Philomath URA review committee approves $2.8 million draft budget, will ask council to adopt

The Philomath Urban Renewal Agency’s budget review committee voted to approve a draft fiscal‑year 2025–26 budget with total requirements of $2,797,982 and recommended that the Philomath City Council adopt it at a June 23 council meeting.

At a regular meeting that opened at 6 p.m., an unidentified committee member moved to approve the budget and forward it to the council for adoption. “I’ll make a motion to move the review committee approve a budget for the fiscal year beginning 07/01/2025 and ending 06/30/2026 with the Philomath Urban Renewal Agency with total requirements of $2,797,982,” the member read. David Lower seconded the motion and members responded by voice vote; no opposition was recorded on the audio.

Earlier in the discussion an unidentified presenter summarized the timing and said the council adoption hearing had been rescheduled from June 9 to June 23. “We’re gonna do that on June 23,” the presenter said.

Committee members also voted to request the maximum amount of revenue the URA may secure by dividing taxes under Section 1(c), Article IX of the Oregon Constitution, a step commonly used to set the maximum tax increment financing level for urban renewal projects. An unidentified member moved the revenue-resolution motion, it was seconded, and members approved it by voice vote.

During discussion staff clarified that URA revenues primarily come from property tax increments and business-related real tax mechanisms; the presenter noted the special levy is rarely used. No final council action on the budget or the revenue-request was taken at the committee level; the committee’s votes recommend that the Philomath City Council take action at its June 23 meeting.

Minutes were approved earlier in the session, and the Urban Renewal portion of the meeting was adjourned at 6:09 p.m. The committee paused recording and members prepared to rejoin the next portion of the meeting.