Mayor Affirms Eco-Friendly City
There were several issues that arose from Monday evening’s Florence City Council meeting that were outside the scope of the formalized agenda issued by the city. During the public comments portion of the meeting local resident Ivy Meadow addressed the city council regarding her belief that the Florence City council had not officially recognized the issue of climate change. During this past summer’s coastal caucus the issue of climate change was a prominent one, but Meadows said that this has not been reflected by the council.
“What is it that is keeping you as a group, the City Council of the great city in motion, Florence Oregon from acknowledging that climate change or the climate crisis, or whatever it is you want to call it is really happening?”
In response Mayor Henry told Coast Radio News that there are volumes of “facts” on both sides of the issue, but that is not the issue as it relates to the City of Florence. Henry said the city is engaged in many areas to protect the environment where it is reasonably and fiscally possible including the purchase of electric cars, charging stations, led lighting and an eco friendly public works building and city hall. He says as for the Mayor’s Climate Accord document, “I will never sign anything that has no impact to simply promote someone’s political agenda.”
Cease and Desist Letter Delivered to City Councilor
At Monday evening’s city council meeting a cease and desist letter was read into record from Bill and Katie Prosser towards city councilor Joshua Green the letter stated that Councilor Green should cease and desist from using the term alt-right when describing the Prossers and also demanded a public apology for statements made on Greene’s Facebook page and during a council meeting in July of 2019 where he named the Prossers and a “few other people that we know” as members of the alt-right community. In response to the letter, Greene made a comment that he in no way believed that the Prossers fit under the definition of the alt-right.
“Never to slander you in any way, shape, or form with the interpretations that goes to all the skin-heads and Nazism and all that stuff. That is not at all what I know you or respect you both to be.”
Greene agreed to write a letter of apology to the Prossers as requested in the letter. Prosser stated, through the wording of the letter, that he feels his reputation in the community and at work were harmed by comments Greene had made. The issue stems from comments made during councilor Lucio’s run for city council and a subsequent council meeting on July 15, 2019.
DevNW Announces Groundbreaking
DevNW (Dev Northwest) has announced the date for the groundbreaking on the property that used to be the senior center in Florence. The property on airport road across from the Boys and Girls Club will be the site for 12 community land trust homes and after many months of preparation they will ceremoniously begin construction on January 23. Actual construction will begin in February. Homes will be sold to individuals below 80% of market value. DevNW is partnering with the City of Florence and the state of Oregon to provide affordable housing in Florence.