Hey Folks,

The Oregon League of Cities is one of the main proponents of Urban Renewal and Tax Increment Financing and their organization is going to have a class on the history and creation of Urban Renewal in Oregon, so all the other cities can learn how to create more public debt with little to no public input.   Please consider attending one of these sessions to learn more about these insidious taxing scheme's and how they are created.  Also, The LOC is the main organizational propagator of Agenda 21 planning and use the agencies position to filter the message of Central Planning  down to local municipalities. One good example is the Dark Skies Initiative....Rob T.   

Oregon Local Leadership Institute (OLLI)

Register * NEW *
Registration and Cancellation Policy

Registration Instructions

Urban Renewal: The Basics & Beyond Speaker:  Elaine Howard

This workshop will cover the history of urban renewal in Oregon through the 2013 legislative session. Participants will learn how to form an urban renewal agency and an urban renewal area; the components of an urban renewal plan; and agency board composition. Case studies will be used to illustrate projects in Oregon.
Guest speakers for this workshop include: Ben Bryant, City of Tualatin Tom Pessimier, City of Sherwood Walt Gowell, McMinnville Attorney Jeb Bladine, McMinnville Newspaper Publisher LGMC: #5 – 5 hours

About the Speakers 

Urban Renewal: The Basics & Beyond
Redmond Fire and Rescue
341 NW Dogwood Ave.
April 29, 2014
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
$150 After Apr.15:  $200
*CIS is a co-sponsor of selected workshops, allowing those organizations that are members of CIS' General Liability or Workers' Compensation program to attend at a discount rate.

Hello all - 
Your invited to attend a Listening Session to have interactive discussions with the Bureau of Land Management on its Resource Management Plans for Western Oregon Planning Criteria Document and Preliminary Management Alternatives:

Tuesday, March 11, 2014
5-8:30 pm
Red Lion Hotel Ballroom
1313 N. Bayshore Drive
Coos Bay, OR  97420


The Planning Criteria provides an in-depth look at guidance, policy, analytical methodology and preliminary alternatives. This document is the public's look at how the BLM is proposing to analyze alternatives and move towards land management plans for the O&C lands in western Oregon. 

We appreciate you attending the last listening session in December, and hope you can make this meeting as well. Refreshments will be provided. Please let me know if you have any questions. Please pass this information along to anyone else you think would be interested in attending the meeting. 

Megan Harper
Public Affairs
Coos Bay District BLM
541-751-4353

SCOTUS to hear Amazon workers’ suit for paid search waits
Source: Reuters "The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear a case that could determine whether companies such as Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) must pay workers for the time they spend waiting to clear security checks at the end of their work shifts. The case revolves around workers at Amazon warehouses in Nevada, who had to pass through security checks as part of an anti-theft procedure. The workers, former temporary employees at Amazon contractor Integrity Staffing Solutions, said they spent nearly 30 minutes some days waiting for the checks. In a 2010 lawsuit, they argued they must be compensated for that time under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)." [editor's note: Labor law aside, it just seems pretty obvious: If you're requiring your employees to be somewhere and do something, they're on the clock, right? - TLK] (03/03/14)

http://tinyurl.com/o8nhh4v

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Notice of Public Meetings, Coos Bay Resource Advisory Committee AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/coosbay/rac/

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Coos Bay District Resource Advisory Committee will meet as indicated below.

Important Update: Date of Meeting Changed:
DATES: Friday, March 7, 2014, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with public comments at 11 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Coos Bay District Office, 1300 Airport Lane, North Bend, Oregon 97459.
The point of contact is Megan Harper, 541-751-4353.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Baker, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington, Oregon State Office, P.O. Box 2965, Portland, Oregon 97208, (503) 808-6306; [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act was extended to provide stability for local counties by compensating them, in part, for the decrease in funds formerly derived from the harvest of timber on Federal lands. Pursuant to the Act, the five Committees serve western Oregon BLM districts that contain Oregon and California grant lands and Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands. Committees consist of 15 local citizens representing a wide array of interests. The RACs provide a mechanism for local community collaboration with Federal land managers as they select projects to be conducted on Federal lands or that will benefit resources on Federal lands using funds under Title II of the Act.

All meetings are open to the public. The public may present written comments to the Council. Each formal Council meeting will also have time allocated for hearing public comments. Depending on the number of persons wishing to comment and time available, the time for individual oral comments may be limited. Individuals who plan to attend and need special assistance, such as sign language interpretation, tour transportation or other reasonable accommodations, should contact the BLM as provided above.

The Resource Advisory Committees will be based on the following BLM District boundaries:

Coos Bay District Resource Advisory Committee advises Federal officials on projects associated with Federal lands within the Coos Bay District which includes lands in Coos, Curry, Douglas, and Lane Counties.

Press Release

Secretary Jewell, NPS Director Release New Report Showing National Parks Remain Strong Economic Engines, Support 243,000 Jobs Nationwide Preliminary Estimates of Shutdown’s Impact Shows More Than $400 Million in Losses to Local Communities

03/03/2014
Contact Us
WASHINGTON – Boosted by an additional 4 million visitors in 2012, national parks across the country continued to be important economic engines, generating $26.75 billion in economic activity and supporting 243,000 jobs, according to a peer-reviewed report released today by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis.

“National parks like Yellowstone and Gettysburg are places of unimaginable beauty and powerful history that help tell America’s story while connecting us with nature,” said Jewell. “At the same time, our national parks help propel our nation’s economy, drawing hundreds of millions of visitors every year who are the lifeblood of the hotels, restaurants, outfitters, and other local businesses that depend on a vibrant and reliable tourism and outdoor recreation industry supported by our public lands.”

“In 2012, the National Park Service welcomed more than 280 million visitors to their national parks. For nearly 100 years we have helped people discover places to explore, learn from and enjoy,” said Jarvis. “These places of history, culture and natural wonder offer unparalleled experiences and return $10 for every $1 American taxpayers invest in the National Park Service. That’s a successful formula we can all embrace as we prepare for the next 100 years of the National Park Service.”

More than 200,000 of the jobs supported by national parks in 2012 were in local neighboring communities. These range from big parks like the Grand Canyon, which attracted 4.4 million visitors and supported 6,000 jobs, to smaller parks like the Lincoln Boyhood Home, which had 133,000 visitors and supported 93 jobs in local communities.

This 2012 analysis is a revision from previous reports. Many of the hallmarks of the past model are preserved, but the new model makes significant strides in accuracy and transparency of the analysis. Key changes include new software, updated assumptions about the nation’s economy based on 400 different characteristics, and new estimates of spending and visitor trip characteristics.

The figures in the report are based on spending by nearly 283 million visitors in communities near national parks in 2012. An in-depth analysis of the 2012 figures found an increase in local visitor spending and a correlating increase in economic activity and jobs in local communities.

Jewell and Jarvis today also announced estimates of the government shutdown’s impacts on national park gateway economies. Overall, the16-day shutdown resulted in 7.88 million fewer national park visitors in October 2013 compared to a three-year average (October 2010-12), and an estimated loss of $414 million in visitor spending in gateway and local communities across the country when comparing October 2013 to a three-year average (October 2010-12). These losses are part of an economic analysis of the shutdown’s effects on parks and neighboring communities that was released today. While the shutdown figures do not affect the 2012 economics report, they will weigh on the 2013 economics report due out later this year.

The annual economic report, with information by park and by state on visitor spending, jobs and other impacts, and the shutdown report, are available here.

According to the 2012 economic analysis, most visitor spending supports jobs in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores (39 percent), hotels, motels and B&Bs (27 percent), and other amusement and recreation (20 percent).

For more state-by-state information about national parks and how the National Park Service is working with communities go to www.nps.gov/[statename], for example: www.nps.gov/virginia.


<< Previous
Secretary Jewell Applauds Confirmation of Mike Connor as Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior

  Bureau of Land Management

Coos Bay District
1300 Airport Lane
North Bend, OR 97459

District Manager
Patty Burke

On December 11, 2013 we attended a meeting in Coos Bay held by BLM regarding the Resource Management Plans for Western Oregon, "RMPWO" at the North Bend Library.

Four (4) items were listed in a meeting handout as items for discussion during the meeting.

* Support sustainable timber

* Provide for clean water and healthy fish

* Protect the habitat of wildlife like owls

* Maintain old-growth forests

An "independent?" company was facilitating this meeting. We were divided into two discussion groups for the meeting. It was very obvious from the start that there were many more areas of concern by the attendees than the four management plan segments scheduled for discussion.

Note:
NEPA requires "Consideration of Mankind".

The RMPWO requires coordination with other government entities as required by FLPMA.

FLPMA states that your agency (BLM) must seek out all agencies and entities of interest for coordination. This is to be done before Public comment periods. BLM did not comply with this requirement.

42 U.S. CODE § 4331 - CONGRESSIONAL DECLARATION OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

(a) The Congress, recognizing the profound impact of man’s activity on the interrelations of all components of the natural environment, particularly the profound influences of population growth, high-density urbanization, industrial expansion, resource exploitation, and new and expanding technological advances and recognizing further the critical importance of restoring and maintaining environmental quality to the overall welfare and development of man, declares that it is the continuing policy of the Federal Government, in cooperation with State and local governments, and other concerned public and private organizations, to use all practicable means and measures, including financial and technical assistance, in a manner calculated to foster and promote the general welfare, to create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans.

(b) In order to carry out the policy set forth in this chapter, it is the continuing responsibility of the Federal Government to use all practicable means, consistent with other essential considerations of national policy, to improve and coordinate Federal plans, functions, programs, and resources to the end that the Nation may--

43 CFR 1610.2 - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
§ 1610.2 Public participation.
(a) The public shall be provided opportunities to meaningfully participate in and comment on the preparation of plans, amendments and related guidance and be given early notice of planning activities. Public involvement in the resource management planning process shall conform to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and associated implementing regulations.

The requirements of FLPMA/ NEPA for BLM project coordination with Jefferson Mining District have not been followed.

We do not accept the four elements of the RMPWO discussions as meeting coordination requirements. Any issues or plans regarding Locatable Minerals, Roads or Water can only be addressed by Jefferson Mining District and/or others through the proper FLPMA/ NEPA process, of coordination, including those areas covered in the RMPWO Plan.

Because of our by-chance attendance at this meeting, it must not be construed that Jefferson Mining District concurs with this plan or in any way considers the meeting a part of the coordination process.

Coordination requires the agency to meet with Jefferson Mining District or any other interested government before the Public meetings. To this date, contrary to law, the BLM has not

sought out or met with Jefferson Mining District or any other Mining District with respect to this congressionally mandated process to ensure this plan is consistent with law.


Respectfully,
Theo Stanley, Project Coordinator
Vaughn Rains, Project Coordinator

Jefferson Mining District
PO Box 307
Bandon, OR 97411

Hey Folks,

Another example of why Urban Renewal is a bad idea stems from the politicians ability to manipulate all the construction projects in a city with an Urban Renewal area or areas.  Please click the following link to an article in The Portland Tribune.  In it they demonstrate how the Mayor of Portland is going to overhaul the city's Urban Renewal Agencies, so he can create the image of what "HIS" utopian Portland would look like, much like the Mayors or Managers of Bandon, Coos Bay, North Bend, etc, etc, etc......Rob T.