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 the city's request. A staff member said AKS's study would likely take "a few months, maybe 2 to 3," to complete once funding is confirmed and the firm receives authorization to start engineering work.

Shelley (staff member) summarized the committee's position: "It's just best to wait until we can actually finish this study," and said the study should identify the most cost-effective and efficient route between the impound, the water plant, Hillsborough, McMinnville and other options.

Committee members asked for clarification about the grant amount cited in the meeting. One speaker reported approximate numbers during the discussion'that the city's portion was about "148" and federal funds about "192," but the total and precise breakdown were not specified in the meeting record. The committee asked staff to confirm exact grant figures and timing before the study work begins.

Signage and security at the impound Members discussed signage at the city impound after a committee member proposed replacing a sign that reads "City of Yamhill domestic water facility" with wording more generic and stronger as a potential deterrent (for example, citing federal tampering statutes). The group reviewed preliminary research during the meeting that said trespassing at a water reservoir is usually handled by state and local law, but that, under some circumstances, critical-infrastructure statutes (the meeting cited "Title 42" and the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act in general terms) could apply.

The committee did not adopt new signage language at the meeting but directed staff to research whether federal statutes apply in the city's specific case and to return with recommended sign text. Members also noted cameras are already installed at the impound and said staff should balance deterrence and information on any replacement signs so the facility is not explicitly identified as the city's water source.

Other items discussed - Pipeline inquiry: A committee member reported contacting the Hillsborough Water District and said Hillsborough indicated they would "entertain" a formal request to allow a pipeline from the top of Turner Creek down to Barney Reservoir (roughly three quarters of a mile) subject to restrictions and formal application. The committee did not act on a pipeline proposal and asked that any formal outreach be coordinated through staff.

- Contracts and committee authority: Several members raised procedural questions about whether individual committee members may contact outside agencies or pursue contract updates on their own. Staff and committee members reiterated that individual members may ask questions as private citizens but should not represent the committee or act on its behalf unless the committee gives explicit direction.

- Communications and phone tree: The committee discussed progress on a phone-tree and targeted text-message alerts to notify affected areas of water-line breaks. One member said she has begun distributing flyers and that targeted texts can be sent by street or area to avoid citywide confusion.

Vote and formal action The committee made and seconded a motion to put Water Advisory Committee meetings on hiatus pending completion of the Merkley grant work and the AKS study, or until the city council asks the committee to reconvene. The motion carried and staff were directed to notify the committee when the study and grant actions are complete.

The meeting record did not provide a clear, complete roll-call tally attached to the motion in typical name-by-name format; transcript excerpts recorded the passage with committee member affirmations and a verbal "all in favor" followed by several affirmative roll calls. Staff will include a formal vote tally in the minutes when finalized.

What the committee did not decide The committee did not adopt any ordinance, change any watering restriction, nor issue new signage at the impound at this meeting. Members asked staff to return with clarified grant amounts, a timeline for AKS's study, and legal guidance on signage and potential federal statutes that might apply to tampering at critical water facilities.

Looking ahead Committee members said they expect to reconvene once the AKS engineering study and the grant timeline are confirmed. Staff said they will post study materials to the committee's file and will notify members and the council when the study is available for review.