8A | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS Lane Arts Council begins Ceramics studio hosts annual Mother’s Day sale Arts & Culture Roundtables E U G E N E — L an e A r t s Council and community partners are hosting a series of Arts & Culture Roundta- bles — community conver- sations addressing diversity, equity and inclusion in the local arts community, with a focus on racial justice. The first two virtual conversations will be held Thursday, May 6, and Thurs- day, May 20, from 5 to 7 p.m. Facilitators Ritu Roy and Eric Braman will guide these conversations to better un- derstand and acknowledge the inequalities that exist in Lane County’s arts commu- nity. The arts are an integral and powerful tool in helping communities reflect, grow, and heal, but first, we need to examine how our local arts community excludes some of the most relevant voices of our time. The first two community-guided con- versations will: • Take an honest look at the issues and challenges in our own arts communities • Identify strategies to im- prove equity, accessibility, and representation in our own practices, programs, operations, and organiza- tional cultures • Recognize gaps and identify existing resources and support for artists and arts professionals • Cultivate space for the voices of black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and other underrepresented community members to be heard Following dates will be influenced by the needs that arise from these initial con- versations. The roundtables are free and open to all with registra- tion on Lane Arts Council’s website, www.lanearts.org/ roundtables. Arts & Culture Round- tables are a partnership of Lane Arts Council, Arts & Business Alliance of Eu- gene, Florence Regional Arts Alliance, Minority Voices Theatre and Wordcraft- ers in Eugene. The series of community conversations is sponsored by Springfield Arts Commission and Co- lumbia Bank. In 2020, Lane Arts Coun- cil and community partners began bringing together Lane County artists and arts administrators for facilitated conversations around the current issues impacting our arts community, and provide opportunities to share challenges, questions, ideas, and support. While previous roundtable conver- sations centered around the COVID-19 pandemic, we are shifting in 2021 to focus on equity and inclusion in the arts. Lane Arts Council is a nonprofit that works to cul- tivate strong and creative arts communities. It pro- vides high-quality arts ex- periences, engaging people of all ages in arts education and encouraging artistic en- deavors. DISTRICT from page 1A pen to share a business of- fice. … What I am seeing here in this document is the bias I have spoken about in the past, which shouldn’t be here until the feasibility study is presented to the board. Instead, we have abandoned two separate and unique plans in favor of your dream and vision to merge the whole thing — lock, stock and barrel.” Schick spoke next, stat- ing, “I think that is unfair and uncalled for, Director Farnsworth. I was brought in specifically to bring these agencies together. If the boards decide to go in a different direction, we go in a different direction. I have no say in the process. It is up to the board of directors. I was brought in to bring the agencies together and I will do that and until I am given different directions by the boards.” The Fire/EMS chief was hired in May 2019 to lead both districts. At that point Webb stepped into the discussion, reminding the directors that Schick was doing what had been asked of him, i.e., to assist in determining if the process of merging the two entities should and could continue. SVFR Director Ned Hick- son followed up Webb’s comments by pointing out there was an agreement and interest in pursuing a con- solidation of services — as well as a potential merger if deemed feasible — that started long before Schick was hired. “I am a little surprised by the tone that I seem to be hearing in talking about a further consolidation of our services. This is something we began working towards before Chief Schick even came here, back when we hired Interim Chief Abel, with the intention assuring both our interim and per- manent chiefs possessed the skill sets necessary to continue that direction,” Hickson said. The discussion then turned to a proposal for a public survey on the merg- er situation and the way questions were stated. WLAD Director Cindy Russell stated she believed the words and concept of merging the two districts was overstated in the sur- vey. Her comments were supported by the ambu- lance district board. COVID protocols were next on the agenda and the boards agreed the safety of employees was of para- mount importance as they approved and unanimous- ly passed the Family First Coronavirus Response Act. The act was designed to provide additional support for WLFEA employees im- pacted by COVID by allow- ing for additional sick days in the event a member of either SVFR or WLAD has family members who be- come infected. There were also a few tense moments around the DENTURE SERVICES INC. LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED Open 4 days a week! 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Next, WLFEA’s plan to work with the Lane Coun- cil of Governments on the development of a strategic plan presented the first of a number of discussion points. Farnsworth disagreed with Chief Schick’s pre- sentation, arguing that the joint boards had asked for a separate strategic plan for both organizations as op- posed to the plan presented by Schick, which further consolidated emergency services moving forward. “I am confused. I thought we were doing a Western Lane Ambulance District strategic plan and a Siu- slaw Valley Fire and Rescue plan,” said Farnsworth. “It looks like we dropped both of those in favor of a pre- determined, pre-imagined merger that looks more like a WLFEA strategic play. Are we going to publish a strategic plan that is unique to each agency?” Schick responded that there would probably not be separate documents for each agency, but the plan would have highlighted goals for each agency, al- though the information would be compiled in one document. Farnsworth’s responded, “I think that is presumptu- ous on its face because, at the beginning of this pro- cess, we were going to iden- tify board members that were going to work on this with no bias and this docu- ment looks full of bias.” Farnsworth’s statement was echoed by Director John Murphey, who also was under the impression that there would be two strategic plans presented to the WLFEA board. There was then a discus- sion revisiting the idea that a feasibility study should be undertaken to determine if an eventual merger of the two entities was doable or even desirable. “Chief, the feasibility study was supposed to find out if a merger was even possible,” Farnsworth said. “Right now, we are oper- ating as two separate and unique agencies that hap- F LO E N C R GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE FACEBOOK.COM/PETERSENAUTODETAIL On Friday, May 7, and Sat- urday, May 8, for two days of Mother’s Day weekend, local ceramic artist Mike Schwartz will once again host his an- nual sale at his Mudmusic Studio. To assure health safety, this will be an outdoor sale with entry into his studio limited to two people at a time. Schwartz will be mask- ing and asks all visitors to do the same. “The current situation means everyone working together,” he said. “The sale will be outdoors, rain or shine, so that social distanc- ing may be maintained.” Since the weather may be uncertain, the sale will be set up at the front of his garage just behind the overhead door so that both visitors and art will be protected from the weather if necessary. The artwork will be his unique signature pit-fired ceramic pieces. As the term implies, pit firing is an an- cient process in which the pieces are not fired in a kiln, but rather in an open fire. No glazes are used; the dramat- issue of PERS funding, as there was disagreement about the upcoming re- quirements for future PERS responsibilities. Farnsworth and Schick again interpreted date-re- lated to future expenditures differently, but the discus- sion eventually settled on a $500,000 allocation for Capital Reserve funding. As the meeting ap- proached its finish, Schick presented a tentative plan to further the process of moving the two districts towards further consolida- tion, suggesting a further integration of emergen- cy operations — not a full merger. Staffing, operations, ad- ministration and budget expenses were areas where Schick suggested the inte- gration could continue. There was little discus- sion of Schick’s final pre- sentation, as the need for a clear strategic plan had become the path boards decided needed to be taken first. The next WLFEA meet- ing is scheduled for May 27, beginning at 6 p.m. All board meetings are available for viewing at www.svfr.com and western laneambulance.com. ic colors achieved are due to the interaction of fire and smoke working on salts and metals applied to the ceram- ics. The pieces themselves are thrown by Schwartz on his potter’s wheel, so each is a one-of-a-kind work of art. A psychiatrist in his prior professional life, Schwartz moved to Florence in 1995 and learned to become a potter to fulfill his view of retirement. Cur rent ly, S chwar tz’s work can be seen in five Or- egon coast galleries, from Gardiner to Astoria. Locally, his work may be seen at the River Gallery on Bay Street year-round. Preview his art at www. mudmusicstudio.com. The two-day sale will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Mudmusic Studio is lo- cated at 04899 Heceta Beach Road, 1.3 miles from High- way 101. Exceptional Residential and Memory Care We believe when you need more than just care. Your family is our family. We are here to help when you need us. Your partners from New Friends Memory and Residential Care of Florence. 3321 Oak Street Phone: 541-902-8821 Florence, OR 97439 Email us: info@newfriendsoffl orence.com In Florence we have 93% of our residents and 87% of our staff who have been vaccinated. What safer place to live can you fi nd. Cel 70 ebrat + Y ing ear s! 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