor comments noted the very high operating cost of pools and cautioned that a transfer of ownership would not remove the need for capital investment if the pool remains in public use.

Why it matters: the Caveman Pool occupies city property adjacent to the high school and requires both near‑term repairs and longer‑term capital decisions. The council needs to weigh the city’s capital capacity against municipal priorities and consider whether a partner could operate the facility with grant or philanthropic support.

Next steps: staff will contact the YMCA and the school district to gauge interest in a transfer or partnership and report back to council. If partners express interest, the council asked staff to convene a public workshop and to provide detailed cost comparisons of renovation, phased repairs and full replacement options.

Ending: Councilors did not vote on funding or transfer; they gave staff direction to begin outreach and return with partner responses and more detailed cost information.","Parks staff presented renovation and replacement cost scenarios for the Caveman Pool; councilors asked staff to reach out to the school district and the YMCA to explore transfer or partnership options and requested additional cost comparisons.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6605563,"Council workshop hears HR report that most non‑bargaining positions trail market; council seeks more analysis before approval",4725,4578000,9303000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2985725-b2322a8f4eaa3145ed3d129ceebe4e5e&start=4578&end=9303","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2985725-b2322a8f4eaa3145ed3d129ceebe4e5e/thumbnail_4578000.jpg","/articles/6605563/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Council-workshop-hears-HR-report-that-most-nonbargaining-positions-trail-market-council-seeks-more-analysis-before-approval","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605563-635ff7fe12cda30731dc1bdf408db235/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188376&Signature=aZqYV6bXHkv3DqzKwrARnr4dKNaqb7SKwVCICdt~1fN~BsQ9aIV97twUmhwpvsYcp~AV0vi1PBELgHb937tozwIoHPutXExxuCrBHBxQaAaeXVGnFhOp0QDF5x9JwdCtd0gqcddanL6qLvwm76iqR6BEorSHv4jpiBMrU85jhSv3KLTeRiPSqXIDHBM~6RwUrBzoPpZWUlhevh-P0tmfWs7AGJnwPLAjIBdv86CBBo1xUjg7THlqTiM54X3AEBGI5f9gLvFezAYfRXzEOyPADynX1D2UztCQda54AumLKHb9trwM6mqNjYXT9DkZFq6F93P2nnNqPfEwWEE7q~ITOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Grants Pass City Council spent an extended portion of its workshop reviewing a human resources presentation on a proposed reconfiguration of the non‑bargaining salary schedule. The presenter reported that a 2024 compensation and classification study found the large majority of non‑bargaining positions are below market and that internal pay compression has increased as represented bargaining groups have received higher cost‑of‑living and incentive increases.

The presenter (identified as Mandy, human resources staff) summarized the study and explained placement principles. She said the consultant’s final October 2024 report found roughly 93% of Grants Pass non‑bargaining positions at step 1 were below the market midpoint used for comparison. She described the city’s proposed approach to step placement, which applies Oregon pay‑equity factors (seniority, merit, education/training/experience) and preserves the city’s seniority/step progression rather than simply moving every employee to the top step of a new schedule.

Mandy explained how incentive pay available to represented groups — such as certification pay, longevity pay and paramedic incentives — has widened total compensation for those employees and contributed to supervisors earning less in take‑home pay than the represented staff they supervise. She cited two examples from the presentation: a police lieutenant’s base hourly pay of $47.90 versus a sergeant’s total hourly pay of $49.15 after certification and longevity incentives; and a deputy fire chief’s hourly base of $53.31 (plus a 5% paramedic incentive) compared with a battalion chief whose combined hourly pay would be higher when negotiated paramedic incentives, longevity and overtime are included.

The HR presenter described several operational and budgetary points: the city’s non‑bargaining group covers about 51 full‑time equivalent positions; the group is the only employee group not yet scheduled to receive a July 1, 2025 cost‑of‑living increase (other represented groups have scheduled increases); the city presently has 17 vacant positions (about 7% of the workforce) including several difficult‑to‑fill roles with long vacancy periods (for example, the principal planner position was vacant about 805 days and a superintendent of collections for roughly 628 days); and recruitment expenses for some searches exceeded $62,000.

The presenter asked council to: adopt a reconfigured salary schedule and step placements at the May 7 business meeting; approve a proposed longevity incentive (1% at 10 years, 2% at 15 years, maximum 2%); align holiday and vacation amounts for internal equity; and approve three non‑classification title corrections (reclassifications that do not add FTE). She also provided cost estimates for the proposal and noted the final consultant placement considered bargaining increases that occurred after the report’s issuance.

Council response: councilors praised staff work but declined to approve the proposal at the workshop. Members requested additional materials before taking action: (a) a graphic showing how the proposed schedule would change the “step‑1 vs. market” comp‑ratio graph used earlier in the presentation (i.e., how the proposal would move departments toward the 45–55% midpoint target), (b) the full list of current vacancies and vacancy durations, (c) an explicit list of Oregon statutes and regulations relied upon (Oregon pay equity statute and BOLI guidance were discussed), (d) a comparison of health‑benefit cost and coverage among peer cities (so total compensation can be compared), (e) the consultant’s RFP/selection documentation and (f) a clearer table showing percentage increases by pay band and by step. Councilors also asked for estimated multi‑year implementation scenarios (for example, staged increases over two or more years) and the financial impact of different phasing options.

Why it matters: HR said the existing non‑bargaining compensation plan has “reached the end of its life cycle” because represented groups received larger periodic increases that, combined with incentive pay, produced internal compression and made some managerial promotions pay‑negative. Councilors emphasized the need to avoid piecemeal changes that could create new inequities and asked for scenario modeling that shows implementation costs and the expected effect on recruitment, promotion decisions and vacancy duration.

Next steps: staff will compile the requested charts, statutory citations and benefits comparisons and return with a council memo or workshop follow‑up before any final vote. The HR presenter said the formal adoption of a reconfigured schedule and step placements is targeted for the May 7 business meeting but that staff will not proceed to final action until council has reviewed the additional materials requested at the workshop.

Ending: Councilors signaled support for addressing compression and improving recruitment but withheld approval pending the additional analysis they requested.","City human resources presented a compensation and classification review showing widespread pay compression in the non‑bargaining group; councilors asked for more data, legal citations and scenario graphics before voting on a reconfigured salary schedule.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6605568,"Grants Pass hears updates from regional economic development partners on loans, entrepreneurship and downtown revival",1420,209000,1629000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2985725-b2322a8f4eaa3145ed3d129ceebe4e5e&start=209&end=1629","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2985725-b2322a8f4eaa3145ed3d129ceebe4e5e/thumbnail_209000.jpg","/articles/6605568/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Grants-Pass-hears-updates-from-regional-economic-development-partners-on-loans-entrepreneurship-and-downtown-revival","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605568-9257109fa84705444a07e875754748a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188376&Signature=RhyCvmb43UC2iGS1B70cA~9GJd2BO6Qm9V6VLFG9coDmq0Xsc30Wbqn0OBrQLfhkVeceIoVor37KAgl-CWKIOf9TM3NWhz7MEYOTVoag7TxvncsLcEmDTXfVmbJOM7iJcnWQ-jByy864DSw8IKvOUisX5UnVur4bN538qhJkQPszoiEd~Ko0c0yHDK8Ro~b7BPuwiTS8Ksp7bB6yl9-xNJ5HsBw1aZeAnHnLF0JsujtujbPQhHyqxPw3U-dotc4FIGIr-6sxl9HDMptOHB~3bb6B5fEKYyUh7I3fZuS8ECwOsD9x7EfHbazwEngvgJ4HDliRkw52Flyxu~JDXWrxCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Southern Oregon economic development partners — So Ready (Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development), the Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Center and Main Street Grants Pass — gave the Grants Pass City Council a series of briefings on services, local impacts and funding needs during the council’s workshop session.

Casey Miller, vice president of the So Ready board, said So Ready acts as a regional connector for businesses and entrepreneurs and manages a small loan program for the Rogue Valley. “So Ready is designed to be that one Rogue Valley strategy,” Miller said, describing outreach to industry, connections to property owners and entrepreneurship support. James Tadlock, So Ready business development manager, told the council the organization currently has seven active loans in Grants Pass and Josephine County totaling about $925,000, from an origination amount of roughly $1.2 million.

The chamber’s president and CEO, Terry Hopkins, described visitor-center work the chamber performs under contract with the city and outlined broader chamber activities. “The chamber’s mission is to support and promote local commerce through communication, advocacy and partnerships,” Hopkins said, noting the chamber represents roughly 600 members in Grants Pass and Josephine County and that it runs the North Visitor Center and an event calendar used by the community.

Ruth Swain, director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), described no‑cost confidential advising and low‑cost training for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Swain said the SBDC served 366 clients with one‑on‑one advising last year, ran classes attended by about 412 people, documented seven new business starts and reported $1,360,000 in capital going to local small businesses in the prior year.

Michael Coyne, vice chair of Main Street Grants Pass, outlined the newly formed nonprofit’s downtown work and an initial request for operating support. Coyne said the Main Street district covers about 198 businesses (148 in the downtown core) and that the group has identified roughly 44–50 vacant downtown storefronts. Main Street is seeking city support of about $80,000 in year one (rising by $10,000 annually over the first three years), along with member dues, grants and fundraising. “Our vision is clear and ambitious: to transform downtown Grants Pass into a vibrant economic and community hub,” Coyne said.

Why it matters: the presentations showed how multiple partner organizations deliver business loans, retention and attraction programs, workforce outreach, visitor services and downtown revitalization — activities that local officials said feed into the city’s economic goals. Several council members asked for additional documentation or follow‑up: one requested attendance options and invitations to So Ready’s August board meeting; another asked the chamber to share the chamber’s relocation/market packets; and members of the council asked SBDC for more detail on the childcare-startup grants and on measured outcomes from their advising work.

What council asked staff to do: councilors asked staff to share contact information for So Ready and the SBDC, and to circulate Main Street’s budget request and projected deliverables to the council ahead of upcoming budget conversations. No formal council vote was taken during the presentations; council direction was limited to requests for follow‑up information and invitations for future engagement.

Context and background: So Ready described new long‑term growth and strategy work to identify traded‑sector, tech and manufacturing targets in the Rogue Valley. The chamber emphasized coordination with Visit Grants Pass and other partners to leverage tourism promotion funds. The SBDC noted partnership funding from Rogue Community College and other local sources, and the Main Street group noted prior technical assistance and grant applications to state programs.

Ending: Council members praised the partners’ work and asked staff to circulate additional details, including grant requests and performance metrics, before the city’s budget deliberations and upcoming downtown grant opportunities.","At a council workshop, four regional economic development organizations updated the council on local loan programs, entrepreneur support, downtown vacancy levels and Main Street’s funding request; officials sought follow-up details and meeting opportunities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council reviews draft financial management policy revisions and asks staff to get budget‑committee input

Council weighs options for Caveman Pool; staff to contact school district and YMCA about interest

Council workshop hears HR report that most non‑bargaining positions trail market; council seeks more analysis before approval

Grants Pass hears updates from regional economic development partners on loans, entrepreneurship and downtown revival