Douglas County joins the OHSU in a statewide effort to end chronic disease through healthy food.
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Council asks voters to choose library site By DAVID RUPKALVIS For The World
The city of Coos Bay will ask voters to decide a preferred location for a new public library. The city council voted 6-1 to ask voters to choose between a new library in downtown Coos Bay or one on Ocean Boulevard near Cascade Farm and Outdoors. The vote during a special meeting last week is the latest step the city has made in an effort to get a new library for the city. Voters in
Coos Bay voted against an earlier proposal to build a new library at John Topits Park. After the defeat, the council regrouped and conducted a poll asking where city residents would like a new library to be placed. In the poll, the site near Cascade Farm and Outdoors received 26.7% of the vote while a downtown library received 25%. The John Topits Park site and a site on Newmark Avenue both received less than 15%. “I still believe in my heart that John Topits would have been by far the best, but the community didn’t support
that,” Mayor Joe Benetti said. “So I have to step back. The community and the citizens will decide when and where it’s going to be built. I think my choice won’t even be considered.” City Manager Nichole Rutherford told the council a vote in November would cost the city up to $60,000. A vote next May, due to other ballot initiatives, would be much cheaper. Ida Jo Gates, a member of the library board and steering committee to help choose a new site, told the council the key would be educating the public. “I think 13 weeks from
now we ought to have on the ballot this advisory ballot,” she said. “I think for the next 13 weeks, we ought to have an education campaign to get out there in the public eye every fact we can think of as to why we need a new library and why we need a new library morally. I think education is the key to the advisory vote and then the vote, we will all champion which is the vote in 24. Get out the word of education, the facts. What is costs, why we need it. Then after it gets decided by the public, we go on the marketing route.” Curt Benward, also a member of the steering
committee, said he supported getting the public’s input on the library site, but he was not in favor of spending $60,000 to hold the election in November. “Picking the right location is really important to getting it passed. So I get the advisory vote,” he said. “I’m really afraid if we spend another $60,000 on an advisory vote right now, it’s going to have a negative impact on the vote.” Benetti agreed spending $60,000 would send the wrong message. “I believe the $60,000 Please see LIBRARY Page A10
Surprise: Friends, co-workers Rutherford ready say farewell to Craddock to make her mark
on Coos Bay
By DAVID RUPKALVIS For The World
After 14 years as city manager and 32 years working for the city of Coos Bay, Rodger Craddock hoped to sneak quietly away, but his family and co-workers had other plans. Mayor Joe Benetti and Council President Lucinda DiNovo worked with Craddock’s family to get him to the Mill Casino last week for a surprise retirement party. A room filled with coworkers, current and past, elected officials and many friends and family greeted Craddock with a yell of surprise as he walked into the room. Some of the same people then shared stories of working with and living with Craddock. “Where to begin with your fabulous 32 years in the city,” Benetti said. “After 18 years in the police department, you accepted the role as city manager. The city was having difficulties at the time, and we needed the right person.” Benetti said Craddock was the perfect choice as he moved from police chief to city manager. “He accepted the position, and 14 years later, so many achievements,” the mayor said. “Rodger is stepping down as the longest-serving
By DAVID RUPKALVIS For The World
When Nichole Rutherford took a job with the city of Coos Bay in 2014, she had no dreams of one day being city manager.
Photos by David Rupkalvis/For The World
Mayor Joe Benetti presents former City Manager Rodger Craddock with a plaque for his 32 years of service to Coos Bay.
city manager in Coos Bay. What I will cherish most is we’ve become friends. You are a unique individual and left your mark on the city of Coos Bay.” Craddock began his career in Coos Bay as a reserve police officer in 1991. He became a full-time officer in 1995 before earning promotions to sergeant, captain and chief of police. In December 2009, he agreed to become interim city manager, and stayed as the top position in the city for
almost 14 years. “There has never been a time you haven’t risen to the occasion to do what my husband called ‘the good work,’” DiNovo said. “Your humor, your willingness to listen and always be interested while listening to both sides has made the Coos Bay the standard in our region. Rodger, my best wishes to you on your next adventure. I look forward to seeing what you accomplish Please see CRADDOCK Page A3
Please see RUTHERFORD Page A10
Photo by David Rupkalvis/For The World
Rodger Craddock accepts a gift from Mark Johnston, the executive director of the Coquille Indian Tribe, during Craddock’s retirement party.
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Instead, she simply focused on coming to work every day, doing the best job she could and learning as much as she could. That resulted in Rutherford getting promoted every time a position opened in front of her, ultimately ending with her being named city manager last month. But Rutherford’s route to the top job in city government was far from typical. As she explains it, she left college three years in after getting married and having children. After raising her children, she rejoined the workforce as a secretary at Wall & Wall CPAs. She worked there for 14 years, first getting her tax preparer’s license before returning to school and getting her bachelor’s degree. She eventually began helping with budgeting and auditing before moving to the city in 2014. “It made good sense when
there was an opening here in the finance department,” Rutherford said. “I put my name in the hat for the payroll position.” When she was hired, she turned back to her method of success - show up, do a good job and learn as much as she could. “I just came to work and did the job before me and the person in front of me retired and I stepped into their position,” Rutherford said. That formula led to Rutherford being named finance director in 2018 and it also caught the attention of longtime City Manager Rodger Craddock. In 2021, Craddock began thinking about retiring in the future and asked Rutherford if she would be interested in being his replacement. She said the decision was not easy. “I went back and forth a little bit and ultimately landed on, Rodger has really set up this path and there’s a great team here,” Rutherford said. “Really what I think it comes down to is you just stay on the path.” When she said yes, the city council voted to name Rutherford assistant city
Coos Bay City Manager Nichole Rutherford has worked for years to prepare to lead the city moving forward.
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