October 8, 2012
Lack of Rain Doesn’t Put Damper on Water Supply
Most of the measurable precipitation in the Florence area over the past three months has come from fog… and the last considerable rainfall in the area is six months distant. Kathy Franzen lives on the banks of the Siuslaw River near Rhododendron Drive. Her late husband Dave used to faithfully record wind and weather conditions and since he passed away two years ago she’s kept up the habit. Franzen’s records show just under one inch of precipitation since July 1st. Half of that came in July, with 3-tenths of an inch measured in August.
For September, Franzen recorded less than two-tenths of an inch.
Forecasters say the weather is on the verge of a change with the possibility of cooler temperatures and rain on the horizon by this weekend.
Florence Public Works Director Mike Miller says there are no concerns for the water supply. He said usage in the city is at about 1.3-million gallons a day on average… slightly less than at this time last year.
Fire Danger Remains High
Despite the trend to cooler overnight temperatures and the possibility of rainfall, fire managers in Oregon are still feeling the heat. A warm east wind event contributed to several fires later in the week in Western Oregon. That also kept restrictions on activities in forestlands in effect through the weekend. Tom Fields with the Oregon Department of Forestry says many private land owners have closed their lands to public access such as hunting.
Crash Causes Congestions
A single vehicle crash on Highway 101 just south of Florence disrupted traffic for about an hour this morning. A small van reportedly struck a utility pole bringing live power lines down on the highway. Firefighters flagged traffic through the scene until Central Lincoln PUD crews could clear the wires. It’s not known if there were any injuries.
Bridge Work Delayed
Motorists on Highway 101 crossing the Siuslaw River got a break today as scheduled maintenance was delayed. The Oregon Department of Transportation announced last week that crews would be doing bridge maintenance. That’s been put off and will be rescheduled.
Council Considers Shrinking Planning Commission
The Florence City Council will consider reducing the size of the Planning Commission from seven to five members this evening. They’ll also discuss whether or not to further limit non-residents participation on the panel and whether or not Planning Commissioners can actively serve on other city panels such as the budget committee.
City Manager Jacque Betz and city staff have drawn up recommendations in the code pertaining to the meeting schedule. Current code requires the body to meet a minimum of once a month. Betz says a lack of development requests and work for the commission has translated into no business items on the agenda. The council meets this evening, seven PM at city hall.
