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  It’s been a year in the planning and development. All the hard work has paid off as the south coast’s newest ADA accessible kayak launch, located in John Topits Park, is now installed and ready for use. The new launch is near the park parking lot off of Hull Street.
The new kayak launch was made possible by a generous partnership grant from Travel Southern Oregon Coast (TSOC) and the Judith Ann Mogan Foundation. TSOC has been working to increase the number of ADA accessible kayak launches on the southern Oregon coast and to build what has become known as the Southern Oregon Coast Kayak Trail. With the addition of the new kayak launch at John Topits Park, there are currently three ADA kayak launches nearby: Lakeside, Coos Bay, and Gold Beach and two standard launches in Reedsport and Bandon.
 TSOC is a regional destination management organization focused on developing the South Coast of Oregon into a sustainable and vibrant visitor destination. TSOC receives funds from Coos County by way of an overnight lodging assessment at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, which formed through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Resort and Coos County. TSOC funds regional marketing opportunities and projects that promote Oregon’s South Coast as an overnight tourism destination. For more information, check out TSOC's website.
I have had the pleasure of serving on TSOC’s board of directors for a little over four years. I know as a former longtime restaurant owner and a TSOC board member that tourism is an important component of our state and local economy. Per a 2019 report out of Oregon State University and information from Travel Oregon, tourism in Oregon is a $12.3 billion industry employing 115,400 Oregonians. Outside of the state’s urban areas, the tourism industry is responsible for roughly 10% of the jobs in areas such as ours. As your mayor and a TSOC board member, I know that the new kayak launch will not only serve to build our region as a tourism destination and help in supporting our tourism economy, it’s also another recreational amenity for our community members to enjoy.
-Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos Bay
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 City Council efforts to expand housing opportunities have included regulation changes and programs for new and rehabilitated housing. Community participation at public meetings and in online surveys support Council efforts in the creation of a Housing Production Strategy (HPS).
An online questionnaire is available for you to identify housing concerns and share ideas to incentivize housing production. To date, 134 individuals have provided responses with a variety of new ideas for consideration not previously considered. To keep the community momentum going, the questionnaire will be available until January 25, 2023. Responses will be kept confidential, and the questionnaire results will be available in the coming months. Watch for additional Friday Update articles for more information.
For questions, contact Carolyn Johnson at cjohnson@coosbay.org or 541-252-2861.
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Officer Coleman Takes Over as the New Community Resource Officer
Dedicated to serving his department and community, Officer Coleman replaces retired Senior Officer Babb
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Officer Coleman has taken over as the Community Resource Officer replacing Senior Officer Babb who retired on December 31. Officer Coleman is a relatively new officer to the Coos Bay Police Department (CBPD), but is a seasoned law enforcement Veteran who has made a valuable impact since joining CBPD in early 2022. Officer Coleman has over 10 years of experience as a police officer. He is a highly motivated and hardworking individual who is dedicated to serving his department and community.
His high level of self-motivation and desire to find solutions for issues facing our community led Coleman to conduct after hours patrol checks of our parks, specifically John Topits Park, in order to deal with a wave of illegal camping that was causing trash accumulation, unsanitary conditions, and concerns of safety for park goers. In a short period of time, he was able to identify several illegal campsites and several other issues occurring after hours in the park. Officer Coleman located several individuals who were violating the park closure hours and his actions led to the removal of numerous illegal camps and trash.
Further, Officer Coleman is a team player and works well with community groups such as the Nancy Devereux Center and Coos Health and Wellness, specifically the Mobile Response Team. These partnerships and his care for all our citizens made him an excellent selection to serve as our next Community Resource Officer.
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New City Team Members Bring Vast Professional Experience
 The City of Coos Bay would like to welcome new staff to the team (photo above, left to right): David Wagoner and Jasenn Ffradelis.
Wagoner is the City’s new Transportation and Facilities Superintendent. Wagoner has lived in Coos Bay for over 35 years with his family and is a National Guard Veteran. Wagoner brings to the City over 20 years of experience in road construction, operating large construction equipment, along with street, bridge, and sign maintenance. Wagoner will oversee the operation and maintenance of the City’s roads, facilities, and parks.
Ffradelis. is the City’s new Engineering Services Coordinator. Ffradelis is a retired Navy Veteran and comes to the City from the east coast with a degree in Information Systems. He will be responsible for engineering permit application review for both private and public projects.
The City is fortunate to have these new team members bringing their experience and knowledge to support the City.
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City Hires Derek Small as Planner I |
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The City of Coos Bay is excited to welcome Derek Small as our new Planner I. This position is responsible to provide information to the public, citizen groups, planning commission, and other political subdivisions concerning the interpretation and application of planning laws and regulations. As the City's Planner I, Small will interact with developers and the public to assist with development applications. Small has a B.S. in Architecture and eight years of experience drafting floor plans and presentation documents. He recently relocated to Coos Bay from New Hampshire. He is excited to make lasting connections and a positive impact in the community. |
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 The City of Coos Bay is seeking volunteers to fill positions on the Budget Committee, Planning Commission, and Coos Bay/North Bend Water Board. Applications are available from the City Manager’s Office at City Hall, requesting via email at administration@coosbay.org, or on the City’s website. Applications will be accepted in the City Manager’s Office through 5 p.m. January 20, 2023. Applicants will be contacted to schedule interviews with the City Council, potentially at the February 7, 2023 City Council meeting.
Budget Committee – The Budget Committee is comprised of the full seven-member City Council and an equal number of Coos Bay citizens. Qualified citizens are those who have resided within the city limits of Coos Bay for one year and legal elector for Coos Bay. Terms on the Budget Committee are for three years, with staggering of member terms. The Budget Committee typically meets annually, in the month of May. There are two expiring positions on the Budget Committee.
Planning Commission – The Planning Commission is comprised of the seven-members appointed by City Council. Eligible members shall have been residents of the city for at least one year, except that two members may reside outside the city limits but within Coos County, if they own property within city limits. The Planning Commission meets once a month, typically on the second Tuesday. There are currently two expiring positions on the Planning Commission, both four-year terms.
Coos Bay/North Bend Water Board – The City Council appoints two individuals to the Coos Bay/North Bend Water Board governing body with a four-year term of appointment, staggered by two years for each member. Interested applicants must be a resident of the City of Coos for one year prior to appointment. There is currently one appointed Water Board position expiring.
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Coos County Seeks Feedback on Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan
 The County and its incorporated cities and special districts, along with steering provided by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, have been working to update the Coos County Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. Before finalizing the document, the committee is seeking public comment on the draft document.
The full plan is available by clicking the button below:
To comment or provide corrections, please send an email to Coos Emergency Management emergencymanagement@co.coos.or.us or pamela.reber@dlcd.oregon.gov
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 The Coos County Friends of Public Health is hosting the Odyssey 2023 Challenge fundraising event which will help you to improve your own health through exercise, while helping Coos County families in need. This year’s event raises money for the Nurses’ Purse, which is a discretionary fund that can be accessed by public health nurses at Coos Health and Wellness. The Nurses’ Purse helps families with essentials such as food, winter clothing, infant care, and payment of medical bills for the uninsured.
The Odyssey 2023 Challenge starts February 1 and continues through April 30 and will take you through 216 miles of some of the more unique locations in Coos County. Keep track of your miles each day (or “mile equivalents” of 30 minutes of sustained activity) and move forward on the virtual route. Many types of exercise are counted: running, walking, yoga, golf, pickleball, gardening, dancing, and more. Form a team, or join one, and help motivate your friends and family to achieve fitness goals. The entry fee is $25 (plus a $2.50 fee for the virtual platform.)
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HR Coordinator
The City of Coos Bay is soliciting applications for the position of full-time HR Coordinator. 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 email at administration@coosbay.org. For full announcement and application packet, click button below.
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Administrative Coordinator
The City of Coos Bay is soliciting applications for the position of full-time Administrative Coordinator. 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 email at administration@coosbay.org. For full announcement and application packet, click button below.
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