Mayor delivers State of Roseburg 2025, highlights $2.35 million medical workforce grant, housing and infrastructure investments

Mayor Rich delivered the State of the City for Roseburg in January 2025, saying the council approved $2,350,000 in state grant funds to support Umpqua Community College’s effort to open the Southern Oregon Medical Workforce Center and help launch five new academic programs this year.

The announcement was the centerpiece of a wide-ranging address that also reviewed housing development, homelessness responses, public safety activity, and several capital projects funded by federal, state and private grants. “We’ve accomplished so much, and we’ll keep on tackling these important projects and more by continuing to grow and work together as one Roseburg,” Mayor Rich said.

Why this matters: the UCC medical workforce center is presented as a multi-year effort to increase the region’s health-care training capacity; at the same time the city is using planning and financial tools to accelerate housing construction and address visible homelessness — both priorities the mayor linked to local economic and public-safety goals.

Key details from the address - Education/workforce: The city voted to provide $2,350,000 in state grant funds to support Umpqua Community College’s Southern Oregon Medical Workforce Center; the college plans five new academic programs this year. - Housing and growth: Council and county leaders are pursuing an urban growth boundary (UGB) swap to enable development in Charter Oaks; staff said the Charter Oaks land is flatter and at main service elevation, which makes development more cost effective. The mayor said about 400 apartments have been built in the Diamond Lake Urban Renewal District since 2019; staff reported 105 units at the Ash Springs Apartments completed in 2024 using a systems development charge buy‑down incentive. - Homelessness and shelter: The city opened a low‑barrier group emergency shelter at the renovated Gary Leaf Navigation Center operated by United Community Action Network (UCAN). The city provided $116,605 to support congregate shelter for up to 35 people and 10 sleeping pods (two persons per pod). The mayor described partnerships with St. Joseph Catholic Church and St. George Episcopal Church for warming/cooling centers, services at the Roseburg Rescue Mission, UCAN bed capacity, Adapt’s sobering center, and a reopened 12‑bed behavioral stabilization unit at Mercy. - Public safety and courts: City officials described new camping‑violation penalties adopted after a U.S. Supreme Court decision (transcript cited “Grama Pass v. Johnson”), and municipal court convictions since the changes — the mayor said 100 people were convicted of prohibited camping, 32 twice, five three times and one four times. The mayor also described police recruiting challenges and reforms including a 32‑hour patrol work week. - Capital projects and grants: Staff reported multiple grant awards and capital projects, including roughly $750,000 to replace Umqua Valley Tennis Center courts, about $667,000 (reported as “6 Hundred And 60 7 Thousand”) to expand Brown Park for universal access, $2,260,000 to extend the Roseburg Airport taxiway, and $234,804 for airport backup power. Public works reported delivery of $8.3 million in capital improvement projects in 2024. - Utilities and operations: The city’s water plant treated about 1,800,000,000 gallons of water in 2024 (an average of about 4,940,000 gallons per day). Engineering staff completed 232 site reviews (a 15% increase over 2023). - Public facilities and downtown: The mayor noted downtown investments, the Neawala parade tradition, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe purchases of two downtown properties, a planned Holiday Inn Express on Mulholland Drive, and UCC efforts to develop student housing and renovate historic buildings.

Background and context City staff and department heads were repeatedly credited in the address: City Manager Nikki Messenger, communications specialist Suzanne Hirt, recorder Amy Nitis, human resources director John Van Winkle, community development director Stuart Cowie, finance director Ron Harker, library director Chris Wiley, public works director Ryan Hendricks, fire chief Tyler Costafson and police chief Gary Klopfenstein were named in the presentation. The mayor also thanked volunteers and outgoing councilors David Moore and Patrice Sipos for their service.

What’s next The mayor listed near‑term projects expected in 2025: construction bids for Stewart Park tennis and pickleball courts after the high school season (mid‑May start expected), Brown Park accessible playground construction by fall, taxiway extension at the airport in spring, Green Bridge rehabilitation with a reported $6,300,000 cost and roughly 90% federally financed through the state local bridge program, and continued work on Charter Oaks and Sunshine Park UGB changes.

Ending The mayor closed by urging collaboration across city staff, council and community partners as Roseburg advances several multi‑year projects that city officials said will affect housing, workforce training, recreation and transportation in 2025.