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About Applegater. (Jacksonville, OR) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2021)
Applegater Fall 2021 17 Williams council provides valuable community forum Friends of Applegate Library could use help with annual sale BY MIKA SMITH BY DIANA COOGLE Why does unincorporated Williams have a “town council”? What does it do? The answer goes back to 1973, when the State of Oregon created a land-use program that was unique in the country. It made public involvement in planning the number-one goal of 19 statewide land-use planning goals that are the backbone of the system. The program called for “the opportunity for citizens to be involved in all phases of the planning process,” according to the website of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). The department currently has a written policy that every city and county must encourage public participation with a citizen involvement program. These programs “shall at least contain provision for a citizen advisory committee.” The DLCD’s Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee (CIAC) supports counties and the public in the implementation of this policy. Many years ago, the Josephine County Planning Department helped set up several Citizens Advisory Committees (CACs) representing some of the 16 designated districts of the county. Over time, most of those committees fell by the wayside due to lack of volunteers or to citizen discontent over interactions with the county. The Williams District is the last remaining CAC in Josephine County. It is called the Williams Town Council and Citizens Advisory Committee (WTC/CAC). Some folks ask, “Why ‘Town Council,’ since Williams is not an incorporated town?” That answer is elusive, but we do know what it does do. The WTC/CAC is a group of citizens elected by their district to give advisory input to the Josephine County Planning Department. Though formally recognized by the county as an advisory body, it has no legal authority and is not technically a part of county government. The WTC/CAC’s purpose, according to its bylaws, is to “provide a forum for Williams District residents to participate in land-use issues.” To meet this goal, it has two main functions. First, the WTC/CAC reviews and may comment upon development permit applications it receives from the Josephine County Planning Department that are considered quasi-judicial, which means that public input is considered as part of the permit granting process. The second function allows the board to decide whether to sponsor a town meeting to facilitate a general discussion about a pertinent topic for the community. For example, the WTC/CAC recently organized a public forum on the impacts of large cannabis grows that included the participation of six agencies involved in the regulation of that industry. There are currently no active CACs in the Jackson County portion of the Applegate. Given the complexities of all the economic, social, and environmental issues in the Applegate, perhaps it’s time for additional citizen input in the planning and development process. Contact your county Planning Department or Oregon’s Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee to find out more about how you can have your voice heard. Mika Smith Chairperson Williams Town Council and Citizens Advisory Committee mika@teachers.org The big push at FOAL (Friends of Applegate Library) this fall is our annual book sale, this year on Friday and Saturday, September 24 and 25. Haley May Peterson has been organizing the books in our Book Palace and picking out the very best for the sale. Those will be on a couple of tables in front of the shed (the Book Palace), for sale by donation. You will also be able to go inside the Book Palace and fill a bag with books. Drop by between 2-6 pm on Friday, September 24, and between 10 am-2 pm on Saturday, September 25, and see what we have. Lots and lots of children’s books. Some great best-sellers. Biography, science, history, science fiction, fantasy—there’s sure to be something you’ll want. (I’ve donated books from my own library, and I have a very good library indeed!) You could join the fun that day, too, by giving us a helping hand. We could use help organizing books the day of the sale, bagging books, selling books, and sweeping unsold books off the tables at the end of the day. It’ll be fun. Come and help. Thanks to all who have joined FOAL. If you’re not a member yet, think about joining. If you live on North Applegate Road, Humbug Creek, Thompson Creek, close-by portions of Highway 238, or tributary neighborhoods of any of those, the Applegate library is your library. Give it your support by using its services and by becoming a Friend. A $10 membership per household lasts for a year and makes our support of the library possible. Diana Coogle, President Friends of Applegate Library 541-846-7447, dicoog@gmail.com Food Pantry thanks those who help keep it open Greetings from the Applegate Food Pantry! We wanted to take a minute and thank A Greater Applegate, the Ruch Country Store, and our local farmers and ranchers who really went above and beyond to make sure we were able to stay open and continue helping our wonderful community. We invite you to come by and say “hi,” or if you are looking for a little extra help with food during these difficult times, please stop by. We are on the back side of Ruch Elementary School between 11:30 am - 1 pm Mondays (closed Labor Day). We look forward to seeing you! Deborah Price, Food Bank Manager, 541-899-6980 Michelle Bollinger, Assistant Manager, 541-218-6471