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Council hears MOU to bring 75‑year‑old tugboat 'Lady Bee' to Willamette Park; advocates to fund rehab
Summary
Staff presented a draft memorandum of understanding with the Willamette Falls Heritage Advocates to accept donation, rehabilitate and display the 75‑year‑old tugboat Lady Bee at Willamette Park; advocates would fund remediation and the city would manage permitting and long‑term maintenance. Staff and council flagged parking, staffing and permitting concerns and asked for further advisory‑board review before a council vote.
City staff introduced a draft memorandum of understanding that would create a partnership between the city and the Willamette Falls Heritage Advocates to rehabilitate and display the roughly 75‑year‑old tugboat Lady Bee on city property, with the preferred site near the restroom structure at Willamette Park. Staff said the advocates have proposed to raise funds for remediation — including lead‑paint removal and engine oil cleanup — and that Wilsonville Concrete, the current owner, would donate the boat once remediation and site plans are in place.
"I think it's a great project and a really cool thing and I do hope that if we move forward that it works out great and is a great asset for this community over time," staff said while describing the draft MOU and the city role in oversight. Staff emphasized they designed the MOU so the advocates would bear hard costs and proposed hiring a private project manager paid from advocate funds to minimize ongoing city staff time.
Advocate Jim Edwards told the council he had talked with Wilsonville Concrete and estimated the earliest feasible timeline for moving and installing the boat would be late 2026 but more likely 2027. Staff used a working project estimate that included roughly $150,000 for phase 2 remediation and a $200,000 total as a practical placeholder, while cautioning that actual costs may be higher and would be developed during due diligence.
Councilors acknowledged strong advocacy community interest but voiced concerns raised by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: how the display would affect parking and visitor flow at an already busy Willamette Park, the city's capacity to manage long‑term maintenance, and the need for Historic Review Board input. Several councilors said the MOU includes protections and off‑ramps for the city and that the parties should pursue further coordination with advisory boards; staff indicated they will bring the MOU to a future business meeting for formal consideration.
