SIUSLAW NEWS | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | 5A
CONTROL from page 1A
has been jobs.
it make the city attractive housing too, and thought logical mind — I don’t see
For years, the region has for those who could create both approaches could work why public art is the only
“That would be much been looking for replace- small-scale jobs, it could also in tandem. Greene’s vision committee that has a budget
more critical to us if our ments to diminished in- be a boom to tourism which, prepares for the future, Hen- and it can spend money. We
Urban Renewal Agency ac- dustries such as logging in turn, could create more ry’s the present.
don’t do that for any other
tually interrelated with any and fishing. Call centers, jobs.
It could have been a committee.”
other taxing authorities in breweries and a variety of
But realizing the full ben- well-rounded
approach
Actually, other commit-
the community,” Henry said, large-scale oper-
tees theoretically
adding: “I don’t really see any ations have been
can, including the
communication, interrela- discussed but fell
“We promised the people that every representative of the Community and
tionship, any point projects through for various
Economic Devel-
taxing districts would have a seat at the (FURA) table. Be- opment Committee
— any of that kind of thing reasons; the region’s
— with any other agency.”
lack of natural gas cause we learned from other renewal agencies that acted (CEDC), of which
“Well, I think that’s yet to and shipping routes differently in the state of Oregon — where committee seats Henry is the ex-of-
come,” Greene said.
on winding isolated were mandated solely by the mayor — they ended up becom- ficio city represen-
“Well, after how many highways are hin- ing corrupt and inappropriately managed.”
tative. In 2019, the
years? After 12 years?” Hen- drances to many
CEDC was in the
— Florence City Councilor Joshua Greene, Feb. 13, 2019 process of being
ry asked.
industries.
So instead, the
formed following
Employment
city focused on at-
the demise of the
In 2006, the city adopted tracting smaller businesses, efits of such a large invest- strengthened by shared previous economic develop-
an ordinance to approve the particularly those that did ment of time, money and re- goals.
ment committee a year earli-
Florence Downtown Pres- the majority of their busi- sources is usually measured
But for various reasons, er, of which Henry was also
ervation and Renewal Plan. ness online. This could be in decades, not years. For their visions began compet- the ex-officio.
That ordinance morphed anything from small man- murals to become a destina- ing and the kind of conver-
“As you put the [CEDC]
into The Florence Urban ufacturing companies with tion, they have to be painted sations that lead to a shared back together, which you’re
Renewal plan, which pro- an online base, or online and then word of mouth has vision became less and less going to do now, and you
posed projects such as con- entrepreneurs who sell their to carry. While ReVision is frequent. Instead, FURA — look at opportunities for
struction and repair of pub- artwork or products through now complete, how it will and its millions of dollars housing and the property
lic infrastructure including eBay and other online sales eventually play into attract- in funding — became the across the street, you’re go-
parks, streets and other pub- platforms.
ing businesses and tourism battleground, with PAC the ing to come back to the city
lic facilities; facilitation of
To attract — or keep — — particularly during a pan- first skirmish in a growing and say, ‘We’re going to need
public-private partnerships those individuals, who are demic — has yet to be deter- personal feud that would ex- money to do something,’”
to revitalize and preserve sometimes younger and mined.
pand through a divisive par- Greene said. “You’re going
downtown properties; pro- from more urban areas, it
But some of the issues fac- tisan-infused culture war.
to need money to hire de-
motion of mixed-use devel- was deemed important to ing the city can’t wait for de-
signers. You’re going to need
opment; and rehabilitation of revitalize the city into a more cades. In 2017, Siuslaw News “More like a personal pas- money to do research for
the waterfront for public and modern place to live. This published a series of articles
sion”
building opportunities.”
commercial uses, according would include landscape on the difficulties people
City Manager Erin Reyn-
“Well I don’t think we’re
to the City of Florence.
changes, like ReVision Flor- were having — from workers olds continued that Feb. 13, going to probably have any
Recently, some people ence Streetscaping Project sleeping in cars because they 2019, council work session more of that. We already
have stated that it was made and public art, with murals can’t find a home, to full-year by introducing a list of goals did $150,000 worth of that
for housing, which is a com- and works of art dotted down residents taking jobs under for the city. It would act as a in Old Town, if you recall,”
ponent, but the main focus Highway 101. Not only could the table just to survive the guide for staff to know what Henry said. “That did noth-
winter months.
they should focus on, what ing for us.”
For
Henry,
his
focus
for
should take precedent and
According to city staff,
DENTURE SERVICES INC.
the city was on the short- where to focus funds. First Henry was referring to a
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
term and immediate, zeroing on the list was housing, then 2016 report on the FURA
Open 4 days a week!
in on housing construction jobs, then things like parks, commission from the Leland
to alleviate the lack of it. It roads, etc.
Corporation. It was meant
could also boost local in-
Public art wasn’t specifi- to be a “living” document,
Here to serve your denture needs:
come through dollars from cally mentioned.
guiding actions over five
Dentures
outside
investors:
landown-
“I
honestly
feel
that
public
years with constant renew-
Partial Dentures
William Foster LD
ers,
developers,
contractors,
art
needs
to
be
given
its
due,
”
ing and updating. It recom-
Immediate Dentures
Sherry, Offi ce Manager
laborers,
skilled
technicians,
Greene
said
when
the
goals
mended that FURA invest in
Implant Dentures
“As a denture wearer myself,
realtors
and
mortgage
lend-
went
up
for
discussion.
He
various catalyst sites, includ-
Relines & Repairs Same Day
I can answer your
questions and address
ers, like Henry himself. spoke about the work they ing the Old School Furni-
your denture concerns.”
Monday-Thursday
These were Henry’s prima- had done, the plans they had ture site, Pro Lumber, Lotus
~ William Foster, LD
ry constituents, and much for the future. He also hinted Restaurant site and the Port
10am - 2 pm
Financing: Citi Health Card
different from Greene’s arts at the recent committee se- of Siuslaw parking lot. As
12 Month no Interest
constituency, though there lections for PAC.
an investment portfolio, the
524 Laurel St.
were many crossovers.
“We want to get good report ultimately proved to
541-997-6054
However, Greene wanted people on board, who we be of little use in providing
respect, and give them a se- direction as an economic de-

rious commitment with a velopment roadmap.
good charge,” Greene said.
But the Leland report did
“We need to discuss what provide data on a variety of
our committees are going issues facing Florence and
to be doing, what we expect recommendations on how to
from them. I really think we pursue solutions.
need to talk about that.”
These types of reports can
“We do, but we need to be used as the basis for state

have somebody talk about and federal agency grants
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it other than you,” Henry and intergovernmental part-
said. “We patiently sit at this nerships, as well as the basis
meeting and listen to your for many discussions within
description of public art. … the city on building a vision
I just don’t see where there’s of the future.
been a whole lot of progress
“So, I guess, really, this is a
made with public art. In my bigger conversation. What’s
mind — and this does not your vision of Florence in the
have anything to do with next five, 10, 20 years? Let’s
anything other than my own talk about that,” Greene said
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Dan and Teresa Lofy, Owners
And Watson
to Henry.
“Mine is that there’s ad-
equate housing and jobs
and, and …” Henry replied,
stammering a bit. “Anyway,
but…”
“Well we need to have this
conversation, Joe.”
“We do!” Henry replied.
“This isn’t about you and
me,” Greene said next. “It
seems to always be about you
and me.”
“We have councilors who
sit here and don’t say any-
thing,” Henry said. “We just
listen to you at every meeting
talking about public art.”
“Because I’m the ex-offi-
cio,” said Greene. “I helped
create the committee, and it’s
my dream child. I’m fully on
board with it.”
“Alright, but I’m not sure
the rest of the council is,”
Henry returned.
Questions then turned to
what PAC had actually ac-
complished in its time.
“I think there’s been about
half a dozen to a dozen stat-
ues they’ve put up,” said
Councilor Ron Preisler.
Henry asked, “And how
many people do you think
drive here to see that stuff we
put up?”
“That’s not fair, Joe,”
Greene replied. “That is ab-
solutely not fair.”
“Do you mind if I talk?”
Henry asked.
“Yes, I just wish you would
be honest,” Greene answered.
Henry laughed. “Okay, you
want to talk about ‘honesty?’
I listened to a presentation
the other day by your com-
mittee that says 70 percent
of people with a higher edu-
cation degree will not come
to a community that doesn’t
have an aggressive public art
program. Now do you real-
ly believe that? Is that being
honest? Seven-out-of-10 col-
lege graduates won’t move to
Florence because we don’t
have a public art program?
Do you really believe that?”
Though the exact statistic
regarding graduates can be
found in the first part of this
series, Henry’s question was
never answered by Greene as
they veered to a discussion
on the Siuslaw School Dis-
trict.
Other councilors did get
to have their say after Greene
and Henry’s exchange.
“I think the PAC was
formed to help the city alter
its image, and improve it,”
Preisler said. “And there’s a
lot of value to that in a tour-
ist environment. That’s what
we’re supposed to do. We’re
supposed to be the shining
light of the west.”
Councilor Geraldine Pro-
ciw (nee Lucio) shared her
thoughts.
“There was talk about you
starting a nonprofit, or some
private funding, for your
art committee,” she said. “It
seems like it’s getting more
like a personal passion for
you.”
Prociw was new to the
council after a volatile 2018
election. After Greene dis-
covered that the then-can-
didate was being backed
financially by partisans with-
in the community, he had
gone to Prociw’s business
and suggested she consider
dropping out if she could not
overcome her lack of experi-
ence and difficulty speaking
in public. The full, unpub-
lished details regarding that
incident will be released
later in this series, but the
resulting fallout of the situa-
tion damaged both Prociw’s
and Greene’s reputation in
the eyes of some communi-
ty members — particularly
those on the other sides of
the partisan divide.
“It almost seems like this
art is wrapped around you
and you’re the one that’s
most passionate about this,”
she continued. “And I don’t
like to see you guys argue,
I think it’s a waste of time.
Why are we talking about art
the whole time when there’s
bigger issues? There’s money
that could go into housing or
other issues within the city.”
See VISION page 7A