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Gilliam County eyes broadband, EV chargers and workforce housing as SIP wind revenue phases down

Gilliam County Budget Committee · April 15, 2026

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Summary

Committee members discussed using economic enhancement funds — including a significant unappropriated balance tied to waste-management host fees and SIP payments — to match a broadband grant, support EV charging infrastructure, and seed workforce-housing and EMS reserves after Shepherd's Flat SIP payments end.

The budget committee reviewed the economic enhancement fund and the county’s recent renegotiation of waste-management host-fee agreements. Staff said calendar-year 2025 host-fee collections included $5,635,974 (plus interest) and the fund will support a multi-year broadband project and an EV-charging grant. The broadband grant is budgeted for years 1 and 2 of what staff described as a four-year aerial-fiber project; an EV-charging award has been delayed by ODOT scheduling but is expected to proceed this fiscal year.

Committee members emphasized the scale of unappropriated balances and proposed prioritizing a housing study, EMS reserves for south-county services and workforce-housing pilots. The county also noted that Shepherd's Flat SIP agreement has one payment remaining in December 2026; staff said after that agreement ends the county expects to collect full property tax on that facility and anticipates an increase in property-tax revenue, but exact amounts depend on Department of Revenue valuations and pending appeals.

Why it matters: the economic enhancement fund is a major source for local development projects and seed funding; with SIP payments ending, the county’s primary recurring distribution will change, which could free or shift millions in annual revenue but also reduces predictable SIP receipts used in prior years.

What’s next: staff will continue to track Department of Revenue valuations, follow up on broadband and EV project scheduling and prepare policy options for prioritizing unappropriated balances once budget adoption concludes.