Yamhill committee advances ‘Authentic Yamhill’ branding and downtown beautification work as members plan outreach and grants

The Yamhill Economic Development Committee met Aug. 5, 2025, for a discussion-only session because a quorum was not present and no formal votes were taken. Committee members reviewed a broadened recruitment resolution, sketched a one-page “Authentic Yamhill” template for downtown design goals, and discussed short-term beautification projects including tree planting, roadway-facing planters and holiday lighting.

Committee staff member Angie (last name not specified) told the group that the recruitment resolution has been updated to loosen eligibility rules and “once that's gone through, then, we will have the ability to have more people that can apply.” She said the revision has been approved by council-level reviewers and is awaiting the mayor’s signature before the city can advertise open positions.

The discussion centered on two near-term beautification priorities: street trees and holiday lights. City Councilor Tim Askey, identified in the meeting as the council’s lights delegate, has agreed to research purchasing and storage options for LED holiday lights and to consult with public works about installation. Angie said Tim would "do some research this week on pricing" and speak to Public Works about using city staff for installation, while noting budget constraints.

Members described the current arrangement for downtown holiday lighting: the Yamhill Downtown Association (YDA) pays most of the installation contractor costs (the contractor named in the discussion was CND Landscaping) with ad hoc donations and occasional city contributions of about $500 in prior years. Committee members emphasized concerns about storage, maintenance and liability for any volunteer-based installation, and noted that volunteers must sign tracking/waiver forms for safety and insurance purposes.

Ken Moore, the Planning Commission representative at the meeting, urged caution on tree planting costs and long-term maintenance, saying, “Trees. It's a big budget commitment for the future…you have to think a lot about what that's gonna cost and who's gonna do it.” Moore suggested using large concrete tree boxes or similar infrastructure to reduce root damage to sidewalks and long-term replacement cycles.

Members also discussed grant and planning ties: the Transportation Growth Management (TGM) / Transportation System Plan (TSP) process and a transportation grant application were raised as mechanisms that could include sidewalks, tree wells and other streetscape work in an adopted plan — a step that can improve eligibility for future funding. Committee members said the transportation grant application had been submitted about five days earlier and that Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) consultants typically help communities through public engagement and plan development.

Committee members assigned outreach tasks to contact downtown business owners and building occupants to collect input about what “Authentic Yamhill” should look like. The outreach list included long-standing local businesses and building owners such as Teeny (the downtown eatery), Larson House, Bellwether Insurance, Mary’s Antiques, the Sapphire Building tenants (Kobe and Sarah) and others; committee members volunteered to interview or contact those proprietors before the next meeting.

Angie reminded members about public meeting rules for advisory committees, stating that because the Economic Development Committee is an advisory body to the City Council, members are “held under Oregon public meetings law” and should avoid serial email deliberations; packets and materials should be distributed in advance for public meetings.

Next steps agreed by the group include assembling existing YDA branding and vision materials into a single packet, distributing it to committee members ahead of a template-creation session at the committee’s Sept. 2 meeting (currently scheduled for 3 p.m.), and, if ready, taking the drafted recommendations to the Planning Commission at its third-Monday meeting on Sept. 15. Because no quorum was present on Aug. 5, no formal committee actions or votes were recorded.

The committee recorded several implementation tasks: Tim Askey will report on lighting purchase/installation options; members will research tree well/planter options and long-term maintenance costs; committee members will conduct owner/operator outreach and report back at the Sept. 2 meeting; and city staff will circulate the packet and advise on public-meetings compliance.