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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2020)
BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2020 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7 IN THE WORKS: Planning Commission to meet about homeless shelter By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR One of the biggest proj- ects Hermiston has cur- rently “in the works” is a potential new homeless shelter. I’ve reported on the project, known as Step- ping Stones, in the past, but some of that reporting took place before the Hermiston Herald greatly expanded our readership, so I thought I would recap some of the basics for our new readers. The city of Hermis- ton’s planning commission meets Wednesday, July 8, at 7 p.m. at the Herm- iston Community Center, 415 South Highway 395, to discuss new zoning rules that would be specifi cally designed to govern Step- ping Stones or any other similar projects proposed in the future. The hearing will be one of many opportuni- ties people will have to give feedback, including future city council meetings on the issue. Stepping Stones, as pro- posed, would be located on a little under an acre of property behind the Agape House, just north of The- ater Sports Park. The newly formed Stepping Stones nonprofi t’s board, led by Cathy Lloyd, is proposing a fenced-in encampment of 25 Conestoga huts and a community building. The small huts would be available for an individual, couple, or single parent with a child. They do not have running water or electricity, but people living in them could access electricity to charge their phones or for other uses in the community building, and could access the Agape House’s show- ers during the day (organiz- ers hope sometime in the future to build a shower and restroom facility). People sleeping in the temporary shelter would be asked to clean out their hut completely each morning at 7 a.m. and leave for the day, and would only be able to return after 7 p.m. after checking in with volunteers. They would have access to a locked bin outside their hut to store belongings during the day. Lloyd testifi ed during the April 28 city council meeting where this proj- ect was fi rst proposed that after the shelter got up and running, guests would be required to earn credits to continue to hold a spot there. Those credits could be earned through opportu- nities designed to help them escape homelessness, such as a job or studying for their GED or other education. The zoning amendments that will be discussed at this week’s planning commis- sion would create rules for temporary emergency shel- ters, such as a homeless shel- ter or a shelter set up after a natural disaster. Accord- ing to the agenda packet for the meeting, the ordinance’s provisions include: • The shelter must be sited with an “existing permitted industrial use” instead of taking up a vacant property. • It must be between one-half acre and 1.5 acres and be behind a sight-obscuring fence at least 6 feet tall. • The density must not be more than one shelter unit per 1,400 square feet of space. • Shelters must meet safety standards, such as a smoke detector in each unit • Showers, restrooms and a pet area must be provided • It must be at least 1,000 feet from a school or other shelter The agenda packet notes that the city has received complaints from residents who believe such shelters should also be required to be at least 1,000 feet away from city parks, but that is not currently written into the proposed ordinance. The full agenda packet for the meeting can be found online at hermiston.or.us/ meetings. If you attend a planning commission or city council meeting about the topic, be aware that in keeping with Oregon’s cur- rent mask mandate, every- one present at city meetings must now wear a mask, and chairs will be spaced at least 6 feet apart. Former Walmart DC manager switches jobs By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR A familiar face at one of Hermiston’s largest employ- ers has taken on a new role. Josh Burns, who served as general manager of the Walmart Distribution Cen- ter in Hermiston, left that role at the end of May. As of July 1, he now works as an insurance agent for Swanson Insurance Group. Burns said owner Luke Swanson told him months ago he should join up and thought he was joking when he said, “Sure.” But Burns took the necessary test and applied for a license. “I’ve been in large-scale HH fi le photo Josh Burns, then manager of the Walmart Distribution Center in Hermiston, speaks as members of his leadership team look on at the Distinguished Citizens Awards in 2018. leadership for almost my whole career,” Burns said. “Now I get a little bit more say in what my day looks like.” He said he had always admired Swanson’s work- life balance and the way he makes time for coaching sports and volunteering. One thing that drew him to Swanson Insurance Group is that it doesn’t have an offi ce — everyone works from home, allowing them more time with family, and then visits customers at their business or another public place. “These are all folks who are really busy, so we don’t want to make them come to us. We can go out and meet them where it works for them,” he said. Burns spent 14 years in total working for Walmart, after a career in the Air Force before that. He said his posi- tion at the distribution cen- ter meant that to move up he would need to move away, and his family had already decided that Hermiston was “home.” “I’ve only ever worked for the government and for the world’s largest corpora- tion, so this is a big change,” Burns said. Swanson said he was pleased to be able to work with Burns, who has been prominently involved in the community not only as a business leader but also in roles, such as a Rotarian and former Hermiston Cham- ber of Commerce board president. “I’m super excited to have Josh,” Swanson said. “His reputation in town is second to none.” Swanson Insurance Group started in 2018 and at fi rst had a partnership with Simmons Insurance Group, but as of July 1 is now independent. The business deals in several different types of insurance, including per- sonal, commercial and agri- cultural policies. They cur- rently have a staff of four people. Swanson said his aim to go beyond selling insurance policies and to help guide businesses. “We want to be there with them as their business is growing,” he said. 7.50 ALL DAY! $ MATINEE pRICES Staff photo by Ben Lonergan Daren and Paulette Dufl oth, owners of the Riverside Sports Bar in Umatilla, recently announced that they would be changing the name of the restaurant to The Bridge in a nod to the nearby bridge spanning the Columbia River. Riverside Sports Bar changes name By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR Since COVID-19 hit, it’s been out with the old and in with the new at Riverside Sports Bar in Umatilla. Now that includes a name change. Owners Daren and Pau- lette Dufl oth unveiled the new name in a recent Face- book video, rechristening the restaurant The Bridge. 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