New owners
at Emerald
Fitness,
page 3A
Hannah's
back
Dog Park update! — 7A
Trial results — 3A
Faith Page — 8A
Return from injury
means a return to form
for Albrecht, page 1B
$ PUUBHF ( SPWF 4 FOUJOFM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016
SOUTH LANE AND NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY'S MOST AWARD-WINNING NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1889
VOLUME 128 • NUMBER 44
Marijuana tax to
appear on ballot
D AY OF C ARING
Cleanup,
celebration
mark Earth Day
Council votes to refer issue
to voters in November
BY JON STINNETT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
C
ottage Grove should get a chance to vote on a three-per-
cent tax on recreational marijuana retail sales this No-
vember, after the City Council approved a plan to place the tax
before voters Monday night.
Oregon House Bill 3400, Section 34a states that “the gov-
erning body of a city or county may adopt an ordinance to be
referred to the electors of the city or county…that imposes a
tax or a fee on the sale of marijuana items that are sold in the
area subject to the jurisdiction of the city,” a tax that cannot
exceed three percent. On Monday, City Manager Richard Mey-
ers said that several councilors had asked about such a tax on
recreational marijuana, adding that the tax would have to be put
on the November ballot. He said a host of Oregon communities
including Veneta, Florence, Salem, Springfi eld and others were
looking into placing a tax on November’s ballot.
“Is this something you want to do?” he asked the Council,
adding that if so, the Council should “instruct us to put together
the materials so it can be placed on the ballot.”
Councilor Jake Boone spoke fi rst and stated that, while he is
no longer employed at local dispensary Apothecaria and is not
fi nancially invested there, he still opposes the tax.
“There is a tax on recreational marijuana as it is,” Boone said.
“Ten percent of the state tax is set to go to the cities. I’m more
than willing to wait and see how much that is.”
Boone said he encountered a similar issue with an effort to
place a restaurant tax before voters to fund swimming pool op-
erations a few years back.
“They couldn’t show me a nexus between why we should tar-
get this industry,” he said. “An industry-targeted tax should be
used to somehow offset issues that come from that industry. In
this case, the money is ostensibly for increased law enforcement
cost. But as the numbers show, there’s been a decrease because
we don’t have so much illegal marijuana. You’ve got to have a
reason to put an extra tax on somebody. Because it might be free
money I don’t think is a good reason.”
Councilor Jeff Gowing said that he is opposed to “pretty much
all tax” but would be willing to let the voters decide on this one.
Councilor Garland Burback added that he’s in favor “because
the public can vote on it.”
BY SAM WRIGHT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
C
ottage Grove’s Earth Day celebra-
tion held out against the looming
threat of rain on Saturday. Had the weath-
er been less forgiving, the celebration
would have been moved to the Cottage
Grove Armory.
But no such relocation was necessary,
and Coiner Park hosted about 50 differ-
ent booths that represented various envi-
ronmental conservationist programs and
ideals, along with local vendors and other
demonstrations.
Just down the road, the downtown clean
up was taking place with around a dozen
volunteers and their children collecting
trash off of Main street. Local resident
Britney Basting brought her three kids
along to help clean up.
Please see EARTH, Page 12A
photo by Sam Wright
Macey and Olivia Basting help their mom, Britney, pick up trash during downtown's Day of Caring cleanup.
Zone change approved with second vote
BY JON STINNETT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
The Cottage Grove City Council again
voted 6-1 to approve a change in zoning for
two properties on Lane Street near downtown
Monday night, with the second affi rmative
vote putting the zone change into effect.
The Council had fi rst examined a request
from applicants Eric Scully and Glen Taylor
to rezone the two properties adjacent to the
railroad tracks at 115 and 125 Lane Street
from C-2 Central Business District to C2-P
Community Commercial, a change that was
recommended for approval by the Planning
Commission in March.
At its April 11 meeting, Councilor Garland
Burback explained that his lone ‘no’ vote
came about because of what he knew to be
the intended use of the property, in this case
the growing of marijuana. Burback again
voted ‘no’ on Monday night.
As part of the requirements of the new
zoning, both applicants will be required to
add parking on their properties.
Please see TAX, Page 12A
OSU extension, 4-H program makes appeal for votes
BY GORDON OKUMU
For the Sentinel
O
n Tuesday, April 19, at
the Healing Matrix in
Cottage Grove “Support Lane
County 4-H and Extension”
supporters asked for the support
of the public for the May Ballot
Measure #20-239, which aims
to provide local funding for 4-
H and OSU Extension Service
programs.
4-H and among other exten-
sion programs in Lane County
have suffered greatly since the
loss of local funding in 2010,
but with a vote to reinstate pro-
grams that had been curtailed or
lost due to lack of government
funding, the organizers believe
that restoration is coming.
John Punches, OSU Extension
Services Regional Administra-
tor, who was the main speaker
during the event, explained in
full the tax levy and the specifi c
outcomes.
In his presentation, Punches
said that the proposal to Fund
OSU Extension in Lane County
had been agreed to by the Lane
County Board of Commission-
ers, which preferred a local op-
tion tax measure on the May 17
ballot to provide specifi c sup-
port for the Extension Program
for fi ve years.
Punches clarifi ed that the pro-
posed tax rate of 1.5 cents per
$1000 assessed value (about
$3 per year for a typical prop-
erty owner) would generate ap-
proximately $400,000 annually,
after adjusting for compression
and tax collection rates. These
funds would be used to enhance
access to 4-H by reducing en-
rollment fees and supporting the
club’s in-school and after-school
programs. It will also be used
to stabilize support for Master
Gardener, Master Food Pre-
server and Food Pantry volun-
teer programs. Further, Punches
said the program should still
leverage federal grant funds to
strengthen nutrition education
programs and provide opera-
tional support for an Extension
forester and allow development
of a Master Woodland Manager
volunteer program.
Punches said the local option
tax would not result in compres-
sion to the permanent tax rates
of cities or other taxing districts,
and the Lane County Asses-
sor has indicated its impact on
other local option taxes would
be minimal.
Punches indicated that the
extension program had so many
benefi ts including but not lim-
ited to:
The 4-H Youth Development
Program that provides young
people with high-quality learn-
ing experiences that promote
positive interactions with adults
and peers, sustained and ac-
tive participation and meaning-
ful contributions to the world
around them.
The Master Gardener™ and
Community Horticulture Pro-
grams that educate Oregonians
about the art and science of
growing and caring for plants,
and facilitate comprehensive
training of a dedicated volunteer
corps.
The Master Food Preserver
Program, which trains volunteers
to answer food safety and preser-
vation questions from the public.
Photo by Gordon Okumu
John Punches, OSU Extension Services Regional
Administrator, makes a public presentation during the
4-H and OSU extension program appeal for votes at the
Healing Matrix in Cottage Grove on Tuesday, April 19.
The Food Pantry Project, which
trains volunteers to help citizens
with limited-resources makes
better use of available foods.
The Nutrition Education Pro-
gram (NEP,) which delivers fed-
erally funded programs aimed at
improving nutrition and reduc-
ing obesity in low-income youth
and families.
The Small Farms Program,
which serves commercial pro-
ducers of niche agricultural
products, beginning farmers and
small-acreage landowners.
The Livestock and Forages
Program serves commercial
producers of beef, sheep and
meat goats.
Commercial
Horticulture,
which runs in 2,660 farms in
Lane County and encompasses
219,625 acres, with annual pro-
duction value of $142 million.
Forestry and Natural Re-
sources Lane County is consis-
tently one of the top two timber
producing counties in Oregon.
It has a large private industrial
timberland base and numerous
family forestlands.
Oregon Sea Grant, which
helps coastal Lane County ad-
dress challenges through col-
laborative research and educa-
tion programs.
OSU Open Campus, a com-
munity-based education part-
nership convened by Oregon
State University to provide local
access to learning in order to
address the unique educational
needs of Oregon communities.
Rain Country Realty Inc.
P
G!
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I
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EN
Price reduced, back
on the market and
pending again
$130,000.
Cute 2 bedroom on
quiet street with
garage, large fenced
yard and shed.
AC
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CONTACT US
www.cgsentinel.com
On the Internet
(541) 942-3325
By telephone
(541) 942-3328
By fax
cgnews@cgsentinel.com
By e-mail
P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424
By mail
Corner of Sixth and Whiteaker, Cottage Grove
In person
Teresa Abbott ..................221-1735
Frank Brazell....................953-2407
Lane Hillendahl ................942-6838
29 usable acres. a
very functional
manufactured home.
Zoned for multiple
uses.
WEATHER
Broker
Valerie Nash ....................521-1618
Licensed in the
State of Oregon
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Calendar....................................... 11B
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Opinion .......................................... 4A
Public Safety .................................. 5A
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