Institute for Policy Research and Engagement
TULELAKE — A pilot project funded by the Ford Family Foundation is helping connect five rural communities in the Klamath Basin, both in person and online.
Rural Klamath Connects, a regional communication hub connecting Malin, Merrill, Bonanza, Continue reading “Rural Klamath Connects brings towns together”
As of the new year, Energy Trust of Oregon’s full range of energy-efficiency services and programs are available to help Avista residential and eligible business customers in Douglas County save natural gas and lower utility bills. Energy Trust now serves Oregon customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista. Continue reading “Smart Energy: Energy Trust now serving Avista customers in Douglas County”
Lake County Partnership launched a survey on Friday, Feb. 24 that seeks public input on the future use and operation of the Alger Theater.
The goal of the analysis, according to Will Wright, is to make available to the LCP a multitude of approaches to review in order to derive a sustainable method of theater operation. The LCP is Continue reading “Comment sought on sustainable theater use”
As we bide our time for the City’s Off-Road Cycling Master Plan to be completed and wait eagerly for Gateway Greenin east Portland to open up this year (you are going to the Big Dig on Saturday, right?), there’s something worth watching in the small city of Scappoose. Continue reading “A new off-road biking area takes shape in Scappoose”
Lakeview Community Partnership (LCP) is currently studying the feasibility of reopening the Alger Theater and is seeking volunteers to help move the process along.
There is a current need for individuals who would like to contact “sister theaters” and have conversations with key staff. Sister theaters are theaters that share similarities with the Alger in Continue reading “LCP seeks volunteers for Alger project”
Molly Turner moved to Pendleton in September, and is the program manager for the Pendleton Downtown Association
From the colorful hills to the friendly faces, Molly Turner said she hit the jackpot when she Continue reading “Our New Neighbors: Downtown Association manager wowed by Pendleton history, hospitality”
By Helen Hollyer
Despite donated land and building, implementation of the Cobalt Building Project is proving to be a larger and much more expensive project than originally expected, city intern Titus Thomlinson told city councilors.
“Even with an existing structure, this is a more-than-one-million- dollar project,” said Thomlinson during the Mar. 8 council meeting.
The city plans to convert the 9,000-square-foot former factory on Cobalt Lane off N. Fifth St. in northwest Creswell to a community center with classroom and flexible spaces for use by community youth and seniors, with all programs sharing core building infrastructure such as restrooms and mechanical systems.
Thomlinson said that Head Start of Lane County, identified in the preliminary feasibility study and that has expressed interest in becoming a building tenant, is one of the few organizations that has money to help pay for the necessary building improvements.
The city is now working on a memorandum of understanding with Head Start.
The city’s ownership of an existing, well-constructed building appropriate for the proposed use and with a developed site represents a significant value, according to Eugene-based Rowell Brokaw Architects, P.C.’s project summary; however, there are still many unknown factors.
The firm recommended budgeting for a base building renovation and interior remodeling cots of $80 per square foot, or $720,000.
Additional “soft” costs for design consultants, grant administration and fundraising, building permits and fees, bid costs such as advertisements and printing and a five percent construction contingency would add 20 and 30 percent to the “hard” costs.
Assessing the building’s existing conditions, the architects commented that the first floor slab is in good condition and can be used for the new building use, but that the non-accessible second floor mezzanine space with limited headroom should probably be partly or completely removed.
Exterior walls are well constructed and have good energy performance characteristics but openings should be enlarged to increase the amount of natural light and exterior views. The roof is in generally good condition as is the ceiling, but cleanable drop ceilings should be installed in new bathroom and kitchen areas.
The single unisex restroom is functional, but is undersized for the plumbing requirements of the proposed new occupancy. They recommend installing a new restroom core with separate facilities for men and women in the area of an existing locker room.
The building in general does meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities) requirements for access, but any new construction or alteration will also be required to comply fully with additional ADA requirements. A new mechanical system for heating and cooling will be needed.
Thomlinson, who will be leaving his intern position in August 2010, recommended that the city consider contracting with Cascadia Consulting Partnership to help run a successful capital campaign in order to transform the building into an operational asset for the Creswell community.
In a Jan. 26, 2010 letter to Creswell City Administrator Mark Shrives, Cascadia’s Managing Partner Rich Foster pointed out that the recent economic downturn has caused private foundation grants to become increasingly competitive, resulting in only projects that demonstrate both need and a comprehensive planning effort being successful in acquiring funding.
“I am confident that the Cobalt Building Project can be such a project,” Foster wrote, offering to provide technical support at three levels of service options — minimalist, moderate and full-service approaches.
Foster stated that two pricing models were available – not-to- exceed prices for well-defined projects with agreed-upon scopes of work, responsibilities and timelines and, for open-ended technical service projects, a fee-for-service basis utilizing an hourly rate.
Citing Cascadia’s prior successes with similar projects, Thomlinson said benefits of contracting with Cascadia include acquiring the services of an experienced grant writer, project continuity and ability to use developed templates for additional grants.
“Without consulting, we can expect this project to take upwards of 10 to 15 years to capitalize,” he said. “It could be done in two to five years with a contractor.
“We have a great project… a community education/recreation center focusing on youth activities that will sell itself to charitable trusts looking at bettering lives of youth, and Head Start is a solid organization as a tenant with resources.”
After Shrives said that projects of this sort are primarily funded by private foundation money, that some city funds were available in this fiscal year and that, if the city entered into a contract with Cascadia, the city could use budgeted task orders in the future, councilors asked him to bring a proposed contract with Cascadia back for consideration at the April 12 council meeting.
Originally published in The Creswell Chronicle
PO Box 428
Creswell, OR 97426
Phone: 541-895-2197 Fax: 541-895-2361
Downtown Pendleton thrummed Saturday night as hundreds bundled up and took to the snow-covered streets for the first Old Fashioned Holiday Stroll.
Businesses stayed open late, some offered free hot chocolate, the burgeoning Oregon Grain Continue reading “Pendleton’s downtown Holiday Stroll delivers the goods”
Making Energy Work for rural Oregon was a series of workshops put on in six different rural Oregon communities starting in the fall of 2015.
During these workshops, attendees learned about energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that could benefit their towns, and where to find the resources necessary to make those projects happen. This past Thursday, Douglas County hosted a Making Energy Work for Rural Oregon Symposium, a gathering of these communities with additional participation from Eugene, Ashland and Bend.
The symposium was put on by Sustainable Northwest, Lake County Resource Initiative, in collaboration with the Douglas County Smart Energy group. It was a two-day event full of sessions aimed at educating attendees on how to deal with an increasing demand for energy with smart energy choices.
How do you answer the need for more energy with few additional energy sources? The answer, a combination of behavior changes, the installation of efficient technologies and the creation of renewable energy projects. But the answer does not stop with the individual energy enthusiast or community action group. The problem is bigger than that, so the solution must be as well.
The symposium was created to bring together the stakeholders from past workshops in an effort to build a statewide energy network; a connected web of people from around Oregon that will be able to exchange ideas on what is working and what resources were utilized, how did a community finance their program or project, and to work together to share information and insights in the pursuit of their energy projects. Together, drawing on each other’s strengths and expertise, the answer to increasing energy demands can be answered.
Speakers at the symposium discussed current and past energy campaigns and projects that worked in their respective communities, to begin the conversation between communities. Energy campaign leaders shared about school education programs and community energy challenges that helped save energy, save money and increase solar energy installations.
Among the many technologies discussed by experts were irrigation monitoring, pumps with variable frequency drives to save energy and adding hydro to convert excess irrigation pressure into electricity. Local electric cooperatives and municipalities, such as Douglas County Electric Cooperative, Central Oregon Cooperative and the city of Ashland, came out to share what each of them are doing to further energy efficiency and renewable energy, providing a link of direct access between citizens and their power. Representatives from USDA Rural Development, Energy Trust of Oregon, Oregon Department of Energy and Northwest SEED highlighted incentives and grants available for potential energy projects. Government officials even came out to the symposium in an effort to show their support. The mayor of Eugene, Kitty Piercy, gave an inspirational keynote speech on the second day and mayor of Milwaukie, Mark Gamba, provided additional insights on encouraging local leadership to advance clean energy programs and policies.
The message was clear: with the help of counterparts, rural communities can control their own energy futures and help lead a cleaner energy economy.
With increased energy demand comes increased costs and, working together, this network of energy pioneers are finding answers that save their communities money and provide for their needs. With smart energy choices, our communities can save water, save energy and save money.
For tips on other ways to save and produce energy, visit dcsmartenergy.org. Douglas County Smart Energy is a project of the Douglas Count Global Warming Coalition. For more information about the coalition, call 541-672-9819 or find it on Facebook at DCSmartEnergy.
Nicole Mandall is a RARE Community and Energy Coordinator at UCAN Weatherization and DC Smart Energy. Melanie MacKinnon is an energy consultant providing grant writing and technical services.
Originally Published in The News Review
345 NE Winchester St.
Roseburg, OR 97470
Phone: 541-672-3321