Town briefs council on FEMA reimbursements, $12,000 debris award and three riverfront repair options
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Summary
Town staff told the council Aug. 27 FEMA has approved debris reimbursement of about $12,000 and is reviewing three repair options for riverfront riprap; staff are awaiting a final CenterPoint contribution to proceed on emergency protective measures tied to wastewater work.
Town staff updated the Newberg Town Council on Aug. 27 about ongoing FEMA project reviews and reimbursements following recent storm work. Deputy Town Manager Andrea Balboni said FEMA has approved roughly $12,000 in reimbursement for debris removal and that the claim has been approved at the federal level and is now with the state for processing.
Balboni and Town Manager Christopher Cook told council staff are also pursuing larger FEMA funding tied to emergency protective measures, primarily related to wastewater work, and that one outstanding item — documentation from CenterPoint — remains due within two weeks. That larger FEMA application could represent a much larger reimbursement but is still pending review.
Separately, staff presented three repair options for the Riverfront riprap and bank stabilization at the third and Fillmore sites. Options presented to FEMA included restoring the bank "as it was" and two stronger fixes: a buried concrete wall and gabion baskets (wire baskets filled with stone). Balboni said FEMA will run a cost analysis and decide whether to support the larger fix to reduce repeated repairs. She also described a vegetated or "green" gabion option that would hide rock behind plantings; staff said these gabions would be buried and not visible from the public area.
Why it matters: FEMA funding could materially reduce local costs for bank stabilization and storm-related repairs. The town's choice of repair method may affect future maintenance needs and public visibility of repairs.
Next steps: FEMA will review the submitted cost options and advise whether it will fund the larger fixes; staff will provide council updates when FEMA's cost analysis is complete. The $12,000 debris reimbursement remains in the state review pipeline; staff do not yet know whether reimbursement will be sent after project closeout or at a milestone date.