City of Bandon
CITY MANAGER'S NEWSLETTER
June 5, 2009
This newsletter is an informal report by City Manager Matt Winkel on the news, issues, and other items of interest from the City of Bandon. It will normally be posted once each month (on the Friday following the City Council meeting) on the City's WEB Page at www.ci.bandon.or.us, and will be e-mailed directly to all subscribers. Subscribers will also receive copies of City Council, Planning Commission, Parks & Recreation Commission, Committee for Citizen Involvement, and Water Resource Committee agendas via e-mail in advance of each meeting.
To subscribe or un-subscribe, or if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please e-mail to citymanager@ci.bandon.or.us. Your e-mail addresses will be kept confidential and not distributed or used for any purposes other than e-mail communications with the City of Bandon.
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
- Committee And Commission Appointments
- 2010 Census Outreach Program
- City Council TV Broadcasting Agreement Extended
- Bandon Selected For Main Street "Transforming Downtown" Program
- Sewer Rate Increase
- Alley Vacation Request Approved At 76 Gasoline Station And Run-In Mini Mart
- Harlem Avenue Sidewalk Grant Approved
- Walking Path Construction Grant Approved
- Self-Help Fire Hydrant Painting Program
- Oregon Beach Monitoring Program
- Linda's Church Joke
COMMITTEE AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS
After interviewing four candidates for two vacancies on the Planning Commission, the City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Roger Straus and Phil Arlen to fill those positions. Roger is an incumbent who was appointed to his second four-year term, and Phil was appointed to fill the vacancy created by current Chair Kendall Ridgway who decided not to reapply. Both terms will run from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2013. Congratulations to Roger and Phil on their appointments, and a sincere thanks to Kendall for her years of service!
2010 CENSUS OUTREACH PROGRAM
In March 2010, residents will begin receiving return-by-mail forms for the national 2010 Census. Follow-up will then be conducted by Census workers, who will attempt to personally contact anyone who has not returned a census form. Much of the federal and state funding received by the City of Bandon is based on population. The population estimates for the next 10 years (2011-2020) will be based on the official 2010 Census count, with those figures updated annually until the subsequent census in 2020. It is therefore very important to get as complete a census count as possible.
At the June 1st meeting, the City Council approved a proclamation establishing a complete count partnership between the Census Bureau and the City of Bandon. A large part of this effort revolves around a promotional campaign to encourage all citizens to complete the census forms, with a particular emphasis on reaching hard-to-count population groups. Now that the proclamation has been approved, the next step will be to form a Complete Count Committee, to provide input and assistance regarding the City's complete count promotional program. City staff will be developing a list of possible members to provide a broad base of community representation, and will be submitting those names to the City Council for approval. If anyone is interested in volunteering to serve on the 2010 Census Complete County Committee, to assist with the outreach program, please contact Administrative Assistant Beverly Lanier, telephone 347-2437, ext. 228, e-mail blanier@ci.bandon.or.us.
CITY COUNCIL TV BROADCASTING AGREEMENT EXTENDED
The current contract with PEG Broadcast Services, Inc. for videotaping City Council meetings and transmitting those tapes to Charter Communications and ComSpan for broadcasting expires on June 30, 2009. At their June 1st meeting, the City Council approved a new agreement to extend the service for the upcoming fiscal year, July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010. The cost for taping the meetings is $3,492.00 per year. Councilors Claassen, Drew, Hundhausen, Tiffany, and Vick voted in favor, with Councilor Procetto opposed.
One question which had been raised is whether enough citizens are viewing the City Council meeting broadcasts to justify the expenditure. Councilors generally concluded that most of the feedback from citizens had been positive. It was also noted that in addition to broadcasting the meetings, DVD's were available at City Hall for anyone who wished to check them out to view the meetings whenever they wished. An additional DVD will be provided to the Library for similar check-out. The Council felt it would be appropriate to monitor usage during the upcoming year, and possibly survey the community to determine the level of satisfaction with the service.
Another issue revolved around the scheduling of the Bandon City Council meeting broadcasts along with the other public meetings from Coos Bay, North Bend, and Coos County. City staff has been working with PEG Broadcast Services staff and ComSpan staff to coordinate the scheduling. The original programming schedule was developed for Charter Communications (Channel 14), but it has now been incorporated into the ComSpan (Channel 73) broadcasts, so both networks are now running the same programming. The weekly schedule will now be published in the World Newspaper's Saturday TV section, and hopefully in the Western World. It will also be posted on the City's website at www.ci.bandon.or.us. Each meeting in the County (including the Bandon City Council meeting) is run for one week, beginning on the Friday after the meeting.
PEG Broadcast Services, Inc. has purchased the necessary equipment, and is working on implementing a system which would also enable the City to provide a website link which would allow people to access the Council meeting tapes via streaming video on their computer at any time.
BANDON SELECTED FOR MAIN STREET "TRANSFORMING DOWNTOWN" PROGRAM
The City of Bandon has been selected for inclusion in the Oregon Main Street "Transforming Downtown" Program. According to a press release from the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD), the City of Bandon was among 10 Oregon communities whose selection "represents both state and national recognition of efforts to revitalize traditional downtown commercial districts using the Main Street Approach."
A special thanks and congratulations to Anne Sabotta from the Sage Gallery, Margaret Pounder from Bandon Coffee Café, and Kim Powell from Bandon Baking Company, who dedicated a great deal of time to preparing the application. Thanks also to Nancy Evans who supplied historical information for the application, and to Hank Hickox from Bandon Dunes who took time out to speak at the May 1st Main Street Meeting.
SEWER RATE INCREASE
Due to the extremely tight fiscal year 2009-2010 budget, staff has been closely monitoring the various funds to determine whether there are any meaningful differences between the projected and actual beginning fund balances as we approach the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, 2009. A significant shortfall is now projected for the Sewer Fund.
As pointed out by the City's auditor during the audit presentation last year, the sewer utility has been experiencing severe cash flow problems. Since expenditures continue to exceed revenues, the cash balance in the Sewer Fund has declined $71,495 so far this fiscal year. The current balance of $56,799 is well below the fiscal year 2009-2010 budgeted beginning fund balance of $185,232. To ensure that the sewer system can continue to be operated and maintained in accordance with Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requirements, the City Council approved a sewer rate increase of 10%, effective on July 1, 2009, with Councilors Drew, Hundhausen, Procetto, Tiffany, and Vick voting in favor, and Councilor Claassen opposed. The new rates are projected to increase annual sewer revenues by $74,600.
The City Charter, Section 47, which was adopted on September 19, 1995, restricts the ability of the City Council to increase sewer utility rates. However, in the Stadelman v. City of Bandon sewer rate suit, the court ruled that a pre-existing June 30, 1992 bond financing agreement requires the City to maintain sewer rates at a level necessary to properly operate and maintain the system, and to meet the debt service obligations. Therefore, in accordance with that court ruling and the bond financing agreement, the City Council has the authority and obligation to increase sewer rates to meet those requirements.
Even with the 10% sewer rate increase, Bandon's sewer rate is still very low compared to other cities. A residential customer using 5,000 gallons of water per month would pay $32.08 during the winter months, and $28.36 with the summer discount in effect from June 15 to October 15. Comparable sewer charges in other Oregon cities range from $30.00 to $65.00 per month.
The status of the Sewer Fund, along with the other utility enterprise funds, will continue to be monitored closely throughout the year to determine whether this increase is sufficient to provide adequate revenues to properly operate and maintain the sewer system.
ALLEY VACATION REQUEST APPROVED AT 76 GASOLINE STATION & RUN-IN MINI MART
After hearing testimony at a public hearing on the matter, the City Council approved a request by Ron LaFranchi to vacate the alley between the 76 Gasoline Station and Run-In Mini Mart, in exchange for Mr. LaFranchi dedicating to the City the property in the extended 13th Street SE and 14th Street SE rights-of-way. The alley property, which already contained private gasoline lines and was used for parking, will now be incorporated into the private parcel, while the City will receive the property which partially blocked the 13th Street right-of-way and completely blocked the 14th Street right-of-way. With this exchange, it will now be possible for 14th Street and City utilities to be extended to Highway 101 at some future time, without the necessity of condemning the property and paying the owner for it. The costs for surveying, documenting, insuring, and recording the property transfers will be the responsibility each party receiving that property.
Some concern was expressed from the public and City Councilors regarding a rumor that Mr. LaFranchi was going to develop a truck stop at this location. Mr. LaFranchi advised the City by e-mail that he was not installing a truck stop, but was cleaning up the property to improve its appearance. Councilors Procetto, Tiffany, and Vick voted in favor of the vacation, with Councilors Claassen, Drew, and Hundhausen opposed. The tie was broken by Mayor Schamehorn, who voted in favor of the vacation.
HARLEM AVENUE SIDEWALK GRANT APPROVED
The City's application to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to construct the Harlem Avenue sidewalk from 11th Street to Harvard Street has been approved. The City was awarded $100,000 (maximum grant available for small cities), which will be matched by $186,553.15 of in-kind labor and equipment from the Electric and Public Works departments to complete the $286,533.15 project. We will now complete the engineering and go to bid for the sidewalk portion, with City Public Works crews doing much of the grading and drainage work, and Electric crews placing the existing overhead utility lines underground.
WALKING PATH CONSTRUCTION GRANT APPROVED
The City's application for $32,000 (maximum grant available) in Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (OYCC) funding has been approved. The funds will be used to purchase materials, and hire 5 younger (15 - 24 years old) workers at $8.40/hr. for 40 days (8 work weeks), and a crew leader (no age limit) at $15.00/hr. for 45 days (9 work weeks including training) to complete the City Park Perimeter Trail, 10th Street SW Linear Park, and Table Rock Pathway as included in the Parks Master Plan.
The City is currently recruiting for all of these positions. Crew leader training will be held in Bend on June 15, 16, and 17, so that position must be filled immediately, and will be open from now until filled. We anticipate accepting applications for the youth worker positions until June 19, with work beginning during the last week of June or first week of July. If you are interested in the crew leader position, please contact me at 347-2437, ext. 229, or e-mail citymanager@ci.bandon.or.us. Application forms for the youth worker positions are available at City Hall.
A special thanks to Judy McMakin, Director of the Coos County Commission on Children and Families, who was instrumental in tracking down this funding resource and putting the application together.
SELF-HELP FIRE HYDRANT PAINTING PROGRAM
This is to remind everyone of the City's self-help fire hydrant painting program. To help reduce costs and still keep fire hydrants looking as nice as possible, the City offers a fire hydrant painting program under which the City provides the proper paint and supplies to allow a volunteer to paint the fire hydrant(s) in their neighborhood. To be uniform, and comply with the Fire District's requirement for fire hydrants that are easily recognized at all times and in all weather conditions, Bandon's fire hydrants are painted red with white tops and caps. If you are interested in volunteering to paint the fire hydrant(s) in your neighborhood, please contact Tammy Smith, Public Works Office Manager, at City Hall, telephone 541-347-2437, ext. 241, or e-mail tsmith@ci.bandon.or.us. Thanks to everyone who volunteers in this and other ways to help keep Bandon beautiful!
OREGON BEACH MONITORING PROGRAM
To help protect the health and safety of beach users, the Oregon Department of Human Services, Environmental Public Health Division, operates the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program (OBMP). The OBMP began its seventh summer season of sampling at 72 locations (22 beaches) along the Oregon coast on May 26, 2009. In Bandon, sampling is done at the South Jetty Beach and Bandon State Wayside Beach-Face Rock Viewpoint State Park. All beaches and their respective sampling sites are monitored once every week or two, depending on the specific location. Summer sampling will proceed at select beaches through Labor Day.
For additional information, you can visit the OBMP website at: www.oregon.gov/dhs/ph/beaches, where you can also access information regarding sampling locations, test results, and health advisories.
LINDA'S CHURCH JOKE
For some reason, it seems to me that Linda may have had me send this one before. However, she and Sarah were both laughing at it this week, so here goes (again?)!
Mildred, the church gossip, and self-appointed monitor of the church's morals, kept sticking her nose in to other people's business. Several members did not approve of her extra-curricular activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence.
She made a mistake, however, when she accused Elmer, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his old pickup parked in front of the town's only bar one afternoon. She emphatically told Elmer (and several others) that everyone seeing it there would know exactly what he was doing!
Elmer, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just turned and walked away. He didn't explain, defend, or deny... he said nothing. Later that evening, Elmer quietly parked his pickup in front of Mildred's house... walked home... and left it there all night. You gotta love Elmer!
HA! HA! Ha! HO! Ho! HA! Ha! ha! ha! ha!
ANYTHING ELSE?
Do you have any questions, input, or suggestions? Are there any topics you want addressed or covered in the Newsletter? If so, please let me know at citymanager@ci.bandon.or.us. For more complex questions or issues that may take significant discussion, please feel free to contact me by telephone at (541) 347-2437, voice mail ext. 229, so we can schedule an appointment.
Also, remember to visit the City of Bandon WEB page at www.ci.bandon.or.us, where you can get more information on this wonderful place in which we live.
That's it for now. Have a great day!
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