Timing considered to be likely culprit
The Siuslaw School Board spent about 90-minutes last night discussing the outcome of last week’s failed school construction bond levy. Voters said no to $36.9-million that would have paid for a new high school. Board Chair Tammy Butler said the consensus was there were several different reasons for the denial, but one of the biggest was timing.
Tammy Butler – “Well the overwhelming response centered on the seemingly short timeline. There just really wasn’t enough time for voters to make such and important decision.”
The local effort was condensed into about six-months because the State of Oregon offered an additional $4-million that would have matched the local funds. But they required a nearly immediate answer. Even with the denial, Butler said the entire board knows the community is supportive of schools and the conditions at the high school won’t just “go away”.
Tammy Butler – “There did seem to be support to move forward and put the bond on a future ballot, most likely the 2017 May election. The need hasn’t gone away.”
No decisions were made this week, but she said the board will talk about it in the coming weeks and months.
Statewide disaster exercise set
It’s called “Cascadia Rising”. It will be a region-wide “functional” exercise involving major Oregon cities, counties and tribal agencies. It will also include 17 different state agencies, including the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.
One other group, the West Lane Emergency Operations Group in the Florence area. It’s a consortium of public and private groups formed more than a decade ago to prepare plans for a local response and recovery from natural disasters.
The premise behind Cascadia Rising June 7th through the 10th will be dealing with a 9-point-oh earthquake and a resulting tsunami.
The goal is to put to the test plans, processes and communications during the four days. That’s according to OEM director Andrew Phelps.
While the public won’t be directly involved, he said, they will be encouraged to follow along. Phelps added that it is a “perfect time” to evaluate family and personal emergency plans and kits.
Water Resources Development act advances
The U.S. House will take up a bill that Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio says will secure permanent funding for Oregon’s small ports.
DeFazio is the “ranking” member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. That committee passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 that will require funds collected in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund be used for their intended purpose.
In past years, the federal government has used the money in the fund for other purposes.
DeFrazio said the bill also required the US Army Corps of Engineers set aside a minimum of $90-million each year for what he called “critical infrastructure” needs.
The bill must still pass the full House and Senate, but DeFazio said it has bipartisan support and is expected to strengthen coastal economies and create needed jobs.
Be mindful of plover protections
Visitors to beaches on the central Oregon Coast this weekend are being reminded to watch for areas where a threatened shore bird may be nesting.
Cindy Burns, a wildlife biologist for the Siuslaw National Forest, says the Western Snowy Plover nests in dry, open sand. They scrape out a shallow depression where they lay their eggs. Burns said the nests can be well camouflaged and are easy to miss or step on.
Several known nesting areas are set aside… with rope fencing and signs marking their locations. She said there are also restrictions on some activities near the nesting sites.
Burns said be sure to watch for signs at parking areas and trail heads for those restrictions.
Nesting restrictions are in place between the middle of March and mid-September.
Drivers pay to pay more… and less this weekend
Pump prices are that their highest level so far for 2016, but drivers traveling over the Memorial Day Weekend will pay the lowest prices for the holiday since 2005.
The national average price for regular gasoline jumped six cents in the past week to $2.29. Marie Dodds with Triple-A of Oregon said the average Oregon price went up two cents and is at $2.46.
Locally, the average cash price went up four cents, it’s at $2.42.
Dodds said Triple-A projects more than 38-million Americans will be traveling this weekend. That’s up 1.9-percent from last year.
