Sworn in on Monday, new Grants Pass Mayor Clint Scherf and four new councilors will meet on Tuesday with four sitting councilors to consider closing down a large homeless campground, limiting a smaller homeless campground to overnight stays, revoking a grant agreement to help pay for a homeless shelter and suspending a project to rebuild Caveman Pool.

Newly elected leaders also want to consider dissolving three city committees that work on housing, economic development and environmental issues.

The special meeting will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chambers, 101 N.W. A St., as conservative candidates backed by the Josephine County Republican Party fill the seats they won in the November 2024 election.

The council will consider whether to shut down a large homeless campground located on Southeast J Street that is the future site of the city’s new water treatment plant.

The council could restrict the hours of a smaller campground next to the Grants Pass Police Department to overnight stays from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The two campgrounds are home to at least 150 tents.

The prior City Council authorized the campgrounds last year after Grants Pass won a U.S. Supreme Court case regarding homeless camping on public land. The ruling allowed the city to remove homeless campers from city parks, where they had been allowed to stay because of a lower court injunction.

Previous councilors who lost their reelection bids have warned that shutting down the authorized campgrounds, which have portable toilets and dumpsters but are considered temporary measures, would cause homeless people to scatter throughout town.

However, crime and calls for police help spiked in the area around the J Street campground after its creation.

The newly reconfigured City Council will consider whether to revoke a grant agreement to provide up to $660,000 for the Mobile Integrative Navigation Team, known as MINT, to buy land and two buildings for an indoor homeless shelter, tiny house cluster and outdoor campground serving up to 100 people near Bi-Mart.

In a 5-3 vote on Dec. 4, the prior City Council authorized the grant agreement, but a property inspection report dated Dec. 13 showed significant issues with the 1940s buildings — including problems with roofing, walls, flooring and electrical and plumbing systems.

Also on Tuesday, the council will consider whether to suspend a project to replace the old, leaky outdoor Caveman Pool with a new outdoor pool and slide.

The $6.5 million project would use city urban renewal money and federal pandemic aid.

New councilors could redirect $1.2 million of the federal aid to install radio equipment on Dollar Mountain to improve communications for police officers and firefighters.

Some new councilors have criticized using urban renewal money on public facilities, like a pool, that wouldn’t pay property taxes.

Also on the Tuesday agenda, the council could vote to dissolve the Collaborative Economic Development Committee, which promotes economic cooperation among Grants Pass, Cave Junction and Josephine County as a whole.

The Housing Advisory Committee that encourages the development of housing for all income levels and the Sustainability and Energy Action Committee are also on the chopping block.

The swift move to set a special meeting on Tuesday came as the new mayor and councilors were sworn into office on Monday.

New councilors Indra Nicholas, Victoria Marshall, Erich Schloegl and Kathleen Krohn took the oath of office along with Scherf, the new mayor.

During the Monday swearing in ceremony, City Manager Aaron Cubic welcomed the new city leaders.

“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in our community’s leadership as these dedicated individuals step forward to serve with integrity, vision and commitment to the people of Grants Pass,” Cubic said. “We also extend our gratitude to those who have completed their terms of service and leadership. We look forward to working together with our new council to continue building a stronger, more vibrant future for our community.”

Rick Riker, a sitting councilor who wasn’t up for reelection in November 2024, offered an invocation prayer in which he thanked God that residents live in a democracy.

“Today is a special day as we welcome the new mayor and councilors. Give us guidance as we go forward,” he said.

Riker is currently vice president of the City Council.

The newly reconfigured council is scheduled to elect a new president at their first regular meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

The election of a council president was originally scheduled for Monday, but a check of the city charter showed it can’t happen until the first regular meeting of the new year, which falls on Jan. 15.

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Reach reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-474-3813 or valdous@thedailycourier.com.