LCC Presidential search nearing an end
Three finalists for the President of Lane Community College were on campus in Eugene last week to meet with the Board of Education, community members and staff. LCC Board Chair Sharon Stiles says she thinks one of those three could be the one to replace retiring President Mary Spilde (SPILL-dee)
Sharon Stiles – “We’re at the point right now of making a selection. We think of the three candidates we have… certainly have somebody.”
Those three are Dr. Margaret Hamilton, currently vice president for academic affairs at Camden College in Blackwood, New Jersey; Dr. Peter Maphhumolo (muh-POO-muh-low) is executive vice president at Victor Valley College in Victorville, California; and Dr. David Rule recently stepped down as president of Bellevue College in Bellevue, Washington. Stiles says there is a lot of competition for the most qualified candidates.
Sharon Stiles – “Here’s the problem. We have 600 openings throughout the United States and people are up for multiple jobs.”
That means it’s a “seller’s” market and the best candidates will have their pick of jobs. Spilde will retire in June after serving as president at Lane since 2001.
Hoedad history
Anyone who has worked around the timber industry or in wildland firefighting knows what a “hoedad” is… in addition to a lot of work, it’s a hand tool that that is used by tree-planters to plant seedlings after a logging operation.
It’s also the name of a group that planted a lot of trees in western Oregon between 1971 and 1994.
The Hoedads Restoration Cooperative was founded by Jerry Rust and John Sundquist. They applied the “cooperative” model to tree planting… along with a heavy dose of environmentalism, feminism and alternative economics.
Rust and Sundquist will talk about the Hoedads Wednesday evening during the January meeting of the Siuslaw Watershed Council. Local planting on the Sweet, Indian, and Deadwood creek watersheds will be the primary topics.
That meeting begins at 6:30 Wednesday evening at Mapleton High School.
Design of City Hall remodel to begin
Florence City Councilors signed off last night on an agreement with a Coos Bay architectural firm for design and supervision services of a $1.5-million renovation and expansion of City Hall.
Additional costs, including those involved in temporarily locating City Hall staff and functions will raise that pricetag to just under $2-million according to City Manager Erin Reynolds who adds the facility is due for an upgrade.
Erin Reynolds – “We’re actually in our 50th year at City Hall. It is one of those facilities that has very well served our community and we’re just looking at what are the current needs, what are the demands, and also looking at the safety and well being of our employees, and also the city council and also those who come to city hall regularly.”
The building would retain essentially the same footprint, but a new addition facing Highway 101 would create a new City Council Chamber and entry way. The existing meeting room and the entire interior would then be remodeled to create new office space. If all goes well, the entire project could be completed by this time next year.
Woman dies in crash
A Eugene woman was killed Sunday evening in a single vehicle crash on Highway 126 just west of Walton. Captain Bull Fugate with the Oregon State Police said 38 year old Dawn Compton was traveling east bound near milepost 29. Her car failed to make a left hand curve, leaving the roadway and side-swiping a tree. It then continue a ways further before striking a second tree.
Compton died at the scene. One lane of Highway 126 was closed about three hours during the investigation. Fugate says speed is being investigated as a contributing factor and it’s not clear whether or not the woman was wearing a seatbelt.
City exploring biennial budgeting
One topic discussed Monday night by Florence City Councilors was that of switching from an annual budget process to one done every two years. City Manager Erin Reynolds said it could bring savings… and they already have a five-year financial plan in place.
Erin Reynolds – “If we’re already doing that; we’re already pretty solid on our 18 to 24 month plan; why not save some administration and give us some efficiencies on that end.”
State law allows for the biennial budgeting, Reynolds said they would review the budget on a regular basis.
Guilty plea in murder for hire plot
A former Florence-area woman has pleaded guilty to a murder-for-hire charge. Pamela Jean Gygi (JHEE-jhee) pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Eugene. Prosecutors said she paid a parolee in June 2015 to kill her ex-husband. As part of their divorce decree, the man had been required to purchase a $100-thousand life insurance policy naming Gygi as the sole beneficiary.
Instead of carrying out the killing, the man she hired warned the intended victim, who in turn called authorities.
Gygi is expected to be sentenced in February. The prosecutor said he intended to seek a 12-year term.
