May 2023

CITY BALLOT MEASURES

On May 16, voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on water, sewer, and electric rates.  Most cities and companies look at rates frequently. In Bandon, the customers weigh in.   As many of you know, this is because of a unique provision of Bandon’s City Charter, which was added in the mid-1990s.

Q:  Why is the City asking for Utility Rate Increases?     

A:  Currently water and sewer rates don’t cover the full cost of operating those utilities. 

Q:  Can’t the City use the General Fund to cover the gaps?

A:  Bandon has the lowest permanent tax rate of any city in Oregon with a population of over 750 people. Our General Fund also receives some lodging and utility taxes, but the amounts are limited.  Moreover, users should pay for their actual use instead of taxpayers

Q:  What other expenses does the General Fund cover?

A:  The bulk of the General Fund goes to public safety.

Q:  How many employees operate the plants?

A: There are two employees that operate each plant.  At least one needs to be available 24/7. In addition, Public Works staff maintains the distribution and collection systems, and other staff handle billing, collection, and administrative tasks. 

HOMELESSNESS REGULATIONS

As I have discussed in previous newsletters, Bandon is being required by state and federal law to address homelessness, more particularly camping, and sleeping on public property.  Simply put, the law says that the government can’t criminalize the act of existing. Cities cannot punish a person who is experiencing homelessness for sitting, sleeping, or lying on public property when that person has no place else to go.  Moreover, Cities cannot prohibit persons experiencing homelessness from taking necessary minimal measures to keep themselves warm and dry when they must sleep outside.

There are a few things cities can probably do:

• Cities may impose reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on where persons, including those persons experiencing homelessness, may sit, sleep, or lie.
• Cities may prohibit persons, including those persons experiencing homelessness, from blocking rights of way. 
• Cities may prohibit persons, including those persons experiencing homelessness, from erecting either temporary or permanent structures on public property. However, we need to balance this with taking reasonable measures to keep warm and dry.

Bandon will be adopting regulations addressing homelessness over the next couple of months.  Staff will likely not be recommending that a specific place be designated for homeless camping or sleeping. Instead, we will likely recommend time, place, and manner regulations. 

UTILITIES PROJECT UPDATES

Seismic Upgrade and Tank Recoat

This project is underway.  We had a large hiccup today when the contractor cut into the city’s 16-inch water main, creating a 60-foot geyser.  The engineer’s drawings were apparently wrong. We will have to sort out liability later, but we got a temporary fix in place today.

Clarifier at Water Plant

A state code change after our bonds were sold has added a substantial amount to the cost of this project.   Our staff have learned about a possible fix that would rehabilitate the existing concrete tank, and we have asked our engineers to investigate.

Headworks and Screening at the Wastewater Plant

This project is underway and should be done by September, pending parts availability.

Filmore Pump Station

We are working on a floodplain issue with respect to the building, but design work is moving forward on schedule.