Mapleton Dealing with Water Bill Woes
After an extended period of not having water available and no drinkable water, members of the Mapleton community are now faced with exorbitant bills spanning a 10 month period. Mapleton resident Tina Sue Ferkey, says her bill averaged an additional $17.00 per month, which she said made sense due to a new lawn they installed and the watering it took, but her neighbor’s bill averaged over $65.00 a month for just 2 people. When residents began receiving their bills they were shocked by Coast Radio’s attempts to contact the Mapleton Water District for clarification have so far been unsuccessful. Local Realtor and Mapleton resident Vanessa West said she spent some time on the phone with Mapleton Water District personnel and was told that the extra high bills was not an intentional action, but the result of the failure of a previous employee to accurately fulfill the duties of his job. Some of the larger problems associate with the water system occurred during the Sweet Creek fire last year after fire crews failed to properly close off a valve causing pipes to rupture in the main lines. It was not until December of 2020 when problems with distribution of water were repaired.
Low Case Numbers-COVID
Lane County Public Health reported 12 cases of the coronavirus yesterday with no new cases for the 97439 zip code. Cases continue to be minimal as the county moves to the moderate level of risk today. Hospitalizations for the county have also dropped significantly. There are only 5 people currently, down from 19 yesterday. 4 of those 5 though are in intensive care with one on a ventilator. Statewide there were 367 new cases. The OHA also reported that they have currently administered 1,235,071 doses of the vaccine. The state continues to vaccinate individuals 65 and older. Oregon has been granted an exemption to allow pharmacies to administer the vaccine to older Oregonians. This includes safeway, Walgreens and costco pharmacies.
City Council Meeting
The Florence city council will meet on Monday and will consider authorizing the acceptance of a 44,162 grant for Old Town Outdoor Plaza improvement project, they will also consider authorizing the city manager to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement with the Port of Siuslaw for improvements to the Siuslaw Boardwalk. The city will also consider vacating a pedestrian right of Way that petitioner Simone Calfee says is not currently being used. The walkway is located between 1499 and 1545 20th street. City council meets at 5:30 virtually on Monday evening.
