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Wednesday October 23, 2024 | Number 41, 135 years
Cottage Grove Wednesday, Oct. 23 Partly Cloudy
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City outlines Main St. Improvement Project Looking Glass
Rural Outreach Center has a new home
JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
Cottage Grove’s multi-million-dollar Main Street Improvement Project is expected to break ground in February. Bidding is scheduled for November and the project will break ground in February, 2025, according to Cottage Grove Public Works Department Director Faye Stewart. “Construction is estimated to be roughly 18-months total and could vary depending on the contractor’s schedule, but would not impact the entire corridor during that duration. The phasing of construction for the project will largely be subject to the contractor’s means and methods and minimizing impact and costs. Typically, underground utilities are the first things to be constructed on these projects.”
CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
BACKGROUND Stewart told The Sentinel in a published interview in March that none of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) facilities within the project boundaries are in compliance. “The sidewalks are in horrible condition. In fact, on a regular basis people are tripping, falling, and causing bodily damage to themselves,” he said. The current curb height along with the shape of the paved surface makes it difficult to open car doors and trees continue to degrade and break up the sidewalk, Stewart added. The improvements are significant, including improving the alleys on each side of Main Street to allow for access to the rear of buildings and adding lighting, signage, and
CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
“My goal is that we will have a big improvement to the flow, the look, and the feel of our downtown, which will encourage more businesses, and encourage more people to come and shop in Cottage Grove,” Mike Sauerwein, Cottage Grove City Manager improving the alley surface for walking. “Everything between the building fronts will be replaced,” Stewart said. “The sidewalks will be widened to 12.5’’ and the roadway and parking will be repaved. Water, sewer, and storm infrastructure will be upgraded.”
The improvements also include new trees, furnishings, lighting, refurbished traffic light poles, an added ADA parking space on each block, raised intersections at 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Streets, and a raised street on South 7th to the alley to accommodate events. Each side street will be improved 20’ to the
alley entrances. Fiber will be added and available to each building, “The challenges are designing and meeting ADA requirements for the existing building entrances and ADA street crossings,” Stewart said. “Each building has its unique entrance and See PROJECT, Page 6
ELECTION 2024
Two candidates vie for the EPUD District 1 CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
Voters established the Eugene People Utility District (EPUD) utility in 1978. In 1981, voters authorized it to sell up to $72.5 million in revenue bonds to purchase portions of Pacific Power’s electrical system. In 1983, the purchase was finalized and EPUD became an operating utility. More recently, EPUD’s highly publicized opposition to Lane County’s Clean Lane (IMERF) Project is to protect its ratepayers’ 33-year investment in equipment to convert Short Mountain Landfill’s methane gas into electricity that it provides to its customers. The county project creates a state-of-the-art waste processing facility in Goshen that will reduce the amount of methane gas owned by EPUD as part of an intergovernmental agreement with Lane County. EPUD board members are elected in one of five subdistricts. District 1, currently held by incumbent Ron
Davis, includes the rural communities of London, Lorane, Saginaw, and unincorporated areas around Cottage Grove. Davis has more than 20 years of experience as board member. His challenger, Dale Olson, retired from EPUD after 30 years of service. To gain insight from the two candidates running for the EPUD District 1 position in the November General Election, The Sentinel asked both the following questions: The Sentinel: How have you been involved with the utility and for how long? Ron Davis: I was appointed to the EPUD Board in 1981, before it was operational. Then I was elected to serve from 1983 to 1994. I was re-elected and have served the people since 2013. I’ve served as president and I’m currently vice president. Dale Olson: I was employed with EPUD for 30 years. In those 30 years, I held several positions within the company. In the Energy Services Department, I delivered
COURTESY PHOTOS
Challenger Dale Olson, left, and incumbent Ron Davis. programs to reduce customers’ energy bill with efficient products. I supported the line crews in storms and everyday line work. I worked with the Engineering Department to ensure customer needs were met when it comes to getting new service or upgrades to existing services. I worked with both departments to ensure reduced outages during storms and to plan for unforeseen events affecting electrical service to customers. I also helped customers
with high bills develop “pay schedules” so they could manage the high bill months. The Sentinel: Why are you running for this position? Ron Davis These are complicated and critical times. The EPUD is very stable and needs to stay that way. I want to ensure that we continue to be significantly engaged See EPUD, Page 4
INSIDE Lifestyles — 3 Obituaries — 4 Death Notice — 4
Opinion — 5 Classifieds — 7 Sports — 8
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FOR SALE BY ONLINE AUCTION
Cedar Park Plaza
78405 Cedar Park Road, Cottage Grove, OR 4.85 +/- Acres For Invitation for Bids: cedarparkplaza@gsa.gov realestatesales.gov
Childhood trauma, addictions, physical and sexual abuse, mental illness, learning disabilities and homelessness are very real challenges for some South Lane County youth. Sadly, their vulnerabilities become a beacon for human traffickers to swoop in with promises to help them and instead rob them of their personal freedom, health and well-being, and sometimes their life. In 1970, Eugene Psychologist Steve Ashton’s community volunteer work revealed a great need for a youth shelter. He bought a house and created the Looking Glass Intervention Center. His act of compassion to help youth in crisis inspired others. That humble beginning, more than 50 years ago, evolved into the nationally accredited nonprofit organization, Looking Glass Community Services (LGCS). Today, the award-winning agency has 13 different locations throughout the Eugene/Springfield area and in rural communities, such as Cottage Grove. The agency offers a wide range of services to support youth: Outpatient mental health, addictions counseling, alternative education and vocational schools, and psychiatric residential services. LGCS supports homeless youth through outreach, drop-in centers, multiple shelters, independent living programs and a school. LGCS Executive Director Chad Westphal said national accreditation is essential to LGCS ongoing success. “In 2006, Looking Glass received national accreditation from the Council on Accreditation (COA) located in New York,” Westphal said. “We chose COA as our accrediting body because they were the only accreditor that allowed homeless youth services to be included in its process. We have maintained our accreditation along with multiple State of Oregon licenses ever since their respective inceptions. When serving thousands of youths and families each year, it’s important to have outside assurances that the quality of our work is where it needs to be.” He said the goal of the Rural Program is to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse of youth on the streets. Many of these youth are without basic survival aid ranging from the most basic of needs (food, clothing, and shelter) to other important needs such as hygiene care, benefits they are eligible for,
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