|
Published By Your City Hall |
|
New Owners Bring Life to Stalled Building
 As you enter the downtown corridor, you may have noticed some exciting upgrades occurring at 625 N. Broadway Street. This future location of Morgan Veterinary Hospital is being prepped for opening later this fall with new asphalt surfaces, curbing, landscaping, repainting the exterior, and completing the interior of the building. Many may remember this location as the former home of King’s Table restaurant during the late 1980s and into early 1990s. After the restaurant closure, the building was removed by new property owners. Another building was constructed with plans to relocate a local radio station along with another business. However, the redevelopment stalled for several years. The recent sale of the building and purchase by the owners of Morgan Veterinary Hospital has brought new life to this property.
 With property improvements such as this along with many others through Coos Bay, our community is transforming right before our eyes. I am continually reminded to be thankful for the community we live in, as there are so many members working every day to make Coos Bay great.
-Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos Bay
|
|
CBFD Adds Critical Equipment and Supplies Through Grant Funding
 At the August 2 City Council meeting, the Council approved the acceptance of a grant for the Coos Bay Fire Department (CBFD). This grant was from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA-Rural Development) for $50,000. The funds are being used to replace the Fire Department’s obsolete hydraulic rescue tools; better known as the “Jaws of Life”. These tools are used to cut and push metal parts away from trapped occupants involved in a severe motor vehicle crash. These new tools are battery operated; eliminating the need for a loud hydraulic pump and without hoses that can be tangled or restrict mobility.
This USDA grant is just one of many grants that CBFD has used to enhance programs or service. In 2021, the Fire Department applied for over $500,000 in grant funding. The Department was awarded:
- $24,000 from the Oregon State Fire Marshal (Wildland/Urban-Interface grant) for forest firefighting equipment
- $96,000 from Oregon Office of Emergency Management (state Homeland Security) for emergency/disaster shelter supplies
- $61,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA -Assistance to Firefighters) for fitness and exercise equipment
In 2022, CBFD has applied for eight grants, totaling $383,000 in funding support. Six of these grants are still pending, but the Department has been awarded $35,000 from the Oregon State Fire Marshal for augmenting wildfire season staffing, and the aforementioned USDA grant for rescue tools. There are two additional grants on the horizon that staff intend to pursue before the end of this year.
Application and management of grant funds takes staff time and effort, but CBFD has discovered that grants can reduce the strain on the budget and improve the service delivery to the community. The ever-rising cost of equipment and personnel, along with limited funding, has encouraged staff to consider supplemental funding opportunities that are available through local, state, and federal grant programs.
|
|
Another Great Summer Reading Program at the Public Library
 A big thanks to all the participants in the all ages Summer Reading Program. This year’s theme was Read Beyond the Beaten Path and so many did just that. There were 397 participants who completed over 2,000 activities. This is in addition to the over 700 people who attended the live programs. A wide variety of programs were presented including hikes, cooking programs, concerts, and even dance parties.
While summer reading might have ended, the Library continues to offer exciting programs throughout the year. For instance, there is an upcoming program about the cheese war between Tillamook and Bandon, Community Cooking, Adult Board Game Nights, and much more. For complete details see https://www.coosbaylibrary.org/events/month.
|
|
 The North Coos 9-1-1 Center is currently providing police and fire dispatching services to the cities of Coos Bay, North Bend, and Coquille. They also provide police dispatch services to tribal police of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians and Coquille Indian Tribe. Southwestern Oregon Community College Public Safety also communicates on North Coos 9-1-1.
The employees of the North Coos Dispatch Center are all trained and certified in Emergency Medical Dispatch, which allows them to provide lifesaving first aid instructions to those experiencing a medical emergency or calling on behalf of a victim of a medical emergency. To help keep the community informed of the activities in the North Coos 9-1-1 Center and the emergency agencies they dispatch for, we are publishing monthly statistics. The statistics below are for the month of July 2022:
|
|
|
At the City Council’s August 2, 2022, meeting, the Council approved a ballot measure to be placed on the upcoming November 8, 2022, ballot in response to the recently passed state-wide ballot measure #109 (M109).
M109, also known as the Oregon Psilocybin Service Act, was passed by Oregon voters in November 2020 and has now been codified into Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) chapter 475A. M109 requires the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to begin accepting applications for licenses to manufacture, deliver and administer psilocybin on January 2, 2023. OHA is currently working through establishment of rules and procedures surrounding this new ORS chapter 475A, leaving city governing bodies without guidance. As such, City Council took one of two options available as noted within 475A, referral to the electors an option to either ban psilocybin-related businesses or placement of a two-year moratorium on psilocybin-related businesses, by adopting a resolution to refer a ban on psilocybin-related businesses within Coos Bay to the voters. Similar referrals are occurring in cities throughout the county and state which will appear on the November ballot.
Following Oregon Election Law regarding referrals, the following measure will be on the upcoming November 8, 2022, ballot:
Shall the City of Coos Bay prohibit all psilocybin-related businesses within the City?
Should you have additional questions, please feel free to contact the City Recorder/Elections Official at: 541-269-8912 or nrutherford@coosbay.org.
|
|
PARKS MASTER PLAN: Parks, Recreation and Cultural Facilities Survey
Mingus Park and the Coos Art Museum
Work continues on the Coos Bay Parks Master Plan update. A public survey for the update provides an opportunity for you to share your thoughts on Coos Bay landmarks, including Mingus Park, a regional premier Coos Bay park attraction, and the Coos Art Museum, the “cornerstone of visual art on the Oregon’s southern coast”.
|
|
 The annual Blackberry Arts Festival celebrates the delicious blackberry in downtown Coos Bay! From jams and jellies to baked goods, candy, and wine; it’s all about the Blackberry. The juried festival hosts over 100 artists, artisans, and vendors. They will also have the "It's All Berry Good" Recipe Contest. Bring the entire family, walk around, and experience our unique blackberry culture!
Thank you to sponsors: Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, NW Natural, Pacific Kitchen and Bath, K-DOCK Radio, Umpqua Bank, South Coast Family Dentistry, and Bi-Coastal Media.
K-DOCK Sound and Music will be mixing sound for two days’ worth of music! Enjoy Border Patrol, Rockipedia, Toyz, Throttles, and Timberwolf on the Blackberry Jam Stage.
The Festival is organized by the Coos Bay Downtown Association. For more information about the Blackberry Arts Festival or events happening visit blackberryartsfestival.com.
|
|
IN A LANDSCAPE:
Classical Music in the Wild™ at Shore Acres
August 23-25 at 6 p.m.
 Photo courtesy of IN A LANDSCAPE. Photo by Ed Schmidt
Founded in 2016 by classical pianist Hunter Noack, IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild is an outdoor concert series where America’s most stunning landscapes replace the traditional concert hall. We bring a 9-foot Steinway grand piano on a flatbed trailer to National Parks, urban greenspaces, working ranches, farms, and historical sites for classical music concerts that connect people with each landscape.
To meet the acoustical challenges of performing in the wild, music is transmitted to concert-goers via wireless headphones. No longer confined to seats, you can explore the landscape, wander through the Shore Acres garden, lie in sunny meadows, and roam along the rugged cliffs.
|
|
Performance Line Up at Mingus Park
 Portland Blues Allstars, Vista Kicks, and Digging Dirt are performing at Mingus Park as part of Music On The Bay.
Portland Blues Allstars performs on August 18 in Mingus Park. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. and is free to the public.
AJ Lee and Blue Summit made their first appearance in Santa Cruz in 2015. Led by singer, songwriter, and mandolinist, AJ Lee, the bluegrass band has performed all over the world, but finds home in California’s Bay Area. In 2019, they released their debut album, Like I Used To. Their second full length project, I’ll Come Back, came out August 2021 - with national touring in support of the record ongoing.
Unlike their first record, which featured experimentation with session musicians and electric instruments, the new project is a pure reflection of the live sound of the group, hearkening back to their acoustic roots. Each band member performs at their peak, and the variety of songs on the record caters to their broad fanbase. Certain tracks (“Put Your Head Down,” and “Faithful,”) fall more in the classic bluegrass realm of songwriting, while others (“Lemons and Tangerines,” and “I’ll Come Back,”) fall into that hard-to-define realm of acoustic Americana that blends mesmerizing lyricism and acoustic mastery.
|
|
|
On Saturday, August 13, 2022, at 10 a.m., a test of the Pony Creek Dam Warning System will take place. The test of area sirens is being conducted by Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board. The purpose of this test is to give the public an opportunity to hear the siren and familiarize themselves with the audible warning should a dam breach occur.
Sirens located at the North Bend High School and the Water Board Service Center will be activated at 10 a.m. for one test. The test will consist of a three-minute (15 seconds on – 10 seconds off) siren blast representing a dam failure warning.
If you live inside the dam breach evacuation zone and hear the siren at a time that is not a scheduled test, head for higher ground immediately.
|
|
2022 Coos Bay-North Bend Veterans Stand Down Registration
 For Providers and Volunteers
Use this form link below to sign up for opportunities at the 2022 Coos Bay North Bend Veterans Stand Down on Friday, August 19, 2022, at Pony Village Mall from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Important: Fill in one form for EACH team member. This is how they get registered and how we plan for t-shirts and food! You will get an emailed receipt when the form is completed.
|
|
 Oregon Bay Area Beautification (OBAB), a local group of community volunteers whose mission is to make and keep the Oregon Bay area (Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston) beautiful, has a scheduled cleanup event at CASA on Saturday, August 13 from 1 – 3 pm. For more information check out OBAB’s Facebook page.
|
|
 Join us for the 31st annual Charleston Seafood Beer and Wine Festival located at the Charleston Marina on Oregon’s Adventure Coast! Come on out for food, fun, music, and crafts on August 12- 14, 2022. Enjoy over 50 vendors selling food, Craft Beer, Regional Wines, crafts, shirts, trinkets, and lots more. Great music all weekend with the K-DOCK 92.9 FM CLAM JAM featuring live Rock and Roll, Blues, Oldies, and more! Bring the kids and let them enjoy our Fire Truck Super Slide! Or let the kids catch their own trout with the ODFW Good Guys and the Trout Pond!
This three-day event is sponsored by the Charleston Volunteer Firefighters Association, Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, and K-DOCK Radio.
|
|
Registration Open for Cruz the Coos
Coming up in September, Let's Cruise! The Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary Club presents the longest-running and largest cruise on the Oregon Coast! The “Cruz the Coos” is scheduled for September 17 and will run through the streets of downtown Coos Bay. Register online today for a weekend of fun on Oregon's Adventure Coast! Additional information is available at https://2022cruzthecoos.eventbrite.com.
|
|
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Water Quality Engineer / Administrator I or II
The City of Coos Bay is soliciting applications for the position of Water Quality Engineer / Administrator I or II. To apply for the position, interested parties should submit a city application, resume, and letter of interest to the City Manager’s Office or by email at administration@coosbay.org. City applications are available from the City Manager’s Office, City Hall, 500 Central Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420, by telephone 541-269-8912, or listed under Government, Job Openings on the City’s website. The deadline for receiving completed applications is 5 p.m., September 7, 2022. For complete announcement and application packet, click button below.
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Interlibrary Loan Technician
The City of Coos Bay is soliciting applications for the position of Interlibrary Loan Technician. To apply for the position, interested parties should submit a city application, resume, and letter of interest to the City Manager’s Office or by email to administration@coosbay.org. City applications are available from the City Manager’s Office, City Hall, 500 Central Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420, by telephone 541-269-8912, or click button below for full announcement. Unsigned applications will not be processed.
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Police Officer
The City of Coos Bay is soliciting applications for the position of lateral and entry level Police Officers. Lateral applicants would be eligible for a $7,500 hiring bonus ($3,500 after being hired and $4,000 after successful completion of probationary period) as well as the possibility of up to $1,000 moving expense reimbursement. Starting salary for lateral hires may be negotiable based on relevant law enforcement experience. Lateral applicants will automatically be awarded an interview and are not required to complete the NTN testing phase. In addition, if a Lateral applicant is hired, they will receive 40-80 hours of sick leave, the amount will be based off years of experience and at the Chief’s discretion. A Lateral applicant may also be eligible for early release from probation depending on performance and at the discretion of the Chief. Lateral process opens 08-05-22 and closes on 08-12-22 at 5 p.m. Entry level process opens on 08-05-22 and closes on 08-26-22 at 5 p.m. Please note, if position is filled by lateral officer the entry level process will be placed on hold. For complete announcement and application packet, click button below.
|
|
|
|
|
