Oakridge City budget meeting #2

May 31, 2022

By GARY CARL/for The Herald  —  The second meeting of the Oakridge Budget Committee* was called to order at 6:05 pm on May 31^st by the Budget Committee Chair, Mayor Christina Hollett.

In accordance with the previous request by our acting City Administrator, Kevin Martin, numerous questions were submitted by committee members prior to the meeting and Martin and Finance Director, Colleen Shirley, were able to respond.  This shift of procedure from previous years, which was requested by Martin and endorsed by Mayor Hollett, allowed for a more efficient budget meeting.

The total resources as shown in the General Fund Summary is $10,701,551.  This includes a recently obtained grant towards restoration of the Willamette Activity Center (WAC) of $1,515,6743. and $374,000. from the (ARPA)**.

*These are the members of the Budget Committee:

 Citizen Members

Jeri Reed – Term Expires 12/31/25

April Allen – Term Expires 12/31/23

Brenna Chrisman – Term Expires 12/31/24

Jan Christensen – Term Expires 12/31/24

Ben Sachdeva – Term Expires 12/21/25

City Council Members

• Mayor Christina Hollett-        Term Expires 1/6/23
• Bobbie Whitney –                    Term Expires 1/6/23
• Audie Spliethof –                     Term Expires 1/2/25
• Melissa Bjarnson –                  Term Expires 1/2/25
• Michelle Coker –                      Term Expires 1/5/23
• Dawn Kinyon-                         Term Expires: 1/2/25
• Jan Hooker –                            Term Expires 12/31/22

City Staff Members

• Kevin Martin, City Administrator Pro Tem/Police Chief
• Colleen Shirley, Finance Director

**        The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) passed Congress on March 11, 2021 and signed into law by President Biden.

 

ARPA provides $350 billion in additional funding for state and local governments.  Larger cities such as Eugene OR received their tranche directly from the US Treasury.  Smaller cities such as Oakridge received their tranche from the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.  The first tranche of $374,000 must be allocated by 2024 and spent by 2026.  A second tranche of $374,000. will be allocated next year.

 

There are restrictions regarding the use of these funds, however that discussion is beyond the scope of this report.  Suffice to say these restrictive requirements will be of considerable concern to Martin and Shirley and the Budget Committee since an accounting to the federal government is an element of the grant.