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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 4, 2021)
6A | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS WATER from page 1A $139,416, representing an in- crease of $84,856, above the $54,560, we collected in 2020,” the letter stated. However, after a Dunes City Council meeting last week that made clear the community’s concern with the increase, Tom Puttman, CEO of Puttman In- frastructure Inc., which owns the SCWC, said he made the decision to postpone the com- pany’s rate increase hearing. Puttman said his decision was due to what he describes as a miscommunication, in a letter sent to SCWC customers late last week, after being informed of the wave of public opposition to the rate hike. The letter attempted to clarify WALL from page 1A The organizers, a major- ity of whom are local vet- erans, have been working to finish the placement of the last panel of tiles since before the pandemic. The delivery of the final set of named panels has been a problem as materials and delivery of the finished tiles has been challenging due to COVID-19 restrictions placed on manufacturers and delivery services. Dedicated Florence-ar- ea veterans have raised a substantial portion of the money necessary to build the walls, benches and flags surrounding the park, which abuts the Siuslaw River. The City of Florence has officially adopted the the reasons for and the timing of the rate increase request. Meanwhile, the public re- sponse to the unexpected in- crease has been significant. The issue was discussed in detail at the July Dunes City Council meeting, with the council directing City Admin- istrator Jamie Mills to contact SCWC executives and sched- ule a meeting to clarify the sit- uation for councilors and the public. According to Puttman, the response to the proposed hike was unexpected and deserves more attention before SCWC presents its case at a future Or- egon PUC hearing. “Effective today, we are paus- ing the PUC rate case process,” Puttman announced on Mon- park and works with local veteran groups to make sure it is respectfully main- tained. “Members of the Amer- ican Legion, VFW (Veter- ans of Foreign Wars) and the DAV (Disabled Amer- ican Veterans) rotate on a monthly basis the landscap- ing and clean-up of the site,” Cavarno said. “The city mows the lawn and trims the hedges for us, and they have been great.” The idea for a memorial park was once just an idea hatched by Cavarno and a few other veterans many years ago during morning coffee. “Unfortunately, there are only two of the original group that came up with this idea left — me and It’s Always Buck’s Season! Special Events • Weddings Construction and Agriculture Restroom Trailers • Shower Trailers Earth Friendly Practice Family Owned & Operated day. “Continuing the process with these misunderstandings would not be constructive. We truly value our relationships with our customers. Pausing the process is the right thing to do.” The water delivered to Dunes City residents from the SCWC comes from Woahink Lake. Previously, water came from Siltcoos Lake. The planned rate increase is primarily related to the capital improvements re- quired to make the change to Woahink. These improvements include a new treatment plant, decommissioning the old treat- ment plant and a new supply main and pump station to con- vey water from Woahink Lake to the new treatment plant. “As the new owner of the sys- Steve Olienyk, who was just named Florence First Citi- zen at the Siuslaw Awards,” Cavarno said. The Veteran’s Memorial Park now in place was the eventual end product of those early discussions and has drawn thousands of vis- itors over the past 10 years to honor veterans. Over time, it has become the main staging area for many local veteran related events. In addition, the yearly Me- morial Day services held there have become central to the city’s recognition of the sacrifice and dedication of those that have served. A special component of that ceremony is the laying of wreaths on the river by U.S. Coast Guard Station Siu- slaw River. tem, it was our understanding that the customer base under- stood these improvements had been made and the rate in- crease was forthcoming. These improvements were made prior to our ownership of the system and the proposed rate increase is necessary to pay for these im- provements,” Puttman stated in the letter sent last week. In addition to not knowing why SCWC wanted the rate in- crease, some customers did not receive the initial notice, which SCWC is working to resolve in its communications. “We need to connect as a community to talk about what is going on,” Puttman said. “We would like to share more about how the water system works; recent system improvements The scenic nature of the park and the thousands of tiles with the names of service members stands as a permanent reminder of those who have served in the military in service to the country and their fellow citizens. For more info, visit ci. florence.or.us/publicworks/ veterans-memorial-park. and potential future improve- ments; service issues and cus- tomer needs and how the PUC estimate rates and the process for approving them.” Mills had not spoken with Puttman by Monday afternoon, but was planning to reach out to Puttman soon to discuss pos- sible dates for holding a pub- lic forum to fully discuss the SCWC’s position and to answer questions from the public. The date for a public forum to share information and to answer questions from resi- dents has not been finalized by press time but is expected to be scheduled soon. For more information, vis- it dunescityhall.com and puttman.com/utilities/scwc/. Your guide to great locally owned restaurants. Big Fish Café & Dinner House 345 Riverfront Reedsport • 541-361-6331 Visit us on the web T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM Daily Fresh Seafood Specials Steaks • Salads • Homemade Desserts Pastas • Vegetarian/Vegan • Full Bar All Occasion Catering Private Parties • Beautiful Riverview S IUSLAW N EWS Open Tuesday - Saturday 4:00-8:30pm Reservations Suggested A Smarter Way to Power Your Home. Weekly Special: Oyster Po Boy w/house potato chips $14 REQUEST A FREE QUOTE! ACT NOW TO RECEIVE A $300 SPECIAL OFFER!* Friday: (844) 989-2328 Lobster Rolls *Off er value when purchased at retail. Solar panels sold separately. New summer menu Check it out at www. nosheateryfl orence.com/menu This message is sponsored by Siuslaw Valley Fire & Rescue. FIRE PREVENTION GUIDE | BE READY Wed-Sat 11am-9pm www.nosheateryfl orence.com 541-997-5899 • 1269 Bay Street Old Town Florence How To Survive A Fire Stay Cool If facing a fi re at your home or offi ce, there are steps you can take to stay cool under pressure. The best way to remain calm is to understand your emergency plan. Work with your children to make sure they know where to go and what to do if a fi re breaks out. If you run a business, your employees should have a grasp of where emergency exits are in the building. Practice drills both at home and the offi ce to keep everyone in the know in case disaster strikes. Stay Low When a fi re ignites, rooms fi ll up with smoke quickly. Your exit path will likely be blocked with smoke, so it’s crucial that you avoid breathing it in. Cover your nose and mouth as you escape. Smoke rises, so stay low to the fl oor. Get on your hands and knees. Crawl toward the door. This will improve your chances of surviving the fi re while also minimizing your exposure to dangerous smoke. Door Safety Things can be dark and confusing during a fi re. As you pass from one room to another, remember to close doors behind you. This helps prevent the fi re from spreading any faster. If you have to open an interior door to escape, be sure to look for any smoke that might be coming through the cracks. Feel the door for heat. If the door is hot, there is likely a fi re raging on the other side. If the door feels normal, open it a crack and move through the room. Surfside Restaurant at Drift wood Shores Resort Is Open for Dine-in & take out from 4pm - 8:30 pm Tuesday - Saturday Call 541-902-6447 Drift wood Shores Resort 88416 1st Avenue, Florence We are open for dine-in, take-out, sidewalk & patio seating We are doing everything we can to safely serve our community. We are open: Noon to 8pm every day 2020 VOTED F BEST O E Surviving a fi re takes a well-executed plan that you have practiced multiple times. Fire is dangerous, but smoke may be your biggest challenge in an emergency situation. That’s because it can cause you to pass out or seriously damage your lungs. Every second is precious when it comes to surviving a fi re in your home or offi ce. Incorporate these tips into your home or offi ce fi re emergency plan today. F LO E N C R www.westernlaneambulance.com 1285 Bay Street, Old Town Florence (541) 902-8338 www.1285Restobar.com
