to save $$.
The Cottage Grove
entinel
$1.00
Friday, September 8, 2023
Cottage Grove City Updates
Number 35 • 134 years
Get an insurance plan —not just a policy.
(541) 942-0555 PayneWest.com
Nice with plenty of sunshine with a high of 79 and a low of 50. See more weather on Page 4A. Serving the communities of Cottage Grove and Creswell
City Road Improvement and Funding Committee rolls on By Cindy Weeldreyer Sentinel Community Reporter
1765 Clark Avenue By Richard Meyers City Manager
TODAY’S EDITION
River Road Dog Park Update This week City staff continued work at the new River Road Dog Park. The parking lot has been excavated and rock installed in preparation for concrete and pavement. The parking lot sidewalk and paving should be completed in September, weather permitting. Utility staff excavated out the walking paths and installed wood chips for the walking surface in both the small and large dog park areas. Next week staff will prepare locations for park benches and install decommissioned fire hydrants in both the small and large dog areas. The park will be open for use as soon as the parking lot is completed. Water Reclamation Facility Clarifier Update R&G has been making great progress on rebuilding the #1 Secondary Clarifier at the Water Reclamation Facility. The new concrete floor has been poured and the tank sides have a new troweled concrete finish. R&G installed most of the new mechanical mechanism and predicts it will be completed at the end of next week. Currently the rebuilding of the clarifier is projected to be complete in 3 weeks. Peace Tree and Peace Pole Project Update Maintenance staff completed the paver circle around the Peace Tree. They also completed the concrete bench pads around the paver circle. Next week staff will excavate for the Peace Pole paver circle and walking path to both locations. Staff is working with Alice Christianson to create the interpretive panel sharing information about both the Peace Pole and Peace Tree. South 6th Street Water and Sewer Extensions H&J Excavating has completed installing the new sewer line and water line extensions in S. 6th Street. Next week the lines will be pressure tested and the following week the
Obituaries — A2 Opinion — A4 Sports — B1 Classifieds — B4-5
street will be repaved completing the project. Thornton Lane Water Line Extension Wild Rose Excavation will start installing a new 8” water mainline from Arby’s to Thornton Lane. The new line will provide water service to the new St. Vincent de Paul Reuse Store, neighboring vacant properties, and the Airport. The project will take approximately 2 weeks to complete. Reservoir Road Project Pacific Excavation completed the tree removal and have started road excavation work to the new high level reservoir access road off of the end of E. Madison Road. High fire danger has restricted the hours of work from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. Hopefully the recent rains will reduce the fire danger to allow for longer work days. Pacific Excavation is working hard to complete the project by October 15th. Once the access road is completed City staff will start planning for a new high level reservoir. Camera Installation Valley Tel has completed the installation of a video surveillance system at the Armory and All America City Square. The access to video will allow the police department to view and document any suspicious activities, and will help in the identification of involved parties. National Preparedness Month – It’s Official! Friday, September 1st, marked the first day of National Preparedness Month! Beginning in 2004, September was designated National Preparedness Month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, acknowledging both the peak of the Atlantic coast hurricane season, as well as the 9/11 tragedy. The month is observed with a new theme each year, this year’s theme focusing on preparing older adults for disasters. The City of Cottage Grove will participate by posting daily emergency preparedness tips, drawing for weekly raffles, and giving away See CITY page 3A
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. - Drivers around town are keenly aware the condition of Cottage Grove streets range from good to fair to poor to failing. Funding, building and maintaining streets are ongoing challenges for leaders of American cities – large and small. There are just over 45 miles of paved streets and nearly five miles of gravel roads inside the city limits. A combination of the local gas tax, state and federal funding totals $1.325 million. This allows the city to budget $900,000 per year to perform street maintenance and $425,000 for capital projects. However, the revenue to meet on-going needs has been insufficient for decades, resulting in the current $28.9 million backlog of improvement, maintenance and preservation projects. A perfect storm continues to challenge cities that depend heavily on gas taxes to pay for road
projects. The major factors include: population growth creating greater usage, higher fuel economy vehicles, heavier vehicles using streets not designed for them, and the social trend to transition from gas to electric vehicles. Last May, responding to public feedback demanding local roads be improved, the City Council created a committee with a long name and a big assignment. The Ad Hoc Street Improvement and Funding Committee held its first meeting on May 25 and, as of last week, has met seven times. It is a diverse group that includes the Mayor,
Grizzly Fire prompts Level 2 (Be Set) Evacuation Notice
DORENA, Ore. - Increased fire behavior on the Grizzly Fire, burning approximately 20 miles southeast of Dorena has prompted a Level 2 (Be Set) evacuation notice for the following areas: All private lands & mining claims in the Bohemia areas within the Cottage Grove Ranger District of the Umpqua National Forest. Level 2 means you must prepare to leave at a moment’s notice, and this
may be the only notice that you receive. Public safety personnel cannot guarantee they will be able to notify you if conditions rapidly deteriorate. This is the time for preparation and precautionary movement of persons with special needs, mobile property, pets and livestock. Grizzly Fire: Size: 100 acres | Start Date: August 24, 2023 | Cause: Lightning | Containment: 0% See FIRE page 3A
Councilors and eight citizens. The citizen members are local business leaders and residents, who range in age from a high school student to members who are in their 80s. Women make up one-third of the committee and two live outside the city limits. They represent a wide variety of perspectives: Youth Advisory Council, bicyclists, road paving contractor, Chamber of Commerce president, auto repair owner, service providers, and retired individuals. The committee met throughout the summer learning in great detail about how roads are rated, constructed, maintained and funded.
Country Media, Inc. acquires The Cottage Grove Sentinel
Steve and Carol Hungerford of Country Media are the new owners of The Cottage Grove Sentinel. The announcement was made in Florence, at Siuslaw News, which was also acquired, along with Newport Times News. (Photo by Gerald Santana) COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. - News Media Corporation has announced the September 1 sale of the Newport News Times to an Oregon-based media company. Included in the sale is the Sentinel in Cottage Grove and the Siuslaw News in Florence, along with the three weekly newspapers’ websites, digital products and specialty publications. The buyer is Country Media, Inc., which owns eight community newspapers in Oregon and one in
541- 942-3325 ph | 541-942-3328 fax 1498 E. Main Street, STE 104 P.O. Box 35 Cottage Grove, OR 97424
www.exclusivelybridal.net
Originally, the committee’s charge was to have a recommendation to the Council by August 14, to allow time to place a street funding measure on the November ballot. In their discussions, committee members agreed the earliest date to go for a vote is May of 2024. On August 14, Committee Chair Amber Bahler presented its work to date. The Council granted a request to allow them to meet until a recommendation was completed and ready to present to the Council. Bahler said, “We’ve had lengthy discussions about how to be equitable with our street funding options, as it will be a sizable long-term investment if citizens truly want improved streets. We’ve also explored creative ways to achieve cost savings.” Public Works & Development Director Fay Stewart is pleased with the committee’s progress. “The committee has received a great deal of information and their work to find a solution See ROADS page 3A
northern California. News Media Corporation, headquartered in Rochelle, IL, has owned up to 75 newspapers and digital companies in nine states. It was founded by the late John C. Tompkins in 1975 and continues the family’s ownership under his son, JJ Tompkins, who serves as president and CEO. News Media purchased the Siuslaw News in 2000, and the News Times and Cottage Grove Sentinel in 2006. See SOLD page 3A
Cottage Grove Sentinel Follow us for the latest news: 2 Sections | 12 Pages Copyright 2023 @CGSentinel CGSentinel.com
541-942-3325 cgsetinel.com