Meyer Resigns From Council
The City of Florence is looking to fill a vacancy on the City Council following Councilor Bill Meyer’s resignation, which takes effect February 28th. Meyer made the announcement during Monday’s City Council meeting.
“To Mayor Rob Ward, I hereby notify you of my intention to resign from my council position with the City of Florence, Oregon, effective February 28, 2025.”
Meyer said he was honored to work with the council and the city staff and wished them success in the future. The city will now need to fill that vacancy. Applications for the position are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19. Applicants must have lived within city limits for at least a year and be registered voters. The City Council will review applications and may invite candidates for interviews on February 27. The position is voluntary, offering residents a chance to be actively involved in local government. More details and applications are available at www.ci.florence.or.us.
70K Grant for City
The city of Florence received word this week it has been awarded a 70-thousand-dollar grant as part of a statewide effort to help communities be resilient in the face of a large-scale disaster. Megan Messmer, Florence Assistant City Manager, says the money will pay for a large trailer mounted diesel generator.
“We have these pump stations throughout town and if there is a large-scale power outage that lasts a long time, we need to deploy generators to those to keep them operational, so they don’t get overwhelmed.”
Messmer says this isn’t the only grant Florence is receiving. Lane County applied for a 20-million-dollar grant that will be divided between six or seven communities, including Florence.
“Lane County was awarded that grant, and it will be expanding the Senior Center so that will be a large capital project. It will also include some resilience type coordination with non-profits and really expanding our resilience as a community.”
That expansion, which will include an emergency generator and heavy-duty HVAC equipment, could provide a “clean air” shelter if there is heavy wildfire smoke. It would also serve as a community hub where area residents could go to receive emergency services.
Senate Hearing on Unemployment Benefits
A controversial labor bill is set for its first public hearing in the Oregon Senate. Senate Bill 916 will be discussed today in the Senate Labor and Business Committee. The bill, a top priority for labor organizations in the 2025 session, would allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefits. Opponents, including the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce, argue it would shift the cost of labor disputes onto small businesses by increasing their unemployment insurance taxes. Supporters say it would give workers more leverage in negotiations, but critics warn it could add strain to Oregon’s already expensive unemployment system. OSCC plans to testify against the bill and is urging business owners to voice their opposition.
