10A | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS
CLEAN UP from page 1A
“We had about 30 people that
signed in and they collected about 40
pounds of trash. We are lucky here
because we have a number of beach
clean-up events during the year, so
there is not as much trash as we get
at other locations along the coast,” he
said. “We just want to thank every-
one that came out to help, it is great
to have that kind of support for our
environment.”
Volunteers at the three locations
reported remarkably clean beaches
and the total amount of solid waste
collected was approximately 100
pounds, gathered by about 100 indi-
viduals.
In addition, SOLVE held similar
events all along the Oregon coast and
reported wide-ranging support for
the clean-up, despite COVID-related
fears and restrictions.
Larissa Gordon, communications
coordinator for SOLVE, recapped the
weekend clean-up.
CITY from page 1A
“Arbor Day is now observed
throughout the nation and the
world; and Whereas, Trees
can reduce the erosion of our
precious topsoil by wind and
water, cut heating and cooling
costs, moderate the tempera-
ture, clean the air, produce
life-giving oxygen, and pro-
vide habitat for wildlife; and
Whereas, Trees are a renewable
resource giving us paper, wood
for our homes, fuel for our
fires and countless other wood
products,” Henry read as part
of the official proclamation.
He then proclaimed April
30, 2021, as Arbor Day in the
City of Florence.
“I urge all citizens to cele-
brate Arbor Day and to help
care for our urban forests in
Florence and western Lane
County, and be part of the
planting of new trees and the
creation of forested areas for all
citizens to enjoy,” Henry stated.
The meeting continued with
a brief workload to consider,
consisting primarily of approv-
al of the consent items on the
agenda. There were two items
listed, Resolution No. 14, Series
2021, a resolution reaffirming
the City of Florence’s Council
Goals and adopting the 2021-
2023 City of Florence work
plan.
There was also a request
from Public Works Director
Mike Miller, who asked the
Florence City Council to con-
sider authorizing City Manager
Erin Reynolds to enter into a
2021 Fund Exchange Program
intergovernmental agreement
with the Oregon Department
of Transportation.
BEST OF HAWAII
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Volunteers in the Florence area gathered 100 pounds of debris during the SOLVE Earth Day Cleanup on Saturday.
“On April 17, a reported 2,471
volunteers took to the outdoors, im-
proving the environment through
litter cleanups, beach cleanups, in-
vasive plant species removal events,
and native tree and shrub plantings,”
she said. “This was truly a statewide
effort, with volunteer projects hap-
pening from Astoria to Bandon and
The main thrust of the eve-
ning was the acceptance and
approval of the City Workplan
and goalsetting for the 2021-
2022 biennium. The process to
take the current workplan and
update it has taken months,
as new members to both city
committees and the city coun-
cil have had to familiarize
themselves with the applica-
ble process and procedures in
place.
Each of the many city com-
mittees and commissions has
had the opportunity to review
the workplan suggestions for
their particular group and sub-
mitted suggestions to council
for either additional items to be
included or removed from the
plan all together.
The extensive work done
over the past months has al-
lowed for all involved parties
to make their thoughts on the
city workplan known and there
were no additional comments
from councilors on either
subject as both items were ap-
proved unanimously.
The approved City Work-
plan and Goals can be viewed
in its entirety at ci.florence.
or.us.
Next, Reynolds gave coun-
cilors an update on the poten-
tial for some traffic delays to
occur as a construction project
on Ninth Street. According to
a press release cited by Reyn-
olds during her report, Las-
key-Clifton Corporation be-
gan construction of the Ninth
Street Waterline and Roadway
Improvement Project April
20. The contractor will com-
plete exploratory excavation in
several locations along Ninth
Street between Rhododendron
Medford to Pendleton.”
According to Gordon, in one day
across Oregon, more than 22,256
pounds of trash were collected and
8,810 square feet of invasive species
were removed by SOLVE volunteers.
“While most projects occurred on
April 17, some Oregon Spring Clean-
up projects occurred the weekend
Drive and Kingwood Street to
verify underground utility lo-
cations.
Actual installation of the
new 16-inch water main and
other construction activities is
expected to begin on Monday,
May 3.
“There will be some traf-
fic disruptions but, of course,
we are coordinating our pub-
lic works crew along with the
contractor and our important
emergency services, including
our Florence Police Depart-
ment and ambulance district,
as well as any traffic going to
and from the PeaceHealth
Peace Harbor hospital cam-
pus,” Reynolds said.
She also highlighted a new
initiative to provide Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE),
which includes hand sanitizer,
masks, and cleaning supplies,
for businesses.
In addition, there will be a
Lane County Vaccine Clin-
ic held at the Florence Events
Center, 715 Quince St., on Fri-
before, and will continue next week
through Earth Day and into the
weekend,” she added.
The first Spring Oregon Beach
Cleanup was held in 1986 and the
first SOLVE IT for Earth Day event
was held in 1990. Together, these two
events have helped remove over 17
million pounds of litter and debris
day, April 22. Appointments
will be required with signups
now available at www.lan-
ecounty.org/vaxclinics.
All
county residents 16 and older
are now eligible for vaccines.
Ending the short meeting
on another positive note, As-
sistant City Manager Megan
Messmer updated the council
on city plans to conduct an
unusual alternative to the city’s
traditional
Rhododendron
Festival celebrations — with a
COVID inspired change.
“The City of Florence is
working with our communi-
ty partners to host a COVID
safe reverse parade this year
to continue the tradition of
the Rhododendron Grand
Floral Parade, to showcase our
community’s creativity and re-
siliency, and to celebrate our
local businesses and organi-
zations,” said Messmer. “This
year, instead of having our
floats travel down the parade
route, parade attendees will
drive along a lineup of statio-
from Oregon’s urban and natural
landscapes.
The statewide SOLVE event was
funded by Portland General Electric
(PGE) and Dave Robertson, vice
president of public affairs at PGE and
a SOLVE Founder’s Circle member.
Robertson said he was also quite
pleased with the Earth Day events
and reinforced his company’s com-
mitment to the effort to clean-up dis-
carded Oregon solid waste.
“PGE customers and employees
are passionate about preserving the
health of Oregon’s environment,
which is why we enthusiastically
support SOLVE’s Oregon Spring
Cleanup,” he said. “Events like these
celebrate our commitment to build-
ing cleaner, greener communities
through PGE Project Zero. It’s won-
derful to be part of an Earth Day
event that engages volunteers from
across the state, from Central Ore-
gon to the Coast, all in an effort to
make our state a cleaner and health-
ier place.”
nery parade floats along Oak
and 27th streets, starting at
Miller Park.”
She explained that the event
will be a float-only parade,
with all floats asked to be dec-
orated and/or constructed in
our tradition of celebrating
Rhody Days. Those wanting
to participate can register their
float April 14 through May
3 at www.ci.florence.or.us/
community/reverse-2021-
rhody-parade.
Councilor Bill Meyer then
updated the Florence City
Council on the progress being
made at the Port of Siuslaw
campgrounds, as the port has
added dozens of new full-ser-
vice campsites for the expand-
ing RV traffic Florence is expe-
riencing.
Next, Councilor Sally Wantz
spoke positively of the work
done by the Environmental
Advisory Management Com-
mittee (EMAC) and urged the
community to embrace the
Arbor Day proclamation by
planting a tree in support of the
day or by taking a more physi-
cal approach to appreciation by
actually hugging a tree.
Following this, Councilor
Maggie Wisniewski passed
along her observations from
meeting with the Public Art
Committee before Mayor
Henry asked for any final com-
ments.
Hearing none, Henry ad-
journed the meeting.
The next Florence City
Council meeting is sched-
uled for May 3 at 5:30 p.m.
For more information, visit ci.
florence.or.us.
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