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McMinnville staff, lobbyist outline 2026 legislative priorities; Alpine Avenue emerges as top ask
Summary
City staff and lobbyist Doug Riggs reviewed McMinnville’s federal and state funding strategy for 2026, urged shovel‑ready project packaging and recommended Alpine Avenue Phase 2, sidewalks in low‑income neighborhoods, and continued support for local housing partners.
City staff and longtime contractor Doug Riggs told the McMinnville City Council on Tuesday that the city should focus on a short list of shovel‑ready projects and maintain active relationships with state and federal legislators to improve chances of securing funding for 2026.
McMinnville staff presented a priority list that has been maintained since 2022 and is reviewed against the city’s MacTown 2032 goals, council annual goals and input from the city’s economic leadership council. “The work done during the interim … is really the most important,” Doug Riggs told the council, urging continued planning, tours and legislator education between sessions.
Why it matters: City staff said projects need to be near construction readiness by September–October to be competitive in both state and federal processes. Staff and the city’s legislative group recommended concentrating on a limited number of requests that line up with legislator priorities and the governor’s agenda, rather than submitting very large lists.
Most‑emphasized projects and staff recommendations - Alpine Avenue Phase 2 (next four blocks): Staff said this project has traction with legislators and “resonates over and over again” in meetings with state and federal officials. Councilors repeatedly endorsed Alpine as a priority that could unlock housing and economic development in that neighborhood. - Sidewalk accessibility in low‑ and moderate‑income neighborhoods (Phase 1): Staff described sections of sidewalk so buckled by tree roots they are unusable by people using mobility devices and argued this is a safety and equity need. - 3‑Mile Lane / Innovation Campus and Highway 18 frontage improvements: The Innovation Campus and frontage streets were described as catalytic for industrial land reuse and higher‑paying jobs; staff said the frontage work is a critical connector for the site. - Third Street improvements: Staff broke the project into design phases (30%→100%) and construction; federal partners have been willing to fund phased advancement of design where state funding prefers near‑complete design. - Housing partner requests: Staff said the city supported two federal asks by local partners — a housing rehabilitation program and a Habitat for Humanity affordable housing project — and that those were of interest to McMinnville’s federal delegation. - Recreation, aquatic center, library and senior center work: Staff suggested phasing design and construction requests so the city could make smaller, more competitive asks rather than one large request.
Funding strategy and rules of thumb Staff and Riggs reviewed funding channels and timing: lottery‑backed bonds and the discretionary portion of lottery funds, Business Oregon and Oregon Housing and Community Services programs, and federal appropriations. Riggs cautioned that federal tax law changes and reduced revenue projections at the state level mean the legislature may have less new discretionary money than in recent years.
On project readiness, staff repeatedly told the council that funders want “shovel ready” projects or clearly phased work where the city can demonstrate it will spend money within the expected time frame. “You really have to have your projects, pretty much fully baked by September, October,” staff said.
Council guidance requested Staff asked the council to narrow priorities for 2026, recommending Alpine Avenue, the sidewalk accessibility phase, and continued support for the two housing partner requests as initial priorities. Several councilors voiced support for Alpine and the sidewalks; others urged adding parks and recreation and Third Street phase work. Staff said they will continue coordinating with state and federal delegations to identify the best funding channels and to monitor unallocated ARPA and lottery pools.
Ending note: Staff said the legislative list is intended as an evolving “opportunity” list, not a final set of binding requests, so the city can respond when legislative windows open or when delegates identify funding opportunities.
