12 January 2015
City Manager Candidate Interview Set
A special meeting Tuesday evening at Florence City Hall will allow the council to sit down and interview the latest candidate for City Manager. Larry Patterson, the temporary City Manager, says the meeting is the result of a different approach he advocated for in December.
Larry Patterson – “We have altered the process just a bit so that as we receive applications we will be screening those and those that we think meet the qualifications and will be of interest to the City Council we’ll try to set up interviews so that this process should move a little quicker.”
The interview, at 5:30, is open to the public.
Larry Patterson – “Then they’ll go into executive session, discuss the candidate, come out of that if they want to set some direction, if that is their decision. May want to move on and look at other candidates but again, I’m very optimistic I think they’ll be very impressed.”
Former City Manager Jacque Betz left in June for a similar position in Newberg. The Council was unable to agree to contract terms with a Colorado man in October, sending them back to the drawing board as far as finding a replacement.
First Citizen Nominees Announced
Three very active area residents are the nominees for the 2014 Florence First Citizen. Phil Brubaker; Cindy Wobbe; and Bonnie MacDuffee will be honored during the Siuslaw Awards Dinner January 21st at the Florence Events Center.
Brubaker began working as a civic volunteer more than two decades ago. Since 1996 he’s served on the Peace Harbor Medical Center Foundation Board. Brubaker was on the City Council for 12 years, eight of those as Mayor.
Cindy Wobbe has been an active Chamber of Commerce member and volunteer. She recently completed a two-year run as President. Since 2001 Wobbe has provided more than 42-tons of food for Florence Food Share through her annual “Pounding” program. Half of that has come directly from her. She has also quietly organized a fund to help pay for restorative dental work for residents who cannot afford it.
The third nominee… Bonnie MacDuffee. She has been very active with several different organizations including as chair of several fund-raisers for Florence Food Share, the Florence Events Center, the Ladies of Elks, her church and also served five years on the Florence Planning Commission.
Friday Crash Sends One to Hospital
It looked far worse than it actually was. A two vehicle crash just east of Florence on Highway 126 Friday afternoon sent one person to the hospital, but only briefly.
Witnesses said a westbound Volkswagon sedan crossed the center line and struck an oncoming Geo Metro ab out 3:30 PM Friday. According to police, both vehicles spun with the Geo rolling before coming to rest on its wheels.
71-year old Ann Linder Kemp was the operator of the VW… she was not injured. 31-year old Joshua Gambill, the driver of the Metro, was transported to Peace Harbor Medical Center with minor injuries.
Traffic was blocked on 126 for about an hour.
Business Personal Property Returns Due in March
All businesses in Oregon… even home-based business… are required to file an annual personal property tax return with their county assessors by March First of each year.
That’s a law that’s been on the books for many, many years. But it’s been overlooked by many. Government officials have been working hard to remind businesses of the requirements in the past two years.
The personal property can include things like office furniture, personal computers and even leased equipment like copiers. Assessors collect the information by March 1st and it is added to the businesses property tax statement in November.
Assessors will cancel the tax due this year if the total value is less than $16-thousand; but the return must be filed no matter the value.
SOS Grant Helps with Emergency Fund
A 7-thousand-dollar grant will bolster the Emergency Voucher Fund at Siuslaw Outreach Services in the early months of 2015.
Nearly a thousand vouchers are handed out each year by SOS to help low income, senior and disabled residents pay for emergency expenses, transportation, utilities and even basic needs like fuel, shelter and prescription drugs.
Executive Director David Wiegan said the Emergency Voucher Fund was almost depleted by November of last year, so the grant, from the Templeton Foundation, is “especially welcome”.
Several local organizations, businesses and individuals provided funds for SOS in December.
Oregon Legislature Under Way… Sort Of.
The Oregon Legislature is officially underway for 2015, but lawmakers won’t begin meeting in session until next month.
Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, already the longest tenured governor on Oregon history, took his fourth oath of office this morning in Salem.
Democratic Representative Tina Kotek of Portland was selected for a second term as House speaker. She is the first openly gay woman in the country to hold the top job in a state legislative chamber. She’s also the first Oregon lawmaker to serve multiple terms as speaker since Republican Karen Minness in 2003 and 2005.
Democrat Peter Courtney was elected to a seventh term as Senate President. He extends his record tenure in the Senate’s top position.
Lawmakers approved rules and introduced dozens of bills on the first day. They’ll return February 2nd to begin the 160-day session.
