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TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2024

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Community donates to reopen Mingus Park Pool cover the entire cost. The cost for the new boiler also far outweighs the funds allocated by the city to the pool running. The City of Coos Bay is keep City ofﬁcials said they are raising funds to get the looking to quickly address the so the pool can be reopened Mingus Park Pool back issue to the public because the pool serves such a large population of up and running. the community. On behalf of the Pool Board, The boiler, which heats the the City has set up an account to pool, failed in mid-December. accept tax deductible donations. City ofﬁcials report that there Coos Bay city staff recently was no choice but to close the reported that community pool until a repair could be members have already generously implemented. donated about one third of what Shortly after the boiler failed, it will cost to reopen the pool. As city staff brought in a company of March 5, community donations that specializes in boiler repair, but they found that the equipment totaled $42,426. Tax-deductible donations can will need to be replaced. be submitted to the City of Coos The anticipated cost Bay Finance Department either for replacement will be in person or via mail at 500 approximately $115,000. The City of Coos Bay said they Central Avenue, Coos Bay. Please note that the donation is for the are actively seeking grants, but these take time and will likely not Mingus Pool Boiler. BY BREE LAUGHLIN The World

AOCC lawsuit before Supreme Court BY DEAN BRICKEY For The World

COQUILLE — Coos County is among 18 Western Oregon counties that could regain substantial lost revenue if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to overturn a 2016 federal forest management decision. The Association of O&C counties (AOCC), based in Roseburg and representing the western Oregon Counties, has filed a petition with the high court to hear the case. Doug Robertson, AOCC executive director, said in an interview that March 22 would be the court’s first opportunity to consider whether to add the case to the schedule in their next term. “At least we’re going to get a look,” he said. “It’s a very steep climb to get in front of the Supreme Court. We’re in the queue. We’ve Because of the lack of logging The AOCC’s battle to retain got our fingers crossed.” receipts, Main said, Congress timber sales revenue for its member Robert “Bob” Main, a Coos passed the Secure Rural Schools counties began in 2016, when the County commissioner and vice Act (SRS), “which was a small U.S. Bureau of Land Managepresident of AOCC, said the 1937 stop-gap fund for the counties.” ment (BLM), which manages the O&C Act designated 2.2 million The SRS Act expired this year, he timberlands formerly owned by acres of forest land in western said, and the county doesn’t have the defunct Oregon & California Oregon for the sole benefit of the that funding source any longer. Railroad (O&C), developed a new Western Oregon counties. He said AOCC wants “to bring “resource management plan.” That “In the mid 1980s, Coos County back the economic vitality that we new plan stripped Coos County and received logging receipts of $25 had in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s.” the 17 other member counties of million (in today’s dollars) for the The commissioner told the Rotimber sales revenue from about 2.2 general fund,” Main said in an tary Club of Coquille on March 6 million acres in Western Oregon. online statement. “Now, the county that 26 federal legislators had filed Robertson said the BLM’s 2016 amicus (friend of the court) briefs receives almost nothing” because plan included “reserves” on 80 supporting the AOCC’s case. The “Washington D.C has constantly percent of the O&C lands “in direct reduced the harvest of O&C timber Pacific Legal Foundation also filed Please see LAWSUIT Page 7 an amicus brief. to almost nothing.”

Deputy Starr receives Medal of Merit City Council On March 13th, 2024, Coos County Sheriff Gave Fabrizio awarded the Sheriff’s Office Medal of Merit to Deputy Shawn Starr for his exemplary efforts to the citizens of Coos County through his diligent and exceptional investigation of a case in December of 2023. Because of Deputy Starr’s investigation, the case was

sets agenda for censure of Councilor Noordhoff

solved, along with additional cases that will likely be solved due to Deputy Starr’s attention to detail and professionalism, not to mention removing the suspect from a position to commit further crimes. The Sheriff’s Office would like you to join us in congratulating Deputy Shawn Starr for receiving this prestigious recognition.

BY NATE SCHWARTZ The World

NORTH BEND, OR - The North Bend City Council deliberated on the future of Councilor Susanna Noordhoff this week, who was the subject of a third-party investigation on suspicion of misconduct back in August of 2023. In a special Council meeting on August 14, 2024, a City Attorney presented complaints and allegations against Noordhoff. Council President Larry Garboden began the motion to begin the investigation on multiple charges. Please see CENSURE Page 7

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