The City of Stayton has partnered with a lobbying firm to pursue $14.5 million in federal grants for local infrastructure development, with efforts to begin in earnest this March.
The city is working with Salem firm CFM Advocates, who also lobbied for Sherwood while Stayton City Manager Julia Hajduk worked there as community development director until beginning her current role last June.
Hajduk said she believed the firm could help Stayton as well, and invited lobbyist Michael Skipper to the Dec. 19, 2022, Stayton City Council meeting to discuss initial efforts and specific goals the city could pursue.
Skipper said CFM Advocates would target congressional appropriations, which are funds earmarked in the federal budget at the request of legislators for specific projects. He said these funds come from taxpayers including local residents and ought to support local projects.
“We work with you to try and bring as much of that back to Stayton as we can to benefit you and your residents and make the community a better place,” said Skipper.
He said CFM Advocates has identified $14.5 million worth of infrastructure improvement projects they believe are strong candidates when they submit formal proposals to Oregon’s Congressional delegation in early March. He said public infrastructure proposals tend to fare better than others and, even though there is not a firm cap on appropriation requests, past practice says $4 million is the highest amount generally approved and projects below $3 million are most likely to receive support.
Based on those criteria, and priorities expressed by city department heads, Skipper said they plan to pursue
$4 million for a roundabout at the intersection of Shaff Road SE and Wilco Road, $3 million for water system upgrades, $3 million for road improvements, $2.5 million to expand the water main on Jetters Way, and $2 million in stormwater improvements to the west side of town. He said the roundabout and stormwater improvements would help attract industrial development to the west side, potentially creating jobs both locally and regionally, and making these proposals in particular attractive candidates for appropriations.
Skipper said, though formal submissions will not be accepted until March, CFM Advocates will begin lobbying now for the projects, working to familiarize legislators with Stayton and its goals. He said this helps give proposals a competitive edge.
Skipper said they can help Stayton pursue other grant opportunities as they work with the city to identify viable funding sources. Hajduk clarified the funding amounts sought through appropriations do not reflect all funding needed to complete each project, but rather the dollar figures most likely to receive support.
