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Published By Your City Hall |
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A Number of Infrastructure Projects Planned for Next Budget Year
 The City and URA Budget committees recently met and approved the next fiscal year’s budgets which will begin on July 1, 2023. The City Council and URA Board are scheduled to formally adopt the budgets as recommended by the Budget Committees next Tuesday evening. The approved 2023/2024 budgets include over $23 million for capital improvements to city facilities, streets, sidewalks, parking lots, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure within the City.
Continuing to invest and improve in the Infrastructure is a high priority of the Council. Sadly, the $23+ million dollars won’t fix or upgrade the entire infrastructure systems. Some of our roads are 100 years old and it is hard to believe that several underground pipes are around 90 years old. Pump stations have a lifespan of anywhere from 20 to 30 years and with 26 of them, we are replacing or upgrading at least one a year. While nearly $24 million was invested in a new wastewater treatment plant in Empire just a few years ago, the bones of the treatment plant downtown are nearly 70 years old. Plans are underway to undertake a number of major upgrades at the downtown treatment plant over the next decade. The Council is committed to stewardship of our infrastructure. While there aren’t enough resources to keep everything in pristine condition, we are striving and will continue with your help, to improve the roads, sidewalks, parking lots, city owned facilities and water quality systems (wastewater and stormwater) which serve us all.
-Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos Bay
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 Notice is hereby given that the Coos Bay City Council will be accepting applications and letters of interest for consideration of appointment to fill an upcoming vacancy on the City Council. To qualify, applicants must be a registered voter and have resided within the Coos Bay City limits for at least one year. The letter of interest should include a summary of the work and community experience, education, and the reason(s) for the motivation to serve on City Council. An attached resume is acceptable.
Letters of interest and applications will be accepted in the City Manager’s Office until 5 p.m. on Thursday June 8, 2023. Applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview with the City Council. For more information, contact City Manager Rodger Craddock or Assistant City Manager Nichole Rutherford at 541-269-8912
Interviews will be held Tuesday, June 20, 2023, prior to the City Council meeting.
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 Get Ready to kick of the summer season of First Friday Wine Walks. Stop by our two starting locations and pick up your walking map and wine glass. Your donation supports the Oregon Coast Music Association and the summer festival they provide for our community. Always the First Friday of the Month, downtown Coos Bay and Front Street to Coos Bay Village.
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On May 4, 2023, the Budget Committee approved the proposed budgets for City of Coos Bay and Urban Renewal Agency (URA), completing one step in the annual budget process. Meetings will be held on June 6, 2023, starting with the City Budget discussion with Coos Bay City Council at 6 p.m., immediately followed by the Urban Renewal Agency (URA) budget meeting. These public meetings will be held in the Coos Bay City Hall, Council Chambers, 500 Central Avenue, Coos Bay.
Copies of the budgets may be inspected or obtained on the City's website at the Budget & Audit Records section or at City Hall between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by contacting the City Manager's Office at (541) 269-8912 or administration@coosbayor.gov. These budgets are for an annual budget period and were prepared on a basis of accounting that is the same as the preceding year.
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 Clean water is the world’s most precious commodity, and public health depends on safe and readily available water. The World Health Organization estimates over two billion people live in water-stressed countries, which is expected to worsen in some regions due to a changing climate and population growth. Water conservation and efficiency issues have become crucial conversations amongst building safety professionals in recent years. The building industry looks to increase water efficiency through innovative practices and technologies not just domestically, but worldwide. Here are some examples of countries in water-scarce areas that are innovating:
- Saudi Arabia boasts the highest production of desalinated water worldwide (removes salt out of water from the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf) and are in the process of converting their desalination plants to solar.
- Israel is leading the world through their policies, practices and technologies for its water resources and conservation, most notably through reclaiming over 80 percent of its wastewater and stormwater for agricultural operation.
- Cape Town, South Africa, is incorporating automated domestic water metering installations to set a target water usage for each resident per day, leveraging alternative water sources and is updating their supply network infrastructure.
- The United Kingdom is cutting water use through water metering, incentives for water-saving technologies, hosepipe bans and investing in updating the country's water supply equipment.
- The 2000s drought in Australia (also known as the "Millennium drought") compelled a coordinated response on water conservation. Changes were added to the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) that regulated stricter water flow rates on household appliances, the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme for products covered by the scope of the PCA (including washing machines and dishwashers) was introduced and using water for irrigating gardens and washing cars was banned.
Communities worldwide are experiencing an increase in disaster events that are significantly impacting their societies, economies, and cultures. Here are a few resiliency success stories that we can all learn from:
- Copenhagen, Denmark is combatting flooding in one neighborhood by replacing asphalt with innovative tiles that allow rainwater to seep back into groundwater aquifers.
- After severe earthquakes in 2011 and 2016, New Zealand has incorporated base isolation systems that allow a building's foundation to move horizontally to dissipate seismic forces.
- The Netherlands have addressed their vulnerability to flooding by creating a "Room for the River" program that creates diversions, restores riverine landscapes, and removes silt to combat river floods.
- Białystok, Poland has built green bus stops designed to withstand intense rainfall, strong winds, drought and heat waves. They feature vegetation on the roof and walls and can retain up to 250 liters of rainfall.
- Canada's Zibi waterfront city is a 34-acre master-planned community that relies on post-industrial waste energy for heating and the Ottawa River for cooling, and the urban design prevents local flooding.
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FEMA News for Oregon
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the implementation of the plan for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) – Endangered Species Act (ESA) Integration in Oregon.
FEMA released a draft of this plan in October 2021. In response to a lawsuit brought against FEMA, FEMA initiated consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). NMFS requires FEMA make several changes to how the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is implemented in Oregon to avoid continued jeopardy for the threatened and endangered species and habitat described in the Biological Opinion (BiOp). The proposed action that FEMA will evaluate in the EIS is the execution of the Oregon Implementation Plan for NFIP-ESA Integration, developed by FEMA with input from the State of Oregon and public stakeholders between 2016 and 2021.
The draft plan comprises changes to information provided to communities, mapping products, and reporting requirements for NFIP-participating communities as well as a range of potential measures communities will need to select from to collectively meet a “no net loss” standard of three key natural floodplain functions: flood storage, water quality, and riparian vegetation. For more information, please visit FEMA’s project website at link: https://www.fema.gov/about/organization/region-10/oregon/nfip-esa-integration.
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Do you want to learn more via an informational meeting?
FEMA will be hosting a virtual public meetings to solicit comments regarding the Proposed Action and the environmental issues that FEMA should consider in the EIS. Additional in-person meetings will be held soon, and details will be updated as they are confirmed.
 Do you want to submit formal comments?
FEMA has extended the comment period to June 26, 2023. Comments may be submitted in the Federal Register by clicking here.
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 If you have a creative and crafty child, you are invited to join the fun this Saturday at Coos Art Museum for our Kids Art classes! Artists of all ages are welcome to get their art on! We will be learning about creating an environment and filling it with all sorts of things found in our oceans. From fish to buried treasure! Only $5 per artist! Parent art for free! Call 541-267-3901 or visit Coos Art Museum website to register.
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 Join Oregon Bay Area Beautification (OBAB) as we participate in the United Way of Southwestern Oregon’s Day of Caring and help beautify the yards of residents in need of assistance.
We will start at the Coos Bay Fire Station for registration and the schedule will proceed as follows.
- 8:30 a.m. - Registration
- 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - Shift 1
- 12-1 p.m. - lunch/raffle drawings
- 1-4 p.m. - Shift 2
OBAB efforts will be concentrated on the Shore Pines Bay Village. Volunteers should be able to provide their own transportation and lawn care tools. Bring lawnmowers, trimmers, hand tools and anything else you think would be helpful. Tasks may include lawn mowing, weed whacking, brush cutting, raking, and cleaning gutters. Pick one or both shifts to work and contact us to sign up.
There will be a lunch provided from 12-1 p.m. as well as a raffle. Let's help our neighbors in need AND make Oregon's Bay Area more Beautiful!
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Spring Clean Up at Shore Acres
 Shore Acres State Park is seeking volunteers for a garden beautification event Friday, June 16 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Shore Acres State Park, 89526 Cape Arago Highway, Coos Bay. Volunteers should sign up online. Tasks include weeding, trimming, mowing, mulching, painting, staining, picking up trash and pulling invasive weeds in the botanical gardens. Participants should pack water, a sack lunch, and gloves if they have them. Rangers also recommend dressing for the weather and wearing closed-toe shoes. Participants should also be prepared to travel a short distance on uneven ground to the service site and be prepared to work with hand tools.
These two events will help get the park ready for Rose Sunday on June 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Father’s Day that includes rose viewing, Garden House open house, refreshments and information displays from the South Coast Rose Society.
Shore Acres features a formal garden with plants and flowers from all over the world. It includes a Japanese-style garden with lily pond and two curated rose gardens that include All-American Rose Selections. Something is in bloom almost every day of the year: the first spring bulbs pop up in late February; rhododendrons and azaleas soon follow; roses bloom through the summer; and dahlias appear August through mid-October.
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 Engineering Services Coordinator
The City of Coos Bay is soliciting applications for the position of Engineering Services Coordinator. To apply for the position, interested parties should submit a city application, resume, and letter of interest to the HR Office or by email jspencer@coosbayor.gov. City applications are available from the Finance Office, City Hall, 500 Central Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420, by email at jspencer@coosbayor.gov or at the bottom of this job posting.
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Type: Full Time
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Salary/Pay Rate: $5259 - $6556 DOQ
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Deadline to Apply: 06/05/2023 at 5 p.m.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: Performs professional engineering administrative work; directs the planning, designing, and construction of street, sanitary sewer, and storm drain projects. Maintains an organization through which these projects may be properly planned, designed, and constructed. Provides technical support for all department activities and performs related work as required.
Project Engineer/Administrator I or II
The City of Coos Bay is soliciting applications for the position of Project Engineer/Administrator I or II. To apply for the position, interested parties should submit a city application, resume, and letter of interest to the HR Office or by email jspencer@coosbayor.gov. City applications are available from the Finance Office, City Hall, 500 Central Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420, by email at jspencer@coosbayor.gov or on the City’s website at https://www.coosbayor.gov/government/job-openings.
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Type: Full Time
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Salary/Pay Rate:$7059 - $9009 DOQ
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Deadline to Apply:06/05/2023 at 5 p.m.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: Manage major capital improvement projects related to treatment plants, pump stations, pipeline projects roads, culverts, sidewalks, and ADA improvements. This includes but is not limited to managing consultant and construction contracts. Review plans and monitor construction schedules and submittals, conduct onsite observations, review contractor’s work. Provides support to the Operations Division as needed (wastewater, stormwater, transportation, and facilities).
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