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WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ JUNE 10, 2015
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
RYAN CRONK , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
1 2 5 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y F L A S H B A C K
1890 ❙
T
T HE W EST
F LORENCE T IMES
T HE S IUSLAW O AR
T HE S IUSLAW N EWS
S IUSLAW N EWS
❙ 2015
his year marks Siuslaw News’ quasquicentennial, our 125th anniversary, a remarkable achievement for any business in a small
community like Florence. To commemorate this milestone, throughout the year we’ll feature some of the town’s history as origi-
nally published in the newspaper, including historic articles and photos from more than a century ago. —Editor
Dunes City nears full city status
O RIGINALLY P UBLISHED J UNE 15, 1972
T HE S IUSLAW N EWS , V OL . 12, N O . 24
Dunes City is nearing its ninth birthday
with prospects of becoming a full-fledged
community, designed to fit the needs and
desires of the 1,000-plus inhabitants.
Included among issues which will shape the
future of the city are the following:
• Probable adoption of a home rule char-
ter. The city has operated under state law
during its relatively short lifetime and city
attorney William Jayne of Reedsport has
drawn up a charter for consideration by the
city council, and, ultimately, votes of the city.
An election at which voters will be asked to
approve the charter probably won’t be held
until after the November general election,
although it is possible the matter could be
included on the November ballot.
• After operating on franchise payments
from utilities, the city may be in line for
state-shared revenues of about $20 per capita,
if recent efforts by Jayne are productive.
• A survey completed by a team of stu-
dents from the University of Oregon’s depart-
ment of urban planning, recently completed
and compiled, furnishes a sound foundation
for planning for the future.
• It appears that a municipal water system
may be installed after months of hard work,
discussion and controversy.
In order to include the home rule charter
on the November ballot, it will be necessary
for the council to accept the document and
call for the election 60 days prior to the
November 7 election.
Jayne said it is doubtful if the council will
be able to complete work on the charter in
time to place it on the general election ballot.
The charter generally follows the same set
of laws under which the city has been operat-
ing since its inception with the exception of
officers. At the present time, voters elect five
councilmen, and they select one of their num-
ber as mayor.
The proposed charter calls for six coun-
cilors and a mayor.
Councilors would serve four-year terms and
the mayor would be elected every two years.
Terms of four of the five present council-
men expire at the year, so voters in Dunes
City will be picking new officers at the gener-
al election.
Nearly half the residents who responded in
the survey completed by the team of UO stu-
dents — 46.77 percent — listed public water
service as having the highest priority in need-
ed civic improvements.
Over 50 percent said they would be willing
to pay their fair share of a municipal water
system if it is economically feasible for the
city to provide one.
With this strong support, the council has
been working toward a water system, but
problems have arisen, mainly sewage disposal
and financing.
City officials have indicated they believe
the smaller system would be adequate but
officials from the Lance Council of
Governments, Farmer’s Home Administration
state agencies and Lane County have raised
the problem of sewage disposal, which could
be aggravated if stringent controls aren’t
employed to prevent dense deployment.
With a municipal water system, it was
pointed out, Dunes City would be an even
more attractive place in which to build.
A new subdivision ordinance recently
adopted by the city requires 10,000 square
feet in a lot for home construction. If the
builder plans on putting in both a septic tank
and a well, a full acre is required.
Addition of a municipal water system
would make considerably more ground avail-
able for construction.
Jayne has been working with city officials
in an effort to qualify Dunes City for the
state-shared funds, which include taxes col-
lected by the state and returned in part to
local units of government on a per-capita
basis.
State law requires a community to provide
a certain number of basic services to qualify.
Jayne argued that Dunes City already pro-
vides the required number.
When Dunes City residents voted 143-74
to incorporate as a city on June 11, 1963, lit-
tle did they realize the problems which would
arise in the future.
But today the vast majority of people who
live there, according to the UO survey, like
the city, believe the city government is doing
a good job, like the “rural” atmosphere of the
community and 68 percent of them said they
are in favor of remaining an incorporated city.
That’s a better percentage than the first time
around.
LETTER
To all my kids
In 1982, I started an incredible journey that lasted longer than
I ever could have imagined. I’ve had the same bus route for 33
years and would like to share some statistics.
I’ve been through four buses, seven superintendents, four
supervisors, two mechanics and five presidents.
I’ve seen really early mornings, really late nights, snow, ice,
wind storms, tsunami warnings, landslides, floods, road con-
struction, broken windshields, flat tires, mechanical failures,
untied shoelaces, missing lunches, upset tummies, frogs, ham-
sters, bugs in jars, broken friendships, first loves, new life, death,
puberty, new haircuts, cell phones, AIDs awareness, Gulf War,
Twin Towers, exotic hair coloring, hats, trivia questions, state
playoffs, sick coaches and lots of cookies.
In the meantime, you discovered “E.T.,” “Dukes of Hazzard,”
“Ghostbusters,” “Strawberry Shortcake,” “Power Rangers,”
Spice Girls, Legos, Batman, “Star Wars,” Pet Shop Pets, Pogs,
Mr. T, The Hulk, Cabbage Patch dolls, Iron Man, Pokemon,
Boomboxes, Walkmans, SpongeBob, Pretty Pony, iPods, Elmo,
minions and every conceivable Disney character imaginable.
L ETTERS
TO THE
From K to 12, I watched you grow up and will never forget any
of you. Thanks for the ride.
Linda Westlund
Westlake
E DITOR P OLICY
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor concerning issues affecting the Florence area and Lane County. Emailed
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submissions become the property of Siuslaw News and will not be returned.
Write to: Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com
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Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax
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Pres. Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
Gov. Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
Governor’s Citizens’ Rep.
Message Line 503-378-4582
www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email:
Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
State Rep. Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email:
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416/ 800-944-9603
541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
West Lane County Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email:
Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us