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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 2021)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 | 11A ADOPT from A1 sudden increase in debris, the city is suggesting resi- dents be aware of any pools or flooding. “It’s just something that they can help out with,” said Stewart. “We do our best to prepare and get our crew out there to take the sweeper and clean the streets, but sometimes we don’t get everywhere and it’s just nice to have some added help if folks are able to assist. It’s not mandatory. It’s also nice when people pick up garbage in the com- munity and put it in the trash can. It’s certainly not their responsibility, but it helps make our communi- ty a better place to live and potentially helps reduce damage that might occur from certain events.” Still, many residents voiced disagreement on social media that the city would ask for assistance CITY from A1 mately resulted in her sep- aration from city employ- ment. A city source said that an employee had been let go for a “violation of city pol- icies,” but the city would not elaborate on which policy or policies. “Because this involves a personnel investigation, not all aspects of the inves- tigation may be made pub- when utility bills already charge for stormwater. “I mean, that’s legitimate. That’s our responsibility and we certainly try to get there,” said Stewart in re- sponse. “If someone is in- clined to assist, that’s great. If not, residents can call the non-emergency line at the police department.” The Cottage Grove Police Department’s non-emer- gency number is 541-942- 9145. “The last thing we want is somebody to have some damage,” said Stewart. In the past, some resi- dences have experienced flooding which has moved onto property and into ga- rages. “So we’ve added addi- tional storm grates, but we also make a point when we know storms are coming to make sure those grates are clean,” said Stewart. He also advised residents to be aware of where they put garbage cans as they lic at this time,” said City Manager Richard Meyers to The Sentinel. “The city wants to reassure the pub- lic that its commitment to providing a high level of public service continues during this time.” Ferguson had not re- sponded to a request to comment as of press time. For almost two decades, Ferguson had been work- ing for the City of Cottage Grove, putting her finger- print on or being a key ac- tor in coordinating numer- PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNETH MICHAEL ROBERTS Drains such as this on Main Street were recently cleared by a city volunteer. can block gutters and cause pooling and flow into oth- ers’ property. There is no formal way to “adopt” the drains; the city simply recommends resi- dents take note of drainage systems and either clear clogs themselves or call the city. When clearing a storm drain, the city recom- mends: · Use a rake, shovel, or broom - not hands. · If possible, clear the drain before it starts rain- ing. ous projects and programs. Last year, for instance, Ferguson helped secure federal funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Local Foods, Local Places program. In response to Ferguson’s ap- plication, the agency se- lected Cottage Grove to participate in the program, marking the city as the first community in Oregon to receive the opportunity. The program committed a total of $25,000 in di- rect assistance to be made available to the city as well as a formalized structure to work with a broad range of agricultural, environmen- tal, public health, archi- tectural and economic de- velopment experts to help develop an action plan, set goals and identify local assets that can support the local food economy and contribute to downtown and neighborhood revital- ization. Over the years, Ferguson has been behind several other projects such as: the preparation of the state’s model Development Code for adoption by the Cot- tage Grove City Council; the creation of a Histor- ic Preservation program (which included the estab- lishment of the Historic Landmarks Commission); achieving a national his- toric designation of the Cottage Grove Armory; the establishment of a floodplain management program; coordination of the development of the Main Street Refinement Plan and All-America City Park Refinement Plan; and assistance in developing the city’s stormwater man- agement plan and Transit Development Plan. Well-known for her grant-writing ability, she also worked on or assisted with a number of grants which helped fund proj- ects such as the Safe Route to Schools program, South Lane Wheels transpor- tation, Highway 99 and Main Street transportation and growth management, Armory exterior and ren- ovation work, downtown historic preservation, bi- cycle and pedestrian path funding and federal trail maintenance. In 2014, the city received the Heritage Excellence Award from the State of Oregon for preservation HOME IMPROVEMENT & SERVICES GUIDE NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION & EXCAVATION 77932 Hwy 99 Cottage Grove 541-954-9369 “We also asphalt & Sealcoat driveways!” www.nationalconstruction.biz DAVE’S PUMP & CONSTRUCTION 76082 London Road Cottage Grove 541-942-9635 www.davespumpco.com ERVIN FAMILY PUMP SERVICE Cottage Grove 541-649-8100 “If your pump quits and your water runs out, Put your trust in us and give us a shout” www.ervinfamilypumpservice.com CASCADE HOME CENTER 40 S. 5th Street Cottage Grove 541-942-1301 LANE FOREST PRODUCTS 2111 Prairie Road Eugene 541-345-9085 www.laneforest.com ROGERS & SON 1324 E Main Street Cottage Grove 541-942-0500 MARSHALL’S 4110 Olympic Street Springfield 541-747-7445 “Proudly Serving Cottage Grove & Lane County since 1948” www.marshallsinc.com OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY 2090 West 7th Place Eugene 541-686-8144 www.overheaddoor.com · Clear surface debris only. Let city crews handle garbage or any hazards in the catch basin. · Pile leaves on the street surface near the gutter or edge of the road if no gut- ter. Keep the gutter, ditch- es and street grates free of leaves. · Clear about 10 feet on both sides of the drain. · Wear reflective clothing for traffic safety. · Only clear drains that are along the curb. Don’t clear drains in the middle of a street - leave that to the city. · Be careful of standing water to avoid slipping or stepping on sharp objects. · If children are helping, make sure adults are super- vising. · Don’t lift heavy storm drain grates. To address additional questions, contact the Public Works Department at 541- 942-3349, or email at pub- licworks@cottagegrove.org. work. Ferguson had helped the city gain a Certified Local Government desig- nation, which opened up grant funding opportuni- ties for preservation proj- ects in the community. With the loss of Fergu- son, the city is left with just one senior city planner. In July, as the new fiscal year began, Assistant City Planner Eric Mongan was promoted to a senior po- sition, enabling a strategy in which one senior plan- ner would focus on cur- rent work while the other would focus on long-range planning and grants. Public Works and De- velopment Director Faye Stewart could not elabo- rate on the replacement process, but acknowledged that in the meantime, the loss of a city planner may pose some challenges as work will likely shift to other individuals. “[We’re] working with formulating how to repur- pose the work, to make sure that it all gets done,” said Stewart. “There’s a lot of grant work. There’s a lot of reporting on vari- ous different things that I’ll probably find myself doing most of in the short term.” Functions such as Plan- ning Commission work will proceed without dis- ruption, Stewart added. 15% OFF Any service with coupon Schedule your appointment Today! 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