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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
SOUTH LANE AND NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY'S MOST AWARD-WINNING NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1889
VOLUME 129 • NUMBER 25
Taylor pump project adds $127,000
BY CAITLYN MAY
cmay@cgsentinel.com
City council opens a new year with change order
Under the management of the newly sworn-in mayor Jeff Gow-
ing, the Cottage Grove City Council approved a change order just
over $27,000 for upgrades to the Cottage Grove Water Pump Sta-
tion at its fi rst meeting of the year.
The million-dollar project, also known as the Taylor Pump Sta-
tion, hit a snag when Pacifi c Power altered the path of service avail-
able for the project.
According to city engineer Ron Bradsby, the original plan would
have cost the city $30,000. However, because of the now defunct
estimate by Pacifi c Power, an additional $57,000 is needed. More-
over, other challenges hit the project including discovering water-
lines and having to lower sewer lines.
“Staff’s intent is to have the city manager to sign the change order
with a cost not to exceed $127,054.14,” Bradsbury said.
Councilor Mike Fleck was the fi rst to address the issue asking
where the money would come from. It was Bradsby’s contention
that the water reserve fund would pay for the changes.
However, questions concerning the origin of the problem were
raised with Bradsby noting that the city’s consultant contacted Pa-
cifi c Power to have an estimated route proposed for the project. At
the time, there was power on the east side of Interstate 5 according
to Bradsby.
“The plans were submitted to basically feed off one major line
and go underground to the pump station, just basically crossing the
freeway,” he said.
The mandated additional lead near Dublin to cross the freeway,
according to Bradsby caused further issues.
“The local offi ce said they wouldn’t allow that because they
didn’t want an accident to happen on the freeway and the power be
cut,” Bradsby explained.
Three options were presented to the city with Bradsby informing
See Pump pg.8
“ Our choices are we authorize this or continue building a pump station that doesn’t have
effi cient electricity.”
Snow hit the city late last week closing schools and causing
delays but some residents found time to enjoy the weather. A 9ft.
tall snowman appeared overnight at Lincoln Middle School.
School board
debates budget
Budgetary concerns may force district to
take action, school days may be cut
BY SAM WRIGHT
swright@cgsentinel.com
New school, new name
Lane County School District plans to choose a
name by month's end
BY SAM WRIGHT
swright@cgsentinel.com
The school district is get-
ting close to naming the new
elementary school that is in the
process of being built off of
10th St. The district has opened
online voting polls for six dif-
ferent possibilities.
Communications Director
Garrett Bridgens says that the
website has over 2,000 votes,
more than the city’s 2016 elec-
tion participation.
Unlike the elections, however,
the polls are not the deciding
factor for the name of the
school. The school board will
take into consideration the
voice of the public and then
vote on a name.
The option to vote is listed on
the South Lane School District
website. But voters will have to
hurry, as the polls will close on
Jan. 17.
Currently the voting options
are: Bridges Elementary,
Covered Bridge Elementary,
Harrison Elementary, Head-
waters Elementary, Heritage
Elementary and Krista Parent
Elementary. The name will
be determined at the school
board’s next meeting on Jan.
23.
Residents of Cottage Grove
voted in November to approve
the Bond Measure 20-249 to
construct the new elemen-
tary school that will replace
Harrison Elementary. The
estimated cost of construction
is $18,921,100; just slightly
higher than the cost to renovate
the existing structure.
Libraries on the road to closure in Douglas
BY CAITLYN MAY
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Inclement weather did not
stop the Douglas County Com-
missioners from holding a
public hearing concerning the
possible closure of the countyಬs
library system on Wednesday,
Jan. 4.
For over an hour, the com-
missioners heard from the
public and offered their own
understanding of the impend-
ing funding crisis set to hit the
library system this summer.
ಯKnow this: We as your com-
missioners know the benefi t of
a library in the community,ರ
Chairman Chris Boice said. ಯWe
understand who uses it and what
they use it for. This has never
been a question of the librariesಬ
importance. Itಬs always been a
question of funding.ರ
The Douglas County Library
System was funded, in part with
grants, through the end of the
fi scal year. However, in Novem-
ber, the commission put forth a
ballot question asking residents
CONTACT US
to form a tax district to fund the
library requiring .44 cents per
$1,000. The vote failed 55 to 44
percent. As a result, the budget
for the library was front loaded
and the majority of the funds
were spent during the fi rst half
of the fi scal year, leaving the
county and the system in the
lurch for the last six months of
the year.
According to Boice, the coun-
ty is examining several options
to continue funding the 11 li-
braries within Douglas and is
asking the community to offer
suggestions. However, Boice
cautioned those present at the
meeting on Wednesday that the
countyಬs budget had its own re-
strictions.
ಯI think itಬs helpful for folks
to know that when suggestions
come in and theyಬre along the
lines of, ಫWeಬre spending too
much money spraying roadside
weeds,ಬknow this the county
See Libraries pg. 8
WEATHER
www.cgsentinel.com
On the Internet
(541) 942-3325
By telephone
(541) 942-3328
By fax
cgnews@cgsentinel.com
By e-mail
P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424
By mail
Corner of Sixth and Whiteaker, Cottage Grove
In person
South Lane School Dis-
trict’s budget discussion was
one of the more intensely de-
bated topics during this fi rst
school board meeting of 2017.
This year’s budget has the
potential to effect certain pro-
grams in certain school and
even have days cut from the
school year.
The winter weather hasn’t
helped the situation either.
For budgetary reasons, there
was talk of cutting the last
two days of school (June 14
and 15). The January weather
has already taken away some
school days, and the two-day
pay cut will be reallocated for
January paychecks.
With the new proposed ed-
ucation budget from Gover-
nor Kate Brown, which is just
over $8 billion, the school dis-
trict will fall an estimated $1.3
million dollars short of its
assumed budget. The regular
service standard is currently
at $8.4 billion dollars, which
would still leave the district
about $400,000 short.
The school district proposed
ideas to shorten the gap. Only
one proposal was approved for
now.
The school board voted to
cut the last two days of school
in order to spread salaries for
January and to stay above in-
structional minutes.
Other proposals more di-
rectly related to closing the
gap on the budget included
things such as eliminating P.E.
positions at the elementary
level, postponing the adop-
tion of math and science cur-
riculums, eliminate specifi c
course offerings and increase
participation fees.
All proposals came diffi cult
to the school board, which
didn’t take action on any yet.
Superindendent Krista Parent
said that the district has al-
ready postponed the adoption
of the new math curriculum,
and a new science curriculum
is coming up for adoption as
well.
“We’ve already postponed
the math curriculum, and if we
postpone science we will be
behind on two,” Parent stated.
The school district could
also eliminate course offer-
ings, but that would be hard
for teachers and students.
Cottage Grove High School
recently added two new AP
courses (AP Language Com-
position and AP World Histo-
ry), and the high school was
put on the AP Honor roll, a
national recognition. Further
discussion on the budget will
continue and pending whether
or not the state takes Governor
Brown’s proposed budget or
not will likely affect the deci-
sions of the school board.
CONTENTS
HIGH
LOW
40 27
Calendar......................................... 3B
Channel Guide
Classified ads................................. 5B
Obituaries....................................... 2A
Opinion .......................................... 4A
Public Safety .................................. 5A
Sports ............................................ 1B
Possible snow
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