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THE COTTAGE GROVE

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Wednesday

City secures $800K federal grant as budget recovery plan takes shape

errors would require mid year budget reductions to stabilize the current fiscal year. City Manager Mike Sauerwein opened with a direct assessment. “Let’s be honest,” he told councilors. “We’ve identified what the problem is and the obvious question is, ‘Where do we go from here and what are we going to do about it?’” He outlined steps already underway, including hiring independent CPA Eric Kytola as Interim Finance Director and

CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel The Cottage Grove City Council received a budget update Monday night, Feb. 9, the first since last month’s revelation that bookkeeping errors had gone unnoticed for two years and left the City facing a $4.5 million deficit. Councilors have anticipated this latest update since their Jan. 26 meeting, when they first learned from Interim Finance Director Eric Kytola that the

bringing on a second CPA to help catch up on overdue annual audits. Sauerwein said the City expects to be fully caught up by the end of next year. He also previewed changes to the upcoming budget cycle. The City plans to present a balanced budget in April, one month earlier than usual, and will host a Town Hall forum to give residents an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed 2026–27 budget. The earlier start gives the Council a full month between the Budget Committee’s

recommendation and the legally required adoption deadline in June. Sauerwein acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. “I don’t want to sugar coat this — the numbers are what they are and we have some tough decisions ahead of us,” he said. Staff are meeting “almost on a daily basis” to work through options for mid year reductions. “Our attitude is there are no bad ideas — everything is being put on the table — and we will present you

with a balanced budget that will right the ship by July 1.” He emphasized that the Budget Committee will have the opportunity to reshape whatever proposal staff brings forward. “You may not agree with the decisions the city staff makes to balance the budget, and that’s great — that’s why we present it to the budget committee to offer your own ideas,” he said.

Groovin’ in The Grove

Cottage Grove’s new Community Hub page suddenly reached an audience more than twelve times the population of Cottage Grove. “It stopped feeling like a Facebook group I made,” he said. “It started feeling like something the town adopted.”

CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel When Austin Hall created a small Facebook group last February, he wasn’t trying to build a movement. He simply wanted to offer Cottage Grove residents a more positive online space — a place where neighbors could talk to each other without the arguments and negativity that often dominate social media. “Most people weren’t looking for another place to argue online,” Hall said. “They just wanted a space that felt neighborly again.” That simple idea has since grown into Groovin’ in The Grove, a fast growing online community hub. What began as a modest Facebook group has become a digital gathering place for recommendations, local business support, event sharing, and everyday neighbor to neighbor connection.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF ONLINE SPACE What sets the group apart is something rare on social media: a consistently positive tone. Hall is quick to clarify that the group isn’t about avoiding real issues — it’s about handling them with respect. “The biggest boundary is simple: we don’t attack people,” he said. “Disagreement is fine. Tough conversations are fine. But it has to stay respectful.” He moderates with a steady hand, stepping in early when a thread starts to slide. “Negativity is contagious online,” he said. “But so is kindness. Most people just want a space that feels like small town community again.” That approach has helped the group become a place where people feel safe asking questions, sharing recommendations, and showing up for each other — even when they don’t agree.

A SUDDEN SURGE OF COMMUNITY ENERGY Hall said the shift from “small Facebook group” to “local institution” happened almost overnight. “The first week of December was when it hit me,” he said. “All of a sudden I was getting messages from business owners and people I look up to. The insights went from a couple thousand views a month to a couple thousand a day.” Over a 60 day stretch, the group logged roughly 53,000 views. Even Hall’s personal

COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RECOGNITION Two of the group’s most popular features — Business of the Month and Local Legends — were designed with one principle in mind: the community decides. Hall said if a page administrator picks winners, it can feel biased. When the community

votes, it’s fair, transparent, and meaningful. The results have been powerful. Businesses report new customers. Locals discover shops they didn’t know existed. Comment sections fill with genuine stories of good service and good people. “It’s neighbors saying, ‘We see you. We appreciate you. You matter here.’ That hits different in a small town.” Business of the Month winners so far are Bittle Brew Coffee (Dec), Cone Heads Ice Cream (Jan), and Gold Rush Espresso (Feb). Bittle Brew co owners Heather Rae Bittle and Amber Jean Dill said the recognition made a noticeable difference. “We were lucky to have some new faces come by because they were excited to try us out after reading about us,” Dill said. January’s winner, Cone Heads Ice Cream, located inside the Cottage Grove Public Market, appreciated the positivity the group brings. Owner Tim Eide said, “It’s a group for positive vibes and not negative reviews and it’s a much needed change.” The Local Legends Award invites “Groovers” to nominate someone who has made valuable community contributions — teachers, volunteers, coaches, business owners, quiet helpers, and longtime locals who make Cottage Grove better just by being here. The first Legend winner in January was Mindy Joy, co founder of the Pay It Forward Facebook page. The February winner is

The experts who keep South Lane Schools open CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel

When South Lane School District’s Facilities and Maintenance Supervisor Matt Allen stepped up to present at the Feb. 2 school board meeting, he didn’t bring a list of complaints or a plea for help. Instead, he offered a look inside the skilled, dedicated team that keeps more than half a million square feet of district buildings run ning safely, efficiently, and far beyond their expected lifespan. “Our custodial teams are the first line of defense against germs, viruses and all of the other things nobody wants to touch every day,” Allen told board members. “They clean and sterilize our 555,637 square feet of build ings to keep us safe and healthy.” It’s a massive responsibility.

INDEX

Across Cottage Grove High School, Lincoln Middle School, Harrison and Bohemia Elementary Schools, Dorena and London rural schools, Kennedy High School, and the District Office, by the numbers, each of the 17 custodians would be covering around 32,000 square feet — a level Matt said no one can realistically maintain — and he’s proud of how well his custodial staff works to keep pace with the demands. Behind them is the district’s seven member maintenance team — licensed electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, locksmiths, carpenters, mechanics, boiler technicians, and tree fallers who rotate 24/7 on call duty every six weeks. Their work ranges from emergency break ins and roof leaks to electrical issues, vandalism, malfunctioning

door hardware, and even wildlife removal. One recent call involved

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