Shelter Deliberation Monday
It is a hot button for the community that could be decided on Monday. The Florence City Council will be deliberating on Monday evening at the Florence Events Center on the proposed homeless shelter. Money has been designated by the state to fund, at least temporarily the construction and management of a year round homeless encampment in Florence with secure funding through the end of the fiscal year 2025. The Council who heard the proposal earlier this month will make some sort of decision on the project on Monday. The options according to city manager Erin Reynolds are multiple.
“They gave me direction as city manager to come with information for how they could move towards a no, yes, maybe later, with more information or the possibility of moving if forward to something that would be referred to the ballot for the vote of the people.”
The proposal moved quickly through the process as the organization working on establishing the shelter, the Florence Emergency Cold Weather Shelter, has a deadline in September to receive the funding, making the ballot option less likely. At last Monday’s meeting opponents outnumbered the proponents for the shelter. The city staff is expecting another big turnout on Monday at 5:30.
5 Star Rating Improves Hospital Exposure to Candidates
As a recent recipient of a 5-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Peace Harbor Medical Center is poised to recruit doctors and nurses that are looking for a hospital setting that matches their core values according to Chief Administrative Officer Jason Hawkins. He says the applicant that is willing to come to a smaller community hospital already has the core values of which Peace Harbor is looking.
“The people who are wanting to come to a place like Florence there is already kind of a set of core values that they are looking for and that’s why they decided to apply and I think seeing the 5 star status intrigues them more”
Hawkins says they already have a great base of staff at the hospital and are always looking to build upon that staff. Hawkins made his comments during a recent Doc Talk which can be heard in its entirety on the coast radio website.
Florence Municipal Airport
Work continues on the Florence Municipal Airport this week as the entire facility is closed to air traffic. A new coating and chipseal on the surfaces of the runway, taxi-way and aprons are being conducted. The project is expected to conclude on Friday, but curing of the surfaces will leave the airport closed until Monday morning. The million dollar plus project was mainly funded by grants with the city of Florence responsible for just over $10,000 of the total price.
