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WEDNESDAY
SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF FLORENCE • DUNES CITY • WESTLAKE • MAPLETON • SWISSHOME • DEADWOOD • YACHATS AND ALL POINTS BETWEEN
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E A R
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S S U E
Fleenor
resigns
from port
N
O
.
24
MARCH
25
•
2015
$1.00
POW WOW
TRIBAL TRADITION CONTINUES ACROSS GENERATIONS
Commissioner cites
conflict of interest as
reason to leave
Siuslaw could lose
an estimated $150K
in state revenue
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
Port of Siuslaw Commissioner
Bill Fleenor submitted a letter of res-
ignation, effective Friday, March 27,
to Port Manager Bob Forsythe this
week to avoid possible conflict of
interest with his telecommunications
company.
Fleenor had just over three months
left on his four-year term as port
commissioner for position No. 4,
which was scheduled to end June 30.
“Last year I started a company,
Pacific Landings, LLC, with a couple
of investors, to explore the feasibility
of bringing telecommunications
industries to the Florence area,”
Fleenor said. “Particularly using the
industrial property the port owns.
“We created Pacific Landings with
the full understanding and support of
the port, the port manager and the
port’s attorney. I wanted to keep this
completely above board and clean.”
Oregon Revised Statute (ORS)
777 regulates the business and other
activities that Oregon ports are
allowed to engage in by law.
“We requested the port to petition
the state legislature to make a change
to OR 777, allowing all Oregon ports
to be able to engage in telecommuni-
cation activities; which appears to be
moving forward and has a high prob-
ability of success,” Fleenor said.
See
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
Siuslaw School District Superin-
tendent Ethel Angal voiced her con-
cern over the Oregon State
Legislature’s proposed new budget
for the 2015-2017 biennium.
“Every school district in Lane
County stands to lose money based
on the Average Daily Membership/
weighted (ADMw). Our best calcu-
lation is that Siuslaw School District
will lose approximately $100 per
student,” Angal said.
The ADMw is the formula used to
determine how much money each
school district receives per student.
The loss of revenue is particularly
baffling to Angal because, with the
improving state economy, all other
state services are seeing budget
increases.
Since the 2003-2005 state budget,
according to the Oregon State
Revenue Office, total state expendi-
tures have grown by 53 percent over
the last 12 years.
Human Services are up by more
than 84 percent and Public Safety
has increased by more than 68 per-
cent. K-12 state school funding is at
35 percent, which is 18 percent
below the growth rate.
In addition to loss of revenue,
Oregon students are losing ground
on the national level as well.
According to information provid-
ed by Lane Education Service
District, Oregon spends about 88
percent of the national average on
education per pupil in classes K-12.
It ranks 49th out of 50 states in stu-
dent-to-teacher ratios; six more stu-
dents per teacher than the average of
all other states.
“Even though we get money for
each child, the pot of money is divid-
ed between a lot more children. Our
best guess is that Siuslaw School
District stands to lose about
$150,000,” Angal said.
PORT 7A
Election
race is on
Candidates campaign
for board positions
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
The deadline to file as a candidate
in the May 19 special election passed
last week. Now, with less than two
months until the election, candidates
vie for positions in Mapleton and
Florence.
The most hotly contested posi-
tions are for Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Rescue’s (SVFR) three open seats.
Seven candidates will face off.
For director position 3, Tony
Phillips is running against incumbent
Rob Ward. For director position 4,
incumbent Cindy Spinner is running
against Ave Bernard and John A.
Carnahan. For director position 5,
longtime incumbent Steve Olienyk is
running against Woody Woodbury.
At SVFR’s March board meeting,
Ward said, “I think it’s great. Just
look at the number of people running
for the board positions now. We’ve
got a minimum of two people for
every position and three for one ...
and that’s awesome.”
See
VOTE 7A
Classifieds
B8
Library Tidings A5
Opinion
A4
Police
A9
Scoreboard
Sports
Tides
Weather
PHOTOS BY JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
Siuslaw Middle School was the site of the largest
Pow Wow on the Oregon coast March 21 with
more than 350 federally recognized Indian nations
represented and about 200 dancers performing
traditional native dances. According to event
coordinator Lynn Anderson, this was the largest
Pow Wow in the event’s 22-year history.
B5
B
B1
A2
See
SCHOOL 7A
B&G CLUB KEEPS AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
The Boys and Girls Club
of Western Lane County will
continue to offer after-school
programs Monday through
Friday at the Siuslaw Ele-
mentary School.
The club, which for several
years had been working with
the Siuslaw School District to
offer after-school activities in
conjunction with the district’s
Twilight program, will con-
tinue its after-school enrich-
ment programs, even though
the club and Twilight are now
Your
INSIDE
W E D N E S D AY
Schools
face cuts
to state
funding
operating independently.
The district’s decision to
part ways came after finan-
cial difficulties caused Boys
and Girls Club to begin
requiring a fee for the after-
school programs.
“I really believe our com-
munity needs a strong boys
and girls club. It can be the
best thing ever for the kids in
our community,” Siuslaw
School District Superinten-
dent Ethel Angal said. “To
the extent that we extend the
school district facilities, I
don’t see any reason why we
would not continue that part
Weather
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of the partnership.”
Boys and Girls Club board
member John Murphey said,
“We are very thankful to the
Siuslaw School District for
partnering with us and allow-
ing us to use their facility,
their gymnasium and their
field for our athletic pro-
grams. We are also grateful to
the Mapleton School District
for letting us do the same in
Mapleton.”
The Boys and Girls Club
after-school enrichment pro-
grams run from after school
until 6 p.m., Monday through
Thursday, and from 1:30 until
6 p.m. on Fridays.
The first hour of the after
school program is dedicated
to homework. According to
club board vice president
Chuck Trent, club staff mem-
bers sit down with the stu-
dents and help them with
homework. The next two
hours are enrichment pro-
grams, arts and crafts and
physical activities.
The club’s after-school
program will continue to
serve a full meal Monday
through Thursday and a snack
on Friday.
During spring break, in
Sports—B
addition to the enrichment
programs, City Lights
Cinemas is presenting a spe-
cial showing of “Big Hero 6”
today at 10:30 a.m. On
Friday at 1 p.m., the club will
offer a magic show at the ele-
mentary school. There is no
charge for either event for
club members.
The revamping of the
club’s Teen Center continues.
The exterior has been paint-
ed, the driveway has been
graded and landscaping has
been refreshed.
See
CLUB 7A
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
125