FLOCK Debate Likely to Flow to New Council
As Florence voters fill out and return their ballots, the debate over Flock license plate-reading cameras remains a major issue in the city election. At the recent Coast Radio Candidate Forum, most candidates for City Council and mayor indicated they either favor ending the city’s use of the cameras or taking another look at the system. Several acknowledged the potential benefits for law enforcement, but raised concerns about Flock Safety and how collected data is used. Those concerns have also surfaced nationally. An internal police audit in Roseville, California found 71 percent of 1,427 Flock alerts involving stolen vehicles or vehicles connected to felonies contained a misread license plate. Flock has said that deployment was not representative of its system overall. Police Flock Cameras Are Misreading 71% of Flagged License Plates. The issue could factor into an election with the potential to significantly reshape Florence city leadership. Voters will choose a mayor and 4 councilors, with 4 candidates seeking 2 available 2-year seats and another 4 competing for 2 available 4-year terms.
Early Ballots Urged
Lane County Elections is urging voters to return their ballots early ahead of the November 3 election. Ballots can be placed in any of the county’s 25 official drop boxes by 8 p.m. Election Day, or returned directly to the Lane County Elections Office. Ballots sent through the mail must be postmarked by November 3 and received by November 10. The Postal Service recommends mailing ballots by October 27. Voters should also remember to sign their ballot return envelope. Lane County verifies that signature against the voter registration record. If there’s a problem, voters will be notified and given an opportunity to correct it. Voters can also track their ballot through BallotTrax at OregonVotes.gov.
Fiber Network Expanding
Residents north of Florence along Heceta Beach Road now have another option for high-speed internet service. Core Fiber, formerly known locally as Hyak, has completed fiber installation along the roadway following construction over the past several weeks. The expansion will allow homes along Heceta Beach Road to connect to the company’s fiber network as service becomes available at individual addresses. Core Fiber has been steadily expanding its Florence-area network, including a recently announced expansion serving about 610 additional addresses in northwest Florence. Additional infrastructure will still be needed before fiber service can be extended throughout the Heceta South subdivision. Core Fiber has not published a specific completion date for that portion of the expansion.
