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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 2017)
10A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL APRIL 19, 2017 SLSD waits for budget, could face $1.8 million hole As the district waits to hear from the state, it prepares to start cutting services, jobs, days from budget The South Lane School district is holding its breath along with the rest of cmay@cgsentinel.com Oregon's education system as it awaits the fi nal decision by state legislators concerning the budget. While the fi nal number has yet to be re- vealed, early projections from both the governor's offi ce and the ways and means committee had schools scrambling to maintain current services. The best estimate places South Lane schools try- ing to bridge a $1 to $1.8 million gap. To do that, something has to go. South Lane Superintendent Krista Parent has been holding bud- get meetings with various educators around the district to illustrate the dire situation. According to information distributed during those meetings, the school district has several options in making up the budgetary short- fall. To close the $1.8 million gap, it could eliminate 25 teachers for a value of $70,000 each. It could also cut 20.5 days from school at $88,000 a piece. However, Parent has noted that a portion of South Lane's students have had just a fraction of their education consist of a full calender due to cut days to comply with budget restrictions. Further, inclement weather has left students at home more than usu- al this year which could potential cause a larger problem. Students are required to attend school for a certain number of instructional hours per year. When school days fall away to snow days and budget cuts, schools can be left responsible to the state to explain the short-coming. According to Parent, SLSD has yet to be in the "penalty box" concerning instructional hours but if the school By Caitlyn May Water treatment center featured The Row River Water Treatement Plant in Cottage Grove has hit the big time. The facility was profi led in the latest edition of Water Qual- ity Products magazine, educating readers on the center’s water fi ltration system and providing publicity for the city of Cottage Grove as it continues to ready for the day it hits the 10,000 pop- ulation mark. The Row River plant boasts 4,000 connections, 49 miles of water main and serves nearly 10,000 people. The original plant was opened in 1993 and used an upfl ow clarifi er with a sand fi lter to bring drinkable water to residents. However, in 2006, the Cottage Grove City Council voted to stop using the Layng Creek Water Treatment Center after its 25 miles of pipes could no longer keep up with the demand. It was determined that the price to upgrade the system at Layng would not yield an even return. To stay on pace with a growing city, Cottage Grove chose the Aria FLEX membrane system that utilizes pressurized mem- branes to fi lter the water to drinking standards. According to Cottage Grove City Manager Richard Meyers, said the facility can grow and can house an additional fi ltration system as the city continues to grow and serve more residents. Williams Continued from A1 commission. Williams will fi nish out the remainder of Stewart's term and has noted he may run for re-election in 2018. He served as mayor of Cottage Grove for 12 years. Commissioners said attri- butes such as an individual who could diversify” the board and provide a new perspective were important deciding factors. Williams will join four men on the fi ve-member board. Prior to narrowing the fi eld to three candidates, commission chairman Pat Farr noted that the board was choosing someone, not to run in 2018, but to fi ll Stewart's seat for the remain- der of the term. He noted the task was a diffi cult one because, "You can't clone Faye Stewart." At the fi nal stage of selec- tion, Williams came out on top with Heather Buch following. A three-way tie put Tim Laue, Bet- sy Schultz and Cedric Hayden in third place. Laue nabbed the third spot after a second vote of the commission. Each fi nalist was asked what issues they would advocate for on the state and national level with answers ranging from vet- eran care to affordable housing. Williams was appointed with a 3-1 vote of the commission. Fleck, Nordin and Weeldrey- er were eliminated from the fi - nal rounds but commissioners encouraged all the applicants to continue in their pursuit of pub- lic service noting that the fi eld in 2018 may be a crowded one. The board noted the original 29 applicants, with two failing to meet the basic requirements, was a sign of interest in the po- sition and it may mean a fi ght for the seat during the 2018 election. Applicant Kevin Mat- thews noted that, despite not be- ing appointed, he planned to run for the seat he lost to Stewart in the 2016 election. In an emailed statement from the county, Williams said of his appointment, "This is a tremen- dous opportunity and respon- sibility,” he continued, "I look forward to continuing to serve Cottage Grove and the other outstanding communities in East Lane County – I am ready to hit the ground running.” is forced to cut days due to the budget and the area experiences another harsh winter, that could change. Also on the list of possible money-saving options is sports at the high school level. Eliminating the program would save the school $200,000. However, it is noted that such a move could cost the dis- trict up to 100 students. In a state where students can choose where they go to school, athletic programs draw in potential players and losing 100 students would amount to a $750,000 loss for the district. Other suggestions on the list include closing Latham School which would displace 120 students, stalling already delayed math adoption at the elementary level, terminating 31 custodians, 39 sec- retaries, 21 administrators or cutting all middle school athletics. Of all the items on the list, Parent asks administrators to cut up to 12, ranking them one through 12. She reported back to the school board that the exercise is helpful in explaining the budget to teach- ers and administrators who feel the pinch when services decrease and they're asked to do more with less. It's not the fi rst time South Lane School District has been asked to tighten their budget by the legislature. The district has cut days in the past and according to Parent, may have to do so in the fu- ture. Because the legislature lays out a two-year budget, further cuts could be waiting for the 2017-2018 school year. Parent noted that the district is unaware of exactly how the legislative budget would affect next year but any budget shortfall would place services, teachers and school days back on the chopping block. An answer on the fi nal budget is due from the legislature in the coming weeks. CONSTURCTION UNDERWAY FOR HAYDEN HOMES Hayden Homes has begun construction on the affordable housing development on Hwy. 99 beside the fi re department. Construction had been delayed over the winter and due to a shortage of available equipment. Foundations are being installed for the cottages expected to be rented as a solution to Cottage Grove's affordable housing crisis. The release distributed by the county also included a statement from the commission, noting, "We had a remarkable fi eld of candidates, each of who would have been an asset to East Lane County,” said Farr “Mr. Wil- liams will serve the constitu- ents of East Lane County well and we look forward to working closely with him on behalf of our community.” Williams was sworn in on Thursday and has been on the run ever since. "It's been a bit of a whirl- wind," he told The Sentinel. On Monday, April 17, Wil- liams was scheduled to com- plete his orientation and meet with staff. As for Williams, his hectic schedule will continue but he says there isn't much more to report. "The only new news is I'm back in government and here to serve the people as faithfully as I did as mayor. It's just casting a bigger net." Birch Avenue Dental Park W. McClung, DDS • Tammy L. McClung, DDS Where dentistry is our profession but people are our focus WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS! Check out our exclusive Birch Avenue Dental Program that provides all the rewards of dental insurance without the headaches. For more information please call 541-942-2471 or visit us at www.birchavenuedental.com The Cottage Grove Public Library Presents Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit MAY 2017 MAY 1-31, 2017 COTTAGE GROVE PUBLIC LIBRARY Come see the exhibit in the library, then watch the fi lms with us! AND...A FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATING THE SMITHSONIAN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE MUSEUM F FREE Th ursdays in May at 5:30pm REE Reception Hall at the Cottage Grove Community Center www.cottagegrove.org/library