City Council Mulls Aging Infrastructure: The Corvallis City Council will be getting an update from city staff on plans to address the city’s facility deficiencies – going over the top three priorities first – the Parks Maintenance facility, Civic Campus, and the remodel of Fire
Station #1.
Councilors will also consider adding upgraded police facilities to that list. The review is scheduled for the council’s Apri 6 work session.
“Based on the input and direction from the council at the February Work Session, staff worked with FFA Architecture and Interiors, Inc to add the Police facilities to the current conceptual design refinement effort. FFA met with Police to review the department’s space requirements and to determine the appropriate work group adjacencies that will enhance operational efficiency,” said City Manager Mark Shepard. “This work effort will provide the city with information to determine if Police facilities are best located at the existing LEB site or at a different location, as well as a refined cost estimate.”
The council adopted the Citywide Facilities Strategy (CFS) in Jan. 2022. The CFS recommended eleven projects to address the deficiencies identified in the assessment, and that was then narrowed down to three during the Priority Phasing Plan which was adopted in June 2022.
“In April, FFA is leading tours of municipal facilities to demonstrate how the design concepts they presented and discussed with us play out in recently completed civic building projects in other Oregon cities,” said Shepard. “One tour will take city councilors and staff to view a few council chambers and civic campuses. The information gleaned from the tours will help solidify the final direction given to FFA for the 10% design drawings.”
Funding packages are currently being developed by the city staff for council consideration. For a copy of the council’s agenda and information packet ahead of their upcoming meeting visit, https://archives.corvallisoregon.gov/public/ElectronicFile.aspx?dbid=0&docid=3463350
New County Government Podcast: Benton County has launched a podcast. The first episode, released on March 31, talks about the history of the Coffin Butte Landfill.
It came out just ahead of the final report from the Benton County Talks Trash Solid Waste Workgroup.
But, in a release from the county, the episode featured workgroup member Kathryn Duvall and Community Development Deputy Director, Greg Verret.
“The podcast mentions how members have volunteered thousands of hours working to provide recommendations about the future of sustainable materials management, solid waste, and disposal in Benton County as part of the Benton County Talks Trash Solid Waste Process Workgroup,” stated the release.
The workgroup hosted an open house on April 4 following its presentation of the final report to the Benton County Board of Commissioners. The final report however does not address whether the Coffin Butte Landfill should be expanded or closed, a question many county residents were hoping to have answered.
Residents with questions or those who want to provide feedback on the podcast can email pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov or visit the public podcast channel.
By Jennifer Williams
