Roseburg council sets ARPA spending priorities, agrees to trade downtown lots to UCC for Woolley Center

City staff presented the council with the status of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and a package of proposed uses during the June 10 meeting.

Staff reported ARPA commitments of about $2,485,000 and a remaining balance of approximately $2,700,000 (the transcript records an ARPA principal number that appears to contain extra digits; see below). The presentation outlined proposed uses including continuing park porta‑potties, funding for cleanup and security contracts, navigation center operations, information‑technology projects and capital items that were shifted out of the general fund to protect fund balance.

Council authorized three discrete ARPA actions by recorded motion: $208,000 for information technology upgrades, $178,000 for park improvement projects and authorization for the city manager to design and bid a project to finish the third floor of the Public Safety Center (staff cited an architect's estimate of about $630,000, and said any award over $100,000 would return to council). Each motion passed on voice vote.

At a related agenda item, staff presented a proposed property exchange with Umpqua Community College (UCC). The city obtained appraisals on downtown parking lots and the Woolley Center; appraisals in the staff memo showed Shalimar lot appraised at $90,000 and Phillips lot at $160,000 (combined $250,000) and the Woolley Center appraised at $625,000, leaving a cash difference of $375,000. Staff recommended trading the Phillips and Shalimar lots plus $375,000 in ARPA funds to UCC for the Woolley Center in order to place more student housing and staff downtown while securing the Woolley Center for future community uses. After council discussion about permit holders and timing, a motion to authorize the city manager to enter the transaction carried.

A note on numbers: the transcript quotes the ARPA total as "$5,215,000,000"; that number appears inconsistent with subsequent math in the staff presentation and with typical municipal ARPA receipts. The staff‑reported committed and remaining balances (approximately $2,485,000 committed and $2,700,000 remaining plus about $300,000 interest) are used above. Journalists should verify the principal ARPA award amount in the city’s formal records if precision is required.

What happens next: staff will proceed with IT purchases and park projects under the manager’s authority for amounts under $100,000, design and bid the Public Safety Center project and prepare contract documents for the proposed UCC land transaction; larger awards will return to council for approval.