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Consortium frames West Glen water project and pursues state, federal funding; staff letters of support prompt protocol discussion
Summary
The Clean Water Consortium presented a $3.2 million estimate to extend municipal water distribution to West Glen/Westland, discussed parallel sewer options and grant applications (including CDS/SEP), and debated staff-signed letters of support that were submitted without prior board review.
Consortium staff outlined plans and funding efforts for a West Glen (Westland) water-distribution project, presented an engineering cost estimate of roughly $3.2 million for a distribution system that would connect residences to municipal water, and described parallel grant and loan applications under consideration. Board members also raised governance concerns after staff signed two letters of support on behalf of the consortium without prior board review.
Matt Jensen gave an organizational and project update, noting the consortium is registered with the Secretary of State and working to obtain identification numbers to apply for grants directly. He said consultants prepared a distribution system estimate that includes connections to residences and looped mains. "You know, for the distribution system, if we are to hook up to, the city of Boardman, we're looking at about $3,200,000, and that includes connections to the, to each residence," Jensen said.
Jensen described several funding tracks: federal/state discretionary requests (a pending capital infrastructure request the county would support and for which the consortium may testify), a Clean Water State Revolving Fund/technical applications (CVS and CDS funding rounds), and the state SEP/one-time bond money that could become available in 2027. Jensen said the consortium has submitted or will submit applications in the county’s name for some grants while the consortium finalizes its own administrative setup.
Board members compared the new estimates with earlier consultant figures; one earlier study had a much higher figure (around $26 million), which staff said reflected a different scope. Jensen and staff said the new $3.2 million estimate assumes construction without extensive paved-road restoration and includes loop and booster elements needed for service. "If we can just go right down the roads and dig down and install water lines, we don't have to do asphalt restoration," Jensen said, noting that pavement patching drives costs up.
On grant timing, Jensen said certain state bond funds would be available in 2027 but that SEP and other funds could support engineering and early work now. Consortium staff reported they are preparing an application for CDS phase 2 to fund test wells and well rehabilitation pilot projects. "We're looking at 1 that would help Irrigon with their test well and then a certain amount of money to go and help see if we can mitigate, or rehab some wells," Jensen said.
Separately, Jensen disclosed that staff had signed two letters of support in the last few weeks — one for an Irrigon feasibility/test-well project and one from a private farm (Madison Farms) proposing a nitrate dilution/application project. Some board members said they had not seen or discussed those letters before staff submitted them and asked that future letters seeking board endorsement be circulated to the board or put on a quick special meeting agenda for approval. "When it has the board name on it, then it's really hard to be a staff person and be a board member," one board member said, urging a policy that board-level endorsements come to the board first.
The board directed staff to circulate drafts of grant support letters in the future and to convene a quick board review when timing requires near-term endorsement. Staff will continue engineering, outreach planning and grant submissions and will notify the board when testimony or formal board endorsement is requested.
