Budget Committee Meeting for 12/15/21 - ARPA funds

Budget Committee Roundup for December 15, 2021

The City of Newberg received $5.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds. The City Budget Committee met on December 15, 2021 to decide on allocations for up to 40% of the monies.
They approved the following projects.

1. $70,000 to Reduce City Fees for a New Hotel – City of Newberg

The Community Development Department requests $70,000 to reduce System Development Charges (SDCs) for a new, 79-room, hotel looking to be developed in Newberg. The hotel would fill a need for more hotel rooms in the community, promote tourism, and bring in revenue through Transit Lodging Taxes.

3. $380,000 for Essential City Staff Member Payment – City of Newberg

The City of Newberg agreed to bring forward this ARPA request on behalf of all represented and non-represented essential staff who have worked throughout the pandemic. This would represent a $2,500 bonus per essential staff member.

4. $400,000 for New City Financial Software – City of Newberg

The Finance Department requests $400,000 to update and upgrade financial software for all departments in the City. The current software was purchased in 1985 and has not had any upgrades since 2010. New software would allow the City to streamline many manually performed tasks, increase budget knowledge for all staff, and reduce errors in current systems.

5. $350,000 for Programs to Address Homelessness – Yamhill Community Action Partnership

YCAP requests $350,000 for two programs which address homelessness within the County. $200,000 would be used to support half a year of operations for a Navigation Center, currently being built. $150,000 would be used to support four Newberg area non-congregate motel shelter beds for those experiencing homelessness.

9. $176,000 to Upgrade City Computers and Technology – City of Newberg

The Information Technology Department requests $176,000 to upgrade all city departments technology with new desktop infrastructure, and to upgrade all host servers that run and control the desktops that staff uses both in the office and remotely. The upgrade will allow staff to video conference and work remotely in a faster, easier to use system.

10. $40,754 to Increase Technology Security – City of Newberg

The Information Technology Department request $40,754 to purchase the Microsoft System Center which will give the department the expanded capabilities needed to increase the City’s security posture and meet the growing security demands of remote work.

11. $24,343 to Launch a Downtown Gift Card Program – Newberg Downtown Coalition, Taste Newberg, Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce

The Newberg Downtown Coalition, Taste Newberg, and the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce jointly request $24,343 to continue work necessary to launch a gift card program, called Berg Bucks, that would allow one gift card to be purchased for use at multiple Newberg businesses. The money would pay for two years of management fees, monthly participant fees, and the physical gift cards needing to be purchased.

12. $280,943.30 for Air Purification Units and Replacing City Hall HVAC Units – City of Newberg

The Public Works Department requests $42,158.30 to purchase 14 Bluezone Air Purification Units to be placed in 14 different locations in city buildings and $240,785 to replace 2 HVAC units that provide all heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and fresh air exchange for the entire city hall building. The portable air purification units kill up to 99.9995% of viruses in the air, including the virus that causes COVID. The currently operating HVAC units are 23 years old and at the end of their life. Without HVAC units, the building will no longer be occupiable.

The next meeting on ARPA funds will be held February 16, 2022.