22 May 2014
West Lane Commission Seat Still Up in the Air
It will likely be late tomorrow before residents in Western Lane County know who will be representing them on the Board of County Commissioners next year… Or maybe longer.
As of yesterday, 45 votes separate incumbent Jay Bozieivich from challenger Dawn Lesley with Bozoviech in the lead.
Lane County Clerk Cheryl Betschart said there are two categories of ballots remaining to be tabulated from Tuesday’s primary election. Those that need a “second look”; and those that were mailed to other county elections offices by mistake.
The latter is a small number… usually fewer than 20 in each election says Betschart. But, they could wind up making a difference.
The former… the ‘second look’ ballots… usually consist of ballots that have something about them requiring further study to discern the voter’s intent.
If the results stand, the margin won’t be enough to trigger an automatic recount. But, Lesley has said she will likely request… and pay for one… on her own.
If the margin falls to less than the number of write-ins cast in the election: it won’t matter who wins or loses as they’ll both head to a runoff election in November.
Outgoing City Manager Clarifies Planning Positions
Long time city planner Wendy Farley-Campbell was named the interim Planning Director this week by outgoing City Manager Jacque Betz.
The city has been without a formal planning director since former Community Development Director Sandra Belson left 18-months ago. At the time, Farley-Campbell, the former senior planner for Florence, was on a military deployment.
Because of the recession, Betz opted not to hire a replacement for Belson, and instead shifted those duties on an interim basis to City Recorder Kelli Weese.
Since Farley-Campbell’s return from the service, the two have shared many of the responsibilities.
Betz offered the position to Farley-Campbell this week with the concurrence of elected officials. Weese will retain the economic development duties of the former position.
Farley-Campbell will hold the interim title until a replacement for Betz is on the job and can make a final determination.
Heed the Read for the Need
Nine years ago, then-seven-year old Taylor Graham told his mom he wanted to help people who didn’t have enough to eat.
His mom, Shannon Graham, told him he could hold a garage sale and donate the money to Florence Food Share.
That garage sale morphed into a used-book sale, with young Taylor collecting donations from all across the community.
Since 2005, his book sales have garnered tens of thousands of dollars to feed the hungry, and he’s back at it again.
Last year the “Read for the Need” offered more than 30-thousand titles and netted about $7-thousand for Food Share.
This year, there are fewer books; mainly because Food Share had a winter-long book sale that raised money.
About seven thousand titles will be offered for sale beginning Saturday morning and through Monday, Memorial Day, at the Florence Events Center. Hours for the 2014 Read for the Need will be ten to four Saturday; Noon to four Sunday; then ten to two Monday.
Decorating the Graves of Those Who Have Served
Local members of the VFW will be cleaning up and decorating the graves of veterans tomorrow in preparation for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
Spokesperson Harold Johnson says volunteers can meet at Pacific Sunset Cemetery, just off Highway 126 east of Florence any time Friday morning.
The graves of “those who have served our country” will be decorated with crosses and flags.
