June 2024
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Playground Equipment Installation. I am happy to report that the new playground equipment was installed at City Park and a ribbon cutting ceremony was held on May 7th. Attending were Honorable Mayor Mary Schamehorn, Park and Recreation Commissioners, residents, and the guests of honor – second graders from the local elementary school. The new equipment was thoroughly enjoyed by the children as well as a handful of adults in attendance. The City intended to replace the existing rubber bark mulch along with the playground equipment, despite being an approved fall protection material by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. However, the cost of its removal and disposal, at nearly $50,000, proved to be prohibitive. Although funding is not currently available, City staff is working to devise a funding plan for the eventual replacement of the rubber bark mulch through a combination of grants, donations, and unexpended general fund revenue that remains at year's end. Library Funding Methodology. The Coos County Library District's proposed library funding methodology went before the County Commission on April 23rd in response to concerns raised by the City of Coquille. The proposed funding methodology, developed as a result of the collective effort of District libraries over the course of nearly 20 years, is based on two fundamental factors: resident population and library usage. The proposed methodology is fair and equitable and was accepted by all member libraries with the exception of the Coquille Library. The methodology is considered fair because it incentivizes libraries to develop quality programming to increase library usage. As library usage increases, so does the amount of funding received by the member library. The new allocation would be implemented slowly over a four-year period. Despite the potential for a library to increase its share of available funding, the City of Coquille opposed the new methodology because their population and library usage were lower than other comparable libraries in the District, causing them to lose approximately 21% ($77,000 - $87,000) in annual funding. In the end, the Commission elected to approve the new funding methodology for one year, while retaining a consultant to assess the validity and fairness of the methodology within six months of its implementation. As directed by the Commission, the City of Coquille will be required to pay for the consultant. However, to ensure that a fully transparent and unbiased review of the methodology is conducted, the District would be wise to oversee and manage the consultant's work on behalf of all member libraries. Should you wish to express your support for the new methodology that would generate nearly 37% ($160,000 -$180,000) in additional library funding for the Bandon Library over the next four years, you are advised to contact the County Commission and Library District directly. Upcoming Library Events. The following events will be held at the Bandon Library in June:
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Transportation System Plan Update. Bandon’s Transportation System Plan (TSP) guides improvements to the City's transportation system to address current and future transportation needs of everyone who travels in or through Bandon. The TSP update will reflect the current and future needs of everyone who lives, works, visits, and passes through Bandon utilizing the City's street system. The TSP will also include a prioritized list of needed transportation projects, programs, and policy updates for the City to begin implementing after the plan is adopted. The City is seeking community input to help guide future transportation improvements benefiting all users of the transportation system. Solutions will be based on what is gleaned from community stakeholders. Therefore, residents who are interested in providing comments and suggestions regarding the TSP are encouraged to complete a survey that may be accessed by a link on the City's website www.cityofbandon.org. Yard Debris Removal Event. The second of three yard debris removal events will start on Monday, June 10. Bandon Disposal will collect up to two pickup loads of yard debris at no cost for Bandon residents. Residents are asked to adhere to the following guidelines:
If your property was inadvertently missed or if you have more than two pickup loads to dispose of, please contact Bandon Disposal at 541-347-9633 to make alternative arrangements.
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