5 August 2014
City Manager Search Narrows
The applications for the open position of Florence City Manager continue to arrive… More than 40 have been received thus far.
But the City Council last night pared that list down somewhat to six… with a possible three additional “contingencies”.
Mayor Nola Xavier; Councilors Joe Henry, Brian Jagoe and Joshua Greene met in private session to go through the list one more time.
Interim City Manager Larry Patterson pointed out yesterday one additional challenge to finding the right candidate: The people doing the hiring may not necessarily be the ones a new manager ultimately works for.
Larry Patterson – “Well luckily the majority of these folks have indicated that it’s not a concern to them. Of course, any time that you’re dealing with a body that’s making that decision and investing in you, if they’re not going to be there, you know, that’s why we wanted to clear the air and make sure they understood what the lay of the land was.”
Only one of the five sitting councilors is assured of being in office come January… Joshua Greene. Henry, Xavier and former Mayor Alan Burns are all vying for the center seat. Jagoe, along with Councilor Sue Roberts are not seeking reelection.
Roberts likely to miss remaining meetings
One Florence City Councilor has been notably absent from proceedings in the past several weeks.
Councilor Sue Roberts fell last month, and suffered a devastating knee injury.
She’s been hospitalized since the accident and has had surgery to repair the joint.
Roberts is being transferred this week to a long term rehab facility in Eugene where she will convalesce before eventually returning home.
She had previously said she would not seek reelection when her term ends later this year.
WLCF Turns 40
40 years ago this week, the President of the United States resigned… Richard Nixon left the White House following the continuing Watergate scandal.
In Florence, the President of the Rotary Club made a big announcement as well.
Al Owens proposed the creation of the Western Lane Community Foundation, a charitable group that would expand Rotary efforts to provide cash for scholarships and other good works in the community.
40-years later, the Foundation continues to grow and provide much needed assistance. The assets are now over $5-million.
Owens will be on KCST’s Our Town tomorrow afternoon, along with current Foundation Director Gayle Waiss and Cindy Cable. They’ll talk about not only the past 40 years, but what is ahead for the organization.
Also on the show tomorrow… Bring Recycling, Helping Hands Coalition and Siuslaw’s Interim Superintendent Ethel Angal.
If I Didn’t Care – Adds Shows
Mike Jacobson says when the “show is good, the audience wants more”.
That’s why he and other performers have added three additional presentations of a popular musical tribute to the 40’s group “the Ink Spots”.
The presentation at the Florence Playhouse in Old Town already sold out eight shows, so the idea was to add two more in Florence, plus one dinner show in Coos Bay.
“If I Didn’t Care” is also the name of one of the Ink Spots’ biggest hits, it features five strong vocalists; Jacobson, Marty Adams, Denise Dee, Nancy Pearson and Mary Beers.
The two additional Florence Shows will be August 23rd and 24th… with the dinner presentation at the Coos Bay Red Lion August 30th.
