Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Grants Procurement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears public concerns as staff presents updated grants policy; staff says federal rules remain controlling
Summary
Staff presented an updated grant policy intended to streamline grant administration; a resident warned removal of DEI-related language could disadvantage small minority- and women-owned businesses. Staff said federal law and grant-making policies will continue to govern grants.
City staff presented an updated grants policy to the Newberg City Council on Oct. 20 that consolidates earlier internal practices, clarifies approval thresholds and identifies the city’s grant-administration roles.
The presenter described the update as a streamlined replacement for a 2018 policy that had grown long and contained restatements of the purchasing manual and other rules. The updated policy clarifies who approves grant applications: department heads can approve grants below $50,000, the city manager between $50,000 and $100,000, and grants above $100,000 or those involving federal dollars would be reviewed by the council. The presenter also said the policy explicitly recognizes the city’s new digital-archivist/grant-writer role.
Resident Sonda Martin told the council she was concerned the new policy removes language that previously tracked Office of Management and Budget guidance (she cited OMB Uniform Guidance §200.321) that some local governments use to encourage participation by women-, minority- and veteran-owned small businesses. "The removal of the language that levels the playing field for small businesses... appears to be an attempt to obey and advance the new priorities of the current administration," Martin said on the record.
In response, a staff member said the city will continue to follow federal law and the policies that apply to grant funding. "We will continue to follow, as the policy says now, in reference to those things, follow federal law as well as the policies that apply to grant funding," the presenter said.
Councilors asked whether the city has distinct procurement rules when it is acting as a grantor rather than a grantee. Staff replied that procurement and contracting are governed by the city's purchasing manual and the Oregon public contracting code; those documents, not the grants policy, contain the detailed procurement procedures.
The council received the presentation, heard public comment and asked clarifying questions. A formal vote adopting the grants policy was held later in the meeting (see Votes at a glance).
