Advocates seek city cooperation to preserve Lady B tugboat; owner to store vessel through 2026

Representatives of the Advocates for Willamette Falls Heritage asked the West Linn City Council on March 3 to support preserving the Lady B, a 77‑year‑old, 39‑foot steel tugboat with ties to the city’s logging and river history. The group presented a proposed Willamette Park display, a preliminary budget of $200,000 and said the owner has agreed to store the vessel until about April 2026.

Why it matters: The proposal would preserve a local artifact linked to the timber‑era river economy, create an interpretive exhibit for park visitors and require city participation for siting, permitting and long‑term maintenance arrangements.

Jim Edwards, a board member of Advocates for Willamette Falls Heritage, said the Lady B represents a historic practice of floating logs down the Willamette River and that the tug is “the last remaining 77 year old tugboat built and operated by the Bernard family.” He presented a proposed location at Willamette Park with accessible pathways and a budget that includes $8,000 for design, $20,000 for permits, $125,000 for construction of a permanent display pad, $1,000 to repaint original colors, two maintenance repaints at year 10 and 20 estimated at $3,000 each and a $26,000 contingency.

On funding, Edwards said the advocates have raised $25,000 in two grants—$15,000 from the Kinsman Foundation and $10,000 from PGE—and included those pledges in the $200,000 project total. He also said the tug’s owner, Wilsonville Concrete (the Bernard family), “has now agreed to store the Lady B until approximately April 2026,” giving the advocates time to find a permanent site and complete fundraising and site work.

Staff and council discussed logistics and concerns. Councilor Bonington noted the parks advisory board’s opposition to the proposed Willamette Park site and said the board was not opposed to preserving the tugboat in principle. Councilors asked about contamination, and Edwards said a consultant found lead‑based paint as the only contaminant and recommended removal of loose paint and encapsulation with primer before display. Edwards outlined crane estimates: $3,000 to lift straight up and remove the trailer; a larger crane—costlier than $3,000—would be needed if a swing lift is required.

Council response: Several councilors expressed conditional support for moving forward while reserving site selection and final commitments for a later decision. Council President Baumgardner said she was “open to the idea” and that the extended storage timeline makes community fundraising and partnership work more feasible. Several councilors asked staff to develop a recommendation and legal framework; City Manager John Williams said staff will consult the city attorney and parks staff and return to council with further analysis and a proposal.

Next steps: Staff will coordinate with the advocates and the city attorney to prepare analysis and a proposed agreement, consult with the parks advisory board about siting, provide an interim update to council in the coming two weeks, and aim to return with a recommendation for council consideration in April. The council did not adopt a formal agreement on March 3 but signaled support to proceed to the next step.