8A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL FEBRUARY 15, 2017
Armory looks to fi nish restoration, ADA updates
By Caitlyn May
The armory in
Cottage Grove
is currently un-
dergoing a transformation. Efforts to restore the
building and bring it up to code in regards to the
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) have been
in the works for months. A longterm project to
update the windows was recently completed and
during a meeting on Thursday, Feb. 9, future
plans concerning the restoration were unveiled.
Purchased in 2010 by the city of Cottage Grove,
the armory has been eyed as a location for local
events and gatherings.
On Feb. 9, future plans for a community envi-
ronment was still front and center. According to
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Christina Lund, in charge of fundraising for the
project, the city's aim has been to offer, not only
Cottage Grove a space to utilize, but to attract
out-of-town groups as well.
Several doorways and restaurants are far be-
low ADA standards. To remedy the issue, plans
have been laid out to create a separate entrance
on the north side of the building at street level for
ADA access. Additionally, an elevator to access
all fl oors of the building is planned all at a cost
of $550,000.
"The longer the armory sits," Lund said, "The
more the building degrades. We are being very
careful to keep the 1930s' style and respect that it
is a beautiful building.
City council denies loading zone for special
needs foster home
Bobby Kraneski was denied a
loading zone in front of his special
needs foster care during the Monday,
Feb. 13 meeting of the Cottage Grove City Council.
The issue fi rst came before the council on Jan. 25 when Kraneski
approached and requested that the board deem the area in front of
his home a loading zone so that the school bus could pull directly
up to the curb to load the children, some of whom use a wheelchair.
" I still, certainly feel for the applicant and understand the con-
cerns unfortunately I think we would end up with stops around
town and having looked at the map and location I just don’t see an
overwhelming need to put that stop in," councilman Mike Fleck
said during Monday's meeting. During the meeting in January, the
council tabled the item, asking for input from the school district
as to whether or not bus drivers could safely load the children and
what their preference was.
Cottage Grove City Engineer Ron Bradsby noted that he spoke
with Chad Hamilton and Kyle Tucker, both of South Lane School
District, concerning the issue. Bradsby reported to the board that
both men had noted the district's preference to load the children
curbside.
" Is the bus zone necessary? No but it would be very helpful,"
Hamilton told the board Monday night. "We will get the kids on
the bus safely but it will come at a cost. We’ll have to park in the
middle of the street and it stops traffi c between fi ve and seven min-
utes. It’d be much easier for us to do door to curb service for these
kids. Bobby’s house serves kids at the highest level of need. There
might be a child in a wheelchair so that fi ve to seven minutes is just
an estimate," he said. He also noted that, given the children Krane-
ski fostered, oftentimes students may have behavioral issues that
require longer load times. Hamilton told the board that if a loading
zone was instituted, the bus could turn its lights off, pull off the road
and park until the child was ready to board the bus.
Council struggled with the issue with several members com-
mending Kraneski on his passion but noting their hesitation to get
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
involved.
" If the school bus has to stop and turn the lights on anyway, the
traffi c is light on that part of the street. I understand the problem but
don’t see where the city should get involved with it," councilman
Garland Burback stated.
Councilman Jake Boone agreed saying, "I want to reiterate what
he’s doing is fantastic. If I were in your position I'd do the exact
same thing you’re doing right now," he said. "However, I just don’t
think we can, because the difference is the transit time to walk or
roll the eight to 10 feet, I just don’t, I don’t see my way clear to
doing that and it bothers me and I’m probably going to lose a little
sleep over it but never the less."
Retired bus driver Karen Munsell, who spoke on Kraneski's be-
half at the January meeting, did so again on Monday. She noted
Kraneski's struggle to escort several special needs children into the
street to load them on the bus after she thanked the council for con-
sidering the item.
" I’m asking as a community if we could fi nd a way. We’re not
talking grandma’s wheelchair, there’s some technical things going
on," Munsell said. "They’re 25 years old (Kranseski). They’re very
young and they are doing something. I don’t know if we have an-
other home in this town willing to do what they’re doing."
Councilwoman Amy Slay reiterated that the board understood
Kraneski's request saying, "I don’t think there’s a lack of support up
here. I think we all agree what you do is amazing but I don’t know
if this would solve the problem."
While several members praised Kraneski's work with special
needs children, the issue died for lack of a motion.
Kraneski thanked the board for its consideration and asked if
councilors had suggestions on how to move forward and request
that his neighbors not park in front of his home to allow for the
bus to pull closer to the curb. After being called on by Slay, Cot-
tage Grove Police Chief Scott Shepherd said, " I don’t have any
solutions that would offer any real change except to contact your
neighbors.
Rosie
from A1
Church,” she said. The wom-
en did fi nd time to have fun
however, with Nelson explain-
ing that she left just down the
road from the beach and fi nding
time to sleep between her work
hours and extracurricular activi-
ties was diffi cult.
“We would go see the big
bands play and Frank Sinatra,
Bing Crosby and Guy Lombar-
do,” she said. According to the
women, it wasn’t unusual for
celebrities to stop in and put
on shows for the workers in the
factory. It also wasn’t unusual to
fi nd soldiers strolling the same
beach block.
“There were soldiers every-
where,” Nelson said. “They
would say, ‘Where are you
from?’ We would tell them and
they would say, ‘Me too.’ They
would ask for the town and we
would tell them and they would
be from the same town,” she
laughed. “So we would go get
coffee. That’s not something I
would recommend these days
but back then, you could do that
safely.”
Fun aside, all three women
agreed that the work of building
wartime necessities came fi rst.
“All Rosies will say, ‘We did
the best we could because we
knew the troops were counting
on us.”
Dojo
from A1
simple. "Our school is full of
families of different races, value
systems, religions and political
beliefs. Despite the divide in our
nation, the environment inside
our walls has continued to be
supportive and positive for all,"
she said. The idea, apparently
came from another sign posted
on social media. "One of our in-
structors shared a hand-painted
sign that I thought truly refl ect-
ed how we treat one another
and I wanted the community to
know as well."
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