Annual 4-H Leaders Spaghetti Feed and Auction Saturday, April 11th at the Coquille Community Building. Dinner is at 5:30 p.m. Silent Auction from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and the Oral Auction begins at 7 p.m.

The LA Times published an interesting article about the state of Oregon’s public schools and the news is not good. Budget shortfalls for education are rampant across the nation but Oregon seems especially hard hit. School districts where there is no reserve fund and personnel have already been cut to the bone leave school administrators nowhere to turn except shorter school years.

Oregon school calendars are three weeks shorter than the national average already and some of our local districts are looking at shortening our already short terms. Some of the problem may lie with Oregon’s low corporate tax rate one of the lowest in the nation and the legislature is talking about raising the minimum corporate tax. Another possible solution for struggling school budgets is to convert their utility expense, what they pay for electricity, to capital improvements. Spending exactly the same amount of money already spent as an expense and investing in local power production can generate revenue.

This is the concept Rogue River Wind, Ltd will be pushing to Congress in the ensuing weeks to support an appropriations request to fund a 5MW distributed energy smart/micro-grid. This project will supply all electrical needs to the participating school districts and still generate an additional $2M in annual revenue for the schools by selling excess power to the neighborhood. RRW is working with Dr Gerry Sheblé of Portland State University and through him with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to ensure the technical details are worked out to install this highly efficient and profitable smart/micro-grid. PNNL will be developing the software that will manage the power plant and grid.

Carefully investing our tax dollars has never been more crucial than it is now. For this reason I am inclined to question the apparent intent of the County to invest a minimum of $450,000 to upgrade a serviceable rural country road to industrial status in order to ‘grant’ a conditional use permit to ORC for mining.

In October, 2007, the County Planning Commission granted a conditional use permit to ORC subject to various conditions including Condition 13. Condition 13, on the surface sounds good for the taxpayer in that it holds ORC accountable for any damage done to the roads by excessive travel from heavily laden tracks. Unfortunately, Condition 13 also binds the County to paying to improve the condition of the road to support their proportional share of the wear and tear upon the 4.7 miles of road at W Beaver Hill.

In theory establishing proportional share and the precedents presumably set by Federal Supreme Court case Nollan vs California Coastal Commission and an Oregon case, Dolan vs City of Tigard protect property owners from paying more than a proportional cost. The ORC situation may fully apply here but I wonder if the intent of the above precedents is interpreted correctly.

In the matter of ORC the upgrade of W Beaver Hill Road to an industrial standard road benefit only ORC and are not necessary for the historical use of the roadway. When mining operations cease the improvements are not likely to be necessary for further industry. Investing half a million dollars or twice that if a 2” overlay is adopted to support possible future mining operations without any guaranteed revenue may not pay the returns taxpayers deserve.

The deepest recession since World War II is driving a surge in enrollment at Oregon’s community colleges according to newly released enrollment data.

Statewide, winter term enrollment is up 12.3 percent over last year and the number of students attending community colleges still appears to be growing as the academic year continues. “Colleges are still able to serve Oregonians turning to them in these difficult times because the Legislature made community college funding a priority in the 2007 Legislative Session,” said Andrea Henderson, Executive Director of the Oregon Community College Association.

“The legislature’s efforts have protected a critical safety net for Oregonians hit by the recession.” The largest increases are seen in college preparatory classes where enrollment is up 46 percent statewide. Enrollments in classes that prepare student to take the GED, a test representing an equivalent to high school graduation, are also up 12 percent.

“The biggest increases appear to be among adults getting up to speed for college- level training or educational programs,” Henderson said. “This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise as thousands of layoffs are driving workers to colleges, often for the first time.” At many colleges the larger-than-anticipated enrollment means longer waiting lists for many courses, and colleges are making cuts to other parts of their budgets to accommodate growth.

Cuts so far have still not reached the levels seen in Oregon’s last recession between 2002 and 2003. In that downturn colleges lost over 70,000 students as a result of large reductions in course offerings and entire programs. “This time we’re seeing community colleges able to play their traditional role of first responders in a down economy,” Henderson said.

The fifth annual Children's Art Show is again being organized and sponsored by the Coquille Valley Arts Center.

Exhibition of participant's art work will be from March 23rd-April 17th. Children ages 3-18 are encouraged to enter up to three original works of art. young adults aged 19-20 are invited to bring artwork that will be for display only. Students from Powers, Myrtle Point, Coquille, Coos Bay, North Bend, Bandon and Langlois have been invited to participate. Home schooled students are also welcomed.

Two new categories have been added to the show this year. Original artwork will be accepted in the areas of drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and computer art. Colorful posters were designed by Anastasia Savenka of Bandon and she plans to use some of the artwork for T-shirt designs as prizes. Outgoing President Anna Crosby expects the turnout to be even better than last years!

Entries should be brought to Coquille Art Center at 10144 highway 42, on March 9th - March 11th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or March 12th - March 13th from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Prizes and ribbons will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each age category as well as Honorable Mention and Best of Show. The official Reception and Award Celebration will be held on April 2nd from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The public is warmly invited to attend the reception.

The show is free to the public, although donations are accepted. It may be viewed during regular hours Monday thru Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., March 23rd thru April 17th. For more information please contact the Art Center at 396-3294.

by Dian Courtright

Among the items on last weeks agenda at the march 2nd city council meeting was a discussion of an ordinance that would amend the existing city of Coquille zoning & land development ordinance. According to John Higgins, Public Works Director, the existing ordinance needs to be amended to remain in the FEMA Flood Insurance Program. The city asked to withdraw the item from the agenda as they still had some more work to do on it, but said the subject was open for discussion.

Councilor Matt Muenchrath asked how would the zoning change affect people who lived in the zoning area. In the ensuing discussion about how change would affect existing structures in the zoning area, Public Works Director John Higgins said, only if the people affected wanted to build or add on to existing structures. Muenchrath asked how many people would be affected? Higgins said only 7 or 8 people would be affected by the zone change. Councilor Muenchrath was concerned that the people affected needed to be given notice.

Higgins said that he would look into it. The council heard from Fire Chief Dave Waddington, about the purchase of a vehicle for the Coquille Fire Department. Dave stated the Fire department needed to replace their 1987, 8 passenger van. He quoted a price of $20,112.00 for a 2009 crew-cab, one ton, four wheel drive, pick-up. Dave was requesting to take the money out of the equipment reserve fund to offset the $15,000 that the rural fire board allocated them. The motion was approved by the council.

John Higgins requested the purchase of a high velocity, sewer-cleaner, vacuum truck, for cleaning culverts & sewer lines, excavating, and locating sewer & water lines, at a ballpark cost of $250,000. John then asked the council to direct staff to precede with whatever it takes to purchase the vehicle. The motion was approved to continue that process. Item #11 on the agenda was a discussion on liability insurance for renters of the Community Building, presented by City Manager Terence O’Conner. The main issue is, protecting the City from liability claims. Mr. O’Conner led off saying it was another one of those “Signs of the time”.

He said the city has required those organizations that hold events where alcohol was being served to provide proof of insurance and also proof of insurance for private parties holding large wedding & anniversary parties. This would typically be the organizations insurance or the private parties homeowners insurance. He also admitted there were times when they haven’t required any proof of insurance. For people who aren’t covered by their organization’s insurance or don’t have homeowners insurance, Coquille’s CIS (City County Insurance Services) agent Clay Davis proposed through a letter to the council they could go through TULIP (Tenant User Liability Insurance Program). Terrence O’Conner demonstrated on the overhead projector how a person can, through the league of Oregon Cities & the City of Coquille, log on to the TULIP website and get insurance quotes for whatever type of function they are planning to have.

Councilor Matt Muenchrath asked that the City draft an example agenda item for further discussion on the matter. Terence O’Conner suggested drafting a policy that all renters of the community building have liability insurance. The Sentinel asked Mayor Steve Britton his thoughts on the issue of requiring liability insurance for anyone renting the Community Building.

Mayor Britton assured the Sentinel that the Mayor and the Council have not made a decision on this matter. He emphasized that the council values the input of the citizens of Coquille and he urged anyone with thoughts, opinions or advice to attend the April city council meeting. To note, in talking to Clay Davis, of Juul and Davis Insurance Company, Mr. Davis told the Sentinel that the homeowners policy does not cover functions providing alcohol.

Theme for Gay 90's - "Life is Fine in 2009"

It is not too early to be thinking about Coquille's Gay 90's Celebration! 2009 is also Oregon's 150th year of statehood. To acknowledge Oregon's birthday, we are encouraging everyone to dress in costume. This year the Coquille Chamber of Commerce is reinstating the Costume Contest. There will be two contests; one for the business owners and one for the general public.

The judging for the businesses will be held on Friday, June 5th and the contest for the public will be held on Saturday, June 6th, 2009. Prizes will be awarded. To enter the contest, just pick up an entry form at the Chamber office. The costume must be in the style of the Gay 90's era. You can make your own, shop at second hand stores, or go on line for ideas. Authenticity counts.

For more information, call the Chamber office at 396-3414.