Council Meeting Packed With Items
The Florence City Council meets this evening with a packed agenda that includes proclamations for Pride Month, Juneteenth, and Amateur Radio Week, along with employee recognitions and board appointments. Councilors will hold public hearings on the proposed 2025–27 city budget, a new Public Safety Fee, and changes to system development charges. They’ll also consider accepting two grants—one for a veterans memorial at the airport and another for license plate reader cameras. The meeting begins at 5:30 at City Hall.
Travel Lane County
Travel Lane County honored outstanding contributions to regional tourism at its annual Visitor Industry Celebration on May 22. Award recipients included Creswell Bakery, Bev Smith of Kidsports, Aaron Wasson of the University of Oregon, Graduate Eugene by Hilton, and Florence’s Public Arts Committee, which received the Placemaking Award. Jonnie Helfrich of Helfrich McKenzie Rafting was recognized with the Legacy Award. The visitor industry supports 1 in 9 jobs in the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region and generates over $1 billion in annual economic impact.
Public Safety Fee Considered
More on the city council’s consideration of a public service fee increase. The Florence City Council will hold a public hearing this evening on a proposed ordinance that would establish a new Public Safety Fee to support city services. Rising costs and limited revenue—especially from property taxes—have created a projected $1.49 million shortfall in public safety funding over the upcoming 2025–27 biennium. City officials say the fee is necessary to maintain current police services as traditional revenues have not kept pace with growing expenses. The proposed fee would apply to all developed residential and commercial properties within city limits, starting at $5 per month in July, increasing to $15 in January 2026, and rising to $18 per month by the following July. The revenue would go directly toward police operations, dispatch services, and municipal court expenses—services that make up over 40% of the General Fund. The total estimated revenue generated by the fee over the two-year period is just over $1.8 million. Councilors will consider adopting Ordinance No. 6, Series 2025, which would formally create Florence City Code Title 1, Chapter 18, establishing the fee and outlining its implementation and oversight.
