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SATURDAY EDITION
❘ AUGUST 29, 2015 ❘ $1.00
CLASS EXPLORES
VIKING CREEK
SPORTS — B
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
FLORENCE, OREGON
Port displays historic Log Bronc to promote local history
Florence
refinances
urban
renewal
Improvements to city’s
public works part of
$7.8M financing deal
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
This historic Log Bronc is the latest addition to the Port of Siuslaw boardwalk area in Old Town. The vessel, used in the
logging industry around Florence for years, gains a second lease on life as a child magnet.
L
ogging and fishing are
integral components to
the founding and history
of Florence. A little known part
of that history, the Log Bronc, is
now on display near the Port of
Siuslaw boardwalk.
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
The Log Bronc was invented, patented and
built by Fred Nelson who owned the Nelson Log
Bronc Company in Coos Bay.
“A lot of people were making pond boats, but
apparently this was the pinnacle. It did the job,”
said Port of Siuslaw Project Coordinator Richard
Dreiling.
According to the patent Dreiling researched,
the original application was filed in 1956 and
final patent approval was issued in 1958.
The 16-foot mini-tugs were extremely quick
and maneuverable. Log Broncs were powered by
an outboard motor mounted on a 360-degree
swivel so the operator could quickly change the
direction of the small tug while maneuvering
through clusters of floating logs.
The operator would stand at the wheel directly
above the motor and control the Bronc’s speed
and direction.
See
Florence City Council approved a res-
olution this week to enter into a financing
agreement with Banner Bank in the
amount of $7.8 million to provide funds
for refinancing Florence Urban Renewal
Agency (FURA) debt, constructing a
public works facility and implementing
street and water-system improvements.
The council first considered the resolu-
tion on Aug. 3, but held a special meeting
Aug. 24 to finalize the details.
According to the city staff report, the
resolution authorizes the execution of a
financing agreement with Banner Bank
and designates an authorized representa-
tive, special counsel and financial advisor
to authorize the intergovernmental agree-
ment between the city and FURA.
City Manager Erin Reynolds said
Monday’s meeting went “just fine.”
She said that the staff needed the extra
weeks to finish preparing the agreement
with Banner Bank.
“Once we knew that the council was
going with Banner Bank, we could act,”
she said.
Initially, when the city council author-
ized Interim Finance Director Andy Parks
and Reynolds to find a bank to refinance
through, it requested that only local banks
and branches be considered.
“We feel that it’s our due diligence to
give our taxpayers the best deal for their
money. Banner Bank had the best bid, so
we went with them,” Reynolds said.
Banner Bank provided the most com-
petitive bid with the best rates over the 20
years of the loan.
Reynolds said that the interest rate will
be 3.25 percent for the first 10 years, and
will not exceed 5.25 percent for the next
10 years.
PORT 6A
See
URBAN 6A
DOORS OPEN AT NEW FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN
School board, staff, parents and students attend ribbon-cutting
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
INSIDE
For the very first time, the five-
room modular full-day kinder-
garten building and an estimated
100 kindergarten students will
share a common experience: the
first day of school.
Students, parents, staff, admin-
istrators and board members cele-
brated the upcoming occasion
with a ribbon-cutting, officiated
over by Florence Area Chamber
of Commerce Ambassadors, and
a barbecue held Thursday, Aug.
27, at the new school building,
located on the west end of the
Siuslaw Elementary School north
parking lot.
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Courts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
The ceremony and food were
the culmination of a day in which
parents and prospective students
toured the facilities, met teachers
and administrators and determined
which classes were best suited for
their children.
The estimated number of stu-
dents is a fluid number, according
to Siuslaw Elementary Principal
Mike Harklerode.
“It is always difficult for us to
tell, but on average our kinder-
garten classes have had between
95 and 110 over the last six years.
We are expecting about 100, pos-
sibly a little bit over. The nice
thing about this building is that we
have capacity for a fifth class-
room, if our enrollment is a little
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Word on the Street . . . . . . . A8
bit higher and we need it,” he said.
In previous years, the half-day
kindergarten was housed in vari-
ous classrooms located in the ele-
mentary school. The new modular
kindergarten building will make
life much easier for students and
teachers.
“The kindergarten is fully
enclosed,” Harklerode said.
“Everyone is all together. It used
to take those little legs a long time
to move throughout the building.
Kindergarten transitions quite a bit
with different reading groups, dif-
ferent math groups and moving
around the building for special
programs.”
THIS WEEK ’ S
See
JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
SCHOOL 6A
Chamber ambassadors assist students and administrators during the
ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 27 at the new five-room modular kinder-
garten building, located near Siuslaw Elementary School.
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