OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Forest Grove Community Enhancement Program Grant Presentations - October 13, 2025

City Council — Monday, October 13, 2025
BodyForest Grove, Oregon
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, October 13, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:10:19

Transcript — Verbatim
0:07

So we're gonna get started.

0:08

I'd like to call to order this meeting of the community enhancement program grant presentations.

0:14

And to begin with, I'm gonna have our communication team give a little staff briefing about how we are going to proceed tonight.

0:23

Hello, Joyce.

0:37

Thank you, everyone.

0:38

For those of you that don't know me, I'm Joyce Phillips.

0:41

I'm the communications and program assistant here for the city of Force Grove.

0:47

Thank you for joining us uh this afternoon for our community enhancement program grant meeting.

0:53

We will award four grants for 20,000.

0:57

And we are excited this year that we had 16 applications.

1:03

All pertinent information was provided in the staff report, which I included in the packet that's on your desk in front of you.

1:14

Each applicant will have four minutes to present and one minute for questions.

1:20

Also, please write your name at the top of the score sheet, as Mariah will be collecting them at the end of the meeting.

1:32

Yes.

1:33

I have a question.

1:33

Uh Joyce, do all the applicants meet the criteria?

1:37

Yes.

1:38

They do.

1:39

It's none are for profit, and then are they all nonprofit.

1:42

Okay.

1:44

Great.

1:44

Thank you.

1:45

Any further questions for Joyce?

1:50

Okay.

1:50

Seeing none.

1:52

Well then I will hand it back.

1:54

Okay.

1:55

Um Maria, will you take should we take role in a little bit?

1:58

How should we do role?

2:00

Let's take role.

2:17

Committee member Gustafson.

2:20

Did you say me?

2:21

Yeah.

2:21

Sorry.

2:22

Yes.

2:22

Committee member Valence Isla.

2:25

Committee member Nunes?

2:27

Here.

2:27

Committee member Shimmel.

2:29

Here.

2:29

Co chair Wendell.

2:32

Co chair me.

2:33

Sorry, I was reading something.

2:34

Here.

2:35

My bad.

2:36

Uh committee member Falconer.

2:39

Committee member.

2:45

Uh Salgato.

2:46

Algato.

2:48

Um committee member Marshall.

2:50

Here.

2:51

Okay, so we're gonna get started.

2:53

Uh I'm gonna call I'm just gonna ask the committee.

2:57

Um would you how would you would you like to rotate asking questions?

3:02

Would you like me to ask all the questions so you can listen and score?

3:06

Have me ask all of them.

3:07

I see that from the side.

3:08

Do any of you want to ask questions?

3:10

No.

3:11

I have a question.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement████████████████16%
Community Engagement███████████11%
Senior Programs████████8%
Parks and Recreation████████8%
Procedural██████6%
Farmers Market█████5%
Emergency Management█████5%
Legal Affairs████4%
Youth Programs████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Forest Grove Community Enhancement Program Grant Presentations - October 13, 2025

The Community Enhancement Program (CEP) committee met on October 13, 2025, to hear presentations from 16 applicants competing for four $20,000 grants (total $80,000). After presentations and deliberation, the committee voted to award grants to the Family Peace Center of Washington County, St. Vincent DePaul, American Legion Washington Post 2, and the Forest Grove Elks Lodge backpack program. The meeting included a discussion on conflicts of interest and a tiebreaker vote.

Discussion Items

  • Staff Briefing & Process: Communications assistant Joyce Phillips explained the meeting format: each applicant had 4 minutes to present and 1 minute for questions. Committee members were asked to score applicants on provided sheets.
  • Conflict of Interest Discussion: Several committee members disclosed potential conflicts. Councilor Valenzuela recused herself from the entire process due to overlapping roles with the City Club, Downtown Association, and Alliance. Councilor Falconer disclosed that her husband coaches at Pacific University (applicant for the Longhouse), but she did not recuse. Councilor Gonzalez (co-chair) disclosed that he works for Centro Cultural (an applicant) but stated he would receive no financial benefit and did not recuse. The committee discussed the difference between perceived and actual conflicts.
  • Applicant Presentations (16 total):
    • Forest Grove Youth & Senior Bowling – Proposal to expand bowling programs for youth and seniors, including transportation and coaching.
    • Forest Grove Swim Club – Request to replace lane lines at the aquatic center (estimated $4,800).
    • Adelante Mujeres – Proposal to enhance the Forest Grove Farmers Market Waste Center with education and recycling infrastructure.
    • Pacific University (Indigenous Student Alliance) – Proposal for a Longhouse community gathering space (total project $2.2 million; $20,000 requested for construction documents).
    • Family Peace Center of Washington County – Proposal for outreach and service navigation for Forest Grove residents (estimated 180–200 clients).
    • Gigi's House – Proposal to teach sewing, gardening, and life skills to homeless and low-income individuals.
    • Food Ways at Nana Cardoon – Proposal for solar panels for an outdoor classroom.
    • St. Vincent DePaul – Request for utility assistance for low-income families (served 36 families in 2025; $15,600 in assistance).
    • Friends of Historic Forest Grove – Proposal for "Trails Tales" mobile educational program with miniature displays.
    • Adventures Without Limits – Proposal to expand inclusive outdoor recreation programming in Forest Grove Parks and Rec activity guide.
    • Centro Cultural – Proposal for operations and a green island rehabilitation at the Forest Grove Senior Community Center (serves 300 seniors).
    • West Tuality Habitat for Humanity – Proposal for disaster preparedness education and supplies for Rose Grove Mobile Home Park residents.
    • American Legion Washington Post 2 – Proposal for a Veterans Tribute Park concept and design (location at Lincoln Park).
    • Meals on Wheels People – Proposal to continue nutritional and social support for seniors (62% female participants, 19% BIPOC in congregate dining).
    • Forest Grove Elks Lodge Backpack Program – Proposal to provide weekend food bags to food-insecure students (served 158 students weekly; currently limited to 100 due to budget).
    • City Club of Forest Grove (Downtown Association) – Proposal for Main Street program activities (e.g., placemaking, business discounts).
  • Committee Deliberation & Ranking: After presentations, the committee discussed the difficulty of choosing among many worthy applicants. Members noted the importance of food security programs given potential federal cuts, and the need for community spaces like the Longhouse and Veterans Tribute. A preliminary tally showed the Elks Lodge (9 votes), American Legion and Family Peace Center (7 each), and a tie between Pacific University and St. Vincent DePaul (5 each).
  • Tiebreaker Vote: The committee voted between St. Vincent DePaul and Pacific University. The vote was 5–4 in favor of St. Vincent DePaul, awarding the fourth grant to that organization.

Key Outcomes

  • Grant Recipients (4 awards of $20,000 each):
    1. Forest Grove Elks Lodge Backpack Program (9 votes)
    2. Family Peace Center of Washington County (7 votes)
    3. American Legion Washington Post 2 (7 votes)
    4. St. Vincent DePaul (won tiebreaker 5–4)
  • Total Funds Allocated: $80,000
  • Next Steps: The committee will meet again in a work session to finalize any remaining details, but the awards were effectively decided at this meeting.

Meeting Transcript

So we're gonna get started. I'd like to call to order this meeting of the community enhancement program grant presentations. And to begin with, I'm gonna have our communication team give a little staff briefing about how we are going to proceed tonight. Hello, Joyce. Thank you, everyone. For those of you that don't know me, I'm Joyce Phillips. I'm the communications and program assistant here for the city of Force Grove. Thank you for joining us uh this afternoon for our community enhancement program grant meeting. We will award four grants for 20,000. And we are excited this year that we had 16 applications. All pertinent information was provided in the staff report, which I included in the packet that's on your desk in front of you. Each applicant will have four minutes to present and one minute for questions. Also, please write your name at the top of the score sheet, as Mariah will be collecting them at the end of the meeting. Yes. I have a question. Uh Joyce, do all the applicants meet the criteria? Yes. They do. It's none are for profit, and then are they all nonprofit. Okay. Great. Thank you. Any further questions for Joyce? Okay. Seeing none. Well then I will hand it back. Okay. Um Maria, will you take should we take role in a little bit? How should we do role? Let's take role. Committee member Gustafson. Did you say me? Yeah. Sorry. Yes. Committee member Valence Isla. Committee member Nunes? Here. Committee member Shimmel. Here. Co chair Wendell. Co chair me. Sorry, I was reading something. Here. My bad. Uh committee member Falconer. Committee member. Uh Salgato. Algato. Um committee member Marshall.

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