Council discusses TVF&R proposal to rebuild Station 20 and possible transfer of property; no formal action taken

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) asked the City of Newberg to transfer the parcel that includes Station 20 to the fire district to facilitate a complete tear‑down and rebuild of the station. City Manager Will summarized staff review of the existing intergovernmental agreement and said that its language constrains the city's ability to require meaningful compensation for a full rebuild conducted by the district.

Will told council that staff examined the IGA and did not find clear contractual language that would allow the city to extract substantial payment for a teardown and rebuild; he said TVF&R proposed a modest payment to cover administrative costs and lot‑line adjustments. "After getting this considerable thought, including an examination of the existing IGA... it turns out that we do not have a leg to stand on in that regard," Will said.

Councilors discussed options for protecting municipal interests if the transfer proceeded. A number of members suggested including a right‑of‑first‑refusal clause so the city could reacquire the parcel if the fire district later divested it. One councilor said retaining the parcel was preferable to selling it for a small sum and argued in favor of negotiating protections that would preserve the city's long‑term interest in the land.

No formal motion to transfer the property, accept TVF&R's proposal or adopt specific conditions was recorded in the meeting minutes. The item concluded with council questions and staff follow‑up; no ordinance or resolution was adopted at the meeting.

Ending: Council members asked staff and legal counsel to prepare language options (for example, a right‑of‑first‑refusal) and return with recommendations; no transfer or authorization was approved during this session.