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Nonprofit will study wastewater governance options; council agrees to participate
Summary
Willamette Partnership outlined a no‑cost, EPA‑funded technical‑assistance project to assess a sanitary‑authority option for wastewater service between Depoe Bay and Glen Eden. The council voted to accept the project team’s proposed viability study and asked staff to share records the team requests.
Depoe Bay councilors voted Aug. 19 to accept a no‑cost technical‑assistance proposal from Willamette Partnership to study alternative governance and funding arrangements for wastewater service shared between Depoe Bay and the Glen Eden Sanitary District.
Theresa Jacobs, program director at Willamette Partnership, and colleague Ethan Brown described a “viability assessment” that would examine what standing up a sanitary authority would require, how representation and funding might be structured, and whether that option should be considered if current agreements or termination plans prove infeasible. "We are focused on this new idea of the sanitary authority for our evaluation," Brown said.
The project is funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Finance Center program and will be provided at no cost to the city. Willamette Partnership said it will not make decisions for the city but will provide an analysis and communications products that jurisdictions can use. The group said it typically limits requests for staff time, relies on existing documents, and will share the same deliverables with Depoe Bay, Lincoln County and Glen Eden.
Councilor discussion acknowledged uncertainties about funding availability for infrastructure projects and the timing of the city’s facilities plan. City staff said they will supply requested records and coordinate schedules; Willamette Partnership said it will prepare a list of information needed. A motion to accept the proposal passed by voice vote; councilors did not record a roll‑call tally on the record.
Willamette Partnership recommended no public‑outreach campaign be launched by the TA team; jurisdictions would decide whether and when to do broader community engagement. The group also said it is drafting a toolkit for Oregon DEQ describing governance options that range from MOUs to sanitary authorities, which it would use as background for the assessment.
