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Medford announces $147 million WIFIA loan; council approves sewer fee changes, budget software and supplemental budget
Summary
Interim city manager John Vile announced a fully executed $147,000,000 WIFIA loan for the White wastewater treatment plant. That same meeting the council approved updated sewer treatment fees (phased increases), a five-year budget software contract and a $5.625 million supplemental budget that establishes a HOME fund.
Interim City Manager John Vile told the Medford City Council on Dec. 17 that the city has executed a $147,000,000 low-interest federal WIFIA loan to complete upgrades at the White wastewater treatment plant.
"We have a $147,000,000 low interest, federal loan to complete this very important and very expensive project," Vile said, noting flexible repayment terms that include a deferment of repayments for five years after construction. He thanked finance and public-works staff for completing a nearly two-year process to secure the loan.
Separately, the council approved an updated fee schedule that implements sewer-treatment fee increases the regional rate committee set earlier this year (approximately 15% in year one, 16% year two, and 15% year three) to fund the wastewater-plant upgrades and meet bond-coverage requirements. Ryan Martin, the city CFO, explained the increases are tied to permit and bond obligations and to 30-year rate modeling.
Council also approved council bill 2025-106, a five-year contract with Unisolutions Inc. for budget-development and transparency software, in the amount of $433,425.80. Rich Rosenthal, parks and recreation director, answered questions about parks-fee changes (private swim lessons and new accessible aquatic classes); Rosenthal said some line items represent new programs rather than increases to existing fees.
In the supplemental budget (council bill 2025-108) the council adopted a $5,625,100 increase in appropriations across nine departments and 17 funds for the 2025–27 biennium. The package includes creation of a HOME fund for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and a one-time $145,000 general-fund contribution required by HUD. The supplemental budget also recognizes variable PD forfeiture funds and a modest increase in the cemetery fund earmarked for memorial restoration and maintenance.
All three measures passed on roll-call votes recorded during the meeting. Councilors asked staff clarifying questions about fee impacts and staffing-level items (for example, a part-time bailiff in Municourt noted in the supplemental budget). The council recorded roll calls and a single abstention on one parks-fee vote; all actions ultimately passed.
