By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
YACHATS – The city of Yachats – despite a lone no vote from the mayor – will tell a Eugene contractor it intends to go forward with repairs of the city’s Little Log Church that could cost $400,000 or more.
The “letter of intent” is designed only to get on the summer work schedule of McClain Construction of Eugene.
Before proceeding with construction the city should hire a structural engineer to develop specific plans so that McClain can fine-tune costs for the project, said Larry Thornton, a Yachats engineer who has been helping the Little Log Church Museum board.
“If the city decides it too high, then it can back out,” Thornton told the council last week. “It provides an ‘off ramp’.”
After a longer discussion, written and verbal testimony, the council voted 4-1 to authorize the letter of intent.
Mayor Leslie Vaaler voted no, saying she wanted wider community input before proceeding. Vaaler has opposed proceeding with repairs in previous budget committee and council votes.
Last week’s go-ahead follows an initial council vote last summer to pay Thornton and McClain Construction to develop a repair plan and then a second vote to in the fall have McClain winterize the building.
But a commitment to fully repair the church, which the city acquired in 1986 and has done little with since, has stalled for years as commissions and councils couldn’t decide whether to spend hundreds of thousands to save it. That began changing more recently when Thornton and the museum’s board warned the structure was in danger of falling down.
“We’ve reached a crossroads,” Thorton told the city council Thursday. “The question is ‘Are we afraid of this and don’t want the building … or do we want to proceed?”
George Mazeika, chair of the city’s Parks & Commons Commission which voted unanimously to recommend repairing the church, told the council the letter of commitment is necessary so the contractor can make plans and the city and Friends group can seek grants to help offset costs.
“… I hope the council can make a decision and get this project moving,” he said.
How we got here
The church has been deteriorating for years, but has accelerated in its decline. Many of the logs in the walls are rotten and allowing water to penetrate inside, there is dry rot in the walls, its wood foundation is crumbling, and some windows are failing.
Thornton has previously said the contractor would lift the church to install a concrete foundation, then lower it and replace and side the walls. Its roof is in good shape. The museum portion of the complex needs about $130,000 worth of work, but Thornton said that can be done in a year or two.
The cost of the project is higher than normal residential or commercial jobs because under Oregon law the city must pay prevailing union wages, which typically doubles labor costs.
As far back as 2019 the city had budgeted money to repair or replace the church before deciding to stop. There is $208,000 in the 2021-22 budget to begin work. In its recommendation, the Parks & Commons Commission suggested the cost be split between the city’s 2021-22 and 2022-23 budgets.
Two years ago, the commission asked that Friends of the Little Log Church & Museum to raise $100,000 for the project. Hampered by the pandemic and the need to change its nonprofit status, that group has raised $30,000. But has said it missed out on a $125,000 grant because it could not get a letter from the city committing to repair the structure.
Thornton told the council Thursday that there are few commercial contractors in the area and fewer in the Willamette Valley willing to come to the coast for what they consider a small but complex project. He said he convinced McClain to undertake it “as a favor to me.”
Community pressure
Pressure has also been ramping up on the council for a decision because McClain wants a letter of commitment this month so it can schedule work this spring and summer.
Saying “the time for inaction has passed,” the museum board sent a strongly worded letter to council members urging to get the issue placed on Thursday’s agenda.
Vaaler put it on the workshop portion of the meeting, where there can be discussion but no decisions. Councilor Ann Stott immediately got the council to move it to its regular agenda where it became an action item.
In its letter, the museum board said the church is owned by the city, that Yachats’ comprehensive plan calls for protecting historic structures, that the city has not done anything to keep it in good repair and has not sought out public sentiment other than hearing comments during commission or council meetings.
The letter reminded the council that the volunteer board agreed to oversee events at the church and not to “shepherd and manage a six-figure repair project.”
“It is regrettable that the council and city have let it fall to us (the Friends) to see out and coordinate with engineers and other specialists to investigate the condition of the facility and chart a path forward,” the letter said. “Nevertheless, we have diligently taken up this work … and brought it to the finish line where we have a clear scope of work and a plan to repair this historic, city-owned building.”
Both Stott, who said she had recently become convinced to proceed with the project, and Councilor Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessey said the letter of intent was a logical next step.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt we have to do something,” said O’Shaughnessey. “Get better numbers. This is a lot of money. I would support this next step. We can say ‘whoa’” if they’re too high.
Councilor Greg Scott felt more strongly that the council should proceed with repairs to protect “the oldest building in the community still standing.”
“Is there anyone on the council who thinks this project shouldn’t go forward?” he asked.
Vaaler said she did. The mayor said she wanted a deeper community survey – similar to what the Parks & Commons Commission conducted for its recent green space proposal – before spending more money. She also suggested that the museum’s displays could be moved to other city buildings and that the church and museum lot at the corner of West Third and Pontiac streets could become a park.
“I’m just would like to know what the community wants because this is a lot of money,” Vaaler said. “I’m not ready to go forward with this.”
After hearing again from Mazeika, a church neighbor, and Yachats Community Presbyterian Church pastor Bob Barrett urging it to save the building, the council voted 4-1 to proceed with the letter of intent.
This is crazy to spend that much money on this thing – it’s an entirely emotional issue. Most Yachatians have little or nothing to do with this building and only favor it because they don’t want to be seen as callous or uncool. Somebody’s gotta say it – it adds very little to the town. Mary has had a long run – kudos to her. The gardens would make a nice little park/picnic ground.
I don’t agree with Ed Glortz. The Little Log Church is what little is left of Yachats’ history. Spend the money and repair it for future generations. Nothing can replace memories of those early pioneers who cut the logs to build that little church and memories of weddings and concerts within those log walls, in my opinion.
I don’t think city government should be in the religion business. Any restoration should be privately funded.
This not a “religion” thing. The log church is a local, historic monument.
I agree. The Little Log Church is definitely worth saving. The cost estimate for the repair project is astronomical for a small town like Yachats to pay. The original church was built with all volunteer labor and very little money. The repair project with the exception of raising the church and putting a new foundation under it, could also be done with volunteer labor. A lot of folks have carpenter skills and would be willing to volunteer their time if asked. The mayor is right. Any project with that large a price tag, even if it’s spread out over a number of years, should be discussed with the residents of Yachats.