June 27, 1974
Tomco Inc. revealed tentative plans for a $12-20 million completely automated timber products plant just off Clark Mill Road. In conjunction with the diversified mill plans, Tomco President Amos Horner announced tentative plans to completely remove his present mill from Cascadia and convert the 230 acre site into a comprehensive recreational-vacation-retirement community with condominiums and trailer sites, including a golf course, swimming pools, tennis courts, community center and other facilities.
In an effort to prevent employees from taking up parking spots downtown and encourage more movement of traffic, City Manager David Crutcher presented a plan to revamp parking system enforcement. The council adopted the plan on a six-month trial basis, parking areas would be designated for 15 minutes or two hours, with fines ranging from 50 cents to $2.50. Violators would be cited by walking patrolmen.
A Sportsman’s Holiday committee will be “fining” attendees for not wearing hats in the downtown area on Wednesday. Although the fines cannot be enforced, fund raisers will ask offenders to donate 50 cents toward the annual event or purchase a raffle ticket for $1.
City Council approved a proposal to build a trail along Ames Creek. Recent high school graduate Barry Elkins authored the proposal to be used as a guideline for future development of the trail as funds become available.
An interim park is being developed by eight Neighborhood Youth Corps workers at the US Army Corps of Engineers at Sunnyside school. The youth are designing the site on the southeast corner of Foster Lake with trails, picnic tables and restrooms. Their training also includes fish propagation, forest management and wildlife management.
June 30, 1999
Nearly 90 ODF crew members and students attended the week-long wildland fire school held at Foster School, culminating in the live fire training on the last day. Bill Lafferty of the Linn ODF district said they treat fire school like they are staging for a big fire by setting up a “base camp” with tents and cots. This was the fourth year several fire districts joined together for a cooperative fire school that hosts basic and advanced training.
City Council continued a public hearing to decide whether to allow a variance for an extra apartment unit on a proposed development at 1078 Seventh Avenue. Resident Steve Barber had appealed a planning commission decision on the proposal. Developer Mike McGovern requested a variance to density and setback standards, asking for eight units instead of the maximum 5.6 and a 15-foot setback instead of 20. The commission denied the setback variance but allowed six units. After discussion about compromises made between McGovern and the commission, the council will continue the meeting next week.