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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946 www.currypilot.com

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

Brookings, Oregon

Brookings to pay $400,000 to St. Timothy’s after city ordinance backﬁres favor, and in the City Council meeting on September 9th, 2024 they ruled to agree to the After passing a city ordinance settlement provisions to the tune which attempted to restrict free of $400,000. meal services, the City was “The City agrees to pay sued by St. Timothy’s Episcopal $357,000 to Stoel Rives Law Church back in 2022 for violating Firm and $43,000 to the Oregon religious land use laws. Justice Resource Center. We also St. Timothy’s, who opened agree to repeal the benevolent their doors on 41 Fir Street in meal ordinance, and to withdraw Brookings back in 1953, have our abatement issues for the [St. been providing lunch services Timothy’s] for other charitable since 2009. Technically located services being provided at the in a residential zone, the Church Church,” stated City Manager was grandfathered into the City’s Tim Rundel, reading the residential code as it wasn’t agreement. introduced until after the church’s None of the members of the establishment. City Council who voted for the On October 25th, 2021, the ordinance back in 2021 are still Brookings City Council voted serving. Some sitting councilors to enact an ordinance which expressed regret that the City had required conditional use permits chosen this course of action. to distribute meals in a residential “I wanted to say its unfortunate zone. While also limiting the that things have gone this far,” amount of meal services to two said City Councilor Clayton days a week. Malmberg, “It’s all stemmed The following January, St. from not being a good neighbor, Timothy’s took legal action in my opinion, and not working stating that providing charity to with the community to ﬁnd the needy was an important tenant a path forward… My hope is of their faith. The church claimed that moving forward there is the City was violating its rights to more effort to work with the religious expression via the First community; recognize that what Amendment, as well as their land we do has an impact on those rights via the Religious Land Use around us and strive to be a good and Institutionalized Persons Act neighbor.” of 2000. This settlement saved the City The US District Court in what could have been further Medford ruled in the Church’s litigation and costs in losing case.

BY NATE SCHWARTZ Curry Coastal Pilot

Councilor Martin pointed out a sobering fact, however. While this is a victory for St. Timothy’s and their religious freedoms, it is a huge hit to the City coffers. The City has agreed to drop the ordinance and re-allow the Church’s charitable services, but that money is going to lawyers, not to the needy of Brookings. “The winners in this lawsuit, obviously, are the law ﬁrm that

are going to collect these attorney fees. The losers are the people in this neighborhood that have had to deal with this. But, we have to live with this judge’s decision, even though I disagree… I think this settlement lessens somewhat the impact on the City’s taxpayers, who unfortunately have to suffer for the reasons just stated,” said Councilor Andy Martin. St. Timothy’s has continued to

provide meal service throughout this period and there are no plans of stopping now that the ordinance is lifted. “Now we can move forward with our ministry’s efforts. We can have meal service without the concern we’ll have to pay $725 for every day that we do it. It’s really a relief to not have that hanging over us,” said St. Timothy’s Reverand Lindley.

encouragement from her husband. “All the ﬂowers I sell I grow from my own garden. My husband said, ‘you should sell your ﬂowers… you can start marketing them’, I said ‘Okay shoot, why not? I’ll give it a try’,” said Jessica. The stand is open daily from 7

am to sunset. “If you see ﬂowers out there and the open sign is up, then I’m open,” said Jessica. “I always like to decorate my spaces and make them look nice and pretty. So it’s just something nice to provide the community. Something you can walk by and say, ‘Oh! That’s nice!”

is National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month

A pop of color on Redwood Street September fresh-cut flowers hand arranged by one of Brooking’s biggest green thumbs. A new self-serve flower stand The self-serve stand invites has opened on 437 Redwood visitors to walk right up and Street in the heart of Brookings, peruse, hoping that even browsers right across from Sprezzatura have their day brightened by the Pizza. Flowers by Jessica is vibrant, hand-made displays and owned and operated by local arrangements. Sneak peaks of the Jessica Dora, who grows all of upcoming ‘Arrangement of the the flowers for her stand right Week’ are posted to the Flowers here in her own Brookings by Jessica Facebook page. backyard. “I also just love it when people With a local, personal touch come up to the stand to take in all Jessica is hoping to bring a pop of the beauty! That’s what it’s there color to Brookings and its visitors for!” said Jessica in her most with special weekly arrangements recent post. cut straight from the garden. This Jessica decided to take the means getting pesticide-free, leap and open the stand with

BY NATE SCHWARTZ Curry Coastal Pilot

Brookings Mayor and City Council signed a proclamation on Sept. 9 announcing that the City will recognize National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. During a period of unrest and confusion for many, it is more important than ever to reafﬁrm that suicide is an irreparable, destructive solution to a temporary problem that many experience. “Whereas, suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, race, orientation, income level, religion, or background; and suicide is a major public health issue that requires vigilant attention and preventative action,” states the City Council’s proclamation, as read by Mayor Issac Hodges. According to the Oregon Health Authority, the state suicide rate of 19.3 per 100,000 is still above the national average at 14.2. The youth suicide rate saw a huge decrease from 2018 to 2021, dropping 26% in that period. Last year however, it ticked back up for the ﬁrst time since the introduction of the Youth Suicide Intervention & Prevention Plan which has decreased rates overall. Gordon Clay, a local suicide prevention advocate, spoke with the council on behalf of suicide prevention organization R U OK?. The resource provider, which Please see AWARE, Page 3

INDEX

Phone Number: 541-813-1717 • Address: 519 Chetco Avenue, Unit 7, Brookings, OR 97415 • Email: Circulation@CountryMedia.net

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