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Friday Update
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400 E. Main Street
Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424
(541)942-5501
Fax (541)942-1267
February 26, 2010
Adventure Center Grand Opening
Travel Lane County will be holding a grand opening for the brand new
Adventure Center at 3312 Gateway Street in Springfield on Thursday,
March 4th from noon to 12:30pm.
Police Department Training
Corporal Conrad Gagner attended the Advanced Electronic Control Device
Instructor Course on Thursday, February 25, 2010. The training
was an advanced instructor course that built on previous Taser
instructor training and was developed to address the liability issues
with the use of the Taser by law enforcement and corrections officers,
and in addition, guidelines for developing an integrated in-service
Taser training. The training covered the following topics: Taser
liability issues; recent 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ Ruling on the
Use of the Taser; documenting Taser usage; Taser policy update;
integrated Taser training; ECD placement in the continuum; dart verses
dry stun application; annual in-service training program; adult
learning concepts and conducting safe ECD simulations.
Economic Development Committee (EDC)
Councilor Fleck and Community Development Director Schesser attended
the meeting of the Economic Development Committee where a report was
given by Kristin Sanger, Economic Development Officer for the Chamber
of Commerce. The report updated the committee on the progress of
the work plan in the agreement between the Chamber and the EDC.
Kristin reported that the Economic Development Partnership
website initial work has been completed and can be visited at:
www.growingthegrove.com; the small business management class is a
success that started on January 6th with 37 participants representing
26 businesses; and that the Chamber in partnership with the City and
E-dev are exploring the possibility of several grant programs for
economic development. Community Development Director Schesser
reported on the urbanization/UGB study that is underway seeking
requests for proposals for consultants, and a citizen advisory
committee has been formed to meet once the consultant is hired.
Upper Willamette Basin Study Scoping Meeeting
City Planner Ferguson and Community Development Director Schesser
attended the scoping meeting for the Upper Willamette Basin Study
Scoping Meeting being undertaken by FEMA with the Army Corps of
Engineers under contract for the hydrology work. The study will
provide new topographic information to the 1999 Flood Insurance Rate
Map (FIRM) maps used in the Flood Insurance Program. The study is
to look at the upper reaches of the river to develop a new basin study
with new hydrologic studies and possibility development of risk
maps. City staff will stay engaged with this process.
South Lane Wheels Board Meeting
Community Development Director attended the monthly board meeting where
the major topic was a presentation by the ODOT Public Transit Division
on the site visit that was conducted in 2009, the transfer of the 5311
grant from LTD to the City, and the joint partnership with LTD, the
City and South Lane Wheels.
Opal Whiteley "Oregon Experience" film screening in Cottage Grove a HUGE success
A special Thank You to everyone at OPB "Oregon Experience" for bringing
this premiere screening to Cottage Grove. Over 125 community residence
enjoyed the evening special event and discussion about Opal
Whiteley. Most everyone seemed to have an opinion about her, yet
it still remains a mystery whether she was a literary genius, a fraud,
or just a wonderfully unique young girl and woman who seemed to have a
special appreciation and connection to the wonders of Nature here in
the Pacific Northwest.
Reading with Raptors at the Cottage Grove Public Library
On Tuesday, March 23rd, at 2:30 pm in the Shepherd Room, please plan to
join us for a very special event, "Reading with Raptors" presented by
the Cascades Raptor Center. Come join us for a storybook tale of a
raptor adventure with a very special guest star! All ages welcome.
Library 2 Go
Now you can download digital media from your home computer. The Cottage
Grove Public Library now offers digital media that you can download at
home or at the library. Simply go to www.cottagegrove.plinkit.org or
stop by the library and talk to a staff member for more information.
Row River Water Treatment Plant Final Warranty Issues
This week, Water Production Superintendent, Ray Pardee and Public Works
Director, Jan Wellman met with Mark Beauchamp, Principal with the Black
and Veatch/Slayden Construction Group Joint Venture to discuss the
final outstanding warranty issues at the Row River Water Treatment
Plant (RRWTP). The final warranty issues include the Atlas Copco
air compressors, the main plant operational computer, and the
McCrometer insertion probe flow meter.
There are two Atlas Copco compressors that create compressed air for
use in the air scrub cleaning process for the Pall micro filters.
One Atlas Copco compressor has given the City trouble since it was
installed, while the other compressor has run flawlessly for the past
year and a half. Pall Corporation has agreed to provide an
extended warranty on both Atlas Copco compressors through Calendar year
2010.
We have also experienced numerous problems with the main operational
computer, which runs the plants System Control And Data Analysis
(SCADA) system and general functions. Pall Corporation has agreed
to replace this computer and send someone to the Row River plant to
install and monitor the operational software.
The McCrometer insertion probe flow meter measures the volume of
finished water coming from the Row River plant and going to the Knox
Hill Reservoir. This flow meter has been reading inconsistently
since it was installed. Representatives from McCrometer will be
at the Row River plant next week to troubleshoot the problem. The
City will be asking that this flow meter be replaced with an updated
and improved model.
Once these three items are completed and accepted by the City, the
remaining retainage funds will be released to the Joint
Venture.
Quote of the Week
Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.
Josh Billings
February 19, 2010
Work Session
The City Council will be holding a Work Session on Friday, February 26,
2010 from 8:30 to 10:00am. This Work Session will be a
continuation of the Work Sessions being held on infrastructure
issues. This Work Session will focus on the Storm Drainage.
Adventure Center Grand Opening
Travel Lane County will be holding a grand opening for the brand new
Adventure Center at 3312 Gateway Street in Springfield on Thursday,
March 4th from noon to 12:30pm. The Adventure Center will be a
new visitor center for travelers to get active information about
recreational opportunities within Lane County.
Youth Academy Day
Thank you to everyone that helped with Youth Academy Day. The YAC
members had fun and learned a lot about City operations.
Beeper
The City Manager will be on KNND’s Beeper Show on Monday, February 22, 2010 from 8:30 to 9:30am.
Opal Whiteley "Oregon Experience" film screening in Cottage Grove
Please join Oregon Public Broadcasting at the Cottage Grove Community
Center on Wednesday, February 24th at 6:30pm for a premiere of their
Oregon Experience episode that will focus on the life of Opal Whiteley,
who some say was a literary genius and others, a fraud. You can
also watch the screening on Monday, March 1st at 9:00pm on OPB "Oregon
Experience". Who was Opal Whiteley? In 1920 everyone in Oregon seemed
to have an opinion about her. She had grown up in the logging camps
around Cottage Grove where she was known for her encyclopedic knowledge
of nature. But it was publication of her childhood diary that gained
her international fame and spurred her mysterious legend.
Library 2 Go
Now you can download digital media from your home computer. The Cottage
Grove Public Library now offers digital media that you can download at
home or at the library. Simply go to www.cottagegrove.plink.org or stop
by the library and talk to a staff member for more information.
Reading with Raptors at the Cottage Grove Public Library
On Tuesday, March 23rd, 2:30pm, in the Shepherd Room at the Cottage
Grove Public Library, please plan to join us for a very special event,
"Reading with Raptors" presented by the Cascades Raptor Center. Come
join us for a storybook tale of a raptor adventure with a very special
guest star. All ages are welcome!
High School Golf at Middlefield Golf Course begins in March
Now is the time for high school students to sign up for the golf teams
that practice at the City of Cottage Grove Middlefield Golf Course.
Check in with coaches Kent Russo and Linda Levings or call the
Middlefield Pro Shop for more information at 942-8730.
Middlefield Golf Pro Shop "Make Over"
We've just completed an exciting "make-over" at the Middlefield Golf
Course Pro Shop. Staff and volunteers have worked hard painting the
entire pro shop and we have relocated the main desk and rearranged the
merchandise area. Stop by soon to check out the improvements and to
browse through
our new product lines of golf merchandise!
Row River Water Treatment Plant Foaming and Off-Gasing
This week, the Joint Venture completed modifications to the sodium
hypochlorite tank that is used to prepare a routine cleaning solution
for the membrane filters. These modifications included the
installation of an off-gasing collection and venting system and the
installation of a spray system inside the tank to knock-down
foaming. The citric acid tank (which is also used in the membrane
cleaning process) was also retrofitted and connected to the same
off-gasing collection and venting system. This minor off-gasing
and foaming was causing corrosion concerns because of the negative
effects that these gases could eventually have on the structural metal
and controller contacts. Pall Corporation will have a
representative at the RRWTP for three days next week to address several
leak issues that have surfaced on the membrane racks and to observe a
Clean-in-Place process to evaluate the effectiveness of the off-gasing
and foaming control measures. We will continue to work with the
Joint Venture in observing and evaluating the effectiveness of these
recently installed modifications at the RRWTP.
Pedestrian and Railroad Crossing Markings to be Refreshed
ODOT Rail has notified the City that certain railroad crossing stop
bars and symbols need to be repainted to meet crossing standards.
Plastic Thermal Applications have not been as effective because of the
significant “alligatoring” of the pavement surfaces near the railroad
crossings. On Saturday, Western Asphalt Maintenance (WAM) will
paint the railroad stop bars and symbols that are of concern to ODOT
Rail. In addition, Public Works has asked WAM to repaint two of
the more heavily used pedestrian crossings at 10th and Main Streets
(near Trailhead Park) and in front of City Hall.
2009 Consumer Confidence Report Ready for Distribution
The 2009 Water Consumer Confidence Report has been finalized and will
be distributed over the next couple of weeks. Water Production is
charged with the annual task of reporting on the quantity and quality
of the City’s source, treatment, and distribution of drinking water to
our customers. Most of the CCR’s will be distributed with the
City water bills that will be mailed at the end of February. The
2009 CCR will also be posted on the City’s web site. Additional
copies are printed for mail distribution to those consumers of the
City’s water that do not directly pay the bill for water
consumption. Additional copies are available for pick-up at the
Public Works Department in City Hall.
ePermitting D14 Common Configuration Work Group
The Building Codes Division of the Oregon Consumer and Business
Services Department held a D14 meeting on the next process of the
ePermitting. The ePermitting program in Oregon presently offers
a basic program for over the counter plumbing, electrical and
mechanical permits. Under the basic program only contractors can
apply if the City is a member of the basic program and Cottage Grove is
a member of the program. The next step in the process will be the
launching of the full program in several communities state wide.
Lane County and the cities of Eugene & Springfield are scheduled to
be launched this spring. The D14 Common Configuration Work Group
is made up of fourteen cities and counties that have been selected to
enter into the full program. Cottage Grove is one of the 14 and the
purpose of the D14 Committee will determine the format of the program
that will be used throughout the State. Community
Development Director Schesser attended the kick off meeting. The
committee is scheduled to meet every two weeks with a goal of bringing
the full program live within 6 to 8 months. Permit Specialist
Maphies will be the other City member on this committee. The full
program will allow any person to apply for a permit and pay for it on
line 24/7. It will also have a public component that will allow
the public to look and see what work is being done anywhere in the
State or on their street. The D14 committee will also be
reviewing the project Charter, the Local Agency Agreement and agreement
between the State and Accela Corporation. There is no cost to the
City for the building module as the additional 4% state surcharge on
permits is financing the program.
Natural Hazards Mitigation Update Advisory Committee meeting
The first meeting of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Update Advisory
Committee was held on February 16th at City Hall. The meeting was held
to begin the required 5-year update of the 2005 Natural Hazards
Mitigation Plan. The Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan promotes sound
public policy designed to protect citizens, critical facilities,
infrastructure and property from natural hazards. The update will
ensure that short and long range plans for the community are continuing
to improve the City’s disaster resilience. City Planner Amanda
Ferguson, Finance Director Bert McClintock, Public Works Director Jan
Wellman, Community Services Director Pete Barrell, and Planning
Commissioner Lindsey Haskell attended the meeting. Coast Fork Watershed
Council Director Pamela Reber and Emergency Management Director Howard
Schesser will join the committee for the next meeting, which is
scheduled for March, 2, 2010. The public will be invited to participate
in this planning project through the spring and summer of 2010.
Local Wetlands Inventory Introductory meeting
City Planner Amanda Ferguson hosted a Local Wetlands Inventory
Introductory meeting at City Hall on February 18th. This meeting gave
25 citizens the opportunity to listen to and ask questions of Denise
Kalaky of the Lane Council of Governments and Wetlands consultant John
Gordon of ESA Adolfson, about the upcoming wetlands and riparian
inventory that will be taking place throughout Cottage Grove this
spring. The City of Cottage Grove is part of a 9-city grant project to
map wetland and riparian resources. The planning project will provide
City staff and property owners with better information regarding the
location and quality of wetlands and riparian areas for use in various
long-range planning projects. Meeting attendees were primarily property
owners who had received letters from the City asking for their
permission to enter their properties to confirm the presence of
wetlands or riparian areas. Representatives from the Coast Fork
Watershed Council, Department of State Lands and Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality were also on-hand to answer questions.
Quote of the Week
"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?"
Abraham Lincoln
February 12, 2010
Chambers Railroad Bridge
City Staff and OBEC Engineers have been working feverishly to try to
get the Chambers Railroad Bridge restoration started earlier than this
summer as a result of the recent movement of the bridge. As a
result, an expert contractor has been located that can begin the
dismantling of the bridge within the next couple of weeks.
Additionally, it appears staff from the Oregon Department of
Transportation are supportive of an expedited removal of the
bridge. In order to help convince other State and Federal
permitting agencies, it would be helpful to have an emergency declared
by the City Council. A Special City Council meeting has been called for Tuesday morning at 8:00am in the Council Chambers to consider an emergency declaration for the dismantling of the Chambers Railroad Bridge.
City Engineer Ron Bradsby, Community Development Director Howard
Schesser, City Planner Amanda Ferguson, City of Eugene Right-of-Way
Specialist Williams, and OBEC Engineers met with Park McClung on his
property which is located south of the Chambers Railroad Bridge and
between the river and River Road. The property will be impacted
by the end of the ramp to the bridge, and by some changes to the
riverbank due to mitigation. Following discussion, Mr. McClung
indicated his willingness to participate based on the proposed design
concepts. Lloyd Williams will now work in getting the required
documentation, appraisals, and easement agreements with Mr. McClung
within the next 30 days.
YAC Academy Day
The Cottage Grove Youth Advisory Council will be participating in the
YAC Academy Day on Monday, February 15th from 9:00am to 4:30pm.
City Councilors are invited to join the YAC for lunch at City Hall at
noon. The YAC members are looking forward to the Academy Day.
Area Commission on Transportation Formation
Mayor Gary Williams and the City Manager attended a meeting of
officials from throughout Lane County to continue discussion regarding
the formation of an Area Commission on Transportation. The body
of officials from throughout the County met and discussed some basic
structure and The ACT formation is being considered.
LRAPA
The City Manager attended a meeting of the Board of Directors for the
Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) on Thursday to offer
support for the Board to consider reviewing the composition of the
Board of Directors. Currently the City of Cottage Grove and
Oakridge share one seat on the nine-member board. The other seats
are appointed by the Cities of Eugene and Springfield, Lane County, and
the board itself.
All-America City Discussion
The City Manager visited Seaside to provide some advice to the
community in preparing their application for All-America City.
Middlefield Golf Course Superintendent Attends Annual Conference
This week, Middlefield Golf Course Superintendent, Kris Ammerman
attended the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America annual
Conference and Trade Show in San Diego, California. This event is
the premiere golf industry trade show and convention that showcases new
and innovative equipment, turf management techniques, and improved golf
course operations. We anticipate that Kris will return with new
ideas and concepts to make the Middlefield Golf Course even better than
it already is.
Public Works Safety Committee Meeting
This past week, the Public Works Safety Committee had their first
meeting of the new year. A total of eight employees attended the
meeting representing water, wastewater, the shop, parks, Middlefield
Golf Course, and public works administration. Safety inspections
were completed for the Knox Hill Reservoirs and for the Holly, Taylor,
and Cottage Heights pump stations. One safety concern was noted
at the Taylor Avenue pump station, which will be corrected as soon as
possible. The group discussed the training schedule over the next
several months, which will include fire extinguisher, defensive
driving, fork lift, and confined space training.
Row River Valley Water District (RRVWD)
The RRVWD has awarded the bid for the construction of a storage tank to
Delta Sand and Gravel. The storage tank will be located at the
lower filter site and will eventually provide surplus capacity and a
slight pressure boost for the District’s distribution system.
Delta had begun site preparation for the installation of the storage
tank when it was discovered that a couple of Lane County Floodplain
Permits would be required. The District will be obtaining those
permits as soon as possible so that construction of the storage tank
can continue. The next step for the District will be to bid and
install the membrane filtration system. Once this occurs, we
should be well on our way to separating the respective water
distribution systems. Public Works will be meeting this week with
the RRVWD and the US Forest Service to continue discussions concerning
overall project progress and issues of mutual concern.
Opal Whiteley "Oregon Experience" film screening in Cottage Grove
Who was Opal Whiteley? In 1920 everyone in Oregon seemed to have an
opinion about her. She had grown up in the logging camps around Cottage
Grove where she was known for her encyclopedic knowledge of nature. But
it was publication of her childhood diary that gained her international
fame and spurred her mysterious legend. Please join Oregon Public
Broadcasting at the Cottage Grove Community Center on Wednesday,
February 24th at 6:30pm for a premiere of their Oregon Experience
episode that will focus on the life of Opal Whiteley, who some say was
a literary genius and others, a fraud. You can also watch the
screening on Monday, March 1st at 9:00pm on OPB "Oregon Experience".
Reading with Raptors at the Cottage Grove Public Library
Tuesday, March 23rd at 2:30pm in the Shepherd Room, please plan to join
us for a very special event, "Reading with Raptors" presented by the
Cascades Raptor Center. Come join us for a storybook tale of a raptor
adventure with a very special guest star. All ages welcome.
High School Golf at Middlefield Golf Course begins in March
Now is the time for high school students to sign up for the golf teams
that practice at the City of Cottage Grove Middlefield Golf Course.
Check in with coaches Kent Russo and Linda Levings or call the
Middlefield Pro Shop for more information at 942-8730.
Summer Golf Tournaments Scheduling Now
If your organization is planning a golf tournament this summer, now is
the time to call the City of Cottage Grove Middlefield Golf Course to
reserve your date. Pro Shop Manager Steve Zeek is happy to work with
you and your organization to help make your tournament a great
experience and success. Call Steve at 942-8730 for more information.
Middlefield Golf Spring Lesson Deals
Tony Joyner, golf pro at Middlefield Golf Course, is offering
half-price lessons during February and March. This is a great
opportunity to kick-off your golf game in preparation for the summer
season. Individual and group lessons available. Call Tony for more
information at 337-2244.
Spanish Story Time at the Library
Join us at the Cottage Grove Public Library on Monday evenings at
6:30pm for Story Time in Spanish! Spanish and Bi-Lingual books will be
featured and all are welcome to come enjoy this new programing at the
Library.
Library 2 Go
Now you can download digital media from your home computer. The Cottage
Grove Public Library now offers digital media that you can download at
home or at the library. Simply go to www.cottagegrove.plink.org or stop
by the library and talk to a staff member for more information.
Community Center Hosting AARP Tax Service
Need help with your taxes this year? Volunteers from AARP are offering
free tax service on Wednesdays in the Reception Hall at the Community
Center from 9:00am to 2:00pm. This service is being offered on a
drop in basis, no appointments are necessary.
ARRA Stimulus Project
The Oregon Department of Transportation received bids for Cottage
Grove’s project of widening South 8th Street and resurfacing the
Woodson Bridge approach on February 11, 2010. Nine bids were received
and the apparent low bidder is Wildish Construction Company at
$155,406.25. Only $110.75 separated Wildish and the next bidder.
Wildish’s bid is 19 percent below the engineer’s estimate. Bids will
need to be verified by ODOT. With this construction bid and the
consulting engineer’s costs, the City is on budget with its ARRA
project funding.
CG WiFi
As of Tuesday, February 2nd, CG WiFi is live and available for
subscription sign-up. The City currently has 602 subscribers, 46
of which are paid subscribers and 29 of those are being invoiced with
their water bills. The breakdown for subscribers for each level of
service is:128K(10 hr free): 556; 256K: 27; 1.5Mb: 14; 3.0Mb: 1; and
7.0Mb: 4. The City continues to get phone calls daily asking
questions about the WiFi and we are looking forward to many more
sign-ups in the future!
Police Department Training
Police Chief Mike Grover attended the Executive Leadership Training
Seminar February 9th to 11th in Seaside. Training was sponsored
by Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) and
Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP). Topics covered
were Oregon Law Enforcement Leadership and Professional Standards, Mid
Manager/Supervisor Training, Use of Force, Leading Various Generation
in Law Enforcement Workforce, RAIN Meeting and DARE update.
Ken Erbes, Telecommunication Specialist attended a Domestic Violence
Intervention Training in Woodburn on February 10th. Dispatchers
learned questions to ask and what instructions to give when faced with
different types of domestic violence calls. Plus, courtroom testimony
and how it might impact dispatchers as the first person to respond to a
call for help. They learned how to identify batterers and victims, talk
to abusers, spot red flags from callers and protect responders who will
be on the scene.
Corporal Conrad Gagner attended the Crash Investigation Skill Building
Conference in Hillsboro, February 10th to 11th. Topics
included crash injuries and the correct identification of occupant
seating positions, best practices in forensic measuring/diagraming of
crash and crime scenes, crash scene photography, identification and
interpretation of roadway and vehicle evidence, collision physics and
how to demonstrate crash physics in courtroom settings and case studies
in high speed crash events.
Kennedy Conservation Corps Plants Ash Trees at City Wetlands
Students from the Kennedy Conservation Corps spent three days planting
bare root ash trees at the City’s Industrial Park Mitigation Site this
week and last. The third year of monitoring was just completed for the
site. Each year reviews are improving thanks to hard work and
dedication from the students at the Kennedy Conservation Corps.
Students planted 1295 Oregon Ash trees throughout the wetland to work
towards reaching the goal of 80% coverage in native species for the
site.
Cottage Grove Community Foundation
Councilor Mike Fleck and Community Development Director Howard Schesser
attended the monthly meeting of the Community Foundation. At the
meeting new officers were elected to take office at the March
meeting. The new officers are: Kathryn Porter President,
Jacques LeCoure Vice President, John Indermuehle Treasurer, and Betty
White Secretary. The majority of the meeting involved the
consideration of 24 applications for community grants. Out of the
24 applications, only 23 were considered, one was late, and of those 23
the Board approved funding for 15 grants for a total of $13,900.
The grant presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, March 16th from
12-1pm. Other business included the adoption of the Board goals
for 2010 and a report on the scholarship program that will begin in
March.
CDBG Site Review - South Lane Mental Health
With the remodel of the South Lane Mental Health (SLMH) facility at
1345 Birch Avenue being more than 50% complete, a site review visit by
Business Oregon was conducted at City Hall and at SLMH related to the
documentation required by the Community Development Block Grant.
A few areas were noted for not having the required documentation or the
documentation being not detailed enough. City staff and SLMH
staff are working to obtain that documentation, however the overall
impression from the reviewer was positive. A report on the visit
will be issued within a month. City staff involved in the review
included Community Director Howard Schesser and Finance Director Bert
McClintock.
South Lane Wheels
Howard Schesser, Community Development Director, attended two meetings
at South Lane Wheels. The first was the monthly Governance
Committee meeting where various personnel policies were
discussed. The committee is reviewing policies prepared by the
interim executive director as a result of a list of items required to
be completed from the ODOT site visit and review of last year.
The second meeting was the continuation of the January Board meeting
due to an extensive agenda. The Board approved the personnel
policies, Title VI plan, and a plan for fund raising. The
February Board meeting will be focused on a presentation of the site
review visit and subsequent report by ODOT, LTD and the City.
Willamette Floodplain Restoration Study
Community Development Director Howard Schesser, Public Works Director
Jan Wellman, City Planner Amanda Ferguson, and Planning Technician
Jessica Taylor met with Pam Reber, Coast Fork Willamette Watershed
Council, Chris Budai, USACE Project Manager, and Merri Martz, Tetra
Tech regarding the overall goal of the study to improve the function of
the floodplain. The East Regional Park has been selected as one
of the top 10 projects for this area and fits into our plan of removing
invasive plants and improving public assess to the natural areas.
The City has indicated a desire to continue to the next step which is
development of a 30% design plan for the floodplain restoration.
Staff will be providing some base data on habitat, trail location, and
turtles that needs to be taken into account.
Lane Preparedness Coalition
The Lane Preparedness Coalition Steering Committee met and reports were
given from the training exercise, CENS, and Communication
committees. A lengthy discussion was held on the Oregon
Partnership for Disaster resilience program along the coast dealing
with recovery planning. Also an announcement was made
that the national Recovery framework has been published in the Federal
Register and the comment period was open. The Local Emergency
Planning Committees process relating to hazardous materials was
discussed and noted that committees in the metropolitan area and South
Lane County are underway. There will be a follow up on these
committees in March. Updates of the Hazard Mitigation Plans for
Eugene, Springfield, and Cottage Grove were also given.
Following the Steering Committee the quarterly Coalition meeting was
held with a theme of Earthquakes. A presentation by the American
Red Cross was given, including an update on their activities in
Haiti. The majority of the time was spent with a presentation by
the Oregon Disaster Medial Team (ODMT) by team leader Helen Miller,
MD. This organization is both the federal DMAT team for this
region and the ODMT team which is a non-profit group that responds for
the 72 hour period immediately after a disaster. More information
on the group can be obtained at: www.odmt.org. Several PSA
announcements to be used during April ‘Earthquake Awareness Month’ were
previewed.
A presentation was given on the Northwest Youth Corps program for the
coming spring and summer. They will be concentrating on trail
construction and maintenance. An update on the HINI process for
the region and the State was also given by Lane County Public Health.
Quote of the Week
Life has taught us
that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking
outward together in the same direction.
Saint-Exupery
February 5, 2010
YAC Academy Day
The Youth Advisory Council will be participating in the YAC Academy Day
on Monday, February 15th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The City
Council is invited to join the YAC for lunch in the Council Chambers at
noon. The YAC is looking forward to meeting and visiting with the
City Councilors during lunch.
Beeper
The City Manager will be on KNND’s Beeper Show on Monday, February 8th from 8:30 to 9:30 am.
Wastewater Work Session
Just a reminder about the wastewater work session that has been
scheduled for Friday, February 19th from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. The
work session will be held to discuss wastewater infrastructure needs
and issues. The work session will be held at City Hall and will
include a trip out into the field to examine facility
conditions.
CIS Conference
The City Manager attended the annual City/County Insurance Services
Conference in Tigard. The annual conference provides an
opportunity to overview current trends in risk management and
insurance. The sessions included information on best practices in
risk management that have a direct impact on reducing costs associated
with the City’s insurance coverages. Specific sessions included,
collective bargaining, evaluating coverage needs, minimizing
volunteering exposures and contract administration.
Budget Committee Openings – Apply by February 23, 2010
Have you ever wanted to be involved in creating the City Budget?
The City Council invites registered voters who reside within the city
limits of the City of Cottage Grove to apply for participation on the
City’s budget committee. The budget committee generally meets two
to three times in the spring of each year to consider the budget
proposed by the City Manager for the following fiscal year. The
committee makes any changes that they feel are needed and then approve
the budget and forward it to the City Council. Appointments to
the budget committee are for three-year terms. There are
three positions, which are vacant due to term expirations, and one
which is created by the resignation of Matt Parsons. The new
appointments will expire on December 31, 2012 for the three expiring
terms, and the appointment to fill the unexpired term of Matt Parsons
will be until December 31, 2010. Applications are on-line at
www.cottagegrove.org or can be picked up in the City Manager’s Office
at 400 Main Street. Applications will be received through
Tuesday, February 23, 2010. The City Council will review the
applications received and make the appointments to the Committee at the
Council meeting to be held March 22, 2010. For more information,
contact the Finance Director, Bert McClintock.
Cottage Grove Receives $19,400 in Recovery Act Funds
The Oregon Department of Energy has announced $6.5 million in federal
funds for sixty-six energy efficiency and renewable projects in Oregon
cities and counties. These projects are funded by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) under the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Formula Block Grant program.
Government entities were the only ones eligible for funding under this
grant program. Federal criteria required that at least 60% of the funds
that the State receives be distributed to the smaller cities and
counties ineligible for a direct allocation under this program. Under
this criterion, 228 Oregon cities and 26 Oregon counties were eligible
to compete for the funding. The Cottage Grove wastewater
feasibility study project was the only grant award made in Lane County
under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Formula Block Grant
program.
The Oregon Department of Energy received 100 applications for projects
in five specified categories: Energy and water conservation
projects, energy efficiency, project financing, renewable energy backup
systems, and transportation.
The Oregon Department of Energy selected projects through a competitive
selection process. Selection criteria included energy impact,
project readiness, jobs created/retained, leverage of non-federal
funds, and other criteria such as economic, environmental, social
impacts, local unemployment, and geographic distribution of proposed
projects. The majority of awards were made to energy efficiency
projects.
The City of Cottage Grove will receive $19,400 to fund a feasibility
study to investigate design modifications to the digester basins at the
Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will enhance energy and operational
efficiencies. The feasibility study will include preliminary
engineering, budget development, project time lines, base line energy
usage, and estimated saving calculations sufficient to satisfy the
requirements for the Phase II application documentation. The
Phase II application will request sufficient funds to pay for the
proposed improvements to the digester basins; currently estimated at
$500,000 to $750,000.
Reflector Posts to be Installed at River Road and Main Street
During the next couple of weeks, the Public Works Department will be
installing reflective posts down the middle and along the length of the
median strips on River Road and Main Street. Because these are
low-rise medians, they are often difficult to see at night or during
stormy weather. We are confident that the installation of these
reflective posts will improve safety and visibility at these two
locations.
ODOT/Public Transit Division
Community Development Director Schesser attended a training sponsored
by the Public Transit Division of ODOT related to new forms for
completing quarterly reports and reimbursement requests for the
5311 grant. This is the grant that the City administers for South
Lane Wheels related to the Route Around Town. As Cottage Grove is
a new grant recipient, staff is working with ODOT staff to get the
automated forms with the required base information regarding our grant
in the computer and on the forms.
Growing the Grove: Cottage Grove Economic Development Partnership
Community Development Department staff met with Kristin Sanger,
Economic Development Coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce, to
comment on the web page, to assist with additional information
for the properties listed and to discuss the process of land use and
development review in the City. Statewide goals, the
comprehensive land use plan, and the development code were discussed in
our ongoing efforts to make this a successful partnership.
Update of the State’s Database on Historic Houses in Oregon
City Planner, Amanda Ferguson, assisted representatives from the State
Historic Preservation Office, (SHPO) and the Friends of Mount David, in
reviewing the Reconnaissance Level Survey of the Northwest Neighborhood
on Thursday, February 4. SHPO Historian Ian Johnson walked and drove
around the Northwest Neighborhood to review and update the current
survey, originally created in 2006. This information will be used to
update the state’s database on historic houses in Oregon. The database
is available for local historians, schools, museums, community groups
and others interested in researching Oregon’s history.
Library 2 Go!
Now you can download digital media from your home computer! The
Cottage Grove Public Library offers digital media that you can download
at home or at the library. Simply go to
www.cottagegrove.plinkit.org or stop by the library and talk to a staff
member for more information.
Middlefield Golf Spring Lesson Deals
Tony Joyner, Golf Pro at Middlefield Golf Course, is offering
half-price lessons during February and March. This is a great
opportunity to kick-off your golf game in preparation for the summer
season. Individual and group lessons available. Call Tony
for more information at 541-337-2244.
Spanish Story Time at the Library
Join us at the Cottage Grove Public Library on Monday evenings at 6:30
pm for Story Time in Spanish. Spanish and Bi-Lingual books will
be featured and all are welcome to come enjoy this new programming at
the Library.
Super Bowl Party at Middlefield Gold Course
Bring a friend and come enjoy all the golf you like for $10.00 and a
great Super Bowl Party for another $10 dollars on Super Bowl
Sunday. Sunday, February 7th, is forecast to be sunny and mild, a
great day for golf. The Super Bowl Party, including food and
drink, begins at 3:00 pm, so come golf before the party and join in the
fun watching the big game on the 42" flat screen TV.
Quote of the Week
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.
Confucius