Ballot Titles
Press Release Date:
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
City of Bandon
PUBLIC NOTICE
RECEIPT OF A BALLOT TITLE FOR PROPOSED CITY OF
BANDON WATER UTILITY BASE RATE INCREASE.
​Notice is hereby given that a ballot title has been received by the City of Bandon Elections Official from the Mayor and City Council for a referral to be placed on the November 8, 2016, election ballot seeking voter approval to increase the monthly water utility base rate $10 for residential customers and $20 for commercial and industrial customers.  Any registered voter who is dissatisfied with the ballot title may file a petition with the Coos County Circuit Court for review of the ballot title.  The deadline for filing such a petition is July 21, 2016.  Notice of such a petition must also be provided to the City of Bandon Elections Official no later than 5:00 PM on the 1st business day after the petition is filed with the Circuit Court.
A copy of the ballot title may be obtained by contacting Matt Winkel, Interim City Manager, at Bandon City Hall, 555 Highway 101, P.O. Box 67, Bandon, Oregon 97411, telephone 541-347-2437, email  [email protected] (link sends e-mail) or on the City of Bandon website at www.cityofbandon.org.

Related Posts:
CELDF ~ Enviro Snuff Film "We the People 2.0" in Bandon Friday July 22, 2016
State Shared Revenues or Sin Tax Tribute for Counties & Cities 2016-17
LTE ~ Anonymous Letter on the Conduct of the Port of Bandon in the 2013 Election 
Bandon Changes the Revered Day of Infamy to Trash Art Day
TNC Benefits from States Loss & $450 Million More from Taxpayers for LWCF
Bandon Cheese Factory Receives Private Financing & Still Pays No Property Taxes
Lottery Proceeds Spent on Eco/Devo Voo Doo Instead of Schools 
LTE ~ LNG Pipeline Man and His Bag of Money  
BOC ~ Releases Coos County Strategic Plan
Sweet admits that community service fess are derivatives of tax dollars ‏
Port Orford Joining the Religion of Eco/Devo with Sacrifice to Enterprise Zone in 2015
BOC ~ Coos County Joining the Tri-county Consortium December 16, 2014
MGX---CEP/SCCF will Impact ALL of Oregon
Letter to Editor---SCCF Should pay for Coos Bay Sewer Upgrades 
Letter to Editor---Promises in the Dark with the Jordan Cove Project

Hey Folks,

I have not seen the movie, but there are a few flaws with the flyer for the movie. 
One, America is not a "democracy," it is a constitutional republic, so there is no need for a "New Democracy" when the Republic stands.  Even though it is in need of recalibration to its original settings. 
Two, nature and corporations do not have rights, only individuals have rights.  Rights are naturally or divinely inherent for the human individual only

The movie is produced by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, so it could be a comedy, or it could be a tragedy.  It will make you laugh and it will make you cry.  Then you will probably laugh again at the absurdity, but not to the reasons proposed by the environmental extremist/socialist who make enviro-snuff films.....Rob T.  

City Action Needed on State Shared Revenues
The Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is reminding city managers and recorders
to take necessary steps prior to July 31 to receive quarterly state shared revenue payments.
DAS is currently notifying cities (by email and/or mail) and requesting they:
• Pass an ordinance or resolution requesting state shared revenue money;
• Hold public hearings before the budget committee and city council regarding the city’s use of
state shared revenues; and
• Submit documentation, such as the short form distributed by DAS, certifying compliance and
intent to receive tax revenues in fiscal year 2016-17.
Additionally, cities in counties with populations in excess of 100,000 inhabitants must certify that the
city provides at least four of the following municipal services:

• Fire protection
• Police protection
• Street construction, maintenance and
lighting
• Sanitary sewers
• Storm sewers
• Planning, zoning and subdivision control
• One or more utility services

DAS recommends cities complete these actions and submit required documentation prior to July 1.
That gives DAS the month of July to identify and reach out and help those cities that have not yet
completed the certification process or have filed improper paperwork. For more information on state
shared revenues, see the League’s report here.

Contact: Wendy Johnson, Intergovernmental Relations Associate – [email protected]

Cormorant harassment aims to protect young fish

March 28, 2016

TILLAMOOK, Ore. – Harassment, or “hazing”, of double-crested cormorants is set to begin soon in several areas along the Oregon Coast to improve survival of juvenile salmon.

Double-crested cormorants are fish-eating waterbirds that occur throughout the state. The species is an Oregon native, and is particularly prevalent on the state’s estuaries during April through October. Research indicates cormorants can consume significant numbers of juvenile salmon during this time period.

To reduce the threat to young fish, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is working with several nonprofit and local governmental organizations to haze cormorants on six coastal estuaries over the next two to four months.

Hazing will involve driving the birds from locations where juvenile salmon are seasonally concentrated, toward areas where non-salmon fish species are more abundant. Workers will use boats and, on some estuaries, small pyrotechnics, to accomplish the task.

Hazing is intended to increase the survival of both wild-spawned and hatchery salmon juveniles as they migrate to the ocean. Some of these spring migrants represent species that are experiencing conditions of conservation risk, including coho salmon, which is federally threatened in Oregon under the Endangered Species Act.

Hazing workers are being provided by the Clatsop County Fisheries Project, Port of Nehalem, Port of Bandon, North Coast Salmon and Steelhead Enhancement Fund, and Alsea Sportsmen’s Association. ODFW will provide a portion of the funding and program oversight, and will conduct some hazing operations itself to protect hatchery releases on the lower Columbia River.

Hazing will take place as early as April 1 and continue through May 31 on the Nehalem, Nestucca, and Coquille river estuaries, and on Tillamook and Alsea bays. The program will continue through at least July 31 on the lower Columbia River, where hazing will occur at a variety of locations, including Young’s Bay, Blind Slough, and Tongue Point.

###

Contact:
James Lawonn
(503) 842-2741, Ext. 251 / (503) 812-8171

Related Posts:
ODFW ~ Public Meeting Coquille Valley Wildlife Area Discussion Wed. March 2, 2016
OFRI ~ Fish Passage & Habitat Workshop Wednesday, March 9, 2016
NOAA Proposed Recovery Plan for Coho Salmon September 2015
Fish and Wildlife Commission delists wolves statewide in split vote (4-2) ‏
Coos Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Meeting w/ODFW October 16, 2015
Coos County Approves Nature Conservancy's Tide Gate for China Camp Creek
ODFW ~ Conservation Opportunity Areas for Stealing Private Property
USACE ~ Comment on Permit Application Process Wednesday November 18, 2015
USFWS ~ Treating Private Property off the Bandon Marsh
The Mosquitoes Return to the Coquille Valley
Sweet Recall Meeting 7:00pm Friday July 31, 2015
Two Bills on Wetlands in Oregon Legislature SB544 Protects Landowners
ACTION ALERT ~ Bandon City Council Meeting Jan. 5, 2015 ~ Real Mosquito Report
Fred Messerle Bankrupting Beaver Slough Drainage District to Harass Neighbor  
ODFW ~ Permit for the Winter Lake/China Creek Project,  Messerle Named Manager  
ODFW ~ Purchases Private Property for Wetland Restoration "Mosquito Preserve"

  Observations on the 2013 Port of Bandon Commissioner Elections  

This note to file may be useful to review in advance of the next round of port commissioner elections in the future.  It does not cover the entire campaign and others may wish to elaborate on, add to, or amend the points below.  

During the recent election campaign for two port commissioner positions at the Port of Bandon, the challengers, Don Chance, campaigning for position #1 held by Reg Pullen, and Jill Halliburton, campaigning for position #3 held by Rick Goche, confronted a number of media-related problems that hampered their campaigns.

Most notable among these were unfair campaign tactics practiced by the Port of Bandon staff and shoddy journalism standards at The Bandon Western World (BWW).  A higher standard of fairness and ethical conduct might have resulted in a different election result.  

To many readers of the BWW during the campaign, it was evident that the BWW was violating journalistic standards in an effort to sway readers to vote for the incumbent commissioners running for re-election. The BWW had the option to produce an editorial in support of the incumbents, which would have made the paper’s view transparent to readers. Instead, the paper repeatedly inserted bias into its coverage. Here are some examples.  

The Port Manager, Gina Dearth, penned a lengthy letter in support of the incumbents that was published in the BWW on May 9. As Port Manager, her job is directly supervised by and is dependent upon the support of the incumbent commissioners. In other words, she has a clear conflict of interest and should have played no role whatsoever in the port elections.  If she did not recognize her own conflict of interest, the chairman of the Port Commission, Robert Miller, should have ensured that she did not participate in the campaign. At the same time, the BWW circumvented its own publicly printed policy of not allowing letters to the editor in excess of 500 words (her letter was far in excess of 500 words) by titling Ms. Dearth’s submission, “Proud of port’s accomplishments; Port Update,” in huge type, and then including it on the Letters to the Editor page of the paper, together with a photo of Ms. Dearth.  

In its April 11 issue, just before the start of the election campaign, the BWW printed a lengthy article on the front page with a byline that read “by Steve McCasland,” and then in smaller print on the next line:  “For The Port of Bandon.” At the end of the article, which was continued on an inside page, the following sentence was included in parentheses: “Steve McCasland assists the Port of Bandon in its efforts to inform the public about matters affecting the agency.” Because most people don’t read bylines or information in parentheses at the end of a long article continued to an inside page, and keeping in mind that Steve McCasland for many years was a paid reporter for the BWW and his byline would be familiar, the average reader most likely concluded that the article was produced by the BWW, not the Port. The article showcased a trip to Washington DC by two port commissioners, including incumbent, Rick Goche, Jill Halliburton’s election opponent, portraying them as staunch lobbyists for much-needed dredging funds. While well written and informative, the article was not independently produced by an unbiased news staff; it was, in fact, a promotional piece produced by the Port and placed in the newspaper at an opportune time: the start of the election campaign. Candidates Chance and Halliburton should have been offered a similar opportunity.  

At the start of the election campaign, Don Chance submitted a letter for publication in the BWW Letters to the Editor Section and then was informed by the editor that his letter would be published only after a letter from his challenger, Reg Pullen, had been submitted. Is this standard policy? Several weeks later, the BWW published a letter from Mr. Pullen, but without including Mr. Chance’s letter. The editor apologized and then printed Mr. Chance’s letter the following week.  The editor’s conduct was unprofessional at best, and worse if intentionally deceptive and motivated by bias.  

The BWW printed two stories in back to back issues of the paper about the recently published book on the history of the Port of Bandon authored by Reg Pullen and Robert Miller as part of the Port of Bandon’s 100th anniversary. The first article, on April 25, was on the front page accompanied by a large photo of authors Reg Pullen and Robert Miller. On May 2, the following week, the BWW published another large photo of the authors on an inside page. No doubt, the book’s publication was newsworthy, but both articles essentially covered the same ground; the timing and extensive coverage gave the appearance of favoring the incumbent candidate, Reg Pullen.  The formal celebration of the Port’s anniversary will be in early fall. Two articles on the same topic with large photos seemed overkill.  

All candidates were given a deadline for submission of responses to questions prepared by the BWW and the resulting Q&A was published in the paper on May 9.  Mr. Chance and Ms. Halliburton submitted responses by the deadline, but, through an oversight, their bio information was not submitted, although it was available and had been used in their campaign. As a result, the bio information for the challengers was listed as “not available.” Certainly, a one-line email reminder to the candidates would have promptly produced the bio information. The editor’s decision not to make the extra effort seemed petty and not in the interest of BWW readers.  

In its May 16 issue, the BWW published a lengthy letter by incumbent commissioner, Rick Goche entitled, “Fact vs. Fiction at the Port.” In his letter, Mr. Goche listed his views of “facts” about the port and his accomplishments. By titling this letter “fact vs. fiction,” the implication was that Mr. Goche presented the facts and the challengers offered “fiction.” Presumably, the BWW was responsible for the heading of the letter.  

Collectively, these incidents reveal a pattern of bias that has no place in a well-run newspaper. 

Signed Anonymously.... 

Hey Patriots,
 
Last month, the city of Bandon enacted the following proclamation to declare December 7, as Washed Ashore Day. 
 
What was the Mayor thinking?
 
The Day of Infamy is now Trash Art Day.  Washed Ashore supports designating half the pacific as a National Marine Sanctuary and this “nonprofit” received money in the form of a grant from NOAA.
 
Way to go, maybe on Veterans Day the city council can proclaim it Bandon Marsh Mosquito Day.   It seems fitting since the Mayor conspirers with The USFWS.     
 
The Mayor and Councilors are selling heritage to purchase the support of special interest, again…..Rob T.  

The following is the Mayor’s reply. 

Related Posts:
TNC Benefits from States Loss & $450 Million More from Taxpayers for LWCF
Bandon Cheese Factory Receives Private Financing & Still Pays No Property Taxes
Lottery Proceeds Spent on Eco/Devo Voo Doo Instead of Schools 
LTE ~ LNG Pipeline Man and His Bag of Money  
BOC ~ Releases Coos County Strategic Plan
Sweet admits that community service fess are derivatives of tax dollars ‏
Port Orford Joining the Religion of Eco/Devo with Sacrifice to Enterprise Zone in 2015
BOC ~ Coos County Joining the Tri-county Consortium December 16, 2014
MGX---CEP/SCCF will Impact ALL of Oregon
Letter to Editor---SCCF Should pay for Coos Bay Sewer Upgrades 
Letter to Editor---Promises in the Dark with the Jordan Cove Project

Hey Patriots,

Please tell me?
What the HELL is the matter with Republicans in DC?
 
Did they get their spines removed? 
 
The US Congress reenacted the Land Water Conservation Fund for three more years.  Both houses have a republican majority, yet the party of limited government cannot find the fortitude to stop funneling tax dollars into groups driven by environmental extremism.   The house republicans negotiatiated a deal with the democrats over bans on crude oil exports. 
 
The cost of this green slush fund will top 450 million dollars and part of the money goes for the Bandon Marsh Mosquito Preserve & NWR.      
 
Scroll down after clicking the following link and on the right side of the page there is a list of projects funded by the LWCF, including the Bandon Marsh NWR.  http://www.lwcfcoalition.org/oregon.html
 
The western states will never be free from federal ownership until the money funding these land acquisitions begin to dry up….Rob T.  

ARLINGTON, VA | December 16, 2015

Congress has released its omnibus federal spending package, which sets funding levels for government agencies for Fiscal Year 2016. It also contains a number of conservation and environmental provisions that will affect America’s lands, waters, and wildlife, including a three-year reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and funding that program at $450 million next year. The House and Senate are expected to vote on the bill later this week.

The Nature Conservancy released the following statement from its global Managing Director for Public Policy Lynn Scarlett in response to the omnibus bill:

“The omnibus bill shows promise on many of the top conservation issues facing our nation today. The bill includes greater overall funding for critical land and water conservation work that supports secure and prosperous communities across America, and we are grateful for that commitment.

“We are particularly eager to see the Land and Water Conservation Fund continue its critical work for conservation and recreation. The short-term reauthorization of LWCF in the omnibus is helpful progress that will allow continued investment in the lands and waters that sustain our communities, boost our economy and safeguard our environment. And, it will do so with higher funding next year than the program has had for many years. We’re happy to see this vital and successful 50-year-old program continue to deliver important economic, recreation, and natural resource benefits to the American people.

“However, we—and many other Americans from coast to coast—believe we must continue to work toward a fully funded and permanent future for LWCF. Conserving our nation’s lands and waters is not a short-term need; it is a long-term foundation for our future. Congressional leaders on LWCF fought hard for a permanent reauthorization, and we are grateful for their dedication and persistence. We’ll do everything we can to support that continued effort to make a sustainable, long-term future for LWCF become reality.

“In another positive development, the omnibus bill makes enhanced tax deductions for conservation easement donations permanent. This ensures that one of the most effective tools for conserving private working lands across the country will be available for future generations. In addition, dozens of harmful riders that would have undermined environmental law were originally under consideration, but were dropped from the final bill. We appreciate the efforts of members of Congress who steadfastly opposed the riders.

“But we are disappointed this bill did not include a fix for the wildfire funding problem that has plagued forest health and restoration efforts for years. This was a missed opportunity, despite bipartisan support, a great deal of effort from congressional champions and broad consensus that action is urgently needed. We will continue to work with Congress to provide a solution next year.”

“In all, the omnibus bill advances the critical benefits that conservation of lands and waters provide to American communities and families. We are grateful for all of the hard work of our champions in Congress who made this possible. This omnibus is a hopeful signal for the even greater conservation policy progress we believe is necessary and possible in the very near future.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the web at www.nature.org. To learn about the Conservancy’s global initiatives, visit www.nature.org/global. To keep up with current Conservancy news, follow @nature_press on Twitter.

Hey Folks,

The following Press Release is good news for the tax payers of Bandon, because we no longer are the financiers of the Bandon Cheese Factory.  However, what they did not bother to mention is that the business is in an Enterprise Zone, so the corporation does not pay property taxes. 

Do you think that is fair to everyone else?

And, to top it off, the patriarch of the Drobot family pleaded guilty to one of the biggest fraud and bribery cases involving buying politicians to defraud the Medicaid system.     
City of Bandon---Local Developer Michael Drobot Admits to Bribery & Conspiracy 

Government Economic Development is a slush fund for redistributing money from the poor to the wealthy....Rob T. 

 Craft3 borrower Face Rock Creamery graduates to local credit union
by Jennifer Janda | Aug 19, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

08/19/15


Contacts:    Jennifer Janda, Craft3 Marketing Manager, 888-231-2170 ext 205

                  Greg Drobot, Face Rock Creamery President, 619-756-7910

                  Lucette Lovell, First Community Credit Union- Vice President Commercial Lending, 541-396-2145

Craft3 borrower Face Rock Creamery graduates to local credit union

Loan originally made to bring cheese and jobs back to Bandon is refinanced by First Community Credit Union.

BANDON, ORE. - Craft3 announced the start-up loan it made to Face Rock Creamery in Bandon, Oregon has been paid off. First Community Credit Union refinanced Craft3’s loan and provided additional capital to purchase a city parcel. Craft3 considers it a win-win for everyone involved.

In 2012, City leaders backed local developer Greg Drobot’s idea to open a new cheese factory, Face Rock Creamery. But there were problems securing financing to make the project a reality. Start-up capital for rural businesses is hard to find.

“The banks are extremely difficult to deal with if you’re a startup, and unless you’re a business with a long track record of financials it is damn near impossible to get a loan,” Drobot said.

That is when he learned about Craft3, a nonprofit lender. Craft3 specializes in lending to businesses unable to access financing from traditional sources. Craft3 provided Drobot with loans for the construction of the cheese factory and retail store and to purchase production and retail equipment.

Since opening, Face Rock has been a huge success. Not only does it employ 20 people full-time, Face Rock Creamery cheese is available in almost 2,000 grocery stores across nine Pacific Northwest states, including Costco, Fred Meyer and New Seasons.

“After two years in operation, we were able to get conventional financing. But we would have never made it where we are today without Craft3,” he added.

“Craft3 is proud to have helped bring cheese back to Bandon,” shared Craft3 Senior Business Lender, Brad Hunter. “When a loan client like Face Rock Creamery qualifies for traditional financing, we consider it huge a success. Everyone wins.”

Craft3 considers itself to be a hands-on financial partner. It is an advocate for its clients, staying in close touch with the business owner and offering its expertise wherever possible.

“First Community Credit Union appreciates alternative lenders like Craft3 that can help start-up businesses in rural communities grow and thrive,” explained First Community Credit Union Vice President, Lucette Lovell. “We strive to build lasting partnerships and as a financial partner of choice in our communities, I would like to thank Greg Drobot for choosing First Community Credit Union. We are excited to be Face Rock Creamery’s local financial partner.”

Craft3 lends to businesses, government agencies and nonprofits that strengthen the region.

• Business Loans are available for financing commercial real estate, energy efficiency upgrades, start-ups and expansion of businesses needing working capital, acquisitions, inventory, fixtures, equipment and related business property. 
• Nonprofit Loans are available to finance community development projects, health care, childcare, environmental conservation and human services initiatives.
• Conservation Loans are available to conservation organizations to acquire sensitive lands, restore habitat, and protect water quality.

Learn more about Craft3 and its loans at www.Craft3.org.

###

About Craft3

Craft3 is a nonprofit CDFI lender that invests in businesses that create jobs, strengthen the economy and reduce environmental impacts. Its mission is to strengthen economic, ecological and family resilience in Pacific Northwest communities. Craft3 does this by providing loans to entrepreneurs, nonprofits, individuals and others who don’t normally have access to financing. It then complements these financial resources with expertise, personal connections and other advocacy for its clients. Learn more at www.Craft3.org and www.Craft3.org/Videos. 


About First Community

First Community Credit Union has been serving Oregonians for nearly 60 years, and with more than $850 million in assets and 73,000 members, today we are among the strongest credit unions in the nation. As a federally insured, not-for-profit, full-service financial institution, we're dedicated to helping our members and our communities prosper through solutions that result in financial success, as well as personalized service that focuses on transparency, simplicity, and trust. We offer all the benefits of a big financial institution, but with personalized, cost-saving services that are in your best interest. Nearly anyone can join! With minimal membership eligibility requirements, it's easier than ever to discover the benefits of banking with First Community. Call us today, we are ready to help your business grow, 888-396-2145. Learn more at www.myfirstccu.org.

Saturday, July 4th, 2015 Greater Bandon Association, City of Bandon, Bandon Chamber of Commerce, Bandon Lions Club, Port of Bandon, and VFW Medal of Honor Post #3440 Bandon are all teaming up to create a 4th of July that is bigger and better than ever!

Location:
Old Town, Port of Bandon Boardwalk, City Park, VFW

Times:
10am Parade
10am - 4pm Farmers Market
11am - 2:30 Lion's Club BBQ
3pm - 5pm Port of Bandon Cardboard Boat Races
5pm - 8pm Alive After Five Wine Walk
8pm - 10pm Apple Pie and Ice Cream on the Boardwalk
10pm Grand Fireworks Display over the Coquille River*

*Tune into 96.5 for fireworks soundtrack. Live broadcast sponsored by Greater Bandon Association.

Fundraiser for Relay for Life at the Port Building and Bandon Coffee Cafe

Events:

• 4th of July Celebration Parade
• Lions Club Old Fashioned 4th of July BBQ, Music, Vendors, Kid's Activities, and Root Beer Floats in the City of Bandon Park
• Port of Bandon Cardboard Boat Races on the port waterfront on the Coquille River.
• Alive After Five Wine Walk (Port of Bandon's Boardwalk and Picnic Shelter)
• Apple Pie and Ice Cream on the Boardwalk
• Grand Fireworks Display over the Coquille River

For Additional Information:
Peter Braun, 541-347-9012

Sponsored and Supported by:
Face Rock Creamery
Bandon Chamber of Commerce
Lion's Club
Greater Bandon Associaiton
Real Country KBDN-FM 96.5
City of Bandon