Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Air Quality topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges Sweet Home to restore DEQ air monitor; council agrees to put item on next agenda
Summary
Resident Gary Jarvis told the council the DEQ monitor at the fire department stopped reporting on Dec. 17 and urged the city to pursue reinstating a local air-quality monitor; councilors agreed by consensus to place the matter on the next agenda for staff follow-up.
Gary Jarvis, a Sweet Home resident, told the council that the Department of Environmental Quality’s monitoring station at the city fire department stopped reporting Dec. 17 and that the state now lists Albany as the official reporting station. Jarvis said Albany’s readings do not reliably reflect Sweet Home conditions because of different topography and elevation and asked the city to investigate restoring a local monitor.
"For whatever reason, the DEQ has decided to terminate the one at the fire department," Jarvis said, and he told council members a monitor can be hosted for about $100 a year or purchased for roughly $200 with replacement every two years. He offered to forward links and data he gathered to staff.
Mayor Coleman thanked Jarvis for bringing the issue forward and asked him to forward the information; councilors then agreed by consensus to add the DEQ monitor matter to the next agenda so staff can investigate possible options, funding and next steps.
The council provided no immediate budget commitment at the meeting; staff were directed to return with recommendations and any cost estimates at a subsequent council meeting.
