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Yamhill officials say FEMA, Business Oregon funding could bring new storage tank at no local cost
Summary
City staff told the council that FEMA increased its share of a proposed 3.5 million project to 90 percent, and a Business Oregon match could cover the remainder, potentially leaving Yamhill with no local match for a new 2.1 million‑gallon water tank that would expand storage capacity.
City staff told the Yamhill City Council on April 9 that a proposed project to replace the city’s aging water storage would likely require no direct local funding if pending grants come through. The city administrator said FEMA increased its cost share for the 2,100,000‑gallon storage tank project — a $3.5 million job — from 75 percent to 90 percent, leaving a 10 percent local match (about $350,000). The administrator added that a Business Oregon matching grant of up to $500,000 could cover that local share, “which means that if we are awarded … we will pay 0 for this 2.1.”
Why it matters: Councilors were told the new tank would substantially increase the city’s storage capacity and reduce the chance of water shortages during emergencies. Staff said the project would allow the city to continue operating on its existing tank until the new system was complete, and the grant would also fund removal of the old concrete tank.
City staff gave a timeline and operational details. The city administrator said the Business Oregon award process requires a minimum of 90 days for funding, so construction likely would not begin until the next fiscal year. Staff estimated the prefabricated tanks can be installed quickly once authorized; one councilor referenced Lafayette’s recently installed tank, which was completed in about four to five months. The administrator said a more conservative expectation is that the project would take more than six months from mobilization to completion. Staff also noted the grant includes funds to remove the existing failing concrete tank.
Councilors and staff stressed continuity of service: the administrator said the city would continue to operate the existing 1,000,000‑gallon system and would not take that offline until the replacement tank was completed. A public works representative said the new project would increase storage to roughly 2,800,000 gallons of working capacity when installed — figures city staff gave during the meeting.
The council did not take a formal vote on the grant award at the April 9 meeting. Staff said they completed two final application steps the day before the meeting and had a follow‑up call the same day; they characterized the award as likely but not final. The administrator emphasized the Business Oregon payment timing and that actual work would depend on receiving the final grant documents and scheduling with contractors.
Next steps: staff will continue finalizing the Business Oregon and FEMA paperwork and will report timing and contract details back to council as they are received.
