SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2016
U.S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary Siuslaw Station
seeks volunteers
The local U.S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary is looking for a few
good volunteers. With nearby
inland waterways, ocean, fish-
ing and recreational boating,
Station Siuslaw River is a busy
place that counts on that sup-
port.
The station’s responsibility
includes a large area from
about Cape Perpetua south to
the Siltcoos River, with much
of the activity right here on the
Siuslaw River.
The auxiliary is a group of
volunteer members forming a
uniformed unit called a
Flotilla. They
assist the
active-duty Coast Guard in a
myriad of ways, offering
unique volunteer opportunities
to give back to the community.
Members sometimes work
alongside active-duty person-
nel and share the Coast
Guard’s motto “Semper
Paratus,” or “Always Ready!”
Individuals from Oakridge
to Florence make up the local
Flotilla 52 membership, which
is assigned under the
Department of Homeland
Security, just like the active-
duty U.S. Coast Guard.
As an auxiliary member,
541-997-7121 opbc.com
from 1A
“The feedback in our initial
community meetings last year
was that the connection
between the upriver communi-
ties and Florence/Dunes City
was important and needed to
be strengthened,” Goehring
said, adding that core issues
identified include the need for
reliable, affordable transporta-
tion between upriver communi-
ties and Florence.
“People struggle to get to
Florence for medical appoint-
ments, to shop and to take their
kids to events. Another is
affordable rental housing.
There just isn’t enough supply
for the demand,” she said.
Barth added, “We are filling
in a painting of the Siuslaw
Region 10 years from now.
What’s missing in the details?
What are the unique ideas to
add? This process is bringing
those into focus and these com-
munity meetings are a chance
to add more.”
The SRV team will meet
over the next month and pre-
pare an overall vision based on
the community’s input. For
more information, call Jane
Barth at 541-760-4693
__________
volunteers can bring and often
use past skills and talents, as
well as learn new skills in
areas like vessel inspections,
safety checks, teaching boat-
ing safety courses and partici-
pating in boat crew operations.
The auxiliary patrols inland
waterways and lakes, and pro-
vides water safety materials at
marine dealers and sporting
goods stores.
Administrative and techno-
logical tasks are also necessary
to support the auxiliary team
and station.
Hands-on, online and class-
room training are offered to
auxiliarists, depending on their
interests.
There is no upper-age limit
to join the auxiliary if there is
something that you can con-
tribute — and no need to do 50
push-ups.
Volunteers should just be
capable of safely accomplish-
ing the missions they choose.
For more information, con-
tact Flotilla Commander Norm
Hoffman at 541-688-6069 or
Flotilla
Vice-Commander
Bradley Hooper at the station,
541-997-2486, option 3, or
visit www.cgaux.org.
We are Florence owned and operated, investing
local dollars back into our community!
member
Vision
JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
Residents from the Mapleton area gather to discuss
the Siuslaw regional 10-year vision plan during the
Jan. 21 meeting at Mapleton High School. Below,
Florence-area residents review one of six vision sta-
tions at another vision meeting Jan. 28 at the
Florence Events Center.
Follow Jack on Twitter
@SNews_Jack. Email him at
jack@thesiuslawnews.com.
Barber
from 1A
“We’re doing this because
we want to give back to the
community and to people who
don’t really have the opportu-
nity to do stuff themselves,”
Shawnell said.
Along with two Camp
Florence counselors, the
youths set up two chairs in the
front room on Feb. 15 at
Helping Hands Coalition and
began cutting guests’ hair for
free.
While they worked, they
chatted with the men and
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Admin
from 1A
“The time is really now to
look into a strategic partner-
ship that may or may not
work,” Langborg said. “The
ambulance district is basically
here to ask our board if you are
interested in exploring the fea-
sibility of this. At this point, no
one is committing to anything,
but researching the financial
feasibility and functionality of
it.”
In an interview on Thursday,
Langborg said that he, Burright
and the districts’ current
administrative staff members
would be meeting as early as
Monday, Feb. 22, to explore
administrative services and to
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CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS
women who were there for a
meal or other services.
“We’ve been in positions
like this before, too. We just
like to give back,” Shawnell
said.
He said the three could do
any style for men and women.
Salvador gave one man a
mohawk when he asked for
one.
“I’m proud of them,” one
leader said.
He added that Shawnell,
Austin and Salvador came up
with the idea on their own.
The youths plan to provide
haircutting services at Helping
Hands once a month. Their
next scheduled day is Monday,
March 14, from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m.
“We’re here to cut hair for
as many as want us to do it,”
Shawnell said.
Helping Hands Coalition,
1339 Rhododendron Drive,
provides members in the com-
munity with food, clothing
and other essentials, as well as
a hot meal every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday, from
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information or to
volunteer, contact Helping
Hands at 541-997-5057.
see which processes could be
compatible.
“Off the cuff, I’d say that
we’re doing more than 65 per-
cent identical administrative
processes and using a lot of
identical software,” Langborg
said.
Webb said, “When our
director Henry Hanf got sick
and passed away last year, and
then when our administrator
left the district, we were forced
to outsource some services. ...
Julie has helped us out and
we’ve been able to bring some
of that back in.
“Basically we’re looking to
fill the position for our direc-
tor. This agreement is one
avenue we need to explore. I
think the time is right to do so.”
This option was one of sev-
eral ideas for filling the direc-
tor’s position that came out of
WLAD’s strategic planning
process.
Burright said, “We want to
make sure that people don’t
jump too far ahead and think
the districts are merging. Some
of the benefits of this scenario
if it’s approved is that it does
set the stage for better commu-
nication, better understandings
between the boards and more
motivation and inclination to
start looking at some of the
steps to successfully do a
future consolidation or merg-
er.”
Langborg and Burright said
that the WLAD and SVFR
boards of directors broached
the idea of a merger in the past.
“I think our approach this
time has been a little different.
Our approach has been more of
efficiency and cost savings.
From the fire district’s stand-
point, we know that financially
we’re sound and doing good.
We want to maintain that,”
Langborg said.
Burright asked, “Is there a
way to respond to emergencies
more efficiently, more effec-
tively and be cost effective,
and do it together? I think
that’s what brought up the dis-
cussion.”
SVFR board member John
Carnahan said at the board
meeting, “All you’re asking for
is to look into it and see what
you research. I’d say go
ahead.”
Webb said, “If it works out
the way I envision it, it could
be a very smooth, seamless
transition and really beneficial
for both groups.”
The current timeframe for
the districts is to gather infor-
mation now and present initial
findings to both boards in
March in a combined work ses-
sion, with the IGA finalized in
April.
__________
Stop by Siuslaw Public Library on
Friday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. to hear the
staff’s selection of the best books of 2015
during “60 Reviews in 60 Minutes.”
ON THE
STREET
What was your favorite book that you recently read?
“‘The Last Policeman’ by Ben Winters.
It’s about a policeman who is promoted to
detective at the same time the world is com-
ing to an end. It’s funny and sad.”
—M EG S PENCER , L IBRARY D IRECTOR
“‘Golden Son’ by Pierce Brown. It’s about
someone who lives underground on a planet
and finally realizes that there are people liv-
ing up on top.”
—Y VONNE P APPAGALLO , L IBRARIAN
“The ‘Chief Inspector Armand Gamache’
series by Louise Penny. He is a very com-
passionate person and kind and has a good
relationship with his wife and kids.”
—S USIE V OTH , M APLETON L IBRARIAN
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed above are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Siuslaw News or its advertisers.
O LD T OWN C ONDO
WITH
R IVER V IEW !
Coast Real Estate
100 Hwy. 101, Florence, OR 97439
Cell:
CB#11161 MLS#16151066
$237,500
541-999-7317
diana@cbcoast.com
Follow Chantelle on Twitter
@SNews_Chantelle. Email her at
cmeyer@thesiuslawnews.com.
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