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Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Number 20 • 135 years
Community-wide pertussis outbreak declared JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel Lane County Public Health (LCPH) has declared a community-wide pertussis outbreak due to a surge in cases surpassing typical community, regional, or seasonal expectations. In the last seven days, the number of presumptive and confirmed cases has doubled, putting the total number of cases at nearly 40, with more awaiting lab results. While some of the cases are linked, there are sporadic cases scattered throughout the area indicating community spread. So far in 2024, there have been 120 cases statewide in Oregon, as compared to 17 at this time last year. LCPH emphasizes the urgency for the community to implement
precautionary measures to mitigate further spread of this highly contagious respiratory infection. “We are seeing a number of cases in very young children and at-risk populations,” LCPH Deputy Health Officer, Dr. Lisandra Guzman said. “Their health depends on our actions, so now is the time to do everything we can to protect them.” HEIGHTEN CONCERN Lane County Public Information Officer Jason Davis said the outbreak is widespread. “We do see a seasonal increase of cases among children each year,” he said. “What we typically don’t
See PERTUSSIS on Page 6
FAST FACTS
Call 911 immediately if you or your child is: • Struggling to breathe • Turning blue or purple Practice good hygiene • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. • Immediately throw away used tissues away. • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. • Stay home when you are sick
love 75 years of
Local Episcopalians celebrate milestone in church history
O
CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
n May 5, the familiar sound of its church bell pealed from the steeple of the iconic late 19th century-era church as it does every Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. On that special day, it gathered Episcopalians to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on West Main Street in Cottage Grove. INSIDE THE CHURCH
Candles flickered from gold candlesticks on the altar as current and past members and guests sat on red cushions in the wooden pews of the small historic sanctuary. Clothed in a traditional white robe, Vicar Lawrence Crumb, led the celebratory service commemorating the milestone in their church history. Traditional church music was a central part of the service. Organist Julian Berend Gildea, joined by violinist Jo Mabry, blended the vintage reed organ’s rich tones with the sweet strains of a violin for congregational singing. A musical highlight was the emotional depth of the University of Oregon School of Music student violinist’s interpretation of the enchanting Meditation selection of the opera Thaïs, by Jules Massenet. Crumb read a congratulatory letter from members of Cindy Weeldreyer / The Sentinel the Cottage Grove First Presbyterian congregation. His Historic St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on the corner of West Main and M Streets was constructed by remarks on a New Testament passage in the Bible focused Seventh-day Adventists in 1902 and has served local Episcopalians since 1949. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. See LOVE on Page 4
Proposed job cuts could save city budget $1.1M JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
TODAY’S EDITION
Cottage Grove City Manager Michael Sauerwein is proposing a new spending plan with approximately $1.1 million cut from existing services. The proposed 202425 city’s General Fund Budget of $12,647,155 is $767,895 more compared to the 2023-24 budget of $11,879,280. While no service or department additions are planned, the following city positions are not included in the proposed 2024-25 Budget. • Assistant City Manager
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• Resources Payroll Assistant • Maintenance Worker 1 (Parks) • Permit and Code Enforcement Specialist “The City had budgeted a $3.3 million cash carryover at the beginning of this year,” Sauerwein said. “The actual cash carryover was $2.2 million, so we had $1.1 million that we had to makeup to be able to balance this year’s budget. The positions that are proposed to be eliminated are part of that balancing the budget process.” Also under Sauerwein’s
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We will spend the next year really going through our budget because we want to avoid this sort of thing happening again. Michael Sauerwein, Cottage Grove City Manager proposed budget, the city’s community development and public works departments have been restructured and the city will not provide a 3.9% cost of living increase for the unrepresented employees of the city’s management team.
“This was a bit of a difficult lift, to be able to balance this year’s budget, but that’s how we did it,” he said. The representative employees, represented by three different bargaining unit, are receiving the cost of living increase as
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indicated by their labor contracts. The city council recently adopted a list of fee increases the city charges to help sustain current services and under the city’s five-year sewer and water plan, residents will also feel the pinch of the budget with an annual fee increase. “For a family of four, using about 5,000 gallons of water a month, that will be an increase of $8.62 a month,” he said. If the city council agrees with his one-year budget proposal, Sauerwein said it is likely he will take
over projects that have been coordinated by the assistant city manager. He describes the proposed city budget as, “slim and hold the course.” When asked by The Sentinel if the city would be looking for additional revenue sources, Sauerwein said, “No, not particularly.” “We will spend the next year really going through our budget because we want to avoid this sort of thing happening again,” he said. “I think we will probably be pretty flat See BUDGET on Page 6