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Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878
Coos County Ballot Snapshot
Here’s what local races and measures you’ll be voting on May 19 BY NATE SCHWARTZ
The May primary elections for this midterm year are fast approaching, with voting day set for May 19. April 28 is the last day to register to vote or change your party affiliation, and you can check your registration status now at oregonvotes.gov/myvote. While the primaries for the general election are party-restricted, and those races for Con-
gress, Senate, and Governor are set to be decided in November, there are several local positions up for grabs on this ballot. Two County Commission seats, the county clerk, and two measures for North Bend will be voted on. While low voter turnout and general malaise can often color voting day in the U.S., it is local elections that make the most immediate impact on our day-to-day lives. It is paramount
that we all participate in our constitutional right to a representative government in an informed manner, especially in the races closest to home.
Coos County Commissioner, Position 2
County Commissioners serve a four-year term in Coos County. Coming off the most recent of his three terms in the position,
John Sweet is running for reelection against first-time candidate Brandi Martindale. Long-time residents of Coos County will know Commissioner Sweet well. His background is in forestry and business administration, having earned his bachelor’s in both fields from Oregon State University. Sweet has spoken extensively about the county’s financial difficulties and believes his experience is the
answer to the difficult funding challenges faced by the area’s sheriffs and schools. Martindale has been hitting the campaign trail hard in recent months. Born and raised in Coos County and a Coquille High School grad, Martindale is currently a certified life coach in the area. She received her bachelor’s See SNAPSHOT Continued on Page 16
Development begins on the first phase of
North Bend’s new community plaza
BY NATE SCHWARTZ
If you’ve driven southbound on Highway 101 through North Bend in the last week or two,
you’ll have noticed construction in the area around the North Bend Visitors Center. The development is a continuation of the City’s mission to turn Grant
Circle into a community hub and town square. The T-Mobile Plaza will convert an otherwise unutilized piece of pavement into a public space with a stage, seating, and a designated spot for community art and heritage displays. Thanks to a $50,000 Hometown Grant from T-Mobile, and a further $250,000 from Travel Oregon and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, what has been a long-term vision of the City’s has broken ground. “What was once a blighted, underutilized building and empty lot is now moving into the next phase of development as an accessible community gathering space. This project has been a long-term goal of the City Council and represents years of planning to enhance our community,” said North Bend’s Visitor Information Center. “Once complete, the site will be an accessi-
Architects, and its first phase will be built by Knife River, a local contractor. The project is project-
ble space for visitors and locals alike. The development will also serve as a hub for Main Street and City activities.” The space was designed by a local architecture firm, HGE
See COMMUNITY PLAZA Continued on Page 16
Port Update: Eastside Housing Feasibility and Local PCIP Meetings BY NATE SCHWARTZ
The Port of Coos Bay heard a presentation from AKS Engineering regarding their progress on a housing feasibility survey for a large piece of land in Eastside, Coos Bay. In conjunction with the City of Coos Bay, the port is exploring the possibility of housing to help alleviate the area’s need to expand its housing stock. Evaluations of the same property in 1996 and 2000 came back negatively on development, but there is hope that with up-to-date building techniques and ecological changes, the outlook may be more fruitful this go around. Zack Pelz, AKS’ representative, spoke about their most recent findings, stating that a final draft will be ready soon. According to Pelz, around 70% of the site is wetlands, which are typically avoided in developments like this, posing significant infrastructure challenges for most construction projects. As part of its preliminary economic analysis, AKS determined what the market was able to
support in terms of housing costs for the constructed units. Around $346,000 to $598,000 for homes, and $1,320 to $2,100 per month for apartments, was the market rate used to justify whether the costs of development would be worth it in terms of return on investment. As he hinted at with the issue of large amounts of wetlands, the investment in infrastructure would need to be significant. Analyzing a small, 17-lot development on the edge of where the current housing stock ends showed promise. Analyzing costs for street, storm and wastewater, and other miscellaneous infrastructure expenses, the development would cost under $4 million. That puts the per-unit cost within the $346,000-$598,000 range necessary to make the project feasible. However, that does not consider off-site infrastructure costs like expanding nearby intersections and bridges to accommodate increased traffic. At a recent town hall held in Eastside, a strong turnout of around 80
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residents made it clear that traffic was the primary concern regarding a development like this. In particular, the Isthmus Slough Bridge was a point of worry. Pelz reminded the board that there were still numbers that needed to be considered in the final report and further development areas within the site that they wanted to add and explore, as the first 17 plots were just a preliminary analysis. Another town hall will be taking place on Wednesday, 25, at 6 PM, at Eastside Elementary, where those more fleshed out numbers will be presented. When the report is completed, planned for sometime in midApril, it will be presented to the Coos Bay City Council in a joint meeting.
Local Meetings on the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port Project (PCIP) The Concerned Citizens of Empire, a group of locals with well-documented ques-
tions about the PCIP project, is holding a meeting at the Dolphin Playhouse on Wednesday, March 25, at 6 PM (unfortunately, the same time as the Eastside Housing Feasibility Town Hall). The
meeting will discuss the potential impacts of a large industrial development across the channel See PORT UPDATE Continued on Page 16
Opinion
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Calendar
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Comics
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Obituaries
10/15/16
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