Yamhill water advisory pauses meetings pending Merkley grant-funded study; members agree to review impound signage

The City of Yamhill Water Advisory Committee voted to pause regular committee meetings until the completion of a water-study funded by a Merkley grant and the associated engineering work by AKS, or until the city council asks the committee to reconvene.

Committee members said the pause will let staff and consultants finish a high-level engineering study that members said is needed to compare costs, timelines and priorities for possible interties and reservoir options before the committee or council takes further action.

The committee's pause motion was made and seconded during the meeting and carried; committee members recorded the action and directed staff to notify the group when the grant-funded study and related materials are available for review.

Why it matters: members said the AKS study and the Merkley grant funding details are expected to supply the engineering and cost information needed to evaluate competing options such as a new intertie to Hillsborough, an intertie to McMinnville, improvements at the McMinnville impound, or dredging and work at Barney (sometimes referenced in the meeting as Bonney/Barney Reservoir). Several members argued it would be premature to pursue formal recommendations or ask other agencies for firm cost estimates before the study is finished.

Meeting discussion and next steps Committee members and staff described a recent exchange with the grant contact that indicated the grant office would try to prioritize…