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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (June 25, 2020)
THURSDAY EDITION | JUNE 25, 2020 | $1.00 S ERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF C OTTAGE G ROVE , C RESWELL , D ORENA , D RAIN , E LKTON , L ORANE AND Y ONCALLA C ottage G rove S entinel VOL. 131, NO. 26 • Your L Y Local l N News Delivered D li d Your Y Way: W In I Print. P i t Online. O li On O the th Go! G ! CGPD offers perspective on changing law enforcement landscape Get an insurance plan —not just a policy. By Damien Sherwood (541) 942-0555 dsherwood@cgsentinel.com (Editor’s note: This is part one of a two- part look at how the national conversation over law enforcement reform is being dis- cussed by members of the Cottage Grove Po- lice Department, and how each community is addressing the unique challenges they may face.) WEATHER Partly cloudy today with a high of 82 and a low tonight of 58. Full forecast on A5 COMMUNITY Est. 1889 W DAMIEN SHERWOOD/COTTAGE GROVE SENTNEL As a national debate regarding law enforcement reform rages on, the Cottage Grove Police Department prides itself on effective local policy. hile the nation is reeling from political division, a public health crisis and widespread protests, a growing call to “defund the po- lice” has entered the public conversation, challenging the models of law enforcement departments throughout the country. This demand for defunding has ranged in messaging from diverting police fund- ing to community projects to the full abo- lition or dismantling of police departments in an effort to curtail police violence. Meanwhile, others in the movement have focused energies on less radical change such as reforming police departments through policy changes or establishing cri- sis response teams to ease officers’ burdens. As the populace gropes through this somewhat undiscovered territory for an- swers, the diversity of the law enforcement landscape is making one thing clear: any calls for change cannot be fashioned as a one-size-fits-all approach. See CGPD 9A City adopts 2020-21 budget plan By Damien Sherwood dsherwood@cgsentinel. com Th e Cottage Grove City Council adopted the city’s 2020-21 budget in the sum of $40,221,120 on June 22. Due to the timing of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent respons- es, much of the budget relied on more guess- work than usual, accord- ing to an introduction to the proposed budget written by City Manager Richard Meyers. “We have scrambled trying to fi nd accurate estimates of what the im- pacts the economic shut downs have caused and are continuing to do to our revenues,” he said. Revenue loss estimates ranged from 12 percent to more than 40 percent and the duration of eco- nomic losses were esti- mated to range between six months and the year 2022. In creating a fl exi- ble budget, protection of “police, water, sewer, street operations and the service functions that make sure those services can be provided” was taken into consideration Turin Shroud replica in The Grove — B1 RETIREMENT Ray Pardee retiring after 30 years with City — A3 • RECORDS Obituaries Official releases A2 • LORANE NEWS A5 • CLASSIFIEDS Listings and public notices B7-B8 Banner day for local grads High school graduates from Cottage Grove High School (above) and Al Kennedy High School (below right) picked up their congratulatory banners at City Hall on Monday, where they were also gifted with photos and “golden ticket” prizes. See CITY 8A FOLLOW US FOR THE PHOTOS BY DAMIEN SHERWOOD/COTTAGE GROVE SENTNEL LATEST NEWS : /CGSentinel @CGSentinel SLCFR Fire Chief reinstated, board VP resigns By Damien Sherwood dsherwood@cgsentinel.com 541- 942-3325 ph • 541-942-3328 fax P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424 A majority of South Lane Coun- ty Fire and Rescue board members voted to return Fire Chief John Wooten to full duty without disci- plinary action last Thursday (June 18.) Following more than an hour of executive session discussion regarding the matter, board mem- bers Tom Monroe, Cheryl Shan- non and Dan Duffy voted in favor of the reinstatement while Board President Joel Higdon and Board Vice President Jennifer Radcliffe voted against the motion. Radcliffe announced her resig- nation immediately following the vote. Wooten had been placed on non-disciplinary paid administra- tive leave after a controversial post Free Appraisals I’ll Come to You! BUY & SELL Gold, Silver, Scrap, Men’s Jewelry, Costume Jewelry, Pieces & Parts. Even Junk! The Jewelry Girl, LLC L ISA R USSELL • (541)556-9598 25+ Years Experience 2001 Franklin #3 Eugene, Oregon made by Wooten on Facebook was amplified by a KEZI News report on June 2. The post in question read: “So I made the comment we should shoot the rioters and someone asked me how I could possibly do that. I replied it depended on dis- tance, wind, temp, humidity and a few other variables but once I had the calculations done it would be a matter of breathing control and trigger squeeze.” Public responses to the report were split into both support and condemnation of Wooten and his post, prompting petitions and even a street-side rally backing the chief. Prior to the board’s June 18 vote, board members shared opinions on the motion before them. “I think at this point if we let this See CHIEF 7A