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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2017)
10A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JANUARY 18, 2017 Record number of eagles counted in Cottage Grove BY CAITLYN MAY cmay@cgsentinel.com A group of bird enthusiasts gathered on Jan. 14 to embark on a cold journey to Cottage Grove reservoir. Their goal? To count bald eagles in the area and report back. The count occurs every year but this yearಬs frigid weather broke a record with tempera- tures dipping down to 28 de- grees during the count. Allison Center, a Bureau of Land Man- agement retiree who has been taking part in the county for over 20 years, led the group on Saturday. ಯWe report the number to the Oregon Eagle Foundation,ರ she said. Center also noted that the Cottage Grove reservoir is home to a resident pair of bald eagles. The animals can be found in nearly all 50 states, Canada and Mexico. They typically make their homes near large bodies of water and are known for their stick nests which can be found in higher branches of conifer trees. The birds mate for life and lay one to three eggs per year. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the bald eagle was removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species thanks to the banning of a specifi c pesticide and pro- tections afforded to the animals under the Endangered Species Act. The act allowed for habitat protections in areas bald eagles use for nesting. Cottage Grove, according to Center, is home to a resident pair of bald eagles but since the species continues to thrive since State of the City an OBON Society exhibits were huge successes in 2016. It’s amazing for a library in a community of just under 10,000 to have the number of programs and activities. Community Center stays busy and full, the list is huge of all the events and meetings that are held in the community center. It is truly a hub in the community and is always busy. Armory fundraising contin- ues, and the window restoration work will be completed in 2017. With heat in the Drill Hall we continue to see more use of the building. This past year’s Model Train Show, KNND’s Business Expo, Eugene Film Festival, Mayor’s Ball and the upcoming Chamber of Commerce Ban- quet all show how the building can be used when restoration is complete. The City is continuing to maintenance of the entire Row River Trail. The trail and Scenic bikeway are bringing a substan- tial number of cyclists to the community. We will continue to work with the BLM to enhance the maintenance of the trail to maintain this valuable asset. The Cities Row River Wa- ter Treatment Plant was named “Small Treatment Plant of the Year” by the Northwest Mem- brane Operator Association that represents the 9 state region. In an effort to continue to fi nd ways to provide housing for all members of the community the City Council has supported the efforts of the Cottage Village Coalition in partnership with Square One Village to develop a tiny home project that will provide much needed low cost housing in the community. Some challenges we face in the New Year include: Public safety and crime con- being taken off the endangered list, that number can change. ಯTheyಬre could be more on the reservoir,ರCenter said. ಯBut itಬs hard to spot because they donಬt develop the white head until they are three or four years old. Younger birds look like dark brown osprey.ರ Saturdayಬs fog dampened ef- forts to capture photographs of the birds but according to Cen- ter, the group counted a record number of the animals. “We saw the most bald eagles today that we have ever seen in 20 years,” she said. The group noted eight birds at Dorena in- cluding four adults and three ju- veniles. Cottage Grove provid- ed the group a sighting of two adults and one juvenile. continued from A1 tinue to be a concern We will shortly exceed the population of 10,000 Our infra- structure. More housing. In order to address these is- sues, City council will start the New Year with a goal setting session. This session will be an opportunity for councilors to discuss in depth their goals for the next year. We will prioritize these goals 3 or 4 that will be achievable in the short term as well as steps to achieve longer term goals. 2017 is shaping up to be an incredible year for cycling events in Cottage Grove. Right now there are 4 major cycling events that will be coming to Cottage Grove, We will be working to ad- dress the needs of the swinging pedestrian bridge. We are wait- ing from OBEC engineers that will identify cost estimates for repair or replacement options on the bridge. Main Street Bridge, Harrison Bridge and Silk Creek Bridge on River Road will be repaired this spring to address inspection defi ciencies. Taylor Pump Station is under- way. This $1.1 million project will eliminate a pump station on the water distribution system and improve water service and fi re protection for a portion of town. Included in the project are upgrades to the remaining pump station on Holly Avenue as well including backup power. E/BID was extended. I am excited to be working with E/ BID for the next 5 years as they continue to improve the econo- my of Cottage Grove. We have already seen the results with the Main Street program the Downtown Halloween, Turkey Drop and Christmas Downtown have been successes and have brought people downtown, not just on the days of the events but back down other days. I hope that work continues and more businesses and individuals see the essential need of the Main Street program and the import- ant role that the E/BID plays. Already seeing the impact of the part-time Code Enforcement Offi cer in Community Develop- ment and Community Service Offi cer in the Police Depart- ment. The Code Enforcement Offi cer is getting a handle on the issues and will be providing some ideas for code improve- ments. The Community Service Offi cer in the Police Depart- ment is nearing the completion of training and we are already seeing an increase in time offi - cers are spending on patrol and other duties. In 2017 the Police Depart- ment will be looking for more Reserve offi cers and also will be exploring the creation of a Ci- vilian Volunteer Program. Any- one interested in these opportu- nities should contact the Chief. Our police department has a new Chief, Scott Sheperd. We will also be getting a new Com- munity Development Director after the retirement of How- ard Schesser at the end of this month. It has been a job but it also represents hours and hours of commitment beyond just working. Look forward to new professional staff to continue the work. The city Council has made a commitment to the safety of our youth by stepping forward to require the sidewalk to be in- stalled around Lincoln Middle School. I’d now like to take this time to recognize an outstanding life- long individual who has spent the last 15 years overcoming adversities. Larry Woody, a mechanic by trade was in an auto accident in April of 2002 which resulted in him being blind. Most would have given up at this point, but Larry took it as a challenge - continu- ing to ride bicycles, atv’s and occasionally driving a race car at the local speedway, (with the help of radios). In June of 2006 Larry purchased D&D Automotive and went back to work as a mechanic, along with his son in law. Larry continued to support the community and help mentor young individuals who wanted to learn his trade. This past fall Larry retired and turned the business over to his daughter and son in law so he could spend more time with his family. It’s my pleasure to rec- ognize Larry Woody with the Mayoral Certifi cate of Appreci- ation award. Next I’d like to recognize an outstanding business. The Coast Fork Feed Company & Brew Station. Not only has the feed store become a vital business to downtown, but also the innovative expansion of the Brew station has brought another venue for downtown entertainment and social gath- ering. Their family friendly at- mosphere promotes local artist, bingo, fundraisers and meeting places. They also promote local beers and ciders on tap as well as a supplier for home brew and wine enthusiast. It’s my pleasure to recognize The Coast Fork Feed Company & Brew Station with the Mayoral Certifi cate of Appreciation. In closing I think 2017 is going to be a very busy but reward- ing year for our city and I’m excited to be serving you as Mayor as we move forward to the future.
