COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019 | 9A
Decision from A1
and other things.”
The 6.84-acre property
has also begun a rezon-
ing process from R1 to
R2, which will allow the
property to accommodate
a wider variety of housing
types including duplexes
and multifamily dwellings.
Hopes are that this process
will be completed in June.
The decision to sell
the property came after
Budget from A1
New employees were
also included in the budget.
In response to this year’s
snowstorm, two part-time
city employees were taken
on to work full-time in the
Public Works department
and will continue employ-
ment into the next fiscal
year as cleanup continues.
A part-time community
coordinator assistant po-
sition was also made full-
time to continue ongoing
Court
from A1
million, it would be the
largest capital project built
by Lane County.
Complaints about the
60-year-old building’s con-
dition are nothing new.
“The building itself has
reached its lifespan.” said
County
Commissioner
Heather Buch.
Proponents of the mea-
sure point out that the
current courthouse has sig-
nificant safety, space and
operational limitations, a
problem exacerbated by
the fact that its population
has doubled since being
built.
A salient safety concern
involves the sharing of cor-
ridors and an elevator by
judges, court staff, jurors,
victims, defendants and
inmates. The environment
has concerned some that
those waiting to testify be-
fore a trial would feel in-
timidated by sharing space
with those they are testify-
ing against.
The building’s space
months deliberating on the
issue and exploring op-
tions. Two other options
under consideration by
the school board involved
abating and demolishing
the building to develop
athletic fi elds, one scenario
involving the rebuilding of
the old gym.
Estimates, however, put
the latter option at about
$1.5 million, the cost of de-
veloping the athletic fi elds
itself after abatement and
demolition costing more
than $800,000.
Two appraisals by ana-
lyzers Duncan & Brown
and RE/MAX Advantage
Plus of just the bare land
have put the property at
a value of $745,000 and
$880,000, respectively, as-
suming the rezoning to R2
goes through.
With that in mind, the
board determined that Cot-
tage Grove High School
and the new Harrison
School properties still had
enough fi eld space and that
bond dollars could be pri-
oritized toward other proj-
ects such as deferred main-
tenance.
The school board is cur-
rently working with the
Oregon School Board As-
sociation to receive guid-
ance on the path ahead for
the old Harrison School
property and the City of
Cottage Grove has showed
interest in helping the
school district manage.
In adopting a hous-
ing strategy earlier this
year, the city committed
to working with the local
school district to look at
surplus lands and how they
can help the city meet its
housing needs.
“One of the major things
they were looking at was
how the city can help the
school district fi gure out
what to do with this prop-
erty,” said City Planner
Amanda Ferguson, “and
more specifi cally, how can
we meet some of our hous-
ing needs with this proper-
ty?”
Through the partnership,
the school district was en-
couraged to continue with
its plan to change the prop-
erty zone to R2.
“It helped reassure them
that the path of rezoning
was a better option, that it
wouldn’t hurt them fi nan-
cially and it would meet
the stated needs that the
community has,” said Fer-
guson. “I think it was a re-
ally great partnership.”
Providing an implemen-
tation plan passes com-
mittee approval, it will be
brought before the City
Council next month.
community service proj-
ects such as housing and
assisted living.
Other new positions
in the adopted budget in-
cluded a human resources
director/assistant to the
city manager, part-time
engineering aide, part-time
finance clerk, a library in-
tern and six new season-
al employees who will be
employed full-time for two
and a half months.
A current planning tech-
nician position will also be
reclassified as an assistant
city planner.
The new positions were
said in the budget message
to be “essential in helping
to complete projects this
year or are a direct result of
the grants.”
Additionally, an aging
workforce among city staff
is expected to see the retire-
ment of several employees
in the next six months and
the hirings are regarded as
a way to make up for the
predicted shortfall in staff.
Major city projects in
the next fiscal year will in-
clude the reconstruction
of the Swinging Bridge,
roadway preservation, the
Safe Routes to Schools pro-
gram, continuation of three
bridge repairs, restoration
of the Armory and im-
provement or replacement
of water, wastewater and
storm water infrastructure.
Renovations are also un-
derway for the Warren H.
Daugherty Aquatic Center,
a community facility that
will include a new warm
water pool, replacing the
current therapy pool in the
Community Center.
The adopted budget in-
cludes $20,000 for opera-
tional savings and $50,000
for the HVAC system. An
additional $75,000 will be
budgeted to support oper-
ation costs for after-hour
community use of the new
aquatic center.
City water rates under
the adopted budget will see
a $3.42 monthly increase
for residents using 5,000
gallons per year and a “typ-
ically-sized meter,” with
rates differing depending
on meter size, consump-
tion and type of use.
No other fee or rate in-
creases were proposed in
the new budget.
Overall, there was agree-
ment on the state of the
proposed budget at Tues-
day’s budget meeting.
A budget message to the
committee stated that “the
funds are generally healthy
and are able to continue
current levels of service.”
limitations are also said to
affect the length of trials,
security and accessibility.
“People are stuffed in
there like sardines,” Buch
said.
Chronic problems with
plumbing, electrical, heat-
ing and cooling systems
are also cited as needing
to be addressed. Some in-
frastructure is so bad that
raw sewage has reportedly
leaked through ceiling tiles
onto evidence and into of-
fices in the past.
“It’s also getting more
and more expensive to op-
erate just because of its age
and the constant mainte-
nance that it’s requiring,”
said Buch.
A running argument
from proponents is that the
building’s full renovation
will actually cost more than
building a completely new
courthouse.
“As a developer, I always
have to make those con-
scious decisions,” Buch
said, “and here it looks
pretty obvious that it’s well
past the renovation peri-
od.”
The infrastructure is
also not compliant with the
Americans with Disabili-
ties Act (ADA) and parts
of the building do not meet
accessibility requirements.
Because jury boxes are not
ADA accessible, jurors in
wheelchairs are forced to
sit among audience mem-
bers during trials.
Proponents argue that
the current limitations of
the courthouse are causing
inefficiencies and delays,
which burden the taxpayer.
The court handles a
full range of cases includ-
ing traffic tickets, murder
cases, family law, juvenile
court, car accidents and
matters of personal inju-
ries. Lane County reports
that the courthouse
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119 South 6th Street • 541-942-0505
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HOPE U.M.C.
131 W “A” St. Drain, OR
541-315-1617
Pastor: Lura Kidner-Miesen
Fellowship & Song: 11:30am
Potluck Lunch: 12:00pm
Worship: 12:30pm
COTTAGE GROVE:
6th & Gibbs Church of Christ
195 N. 6th St. • 541-942-3822
10:00am
Christian Education:
Pre-K through 5th
www.6thandgibbs.com
Calvary Baptist Church
77873 S 6th St • 541-942-4290
Pastor: Riley Hendricks
Sunday School: 9:45am
Worship: 11:00am
The Journey: Sunday 5:00pm
Praying Thru Life: Wednesday 6:00pm
Church of Christ
420 Monroe St • 541-942-8565
Sunday Service: 10:30am
Cottage Grove
200 Gateway Blvd.
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
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(541) 942-5400
Mon. - Sat. 8am - 9pm
Sun. 9am - 8pm
Ed & Kori Sowa
Independent Owner-Operators
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Roseburg, OR 97471 • 541-225-5999
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Cottage Grove Bible Church
1200 East Quincy Avenue
541-942-4771
Pastor:Bob Singer
Worship 11am
Sunday School:9:45am
AWANA age 3-8th Grade,
Wednesdays Sept-May, 6:30pm
www.cgbible.org
Cottage Grove Faith Center
33761 Row River Rd.
541-942-4851
Lead Pastor: Kevin Pruett
www.cg4.tv
Full Childrenʼs Ministry available
Services: 9:00am & 10:45am
Delight Valley
Church of Christ
33087 Saginaw Rd. East
541-942-7711 • Pastor: Bob Friend
Two Services:
9am - Classic in the Chapel
10:30am - Contemporary in the
Auditorium
First Baptist Church
301 S. 6th st • 541-942-8242
Pastor: David Chhangte
Sunday School 9:30am
Worship Service 11:00am
Youth Wednesday 6:30pm
cgfi rstbaptist.com
First Presbyterian Church
3rd and Adams St
541-942-4479
Rev.: Karen Hill
Worship: 10:00am
Sunday School: 10:00am
fpcgrove.com
Seventh-day Adventist Church
820 South 10th Street
541-942-5213
Pastor: Kevin Miller
Bible Study: Saturday, 9:15 am
Worship Service: Saturday, 10:40
Mid-week Service: Wednesday, 1:00
Hope Fellowship
United Pentecostal Church
100 S. Gateway Blvd.
541-942-2061
Pastor: Dave Bragg
Worship: 11:00am Sunday
Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday
www.hopefellowshipupc.com
“FINDING HOPE IN YOUR LIFE”
Trinity Lutheran Church
6th & Quincy • 541-942-2373
Pastor: James L. Markus
Sunday School & Adult Education
9:15am
Sunday Worship 10:30 am
Comm. Kitchen Free Meal Tue & Thur
5:00pm TLC Groups
tlccg.com
Living Faith Assembly
467 S. 10th St. • 541-942-2612
Worship Services Sundays: 9a & 11a
Youth Worship Sundays: 11a (all ages
welcome)
Mondays: 5:30p (6th-12th grades)
United Methodist Church
334 Washington • 541-942-3033
Pastor:Lura Kidner-Miesen
Worship: 10:30am
umcgrove.org
Non-Denominational
Church of Christ
1041 Pennoyer Ave
541-942-8928
Preacher: Tony Martin
Sunday Bible Study:10:00am
Sunday Worship:10:50am & 5:30pm
www.pennoyeravecoc.com
Old Time Gospel Fellowship
103 S. 5th St. • 541-942-4999
Pastor: Jim Edwards
Sunday Service: 10:00am
Join in Traditional Christian Worship
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
and St. Philip Benizi
Catholic Churches
1025. N. 19th St.
541-942-3420
Father John J. Boyle
Holy Mass:
Saturday Vigil – 5:30 PM
Sunday – 10:30 PM
For weekday and Holy Day of
Obligation schedule see website
OLPHCG.net
Confession: 4 PM to 5 PM
Saturdays or by appointment
St. Philip Benizi, Creswell
552 Holbrook Lane
Sunday 8:30 AM
“VICTORY” Country Church
913 S. 6th Street • 541-942-5913
Pastor: Barbara Dockery
Worship Service: 10:00am
Message: “WE BELIEVE IN
MIRACLES”
CRESWELL:
Creswell Presbyterian Church
75 S 4th S • 541-895-3419
Rev. Seth Wheeler
Adult Sunday School 9:15am
Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am
website www.creswellpres.org
Worship
With Us!
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
1301 W. Main • 541-767-9050
Rev. Lawrence Crumb
“Church with the fl ags.”
Worship: Sunday 10:30am
All Welcome
Our Worship Directory is a weekly feature in this
newspaper. If your congregation
would like to be a part of this directory,
contact us today!
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541-942-3325
116 N. 6th Street
Cottage Grove, OR