SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 | 5A
EMAC from page 1A
For this reason, the city’s
workplan is updated regu-
larly every two years — a
biennium — with some
items being completed,
some continued and oth-
ers removed or updated.
That process is currently
underway with the Flor-
ence City Council sched-
uled to hear numerous
committee and commis-
sion presentations and
suggestions to be consid-
ered for inclusion in the
next workplan, which will
be discussed at the up-
coming April 19 city coun-
cil meeting.
An additional and im-
portant component of
the workplan formulation
is the work done by the
numerous
committees
comprised of volunteers.
These committee mem-
bers discuss and decide
which topics related to
their particular commit-
tee should be identified
and forwarded to the city
council.
At Tuesday’s meeting of
the Environmental Man-
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agement Advisory Com-
mittee (EMAC), part of
that process was short
circuited when a special
session was unable to be
held due to the lack of a
quorum — the minimum
number of members nec-
essary to conduct the busi-
ness of that group.
Usually, a quorum is
made up of a simple ma-
jority of the committee.
In the case of EMAC, six
members are needed for a
quorum.
When City Planner
Wendy FarleyCampbell,
ex-officio representative
from city staff, greeted
members, those who were
virtually present included
Laurie Green, Lisa Wal-
ter-Sedlacek, Eric Oshel,
Vickie Philbin, Ray Sher-
rill and non-voting mem-
ber Councilor Sally Wantz,
ex-officio representative
from the Florence City
Council.
As FarleyCampbell ex-
plained to those present,
without an additional
voting member partici-
pating — among them,
Michael Titmus, Ronelle
Kuert, Sherry Harvey, Josh
Haring or Daniel Berry —
there would be a limit of
15 minutes for a quorum
to gather or the meeting
could not be held.
The main subject of the
special session was to dis-
cuss a recommendation
to the council to form a
“climate change” subcom-
mittee. Tuesday’s special
session was scheduled as
a response to the dozens
of comments submitted to
the council and city staff
requesting official action
regarding the subject.
For the past sever-
al years, there has been
growing support among a
segment of the communi-
ty pushing for an official
recognition in the form
of a proclamation, and a
related action plan, which
recognizes and acts on cli-
mate-related issues.
During recent meet-
ings, some EMAC mem-
bers have vocalized their
opposition to establishing
an official climate policy.
Coincidentally, members
absent from this week’s
special session to discuss
the subject were among
those who have expressed
opposition to the idea.
The inability to hold the
EMAC meeting due to the
lack of a quorum means
that any additional discus-
sion or recommendations
will not take place prior to
the April 19 council meet-
ing, effectively assuring
that any climate-related
recommendation will not
reach the council for dis-
cussion or inclusion.
There were a number
of speaker cards filled out
for the special session.
Among them was from
area resident Michael Al-
len, who said he believes
the absence of those who
are on record as opposing
a climate change initiative
was a parliamentary tactic
designed to prevent the
discussion.
“On Tuesday, Florence
had a travesty at the Spe-
cial Session for the City’s
Environmental Manage-
ment Advisory Commit-
tee (EMAC),” he wrote in
an email to Siuslaw News.
“As you know, the purpose
of the session was to con-
sider a recommendation
to the city council for the
formation of a subcom-
mittee to consider work-
plan items that address
climate change. … Among
those not present was the
committee’s chairperson
[Titmus] it’s vice-chair
[Kuert] and Josh Haring,
who exclaimed at a previ-
ous meeting that he would
boycott the special ses-
sion.”
Allen added that the
move was a similar tactic
used by Republicans at the
state capitol when the leg-
islature was on the verge of
passing climate legislation.
“Now it is being prac-
ticed in our small city of
Florence,” Allen said.
After the mandated
time of 15 minutes for
a quorum to form had
passed, FarleyCampbell
announced the meeting
would not be held due to a
lack of a quorum.
The next EMAC meet-
ing is scheduled to be held
April 20, the day after the
Florence City Council will
discuss workplan recom-
mendations
submitted
by EMAC and other city
committees.
For more information,
visit ci.florence.or.us.
Lane County invites responses to Hunger Factors survey
FOOD for Lane Coun-
ty (FFLC) is conducting
a survey to better under-
stand who, why and
where the com-
munity is in need
of food assistance.
The confidential
survey is open to
anyone who has
witnessed or expe-
rienced food inse-
curity and is avail-
able from April 1 to
April 30.
The survey is
confidential
and
should take 10 to
15 minutes. People
have the option of
entering a drawing
for one of 20 $25
gift cards to thank them
for their time.
Throughout
the
COVID-19
pandem-
ic, even as the economy
improved, Lane Coun-
ty residents continued to
access food assistance at
the highest rate in sever-
al years. FFLC anticipates
that hunger and food inse-
curity will persist even af-
ter the economy recovers, our food distribution part-
thus making participation ners will be able to respond
with compassion, inclu-
in this survey crucial.
sion and meaning-
ful impact.”
The online com-
munity survey is
modeled after the
Hunger
Factors
survey that has
been implemented
since 1986 through
Oregon Food Bank.
The survey can be
accessed through
links on FFLC’s
website, social me-
dia, email distribu-
tions and newslet-
ters, and through
the use of QR codes
that will be printed
“The Hunger Factors and given out with food
survey is one of the im- distribution efforts at
portant ways we get feed- FFLC partner agencies.
“We need your input to
back from those in our
community who are expe- understand how we can
riencing food insecurity,” best collaborate with our
said FFLC Executive Di- partners and our commu-
rector Tom Mulhern. “The nity to get food to people’s
more we know about the tables,” Mulhern said.
FFLC’s survey is intend-
attitudes and life situations
of those who need assis- ed for anyone who has had
tance, the better we and to make choices between
food and other resourc-
es. It’s for anyone who has
experienced hunger or has
worried about their next
meal. It is for anyone who
has visited a pantry, a meal
site or gotten help with
food. It is for anyone who
knows someone else that
is making tough choices
because of food insecurity.
“By completing this sur-
vey, you will help us create
access to food for all across
Lane County,” Mulhern
said.
FOOD For Lane Coun-
ty’s mission is to reduce
hunger by engaging our
community to access food.
We do that through the
lens of our values: com-
passion, inclusion and
collaboration. We distrib-
ute over 8 million pounds
of (mostly donated) food
through a network of 164
partner agencies across
Lane County. FOOD For
Lane County is neighbors
showing up for neighbors.
For more information,
visit foodforlanecounty.
org.
Do you part and volunteer today to help support
these organizations in our community.
Habitat for Humanity
We need your help! Florence Habitat ReStore is in need of cashiers on
Saturdays. If you have spare time and want to give back to your
community in a fun environment give Floyd a call! 541-997-5834
Helping Hands Coalition
We are in need of volunteers on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. We
need volunteers to serve food, set up for meals and also prepare meals
beginning at 11:00 am and fi nishing at 2:00pm.
New Location: Community Baptist Church, 4590 Hwy. 101, Florence
(Across from Fred Meyer)
Oregon Coast Humane Society
relies heavily on volunteers.
There are many opportunities to volunteer and a variety of skills and
talents are always in need. Volunteer interest forms may be found online,
at the shelter and at our Thrift Shop on Bay Street.
www.oregoncoasthumanesociety.org/volunteer/
Us Too Florence
Saving men one PSA test at a time. “Someone to talk to...who
understands!”
541-997-6626 • maribob@oregonfast.net
www.ustoofl orence.org
To include your organization
in this directory, please call us
@ 541-997-3441
Visit us online: www.TheSiuslawNews.com