[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6518640,"mediaKeyId","5386771-ef734bfdb16c14edb5e6ef24b4bd0faf","parentId",5386771,"title","Council directs plan to eliminate a 16% budget gap; examines dispatch consolidation, library district and new revenues","audioSeconds",627,"startMs",8201000,"endMs",8828000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386771-ef734bfdb16c14edb5e6ef24b4bd0faf&start=8201&end=8828","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386771-ef734bfdb16c14edb5e6ef24b4bd0faf/thumbnail_8201000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6518640/Cottage-Grove/Lane-County/Oregon/Council-directs-plan-to-eliminate-a-16-budget-gap-examines-dispatch-consolidation-library-district-and-new-revenues","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518640-f6ea347d39d8f0f8c8032c0face9b8ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931505&Signature=hmhzX3vANNuN9YAGFhanooaew5x7p8HeK01ZCG1sGNyMuBWIHgcUxXefzLrXPKKTt4zjQrKtjJN6ER-mPDazY2tlLEiITUpjL5yBmcScWeDy61zXKrOLD0zlyIHRO991S1DhRJ1vAvmWriuG0SkOV5wg2jkqoks-fIUNAjFFbjSULNelMGZWX0CsnJNoV7sBR4lunsvknzaZqcVpnkYbTnUHaQRauI8QTlVsnPE3fCyA6ILGw8ZRt0Sl-6ALGpIwMRi2TRr6UXGpWZG2Ta8y9h29bXczBUbrgaHV8LQNhcXfWa1pCDKQc0u2D4CPTHcWaJb0RvIq1aCc4sVSIoBhYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Cottage Grove, OR","date","2025-07-15T01:55:47Z","article","The Cottage Grove City Council on July 29 adopted a council-level directive that the city manager return with a plan to eliminate a council-identified 16% gap between revenue and expenditures over the next three years, with at least one-third of that gap closed in the first year.

The direction followed a budget committee recommendation that staff present options to reduce the gap. Council amended that recommendation to require full elimination of the gap within three years and carried the amended motion unanimously.

Staff and council discussed both expenditure and revenue strategies, including larger operational changes and revenue proposals:

- Dispatch consolidation: City staff and the police chief reported ongoing conversations with Lane County about contracting county dispatch services. Staff said the city currently receives about $180,000 in 911 tax revenue but spends roughly $775,000 a year on dispatch and communications; contracting could reduce the city’s net cost but would not eliminate dispatch expenses entirely. City staff estimated potential savings of roughly $200,000 a year as a planning figure but cautioned the estimate is uncertain. The police chief emphasized operational complexity — equipment, call routing (public-safety answering points), radio channels and staffing — and said detailed conversations with the sheriff and county are required before any commitment. The city’s dispatch radio equipment also faces end-of-life replacement needs, with vendor estimates in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars for replacements.

- Library district: Staff noted formation of a library district is a common local funding model in Oregon and reported staff work to identify consultants, grant support and partner organizations to study the feasibility. The council framed a district as a possible multi-year revenue solution but emphasized it requires public outreach and a formal feasibility process.

- Law enforcement utility fee and other revenues: Staff revisited earlier proposals for a law-enforcement utility fee and said other revenue levers (franchise fees, room taxes, permit fees) and more-accurate revenue forecasts could also reduce the gap; staff said they will review revenue estimates and potential short-term measures.

Council requested follow-up information including: estimated savings from dispatch contracting (with detailed cost comparisons and contract length scenarios), the effect of equipment replacement schedules and ownership of 911 equipment, feasibility and costs for forming a library district, and revenue modeling for a potential law‑enforcement fee and other revenue sources.

Ending

Council’s motion to have staff return with a concrete plan to eliminate the budget gap over three years (one-third reduction in year one) passed unanimously. Staff indicated further analysis will involve county dispatch stakeholders, state emergency‑management rules around 911 equipment, and outreach and feasibility work for a library district and other revenue options.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 14, 2025 Executive Sessions and Regular City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","After the budget committee recommended narrowing the city’s 16% structural budget gap, the council voted to require the city manager to present a plan to eliminate the gap over three years and discussed contracting dispatch services, forming a library district and a law-enforcement utility fee as potential options.","taxTitle","Cottage Grove, Lane County, Oregon","taxId",56931,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518645,"Council debates fate of donated pallet shelters; staff says storage and re-deployment require significant work",4639,964000,5603000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386771-ef734bfdb16c14edb5e6ef24b4bd0faf&start=964&end=5603","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386771-ef734bfdb16c14edb5e6ef24b4bd0faf/thumbnail_964000.jpg","/articles/6518645/Cottage-Grove/Lane-County/Oregon/Council-debates-fate-of-donated-pallet-shelters-staff-says-storage-and-re-deployment-require-significant-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518645-5018cab367cf1980cfc24c91541283f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931505&Signature=gABd0qnrxdsLxA1eNpI7~YzSJGD0AolUi4KW~sp5JxaezjHZsf5rTxKkxNnq46h6WyPdhte9sGxYbc2cDhjl5cSm9t4IWPqiEdXyWg5W1JszH0lgoTRPczYFKx5hdBkUG2ll-dBw4ozpo5KS~6rv7EKytwF-WMJ6OZtan-xWfnxDgzsuyIqx2d8YtbnpM8wJ-efNiqjjxSHXp4TyAbmBtPcoH-~Mii1BwOKSfqdWdFqtKDJH45vu0w8HIeNswAWO73Rtk6lpnXB4B3hPMTkPJe2X8-uThTa6uheLzW~yrsmkmgUTpdESGRSZeUIvo9DKg-037F8q4poc9zSBPJCrdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City residents and councilors on July 29 pressed the Cottage Grove City Council for clarity on a cluster of pallet shelter units the city received during the COVID period and later returned in part to Lane County.

At public comment, Suzanne Reynolds of Downtown Cottage Grove asked why the pallet shelters “are just sitting out there” and whether they could be used to support people experiencing homelessness or sold to the public. Multiple councilors and staff replied that the units were procured as emergency shelters and that liability, management and funding considerations constrained broader use.

Public works director Faye Stewart said the units are not simple tents and require infrastructure to function. “Each unit requires, at least a 20 amp electrical feed to it,” Stewart said, adding they need level pads and a nontrivial amount of onsite work to install and to operate safely. Stewart said some units were returned to Lane County; others remain in city possession and the city lacks immediate indoor, weather‑protected storage space for the remaining units.

Council deliberations and staff cautions

- Purpose and history: Council and commenters said the pallet shelters were accepted during COVID as an emergency resource; the city accepted some as a temporary measure and later returned a portion to Lane County. Council members said the shelters were intended for emergency response (fire or flood) rather than as a long-term homeless shelter.

- Operational requirements and prior experience: Councilors noted the city’s earlier managed‑shelter effort had limited success. Stewart estimated the prior managed site had a low housing-success rate and warned that restoring shelters requires onsite infrastructure; she also said repeated disassembly/reassembly shortens usable life.

- Options discussed: Councilors and staff discussed (a) breaking the units down and storing them to preserve them for future emergency use; (b) returning additional units to Lane County; (c) selling units to private buyers; and (d) repurposing a subset on an existing managed site for storage for legally registered camp users. Several councilors supported storing units off‑site to protect them from weather, while others worried about storage capacity and maintenance costs.

Council direction

Council requested staff return with a report laying out options, costs, storage requirements, and likely uses, rather than taking immediate action to dispose of or distribute the shelters. That report should include a condition assessment (how many units remain usable, how many hours of reassembly remain before deterioration), estimated electric and site infrastructure costs, and proposals for oversight or a partner service provider if the council wishes to use the shelters for anything beyond short-term emergency response.

Ending

The council did not make a final disposition decision at the July 29 meeting. Staff agreed to prepare options and cost estimates for council consideration; several members said breaking down and storing the units—if a suitable, dry, secure storage site can be identified—was an acceptable interim approach to prevent further deterioration.","Council members, staff and residents discussed what to do with a set of pallet shelter units gifted by Lane County—options discussed included returning units, storing them for emergency use, or repurposing. Staff flagged electrical, siting and storage constraints and council asked staff to return with options.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518650,"Council approves land-use code changes, utility projects and several contracts; sale of industrial lot authorized",597,4479000,5076000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386771-ef734bfdb16c14edb5e6ef24b4bd0faf&start=4479&end=5076","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386771-ef734bfdb16c14edb5e6ef24b4bd0faf/thumbnail_4479000.jpg","/articles/6518650/Cottage-Grove/Lane-County/Oregon/Council-approves-land-use-code-changes-utility-projects-and-several-contracts-sale-of-industrial-lot-authorized","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518650-d8caf576612e77d6f73d70cf6e4453d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931505&Signature=TPsRdlS1D9D0N9tyf5YP6X2TgYi0CzJ16nk9hDZw2iK5DLa-EREjtsTOjQ27zoqCixtSC4ZGn54FvCZwxmI9IxWMwNNYCUlFnG6J5BfMzlcEdkkkPOntR4CRaW66junVgZkXIIzBYcW9SM3DY1FpwsgWWFDEE-zyquomNUD7-MlIZ9R1lebFdvoHqL1MWPdVSPJi0y56g2C6b3d3NSvv05qr-k8l1wzNysbA8ArARmudAdpF98h1GdObl1J3POSGZm7b5u0Drp6i~3NYlxF0Xr-G--fC77wH7L~FAeXmKGpn9TfWMUabLiJmsgYQGZYIkkSANZzlzP67h3egU0OlKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cottage Grove City Council on July 29 approved a series of ordinances, contracts, personnel appointments and other items in unanimous votes, including revisions to Title 14 of the municipal code, a zoning/map amendment for a North Nineteenth Street parcel, the award of a water/sewer extension contract, purchase of a replacement backhoe, new labor contracts and authorization to sell Industrial Park Lot 1.

The actions were taken mostly by roll call or unanimous voice vote after public hearings and staff presentations. Together the votes advance pending building and infrastructure work, finalize negotiated labor contracts and clear a previously declared surplus parcel for transfer to a private buyer.

Key votes and outcomes

- Ordinance No. 3194: Amendments to various sections of Title 14 (land-use code). Adopted unanimously. Staff recommended the changes to bring local procedures into alignment with state rules; the planning commission had recommended approval after a June 18 public hearing.

- Ordinance No. 3195: Comprehensive plan and zoning map amendment for 710 N. 19th St. (map/tax lot 20-03-27-20-02001). Adopted unanimously. The ordinance redesignates 0.28 acres from CT (commercial tourist) to C (community commercial) and the zoning from CT to RC (residential commercial) to allow a residence to be rebuilt if destroyed.

- Consent agenda: Approved as presented by unanimous voice vote.

- Appointments: Jim Colton appointed to the Planning Commission (term ending 12/31/2025) and Matthew Hewlett appointed to the Historic Preservation Commission (term ending 12/31/2027). Motions carried unanimously.

- Contract award: South Sixth Street water and wastewater extension project awarded to H and J Construction, Inc., low responsive bidder, for $114,290.50. Council directed the city manager to sign the contract. Motion passed unanimously.

- Equipment purchase via cooperative procurement: Authorized purchase of a 2025 Caterpillar 420 backhoe loader from Peterson Machinery using the Sourcewell cooperative contract (Sourcewell account 999315, Peterson contract 011723-CAT) for $160,936.94. Council approved the agreement and directed the city manager to sign. Motion passed unanimously.

- Collective bargaining agreements: Council approved tentative agreements with Laborers International Union Local 737 for both the Public Works laborers unit and the general unit (city hall staff). The unions ratified the agreements; city staff recommended adoption and the council approved unanimously. The agreements take effect July 1.

- Sale of Cottage Grove Industrial Park Lot 1: Council authorized execution of a purchase-and-sale agreement to sell Lot 1 of the Industrial Park to SafePark Storage LLC for $140,000 and directed the city manager to sign the documents. Motion passed unanimously.

What council acted on but deferred or handled as process notes

- Staff noted technical edits and minor grammatical corrections in draft ordinances that had been made before hearing and recommended adoption.

- Council directed staff to proceed with execution of contracts and agreements where recommended by staff and supported by the bid/selection process.

Ending

The council carried all listed items by unanimous vote. Several items (Title 14 changes, the map amendment and the lot sale) followed public hearings and planning commission review. Staff will return any further transaction documents to council as required by policy for final execution and recordation.","At its July 29 meeting the Cottage Grove City Council adopted two land-use ordinances, approved several contracts and labor agreements, appointed commission members and authorized sale of Industrial Park Lot 1 to SafePark Storage LLC.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council directs plan to eliminate a 16% budget gap; examines dispatch consolidation, library district and new revenues

Council debates fate of donated pallet shelters; staff says storage and re-deployment require significant work

Council approves land-use code changes, utility projects and several contracts; sale of industrial lot authorized