WEEKEND EDITION FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020
SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946
www.currypilot.com
Brookings, Oregon
CURRY COUNTY
Fourth COVID-19 case confirmed STAFF REPORT GOLD BEACH — Curry County has its fourth confirmed case of COVID-19, according to the County Public Health Administrator Sherrié Ward. Late Saturday morning,
April 18, the Curry County Public Health Department received notification of a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 in Curry County from a North Bend Medical Center lab in Coos Bay. Curry County Public Health reached out to the in-
dividual who tested positive and is now working on contact investigation and tracing for those who possibly have been in prolonged close contact with the individual. The three previous cases reported in Curry County have all been under mon-
itoring and self-isolating and will be considered recovered from the virus as of Monday, April 20, Ward stated. Those cases were made public on April 5. Curry County Public Health will continue to notify the public if any ad-
ditional positive cases are reported. “Please remember it is imperative that we all follow the OHA, CDC and Governor’s guidelines about social distancing, protecting yourselves and staying home to slow the
CORONAVIRUS
spread and save lives,” Ward stated. As of Wednesday, Curry County still had one active case, three considered recovered, zero deaths and had tested 118 people. Oregon had 2,002 confirmed cases and 78 deaths.
ELECTION
Ballot info is in mail Oregon primary is set for May 19 STAFF REPORT
Brian Williams, The Pilot
There was plenty of activity at the Port of Brookings Harbor Launch Ramp on Saturday, April 18. Men wore masks and followed social-distancing guidelines at the ramp.
Port revenue sinks Agency gives manager authority to use reserves to keep it open
BRIAN WILLIAMS The Pilot
The Port of Brookings Harbor is feeling the financial impacts of COVID-19 and gave Port Manager Gary Dehlinger discretion to spend reserve funds to keep it open. Port commissioners unanimously, 5-0, gave Dehlinger the authority during a special meeting on Friday, April 17, via teleconference. “It would be used as needed,” Dehlinger said. “I hope we don’t have to use it. I don’t really want to have to come up to another special meeting immediately and try to get approval to do it.” Dehlinger explained at the
Brian Williams, The Pilot
People wait outside of the fish cleaning station at the Port of Brookings Harbor on Saturday, April 18. Commissioners said people were following the posted social-distancing guidelines and decided to keep the station open. meeting and in his staff report that the Port’s revenues have
taken a serious hit — in some instances up to a 50 percent
decline — due to Gov. Kate Brown’s coronavirus pandemic stay-home orders. Many businesses at the Port are closed during what is normally the beginning of the tourist season. Late in March, the Port closed its Beachfront RV Park and began issuing refunds for canceled stays. Gov. Brown also provided three months of relief to renters, saying their lease could not be terminated and they could not be evicted during this span. A portion of the Port’s revenue comes from slip and mooring rentals. Dehlinger estimated that in a worst-case scenario, the Port’s reserve of roughly $140,000 See Port, Page A7
GOLD BEACH — Curry County Clerk Reneé Kolen informs voters that the election processes for the May 19 state primary have been underway for weeks. Ballots for military and overseas voters have already been mailed. The state voters’ pamphlet containing voting information, candidate statements and measure arguments, should arrive at every residential address in Oregon April 22-24. It also contains a voter registration form inside for anyone who is not yet registered. If you have an Oregon driver’s license you can go online to www. oregonvotes.gov to register to vote. The May 19 election is a primary election. Primaries serve two main purposes. The first is for all voters to be able to cast ballots for candidates for nonpartisan offices like judges and county offices. The second is for voters registered with a major political party to select their nominees for partisan office like US President, Oregon Secretary of State, Treasurer and Attorney General and legislators at both the state and national level. Those registered as not affiliated with a political party, or registered with a minor party (Constitution, Independent, Libertarian, Pacific Green, Progressive, Working Families) will receive a ballot that includes See Election, Page A7
GOVERNMENT
City seeks proposals to run golf course Lease with current management group expires in December BRIAN WILLIAMS The Pilot
Contributed
Brookings City Council approved beginning the request for proposal process to find a group to manage Salmon Run Golf Course when the current lease expires at year’s end.
Index Classifieds..................A9-12 Comics.............................A4 Crosswords.....................A4 Obituaries........................A6 Weather............................A8
Weather HIGH LOW
Thurs 60 49
A lease agreement Early Management Team has with the City of Brookings to run Salmon Run Golf Course will expire at the end of the year. The City of Brookings does not want to take on the day-to-day running of
Tues 58 47
Mon 55 43
RISE SET
Fri 6:20 8:09
Sat 6:18 8:10
Sun 6:17 8:11
See Golf, Page A7
Mon 6:15 8:13
$1.50
5-day forecast, tides and complete weather: Page A8
Call us 541-813-1717
Salmon Run Golf Course began, Trost said. At that time, staff recommended that the City begin an RFP process and solicit an agreement that has key structure adjustments from our current agreement; primarily changing components that were more like a “lease” to those more commonly seen in a “management” agreement. Staff created the pro-
Sunrise/Sunset
Past four days
Wed 54 50
the golf course and staff asked the council to begin the usual “request for proposal” process to find someone to continue managing the municipal golf course. The motion to advertise the RFP was unanimously approved, 5-0, during the council’s regularly scheduled meeting on April 13.
Jay Trost, City of Brookings Deputy Director of Public Works and Recreation Services, explained Early Management Team’s current contract with the city, a one-year and seven-month extension, ends Dec. 31, 2020. The original agreement between EMT and the City was for three years and the extension was struck in May of 2019. At the March 2, City Council workshop, discussions on the RFP to manage
Fax 541-813-1931
Online www.currypilot.com