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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 2021)
SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2021 | 5A COUNCIL from page 1A Discussions and delib- erations conducted during an executive session can- not by statute be reported on in detail, but the agenda released to the public refers to a performance evalua- tion of the City Manager. No action was taken during the session. The council’s regular meeting began with the announcement of May- or Henry’s appointments to the Florence Planning Commission, Clare Kurth, and to the Florence Urban Renewal Agency, Graham Ross. After this, the success of the Siuslaw School Dis- trict’s Athletic Department was the subject of a proc- lamation issued and read into the record. Henry stated, “Whereas the girls volleyball team made it to the state play- offs, the girls and boys cross country teams and the boys football team won the state championships, and whereas winning three 2021 Oregon School Activ- ities Association (OSAA) State Championships for our division brought honor to Siuslaw Highschool and the City of Florence and the entire coaching staff, school administration, the school board, team parents, faculty and student body at Siuslaw High School, the City of Florence and the greater Florence area were integral to in guiding the teams to victory through their unwavering support. … I do hereby recognize and heartily congratulate Siuslaw High School and the 2021 fall athletes on their outstanding achieve- ments.” The first substantive ac- tion of the meeting came as councilors revisited the previously considered change to city code relat- ed to proposed Ordinance No. 22, Series 2021. This ordinance would amend the Florence City Code by adding Chapter 17 to Title 1 regarding the establish- ment of a Multiple-Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE) Program. According to the city LEGACY PORTRAITURE website and the materials presented to councilors, MUPTE is a state-enabled housing incentive pro- gram that allows cities of all sizes across Oregon to exempt property taxes on residential improvements of approved multi-unit properties for up to ten years. Although the State of Oregon enables this program, each municipal- ity has the opportunity to shape the program to meet its own goals by controlling the geography of where the exemption is available, ap- plication process and fees, program requirements, criteria, and program cap. The intent is to lower op- erating costs in the early years of a housing devel- opment so that it becomes more financially feasible. In order to adopt MUPTE, the City of Flor- ence must receive resolu- tions of support from 51% of the taxing rate in Flor- ence. Currently, the City of Florence has received resolutions of support from 60.95% of the taxing rate including: Lane Com- munity College, Siuslaw School District, Port of Siuslaw, Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue, Western Lane Ambulance District and Florence Urban Renewal Agency. As of the Mon- day meeting, the Siuslaw Library Board had yet to consider the resolution of support but planned to at its Dec. 15 meeting. The MUPTE Program does not reduce the cur- rent taxes on the undevel- oped land, but it does delay the receipt of the increased tax revenue from the res- idential improvements of approved MUPTE de- velopments, exempting the property from being charged property taxes for up to 10 years. The proper- ty owner continues to pay taxes on the land and any commercial improvements to the land. With the exemption program, the tax revenue on the newly constructed dwelling units is collected beginning after 10 years. The exemption can make housing financially feasi- ble, and the city and other Florence taxing districts grows its tax base in the long term. The council had pre- viously considered Ordi- nance No. 22, Series 2021, but was constrained from proceeding with a vote on the subject after Councilor Maggie Wisniewski, at the Nov. 29 council meeting, voted “nay” after the re- Get Results...List With Amy. Portraits that will show your innermost self. Amy Johnson Broker, CSA 541 999-7875 1539 Tamarack St – Large in- town home with end of street privacy, hot tub, big backyard, new decks and covered bbq area. 3 bdrms, 1 bath, kitch- en, dining, living room all upstairs. Master suite, bath and laundry downstairs. This home has a 3-car garage and work shop. $570,000. #3285- 21202191 RODGER BENNETT PHOTOGRAPHY 1234 Rhododendron Drive #7 | Florence, Oregon 97439 541-991-0777 | www.photobyrodger.com 1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200 quired first reading of the proposed ordinance in a 4-1 vote. Councilor Bill Meyer, who has supported tax in- centives for development, spoke briefly of what he perceived as possible pub- lic misunderstanding re- garding the ordinance, and its connected resolution. “I think there is some confusion out there … I’d like to make it clear. The city with this action is not building any public housing. We aren’t build- ing high-end housing, we are not building low-end public housing, we are not building any housing peri- od,” Meyer stated. “I would also like to emphasize that there is no tax increase on the part of our citizens with the action of this motion.” Henry agreed with Mey- er’s observation and clari- fied the resulting tax situ- ation. “These taxing authorities are not giving up any in- come; they will continue to receive the tax revenue on the land’s value. The only thing they are giving up is revenue on any construc- tion that would take place in the future,” Henry said. The second reading of Ordinance 22 then oc- curred, which allowed for the reconsideration of the ordinance which was mo- tioned, seconded and ap- proved on a 4-1 vote, with Wisniewski opposed. The connected Resolu- tion No. 39 was then also passed 4-1, again with Wisniewski opposed. Following this, Florence Economic Development Catalyst Sarah Moehrke presented the council with an opportunity to apply for an Economic Development Agency’s Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Funding Opportunity for We are open and ready to assist you! The Siuslaw News Presents... Christmas Tree Contest ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER OF $50 Enter in the Siuslaw News Christmas Tree Photo Contest Online and vote for your favorite. All you have to do is snap a photo of your Christmas Tree and enter by visiting: thesiuslawnews. secondstreetapp.com/ XmasTree2021 Enter until 12/23 @ Midnight Online Voting 12/23 @ Midnight until 1/2/22 at Noon Winner will be announced 1/5/22 in the Siuslaw News SPONSORED BY: Certified technicians dedicated to professional pest management. 541-997-3781 509 Hwy 101 Florence, Oregon www.pesttechinc.com 541-997-5391 Owners Gary and Sharon Cargill 1234 Rhododendron Dr. Florence OR 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475 ...need a friend? 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Next on the agenda was the performance of Reyn- olds as city manager, which had been the subject of the executive session. Since taking the role, Reynolds has received stel- lar reviews in her evalua- tions. This review contin- ued in that vein. Henry went over the spe- cifics of the review process and summarized his dis- cussions with other coun- cilors and Reynolds which were again extremely pos- itive. “I am extremely proud of our staff and of the direc- tion our city manager has given them. Erin has per- formed in an exception- al manner. She is a high performance manager and leads by example,” Henry said. The mayor’s comments were accepted gracious- ly by Reynolds, who ac- knowledged the work of the council and her staff. Reynolds has for the third year received the same base salary of $139,888 and has accepted contributions to her PERS retirement ac- count in lieu of a raise. That will continue, al- though with an increase in the city’s commitment from 3% to 6% of her salary in 2023. Reynolds will also receive a four year contract starting in January 2022 in- stead of the yearly contract currently in effect. Reynolds new contract agreement was approved unanimously. The consent agenda items approved by the council included Resolu- tion No. 41, Series 2021, to accept a Recreational Trails Program grant in the amount of $115,000 for construction of Phase 1 of the Siuslaw Estuary Trail. The acceptance of an engineering profession- al services proposal from Kennedy Jenks Consul- tants of $325,910 for the UV Disinfection System at the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the acceptance of a proposal as submitted by StepUp IT Services, LLC for a Managed Information Technology (IT) Services professional contract in the amount of $33,319 for the fiscal year ending 2022, and for the amount of $100,476 per fiscal year thereafter was approved. In addition, Reynolds spoke of the requirements of Senate Bill 866, which mandate the city to ac- knowledge the manner and mechanisms which will be employed to continue the operation of the building inspection program. This request was also approved. Councilors spoke brief- ly of the work done with committees on which they serve and applauded the work done by the Public Works Department to pre- pare Old Town and the Bay Street Interpretive Cen- ter for the Making Spirits Bright Holiday Festivities. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2022. For more information, visit ci.florence.or.us. This ad was generously sponsored by Visit us on OCHS supporter the web Suzanne Curtis T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM S IUSLAW N EWS