COUPONS INSIDE
www.shoppelocal.biz
SATURDAY
WWW.THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM
SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF FLORENCE • DUNES CITY • WESTLAKE • MAPLETON • SWISSHOME • DEADWOOD • YACHATS AND ALL POINTS BETWEEN
125
Y
T H
E A R
•
I
S S U E
N
O
.
7
JANUARY
24
•
2015
$1.00
Reynolds accepts Florence city manager position
Siuslaw News
On Jan. 20, the Florence City
Council unanimously voted to hire
Finance Director Erin Reynolds as the
new city manager.
City Manager Pro-Tem Larry
Patterson said, “Mayor and members
of the council, it’s my honor as well as
my distinct pleasure
to enter into an
employment agree-
ment
with
Erin
Reynolds to the posi-
tion of city manager.”
Reynolds said, “I
do accept it and I sin-
cerely look forward
to working with each
Erin
Reynolds
y
r
r
Sta
one of you in the next two years at
least.”
“At least,” Mayor Joe Henry said
with a smile.
Reynolds’ two-year contract
begins on March 1, 2015. According
to the council meeting packet, her
starting salary will be $105,000.
The council was “happy” to make
the offer to Reynolds after meeting
with Patterson to go over the contract
in an executive session earlier on Jan.
20.
“We went through the contract pret-
ty extensively,” said Councilor Ron
Preisler.
After the unanimous vote, Mayor
Henry congratulated and thanked
Reynolds.
He also said, “Thank you Larry
Starry
N I G H T
Patterson for helping to facilitate that
for our city. I think it’s a great step for-
ward and I think it’s going to be a
great year.”
Councilor Joshua Greene said,
“This is a big check off our to-do list.”
“That was goal No. 1,” Mayor
Henry said.
See
CITY 6A
Emergency
department
fundraiser nears
completion
Peace Harbor Medical Center
only $120K short of $5M goal
for major expansion
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
PHOTOS BY JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
Clockwise from top left:
Chamber Executive Director Cal
Applebee congratulates Jon Thompson
from KCST Radio for receiving the
Community Caring award. Cindy
Wobbe displays her First Citizen
award, next to Courtney King who was
named the Future First Citizen. Woody
Woodbury shows his Distinguished
Service award. Ron Green holds the
coveted Stu Johnston Business
of the Year award won by
Oregon Pacific Bank.
OPB, W OBBE
EARN TOP HONORS AT ANNUAL
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
oth businesses and
individuals received
accolades from
members of the Florence
Area Chamber of Commerce
at the Florence Events Center
Wednesday evening, Jan. 21,
during the eighth annual
Siuslaw Awards banquet.
B
Cindy Wobbe was chosen from among three
nominees to receive the First Citizen award. Her
resume of philanthropic endeavors included cre-
ating and overseeing the annual food pounding
for Florence Food Share for 14 years.
“Cindy is selfless, seeks no recognition,
always thanks those around her and prefers to
be in the background,” Mayor Joe Henry said.
“She encourages all those around her to support
wonderful causes in our community.”
“I am humbled and very grateful,” Wobbe
said. “I love this community. I love being a part
of it. This is a very special evening for a lot of
people and I’m thankful to be here and to be
recognized.”
Future First Citizen award recipient is
Siuslaw High School student Courtney King,
daughter of Laurie and Dennis King.
Siuslaw School District Superintendent Ethel
Angal presented the award.
“Courtney shows genuine caring for those
around her and is always willing to help,” Angal
said. “She strives to learn and improve herself
in all that she does.”
King said, ‘I’m honored to receive this award.
I’m grateful for this community. I’ve loved
growing up here.”
From a list of five nominees, Oregon Pacific
Bank was chosen to receive this year’s Stu
Johnston Business of the Year award.
Award presenter Cal Applebee, chamber
S IUSLAW A WARDS
executive director, said, “Thirty-five years ago,
Oregon Pacific Bank was founded on a culture
of caring about the community. They promote
that philosophy of giving back, both in dollars
and volunteer hours.”
Accepting the award was Oregon Pacific
Bank President and CEO Ron Green.
Green said, “It is our honor to be recognized
tonight, especially with the name ‘Stu Johnston’
on the award. He was such a pivotal part of this
community.
“Anything we can do to carry on the tradition
of what Stu did for the Florence business com-
munity is really our honor. Florence is every-
thing to Oregon Pacific Bank. We are so indebt-
ed to this community,” he added.
Woody Woodbury, owner of Grocery Outlet,
received the Distinguished Service award.
Other awards included: Community Caring,
given to Coast Broadcasting, KCST radio;
Excellence in Customer Service, presented to
Siuslaw Broadband; Nonprofit Achievement,
awarded to Western Lane Community
Foundation; and Curb Appeal went to The
Chicken Coop.
SPORTS — B
INSIDE
S AT U R D AY
Angling
Classifieds
Community
Courts
B1
B6
A5
A5
Obituaries
Opinion
SideShow
Sports
Your
A2
A4
B5
B
Weather
T ODAY
S UNDAY
M ONDAY
T UESDAY
Partly
sunny
59
46
Partly
sunny
62
46
Mostly
sunny
61
49
Mostly
cloudy
57
49
One of the largest fundraising efforts in
the history of Florence is nearing comple-
tion. The $5 million goal to expand the
PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center
emergency department (ED) is just $120,000
short of completion.
Michelle Douglas, the hospital’s director
of development released the updated figure
Jan. 23, following the hospital foundation’s
Circle of Giving Celebration Dinner.
“We had people hand us checks during the
dinner,” Douglas said.
By the end of the evening, more than
$18,000 had been received, bringing the total
remaining amount needed to approximately
$120,000.
Prior to the dinner, Kay King, chairwoman
of the Leave A Legacy: Save A Life emer-
gency department campaign, said the total
amount raised was $4,861,321.
The $5 million expansion will double the
size of the current ED to more than 7,500
square feet, and includes six private treat-
ment rooms, two trauma rooms, a centralized
nurse station and a secure treatment room for
potentially violent patients.
“The very fact that a city of our population
and the surrounding areas can raise this
much for such a worthy cause is an amazing
feat,” Douglas said. “I am grateful for every
single donor that helped us get this far.”
The ED expansion campaign has been an
ongoing three-year fundraising effort.
“We recently received a large gift of more
than $900,000, which puts the campaign
very close to being done,” Douglas said.
King added, “The M.J. Murdock
Charitable Trust has challenged the commu-
nity. They will donate $250,000, if the com-
munity can raise the last $120,000.”
Douglas said, “The exciting thing is that
we have a guaranteed maximum price
(GMP) from Skanska USA Building, Inc.,
which also built our central utilities plant.
The GMP is good through June 30. If we
break ground before that then the GMP
stands.”
During the Circle of Giving Celebration
Dinner, Dr. A. J. Brauer, of Florence, was
presented the Nat Guistina Philanthropy
Award.
PeaceHealth Medical Group President and
Chief Mission Officer Alan Yordy made the
presentation on behalf of the entire
PeaceHealth Medical Group.
“This is an award that recognizes individ-
uals who have given not only substantial
financial resources, but also their time and
talent over many years in support of
PeaceHealth,” Douglas said. “Dr. Brauer is
only the fifth recipient in the 10 years that
this award has existed.”
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER