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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 2021)
6A | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS COUNCIL from page 1A The resolution requests were unanimously ap- proved, including Reso- lution No. 4, Series 2021, which extended the Utility Relief Program through June. Administrative Services Director Anne Baker re- viewed the program, as well as the financial as- pects of the city’s Pallet shelter program. Reynolds reviewed the circumstances leading to a request to accept a grant to reimburse the city for the purchase and installation of the shelters now oper- ating under the auspices of the Florence Emergency Cold Weather Shelter Pal- let Shelter Program. The program required an expenditure for the ini- tial purchase of the Pallet shelters, which exceeded Reynolds’ authority, and has been reimbursed by the Lane County Health and Human Services. The council approved the requested authoriza- tion. In addition, the eve- ning’s consent agenda was passed quickly, authoriz- ing Public Works Director Mike Miller to enter into a single-source purchase agreement in the amount of $49,819 with The Au- tomation Group (TAG) to install, integrate and commission a variable frequency drive unit for the City Wastewater Treat- ment Plant. Next, Reynolds ad- dressed a pressing ques- tion facing Florence resi- dents — the availability of COVID-19 vaccinations. “There is also a lot of hope an excitement around vaccinations and with that has come intense interest in how to get a vaccine. What I am here to share tonight is a cou- ple of clear messages that we have been asked to pass along,” Reynolds stated. “The State of Oregon does not have enough vaccina- tions to go around to ev- eryone right now, so there is a very rigid approach to distributing those vaccines that has been determined by Oregon Health Author- ity and, from there, Lane County Public Health Florence Farmers Market seeks community expertise The Florence Farmers Market has been serving the community during the summer months for over three years, finally estab- lishing non-profit status last year before the pandemic turned the market into an online ordering, drive through weekly event. This past year, every Tuesday from May 12 through Oct. 13, a dozen local vendors showed up in the parking lot off of Bay Street to provide fresh food products to over 100 customers with average sales over $4,000 each week. This vibrant food market also supplied 25 economically challenged fam- ilies with fresh foods through the SNAP program. An additional Fill Your Pantry Event in No- vember provided more than 160 families with end of season pro- visions and storage items for the winter months. The overwhelming community support from residents and busi- nesses has helped sustain the im- portance of the Florence Farmers Market as an economic center- piece for our city. It provides con- nectivity between urban and ru- ral, consumer and producer and fresh local foods in our diets. The market not only supports families in the community, but also local farmers and vendors within a 60-mile radius. “Farmers markets have been proven to positively impact the health and well-being of commu- nities. They provide opportuni- ties for citizen involvement and promote volunteerism as well as serving as a civic forum for im- portant issues relating to politics, public health and community development,” said Mary Shaw, executive director of the Florence Farmers Market. takes its lead.” Reynolds then directed the attention of those in- terested in obtaining vacci- nations to the Lane Coun- ty Public Health website to find more information on vaccine availability and to determine where they stand in the order of prior- ity to receive vaccinations. This can be found at www. lanecounty.org/corona virus at the “COVID-19 Vaccine Information” link. After this, Reynolds spoke about challeng- es faced by the Florence Events Center amid the COVID crisis and her de- cision to postpone replac- ing recently retired FEC Director Kevin Rhodes. “The Florence Events Center is currently pro- hibited from operating and, because of that, I do not plan to go through the hiring process to fill the events center position at this time,” she said. Reynolds announced her intention to promote Florence Public Infor- mation Officer Megan Messmer to Assistant City Manager, with a portfolio to include oversight of all aspects of the limited FEC operations, in addition to her regular duties. Reynolds reviewed Messmer’s work on many different projects for the city, along with her ten- ure as acting city manager during Reynolds’ recent absence. To conclude the meet- ing, Henry took a moment to thank all of the individ- uals who applied for com- mittee and commission positions for their interest, stating there were many qualified candidates for the open positions and all of his final decisions were based on his best judg- ment. “We had many, many qualified applicants and we only had so many po- sitions. If you were not selected for one, you were not categorically denied that position — there were just not enough positions,” Henry stated. The next Florence City Council meeting is sched- uled for Monday, Feb. 1, beginning at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit ci.florence.or.us. Applications open for Youth Preparedness Council This year, in order to build and expand upon this critical com- munity component, the Florence Farmers Market Executive Board is looking to enhance their vol- unteer program with the creation of two new subcommittees — Fundraising and Outreach. “Getting new volunteers from the community with fresh ideas and amazing talent is what we need right now to take our mar- ket to the next level,” Shaw said. The board is looking for tal- ented and passionate volunteers to help with fundraising, website and social media management, grant research and planning and organizing annual events. There are plans in the works for more donor related programs and community engagement op- portunities as well as developing robust fundraising campaigns. The subcommittees will begin planning in February 2021. According to Jen Nelson, Flor- ence Farmers Market Secretary and Chair of the Outreach Sub- committee, “There are plenty of opportunities for community members to provide their exper- tise and enthusiasm as we begin to set goals for the new year, so we encourage anyone who ap- preciates farmers markets, loves fresh food and community in- volvement to contact me for more information on how they can help.” People can contact Nelson via email at outreach@florencefarm- ersmarket.org or by calling 541- 999-4880 to learn about the vari- ous volunteer opportunities. The Florence Farmers Market is a local 501c3 non profit orga- nization. Learn more at www. florencefarmersmarket.org. Do you know a young leader who is passionate about making a positive impact on their communi- ty? The Federal Emergen- cy Management Agency (FEMA) is looking for stu- dents in grades 8 through 11 interested in support- ing disaster preparedness and making a difference in their communities to join the Youth Preparedness Council (YPC). During their two-year terms on the council, members will take on projects at both a local and national level and de- velop their leadership and project management skills. Why Is It Important for Youth to Apply? The youth of today are integral to building pre- pared communities of the future. By applying to and joining the YPC, youth will have the opportunity to become influential change agents in their community. How Does the YPC Work? YPC members meet with FEMA leadership through- out their term to develop strat- egies, initiatives, and projects. Also, YPC members attend the annual YPC Summit, where they will meet with FEMA rep- resentatives and complete emer- gency preparedness projects. Please note, the 2021 YPC Sum- mit will be conducted virtually. Learn more about the projects YPC members have worked on here. Current members of the FEMA Youth Preparedness Council 11 who have a passion for pre- paredness and helping others, are involved in their commu- nity, and have an aptitude for working in a team and as a lead- er. Spread the Word! You can spread the word by sharing information about the YPC with parents, educators, schools, organizations, and reaching out to friends and fam- What Is FEMA Looking For? ily! Do you know a student who Students in grades 8 through would make a great candidate? DENTURE SERVICES INC. Encourage them to apply today! The YPC application period is currently open and closes on March 7 at 11:59 p.m. PST. To learn more about the YPC and application requirements, vis- it www.ready.gov/kids/youth- preparedness-council. 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