September 5, 2012
Water PUD Formation Hearing Set…
A public hearing, conducted by the Oregon Department of Energy in two weeks, will allow area residents the chance to have a say in the possible formation of a new People’s Utility District that would take over the Heceta Water District. Kathy Stuttaford says the agency is the one that regulates formation of PUDs.
Kathy Stuttaford – “We conduct the hearing, and then after the hearing, of course it’s up to the city and county to have a vote and take care of their taxes and stuff and we don’t have anything to do with that. We do it for both electric and water and I think the last water one we did was in 2002.”
One of the backers of the proposal, Ron Gerber, says it’s intended to help better protect the water district from loss of territory as the City of Florence expands. The hearing itself will be held Monday, September 17th, seven PM, at Siuslaw Public Library. Written comments can be submitted to the agency through five PM Wednesday the 19th.
Gas Prices To Remain Near Record Highs
Retail gas prices continue to climb as September gets under way and the summer driving season winds down. The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded jumped seven cents this week to $3.82. Oregon’s average price, as measured by Triple-A went up two cents to four-oh-two a gallon; and Florence’s average price also increased by two cents, it’s at $3.98.
Marie Dodds with Triple-A says gas prices over the recently completed Labor Day Weekend were at all-time highs for this time of year. Drivers in nine states, including Oregon, California and Washington, are paying more than four dollars a gallon on average. She says prices should begin to ease in September as supplies increase and refineries switch to lower cost ‘winter blends’. But, she adds, prices are likely to remain at near-record highs through the end of the year.
Our Town Back to School
It’s back to school this afternoon on KCST’s Our Town. Host Bob Sneddon will be exploring some of the changes faced by area school districts as students return to the hallways this week. One of those changes at Mapleton is a revamping of the leadership team. Former high school principal and superintendent Kyle Tucker left to take a job in Cottage Grove over the summer. Jodi O’Mara was hired to take over as superintendent and assume the role as Elementary Principal. Brenda Moyer has moved into the high school principal’s office.
There’s no administrative change at Siuslaw Schools, but a new finance director took over this summer. Kari Blake hails from a small southwestern Washington school district and has assumed to financial dealings in Florence. O’Mara, Moyer, Blake and Siuslaw Superintendent Jeff Davis will be on Our Town this afternoon to talk about new requirements they face.
