City to Privatize Airport Fuel; Go To Jail; Travel Lane County Fighting Revenue Cut; Let’s Dance!

Coast Radio News
Local News

19 August 2013

City considers privatizing fuel sales at airport

A proposal to transfer responsibility of fueling operations at the Florence Municipal Airport could ease pressure on demands placed on Public Works crews.

The City Council is being asked to approve a contract with Apex Helicopters.  The Florence-based company wants to take over the fueling operations in order to better manage their own fuel purchases.

City employees have maintained and operated the fuel pumps and tanks at the airport since 2008.  City Manager Jacque Betz said by leasing the facility to Apex, it would free up an estimated 40-hours per month that could be used for other purposes.  Betz also said the agreement would generate a small amount of cash… approximately $1,700 per year.

The city maintains a double-walled above ground tank at the airport that has a capacity of up to 6-thousand gallons of low-lead av-gas and up to 4-thousand gallons of Jet-A fuel.

The contract with Apex would be for an initial two-year period with one 2-year renewal option.

The council meets this evening, seven pm, at city hall.

Travel Lane Count Fighting Cuts

Managers at the semi-public association charged with promoting Lane County to outside visitors were caught off-guard earlier this month when they found out nearly one-third of their funding could be diverted to an out of state advertising agency.

Keri Westlund, the executive director of Travel Lane County, said the Lane County Board of Commissioners will be considering the proposal tomorrow to award a $500-thousand contract for “destination marketing” to an outside firm.

Westlund said Travel Lane County, formerly known as the Convention and Visitor Association of Lane County… or C-VALCO… had already budgeted to receive… and spend… an anticipated $1.7-million in transient room tax.

She said the proposal demonstrates a lack of understanding by county staff.

The proposal will go before the Board of Commissioners tomorrow at Harris Hall in Eugene.

Go (back) To Jail.

A Florence man is back in jail this week facing burglary charges.  Police Chief Ray Gutierrez said officers responding to an alarm at Florence Travel early Wednesday morning found a sliding glass door open… and 23-year old Jason Scott Sprinkle hiding in a back room.  Sprinkle was arrested, charged with burglary and criminal mischief and transported to the Lane County Jail in Eugene.

Gutierrez said Sprinkle was on post-prison supervision through Lane County for a previous burglary.  He had recently been released from the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville.

Let’s dance! 

The Florence Dance Festival is set for this Saturday afternoon and evening at the Florence Events Center.  Workshops and performances will be offered beginning at noon that day for belly dancing, tap dance, tango, line dancing, clogging, zumba; even Hip Hop, jazz and ballroom.

Organizers say an evening performance will bring all the styles together on stage.

The cost is only $5 for the afternoon sessions… $10 for the seven pm performance.