School to Seek Bond for New Facility
The Facility Advisory Committee overseeing plans for a new Siuslaw High School presented its findings to the Siuslaw School District Board during a meeting Wednesday evening. The committee outlined a proposal to construct a new 174,500 square foot high school, along with a separate gymnasium and auditorium. Under the plan, the new campus would be located east of the district bus garage, south of the football stadium, and just west of Siuslaw Middle School. Siuslaw High School Principal Mike Harklerode told Coast Radio News that after reviewing multiple site options—including the lot at Oak Street and 27th—the committee concluded the area behind the middle school offered the most advantages. One of the key benefits, according to Harklerode, would be improved traffic flow. He said student access would be shifted away from Oak Street.
“The students will enter the new high school from Kingwood Street rather than Oak Street, so there’s a couple hundred cars a day removed from Oak Street,” Harklerode said.
Harklerode emphasized that the proposal is not final and acknowledged that opposition to the plan has already emerged, particularly around cost concerns and whether a new facility is necessary. Local business owner David Twombly questioned the committee’s presentation, saying he believes it was misleading in how renovation options were framed. Twombly said the existing high school needs upgrades, but not a complete rebuild. He pointed to a recent remodel of Creswell High School, a campus built in the 1960s, which he said was completed for just under 20 million dollars. Twombly argued that the committee compared a full renovation of the existing Siuslaw High School to new construction, rather than considering more limited updates. Twombly also disputed claims that a new facility would help attract professionals to the community, saying educational quality matters more than buildings.
“I compared them to Creswell High School,” Twombly said. “Creswell has 75 fewer students and 15 fewer teachers, and they outperformed them in every category. So if you want to move to Florence, what are you looking at? You’re looking at the level of education. You are not looking at a school building.”
The next step for the school district is to place a bond measure before voters in the May 19 election. Coast Radio will continue to follow the issue. Additional comments from Principal Harklerode, Bob Orr, and David Twombly are available on the Coast Radio website.
Mapleton School Board
The Mapleton School Board will meet Tuesday, January 21st at 6:00 p.m. at Mapleton High School, with the meeting streamed live on YouTube. According to the agenda, the board will hear district reports, including finance, technology, and maintenance updates, along with an audit report. Action items include changes to authorized signers on district accounts and consideration of the Lane ESD local service plan. Discussion items include scholarships, board liaison positions, artificial intelligence in education, charter school topics, and a current board vacancy. Public comment will be accepted on agenda and non-agenda items, with speakers limited to 5 minutes, according to board policy.
Valentine Marriages
The Lane County Clerk’s Office will offer couples the chance to get married or renew their vows on Valentine’s Day this year. According to Lane County Clerk Tommy Gong, ceremonies will be available on a first come, first served basis, with 32 appointment slots scheduled in 30-minute intervals from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 14th. Ceremonies will be held at the County Clerk’s Office on East 8th Avenue in Eugene, with four staff members serving as officiants. Couples must obtain a valid marriage license at least three days in advance, while those renewing vows do not need a new license.
