8A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Faye Stewart settles in
Former commission has been on the job six months
O
n the far-left wall of Faye Stewart’s of-
fi ce, there’s a schematic drawing of Bo-
cmay@cgsentinel.com
hemia Park—a Cottage Grove landmark his
family’s foundation helped usher into existence.
Aside from a few family photographs, an offi ce
plant and an oversized clock, the offi ce isn’t quite personalized yet—but
Stewart hasn’t had much time to decorate.
September marks six months since Stewart started occupying that of-
fi ce, signaling the beginning of a new joint department that encompasses
community development, planning and the half dozen offi ces that fall
under Stewart’s new jurisdiction.
“As much as I enjoyed being a county commissioner, I enjoy this too,”
Faye Stewart
he said on a Friday morning, the sun streaming through a window that
looks out onto the grass outside city hall.
Stewart announced his resignation from the Lane County Commission in March, citing the oppor-
tunity to spend more time with his family and work closer to home in Cottage Grove. He didn’t quite
fi ll an open position within the city; Cottage Grove City Manager Richard Meyers announced plans
to combine the community development department with the planning department in the wake of the
retirement of Howard Schesser at the start of the new year. After narrowing the fi eld down to three can-
didates, the city opted to hire Stewart to navigate staff through the process of combining departments
and shifting roles.
City Planner Amanda Ferguson who had worked under Schesser, has been promoted to a supervisory
position under Stewart and the city has hired an additional employee for the department.
City Engineer Ron Bradsby’s position also changed under Stewart.
“I discovered that almost everything needs approval or review from the engineer,” Stewart said, not-
ing that the workload was causing a backlog. To remedy the issue, he suggested hiring a civil engineer
to help shoulder the burden.
“Now the civil engineer handles the road work and that frees Ron up to focus on permits, applica-
tions, the treatment plant and other projects.”
Prior to Stewart’s arrival, the water treatment plant, engineering, permitting and other departments
were split between planning and community development. Now, in the new combined model, Stewart
directly oversees seven employees including Bradsby, the manager of the wastewater treatment center,
maintenance, utilities, an administrative aide and a custodian.
However, managing a staff has been the easy part, Stewart says.
“Since day one, staff has been helpful and supportive,” he said.
The hard part of being the new planning and development manager? Learning the process.
As a county commissioner, Stewart said he spent time reading material and giving it the ok. Now,
he’s the one preparing that material.
“It does make it easier because I will ask myself what I would ask if I was reading it and trying to
anticipate those questions,” he said. “But early on the challenge was to learn the city’s process and how
things go before the city council.”
Cottage Grove City Manager said he was pleased with Stewart's performance so far.
"he's doing spectacular," he said. "It's nice to have someone able to jump in and hit the ground run-
ning with information and contacts. It's been invaluable. He's fi tting in great with the staff."
By Caitlyn May
New cars for CGPD
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
The Cottage Grove City Council voted Monday night to allow the police de-
partment to purchase three vehicles it has been leasing for the last three years.
The department will now own the three 2015 Chevy Tahoes as well as a
2015 Ford Interceptor SUV and two 2015 Dodge Chargers. All vehicles will
be up-fi tted with a police package while a Crown Victoria and Chevy Impala
are leaving the fl eet.
Cottage Grove Police Chief Scott Shepherd told the council the added vehicles would allow for
fl exibility within the department should a vehicle break down and it would avoid having two man cars
within the department.
The amount approved by the council is not to exceed $107,850 and will fund the purchase at a 2.14
percent fi nance rate for 36 months.
Parent
Continued from A1
and later sent out a statement to the press sum-
marizing the investigation’s fi ndings. During the
September 11 meeting, the board voted to discuss
the investigation again and accept its fi ndings.
In addressing the petition, Dr. Parent released
a statement through the school district which
reads in full, “The complaint fi led by Jennifer
Holloman was independently investigated and
the fi ndings from the investigation were given to
the South Lane School Board. The investigation
clearly showed there was no wrong doing on my
part. Those fi ndings were affi rmed by a board
vote at their September 11 regular school board
meeting. In addition, the complaints fi led by for-
mer employee Dave Presley were investigated by
district staff and also were found to be without
merit. There is a lot of great work to be done in a
school district on a daily basis and I am working
hard to lead that work.
My family and I have suffered from these per-
sonal attacks and we wish to move on.
The district is moving forward with work on
behalf of kids and that has been and will continue
to be my focus.”
Holloman was given the opportunity to com-
ment for this story.
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