Oregon City waives insurance requirement for McLaughlin neighborhood enhancement grant

The Oregon City City Commission on Aug. 6 approved a one-time exemption from the grant program’s insurance requirement so the McLaughlin Neighborhood Association could accept a $2,500 enhancement grant intended to print signs and maps for a neighborhood sale.

Tim Powell, chair of the McLaughlin Neighborhood Association, told commissioners the grant was strictly for printed materials and that the association had no event venue, vendor contracts or operational control over individual yard sales. Powell said two insurance agents told him they could not issue an event policy because there was nothing to insure.

City staff confirmed that, as the neighborhood association was not staging a public event on city property but only printing materials and distributing signs, the legal risk to the city was minimal. The city attorney advised that the daytime printing and distribution activity carried little exposure beyond normal administrative grants.

Commissioner Scott Archer (note: staff presented the item) moved to approve the exemption. The vote was: Commissioner Wilson, aye; Commissioner Mitchell, no; Commissioner Smith, aye; Mayor McGriff, aye. The motion passed.

Why it matters: The vote allowed the neighborhood association to collect a small administrative grant for community outreach without the expense of procuring a $2 million event-liability policy that local insurers said they could not reasonably issue for the described activity.

What’s next: The commission also directed staff to review the Metro enhancement grant program and its application criteria ahead of next year’s funding round to address cases where the insurance requirement is inappropriate or unworkable for low-risk, print-only grants.

Formal action: Motion to approve the exemption request for the insurance requirement (motion approved; yes 3, no 1).