Depoe Bay committee plans Stonebridge cache site, budgets and MOU as supply hubs

The Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee on Aug. 11 discussed steps to make the city’s emergency supply caches usable in a major event, plan a new cache site at Stonebridge and pursue funding and formal agreements with property partners. Kim, a Depoe Bay staff member, said the City Council has approved moving forward and that staff will solicit bids and draft the memorandum of understanding needed to site and build a Stonebridge cache.

Committee members said the city already has two nearby storage locations that function as one supply site and recommended keeping those stocked while building out Stonebridge as a second distribution hub. The committee agreed planning should aim to support about 200 people on each river-side area; members discussed concrete pads, fencing, lighting and the cost of site work.

Why it matters: the committee must balance secure, climate-controlled storage and public access during events while limiting impacts on Stonebridge homeowners and complying with HOA rules. A formal agreement and clear operational rules will be needed before supplies are staged at a new site.

Committee discussion centered on three tasks: (1) inventory and reorganize items now in hand so supplies are easy to deploy; (2) acquire one or more larger containers for Stonebridge and prepare a concrete pad and fencing; and (3) finalize an MOU or lease that defines responsibilities, signage and enforcement. Kim told the group the MOU draft will be shared with the committee and has already been discussed with Stonebridge representatives.

Committee members clarified logistics for distribution on the day of an event. Some members argued the city’s Community Hall/Emergency Operations Center should focus on logistics, communications and staff support rather than mass public distribution; others favored two separate distribution sites so managers are not overwhelmed. “Otherwise, I’m gonna proceed forward as if we’re going to get that,” Kim said about soliciting bids and moving the project toward procurement.

Funding and next steps: Kim noted a state grant pathway called Readiness (nonconstruction funding) is open and likely requires a match (committee discussion mentioned a roughly 20% match). The committee asked staff to request quotes for clearing and pad installation and to bring those estimates back to the group. Kim said the City Council has already approved the overall plan and budget allocation to pursue container procurement and site work.

Operational details discussed included whether to split supplies (halves versus thirds) and where to stage items for rapid distribution. Committee members agreed to inventory existing caches, create labeled stacks and shelves, and schedule a work date to reorganize stored items; the group set Sept. 19 for an all-hands inventory and staging session. Staff will draft the MOU for review, pursue a grant application for nonconstruction costs and solicit contractor quotes for the pad and site work.

The committee identified several implementation considerations for the MOU and site design: no-parking enforcement requested by the Stonebridge HOA; responsibility for maintenance and security; the need for climate-controlled storage to avoid moisture damage to supplies; and how to stage mobile distribution trailers. Kim and staff will return to the advisory committee with the MOU draft, contractor estimates, and a proposed container size and placement plan.

Ending: The committee scheduled an inventory and staging work day for Sept. 19 and instructed staff to obtain quotes and a draft MOU for the next meeting so the committee can finalize the site and procurement plan.