By Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
New Sweet Home Mayor Susan Coleman delivered her first State of the City address Saturday night, March 11, at the Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Awards banquet, highlighting some of the city’s triumphs and admitting some of its challenges in the past year.
Coleman said she finds it “a joy and also humbling to listen to the commitment that everybody here has” in attending the banquet, which honored local volunteers and community service.
Coleman, who was unanimously elected mayor in January by her fellow city council members, acknowledged that Sweet Home encountered two big challenges last year in finding ways to deal with its homeless population and with ongoing problems caused by an under-sized and ancient wastewater treatment plant, spillage from which cost the city nearly $22,500 in fines this month from the DEQ for more than 125 violations of state water-quality protection laws.
Homelessness
Coleman recounted how “the city has been looking into how to manage the homeless situation for years, now,” and said “huge strides” have been made, resulting in the establishment of the new Family Assistance and Resource Center opening at the north end of 24th Avenue, behind the city PublicWorks yard.
She expressed appreciation for those how have “reviewed and researched options, laws and opportunities” and to FACS leaders Shirley (Byrd) and Brock (Byers) for bringing the facility to reality.
“The path Sweet Home has chosen is now being looked at by other communities,” Coleman noted. ”
“We are extremely grateful for all who sat at our tables to find innovative solutions, who persevered through criticism and hurdles to accomplish what has been achieved.”
She also thanked Linn County commissioners, two of whom, Will Tucker and Sherrie Sprenger, were at the banquet Saturday, for arranging to donate the land for the facility. She also credited students in Sweet Home High School wood shop classes for doing “an amazing job” in building huts to house clients at the facility.
Coleman also thanked Sweet Home police and public works staffers who have dealt with the homeless challenges, and members of the Rotary Club and other volunteers who have worked to help the homeless stay warm and dry with “short-term housing ) while the FAC facility was being developed, adding that they “worked diligently to provide a compassionate response.”
Coleman thanked business owners “for their patience, as this solution took longer to develop.”
“We’ve already seen improvements in the cleanliness of our city and reduced calls to the Sweet Home Police Department,” she reported.
“Sweet Home is headed in a good direction,” she said.
Wastewater
The city’s wastewater woes were “highlighted last summer and again this past week,” Coleman acknowledged.
“We know these issues impact our residents and businesses, the nature around us and the communities downstream from us.”
She said the city has been seeking funding and is coordinating with state and federal agencies as it prepares to build a $48 million new wastewater plant. Sweet Home’s current plant was constructed in 1947 and has had one major upgrade since – in 1974, with some minor improvements in the 1990s. Planning and engineering for the first phase of the project has been completed, and ground was broken last week for construction.
“These numbers represent significant issues, and yet Sweet Home is made up of survivors,” Coleman said. “We are in an excellent place.”
She noted that the city has 549 acres of “developable land” within its borders.
“That’s unheard-of for cities our size.”
The city saw new businesses open in the past year, held events that attracted visitors from around the nation, planted trees and added a dog park to improve Northside Park, had staffers receive Wastewater Operator of the Year and Water Operator of the Year award, had police officer honored for lifesaving efforts, Library Services Director Megan Dazey was elected vice-chair of the Oregon Library Association, and received two awards for the best-tasting water in the state of Oregon.
“We are honored to be in such an excellent city with great staff,” Coleman said.
She listed some who have been appointed to executive positions in the community: Dawn Mitchell, executive director of the Sweet Home Senior Center; Lagea Mull, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce; Nick Tyler, fire chief of the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District; Terry Martin, superintendent of the Sweet Home School District; Ryan Cummings, new captain in the Sweet Home Police Department; Jason Ogden as police chief; and City Manager Kelcey Young.
“We’re in for good things ahead with these leaders,” the mayor predicted, then added: “We all know that this community is so much more than the appointed leaders in the local government.
“The basis on which this community is exceptional is all of you – dedicated, hardworking, no-nonsense people who are kind, who have a sense of belonging, and make us glad we live in a place where everyone does their thing.
“You all have created this community by keeping that spirit alive and with people like you committed to Sweet Home, we will not fail.”