SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2016
Honor
from 1A
The boys, their families and
Santiago could not be present at
the city council meeting.
Henry said the families were
instrumental in and supportive
of honoring the two men. He
also said that the city recognizes
Santiago as instrumental in the
prevention of tragedy.
Henry presented Gagliardi
with a medal of honor and a
plaque reading, “The City of
Florence is honored to present
this Good Samaritan Award in
recognition and appreciation of
your act of heroism on May
28, 2016. Without regard for
your own safety, you assisted
in rescuing two young boys
Tax
from 1A
The attorney worked with
city staff to prepare two agenda
items on recreational marijua-
na.
from the Pacific Ocean at the
Siuslaw River North Jetty, ulti-
mately saving their lives. Your
selfless and courageous actions
reflect great credit upon your-
self and your family, and
define the true spirit of the citi-
zens of this great country.”
Speaking for Florence Police
Commander John Pitcher, who
lost his voice cheering at base-
ball games over the weekend,
Henry said, “Florence Police
Department has a really won-
derful challenge coin that is
very beautiful. On behalf of the
Florence Police Department, I
present you with this coin.”
Gagliardi has been stationed
at Station Siuslaw River since
December 2015. He is original-
ly from Haverhill, Mass.
The first agenda item
referred to an ordinance passed
in 2014 to adopt a local tax,
should state law ever allow it.
“The council at the time pre-
emptively adopted a local tax two
years ago, just in case the city
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School drinking water passes lead test
All three Siuslaw schools show safe lead levels within state allowance
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw School District con-
ducted its first-ever drinking
water lead evaluation test on
July 6, taking samples from 10
school drinking fountains.
All three school buildings
showed lead levels well below
state-mandated minimums for
drinking water.
“Of the 10 samples, five
came back with no detectable
lead, meaning the lead level
was below the threshold of the
test quantity,” Siuslaw School
District Superintendent Andy
Grzeskowiak said. “The other
five came in measuring some
lead, but it was surprisingly
low, at about 20 percent of the
maximum concentration level
allowed by law.”
The state minimum allow-
able threshold level is .02 mil-
ligrams per liter.
“Our highest one came in at
.0046, about one fifth of what
is allowed,” Grzeskowiak said.
“For the age of our buildings, it
is actually surprising.”
Grzeskowiak said he was
also surprised that three of the
non-detectable samples came
from the high school, the dis-
trict’s oldest building.
The district gathered the test
samples between 7:30 and 8:30
a.m.
“We ran the tests early in the
morning after the water lines
had a chance to sit overnight. If
there was going to be an accu-
mulation of lead, it was going
to happen in that first flush,”
Grzeskowiak said.
The district decided to run
the test because it had a premo-
nition the state was going to
require school districts to test
for lead in drinking water.
The state mandated that
school districts test for lead the
next day.
“It was never an issue
before, but now that we have
run the tests, we know that our
drinking water is safe for our
students,” Grzeskowiak said.
would have the authority to tax
marijuana as it worked its way
through the system,” Williamson
said. “As of 2015, we now know
localities do not have the authori-
ty to implement local taxes unless
they go through the process —
you have to put a vote before the
people.”
The
council
passed
Ordinance No. 9, Series 16, to
repeal the 2014 ordinance.
According to the staff report,
Oregon will eventually distrib-
ute a portion of the state’s 17
percent tax collection to cities
that do not have any prohibi-
tions to recreational marijuana
in place.
“We will receive a small part
of the tax that is collected
statewide, initially divvied by
population and eventually
divvied up by number of recre-
ational marijuana licenses in a
city,” Williamson said. “If your
locality adopts a local tax, there
will be an additional 3 percent
tax that would then go just to
the city.”
The council voted to approve
Resolution No. 16 to refer the
city tax to voters. If adopted in
November, this measure would
impose a city tax on sales of
marijuana items, including
marijuana, marijuana products
and marijuana extracts, by
recreational marijuana retailers
licensed by the Oregon Liquor
Control Commission and locat-
ed within the City of Florence.
Before the council voted,
Councilor Joshua Greene said,
“We’ve been waiting for this
moment for over a year and a
half.”
The city councilors met with
city staff and Williamson’s staff
in several work sessions since
2014 to figure out the nuances
of the new and developing
medical and recreational mari-
juana laws.
Williamson said, “I love
your city, and I also love your
staff, because they actually read
my materials and question my
materials — and we work joint-
ly on preparing things.”
During a conversation with
City Manager Erin Reynolds,
the two wondered, “What if
state law allows a greater tax
than 3 percent in the future?”
If approved, Resolution No.
16 gives Florence City Council
the authority to set by resolu-
tion the amount of the city tax,
within the amount allowed by
state law.
Reynolds said, “We can’t
predict what state law will do.
This is a result of work we’re
doing with (streamlining) city
fees and charges, and realizing
we’ve put a lot of unneeded
specifics in our code.”
“We all know that the state
law on marijuana is going to
change,” Williamson said. “We
don’t know how, but it’s
inevitable. It’s the voters that
adopt the ordinance. If they
vote yes, then the ordinance
will spring to life.”
Money received by the city
tax will be deposited in the City
General Fund.
As of July 11, City of
Florence staff and the city itself
cannot campaign for or against
the measure, though the city
council may.
The ballot title and explana-
tory statement are now posted
publicly on the city’s website
ci.florence.or.us
Siuslaw News
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At about 6 a.m. on June 30,
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Summer Fun at
Sandpines
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
MARION GILLOCK
Florence Visit Center
Florence Area Chamber of Commerce
Each week Marion arrives at the Florence Visitor
Center/Chamber of Commerce, ready to put together
packets to be mailed out. Requests for information
come via the phone and by mail, over the counter
and from the Chamber website. She handles each
person’s inquiry according to their need whether
someone plans to visit or is considering relocating
to Florence. In the spring there is ot en a l urry of
mail from elementary students who have chosen
Florence as a city to learn about.
Gathering information for these projects is
especially enjoyable.
While primarily at work in the background,
Marion can ably answer questions at the counter
and phone. At er all, volunteering at the Chamber
has been her role for nearly twenty years as she
provides essential service.
Here’s to Marion Gillock, our “maillady”!
Submitted by Bettina Hannigan,
Executive Director,
Florence Area Chamber of Commerce
Florence Area Chamber of
Commerce
290 Hwy. 101 • 541-997-3128
We are hosting a
Micro Beer Tasting
Friday, July 22, 6-8ish
Only $40 per person
Please call
541-997-4623 x 106
to reserve your spot
Featuring
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Offering Three Micro Beers
• Live Music • Food
• Putting Contest
• Chipping Contest
• Merchandise giveaways
• Chance to Win
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The Grill & Lounge
at Sandpines
1201 35th Street at Kingwood, Florence
Highway 101 & 35 St.
541-997-4623
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2840 Rhododendron Drive • Florence • 541-997-4277
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