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Thanks to all of you who attended the special information
meeting on June 5 in the Community Hall. There were 55 people in
attendance. Those attending included some out of town folks, all but
one family represented are owners of Butte Falls town property. The
purpose of the meeting was to talk about the proposed ordinance
establishing a Butte Falls Water Commission and to talk to the
community about our water system needs and how to upgrade. Richard
Nored from the HGE Engineering firm in Coos Bay made a presentation
and answered questions. Copies of the HGE Engineering Study
completed in 1993 are available at the City Hall. They may be checked
out for you to read.
Butte Falls’ water distribution system is old and full of leaks, and
in need of replacement, not continued costly repairs. If we raise our
water rates from the $14 we pay now to the state average of $30, we
would be eligible for a 50% grant to pay for the system replacement.
Rural Development, a federal agency (formerly Farmers Home
Administration), would provide us with a loan and a 50% grant. Copies
of the facts and figures were provided at the meeting. Anyone who was
not able to attend the meeting may pick up this info at City Hall. If the
town had proceeded in 1993 to obtain a grant and loan to replace the
system, we could have obtained a 75% grant Today, no more than 50%
is available, and the future may see no grant dollars available. If we
wait to proceed with this, the entire cost may be an obligation to our
residents.
We did not have a quorum for our regular council meeting on
June 12. A special council meeting was held Thursday, June 19,
fire insurance rates. Call your insurance company
ask- At*
5 meeting, our Fire Chief, Hugh Simpson, wasaskedtf the^rac
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fire department was a "Volunteer ire
p
answer is
difference in the rating. Hugh has checked on tins a n ‘
that being a "Volunteer" fire department does not count ag
the fire code ratings. In fact, the majority of * e
nationally are volunteer fire departments. Talk with Hugh for more
Bill Tucker had good news to report at the June 19 meeting.
Superior Lumber company is donating land to us for the proposed water
bottling plant. Thanks to a current grant, we have an architect working
on the site plans. Talk to Bill for more details. A resident questioned
at the council meeting if the water rate increase is related to the water
bottling plans. I assure to you that it is NOT. We have an old archaic
system that needs to be replaced. We are spending more and more
dollars each year repairing an old system. We would need to replace
our old lines, install water meters and replace old hydrants even if we
were to buy water from Medford.
Fortunately, we have our Ginger Springs water for our town use.
Some interested folks have been working for several years on making
the dream of a water bottling plant come true. When this someday
happens, it will mean revenue to the city by selling our surplus water to
the water bottling company. Bill Tucker can answer more questions on
this subject for you.
The council also gave their blessing to proceed with a "Falls
Committee". A group of interested persons met recently to discuss the
concept of a "Butte Falls Park" at the Falls on Butte Creek. This park
following the Public Hearing of the 1997-98 budget. At the meeting, ZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
would be a place for viewing fish traveling upstream and a location for
th e c o u n c il v o te d fa v o ra b ly o n th e ordinance establishing the Water
natural resource education. I plan to contact the property owners
Commission. Secondly, after much discussion, the council voted to
representative as soon as possible to see if land acquisition is a
create an ordinance raising the water rates to the state averages, thus
possibility. If so, the Falls Committee will meet July 7 at 10:00 a.m. at
allowing us to be eligible for the Rural Development grant dollars. That
the Butte Falls Ranger Station office. You may call city hall to confirm
evening, I was not certain if this raise had to be effective immediately.
the meeting. Anyone who is interested, but not able to attend, call Lori
The GOOD NEWS is that the raise may be in increments. The 97-98
at the City Hall for a copy of meeting notes.
public works budget requires at least an eight dollar increase in order to
We are recruiting for a new council member. Alvin Thompson
meet the needs for the year beginning July 1, 1997. Another increase
is off to Alaska again and has resigned. The opening is posted, and a
can be enacted later, and a final increase after completion of the project.
new member will be selected at the July meeting.
An ordinance establishing these rules and regulations will be written,
Anyone interested in being on the Water Commission may
posted for 30 days and then voted on by the council. We should have
complete an application and leave it at the City Hall. The membership
the ordinance written in time for council review at the July 10 council
may be from 5 to 7, two of which may be non-town residents similar to
meeting.
the Planning Commission membership.
Other good news that I have learned is that we can set a
A special thanks to our Budget Officer, Melissa Owens, and all
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'Minimum rate" which would allow the low volume water users to pay
our budget committee members who met weekly until the task of
a lower rate. We will include this in our proposed ordinance
completing the 97-98 budget was accomplished. The Budget Committee
establishing the new rates. The process of grant application, approval,
included, the council members plus the following residents: Barry
constructions, etc. could take up to two years. The proposed project
Edwards, Diane Holm, Dan Murphy, Julie Freeman, Michelle Barnett
includes replacing the water distribution system lines, building a new
and Pam Waddell. A special thanks to our alternate Ed Lux who
500,000 gallon reservoir, installing new water hydrants on every street
faithfully attended all meetings and joined us when we needed a
comer and installing all the necessary water meters.
quorum.
The Town of Butte Falls currently has a fire rating code of "7".
Thanks to all of you for your support. These are challenging
With the new enlarged and looped water system lines and new hydrants,
wT live
“ n “ nUe 10
tOgether'° maintain this wo,’dcrf“ l P^ce
the class code may lowered to "6". This could mean a reduction in your
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, Mayor