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Junction City mayor outlines 2024 accomplishments, highlights water, parks and public works priorities
Summary
Mayor Kenneth Wells delivered the annual State of the City on Jan. 14, summarizing 2024 accomplishments including new wells, city hall opening, park upgrades and ongoing sewer and homelessness challenges.
Mayor Kenneth Wells delivered Junction City’s State of the City address at the Jan. 14 council meeting, reviewing city projects completed in 2024 and identifying infrastructure and social-service challenges for 2025.
Wells told the council and public that city staff and council worked together to update the personnel manual and public contracting rules, revise the agenda process, and complete a new city hall that opened Aug. 19. He said the city entered contracts for a financial consultant, a public relations firm and for remodeling the community center, which he described as nearly finished but not yet open to the public.
The mayor said public-works accomplishments in 2024 included renovation of five existing wells, development of a new well at Bailey Park and securing two $1,000,000 grants to develop wells at the Alderdale and Raintree sites; design work had begun at Alderdale. He also listed water-line replacements, raw water pipeline work to the treatment plant and multiple sewer pump station rebuilds.
Wells reported parks work including replacement of the Peckendama play structure, new concrete sidewalks, a walking trail at Alderdale Park, and a pool-house roof replacement under way. He said the city began public engagement for a parks and open-spaces master plan.
Wells identified continuing priorities for 2025: resolving a mutual-assistance order with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to upgrade the sewer treatment plant, further water-system improvements, addressing homelessness and mental-health issues with county and state partners, and increasing citizen participation on city committees.
Ending his remarks, Wells asked residents to stay informed and participate in upcoming planning and budget processes.
The mayor’s address was presented as part of the council’s regular meeting; several agenda items that followed addressed the capital, utility and public-safety topics he highlighted.
