Cottage Grove council approves transfer of 10 pallet shelters to Lane County for Eugene providers

The Cottage Grove City Council voted unanimously to transfer 10 pallet shelters to Lane County so the county can distribute them to nonprofit emergency shelter providers in Eugene.

Lane County human services division manager Kate Budd told the council the county originally transferred 32 pallet shelters to Cottage Grove in 2022 and that 10 of those are not currently in use in Cottage Grove. Budd said two Eugene providers — St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County and Equitable Social Solutions — have identified locations and need the smaller shelters to expand emergency bed space immediately.

Councilor Merritt moved to return 10 pallet shelters to Lane County; the motion was seconded and carried without opposition. Several councilors supported the transfer but asked staff to plan how the remaining shelters would be maintained, stored and prepared for quick deployment in future natural disasters.

Council discussion included a request to consider maintenance and storage for the remaining pallet shelters so they could be preserved for future emergency deployments. Councilor Evan asked staff to study storage and hookup options for the shelters so fewer would need to be given away in the future.

The transfer will require a formal policy decision because the shelters are city assets, staff said; the council made the policy decision by approving the motion to transfer 10 shelters to Lane County for redistribution.

The council did not set a date for transfer logistics during the meeting; Budd said Lane County is willing to help with transportation.

Votes at a glance: the motion to transfer 10 pallet shelters carried unanimously.

Ending: Staff will return the shelters to Lane County for distribution to the identified nonprofit providers in Eugene; council asked staff to report back about long-term storage and readiness of the remaining pallets.