City details Nent Park boat ramp reconstruction, marina planning and parks upgrades; tribal mitigation affects schedule

City staff told the budget committee the long‑awaited Nent Park boat ramp project is moving forward with federal funding but that cultural resources and permitting have delayed construction timelines.

FEMA funding and cultural resources Staff said FEMA will pay about 90% of the Nent Park reconstruction, which now includes a boat dock, a non‑motorized ramp, staging upgrades and site lighting. The project encountered significant cultural‑resource sensitivity during initial excavations; staff said tribal artifacts (primarily fishing tools) were encountered and that the city will use cultural monitors during in‑water work. Staff identified a mitigation partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and said it expects to conduct in‑water work in the 2027 window.

Marina and RV park priorities Marina staff requested a four‑seat UTV (~$20,000) for operations, an $80,000 potential fish‑cleaning station (customers requested improvements) and a $45,000 electronic gate to replace an inefficient manual system. Staff warned that a larger marina redesign is underway (geotechnical, hydraulic and sediment transport analyses already funded in part by an Oregon State Marine Board grant) and that some upgrades may be better timed as part of that larger project.

Parks upgrades Parks requests included Riverview Park improvements (playground replacement, potential community garden — $275,000 requested), a pocket park acquisition on Oral Street donated by a developer with an eventual city purchase, and phased wayfinding/signage across park sites.

Next steps Staff said remaining design and permitting work will be carried forward in the budget and that construction timing depends on permitting and grant funds; the committee did not vote on the projects at the workshop.