The city of Hermiston’s Urban Renewal Board amended its guidelines Monday night for administering its façade grant program.
The amendment is designed to eliminate what has become a roadblock for some applicants. The original guidelines called for grant applicants to get two competitive bids from outside contractors unless the construction work is to be done in-house.
Hermiston City Planner Clint Spencer, however, told the council Monday night that at least two potential grant applicants have found it difficult to find two contractors willing to provide estimates for small improvement projects.
The guidelines, it turns out, were more restrictive than even state statutes, which do not require competitive bids for purchases between $10,000 and $250,000. So, on Monday, the Urban Renewal Board – which is made up of the Hermiston City Council members – voted to drop the requirement that applicants must submit two separate bids in order for an application to be approved.
Instead, the new guidelines state that while competitive bids are encouraged, the applicant must only document that he or she contacted at least three contractors if outside contractors are to be used. The date and time of each request for a bid must be documented.
If the work will be done in-house, the grant would only cover the cost of materials.
The city’s façade grant program offers grant awards of up to 50 percent of the total project’s cost, with a maximum grant award of $10,000. Smaller grant requests are also encouraged. Funds in the grant program are dedicated to help improve and upgrade the appearance of properties in the downtown.
For more information on the program, visit the city’s website.
