By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
After a 15-month closure, the city of Yachats will begin taking reservations at noon Monday for use of the Commons’ multipurpose room.
Except for bathrooms, no other portion of the Commons will be open — for awhile.
In announcing the “soft opening” on its website, the city said the multipurpose room would be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. People making reservations will be responsible for getting keys to the building at City Hall, for enforcing social distancing and mask requirements, and then “tidying up” when their activity is over. The city will provide cleaning at the end of the day, according to the announcement.
The reopening comes after repeated pushes by City Councilor Ann Stott to reopen all city facilities. Earlier this month a majority of the council finally agreed to look at reopening just the Commons to small, local groups.
During a council meeting last week, Stott made a motion to also reopen City Hall, the library and the Little Log Church and Museum on Monday. “We need to open up,” Stott said.
While three other councilors agreed with Stott, they also said that Elliott and staff needed more time to get a new janitorial service lined up and safety plans for the other buildings.
All of the city’s facilities have been closed to the public for more than a year because of state and federal restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. But with 65 percent of Lincoln County’s eligible residents vaccinated and rapidly loosening restrictions on masks and gatherings, there is pressure by some in Yachats to reopen city facilities for business and social activities.
Mayor Leslie Vaaler and Councilor Anthony Muirhead were the most cautious about reopening, saying city staff was in the middle of a major transition and that the city should wait a bit longer until state reopening guidance – and the public’s understanding of it — is clearer.
“I don’t think it’s the best timing for this,” Vaaler said. “We can’t do everything at once.”
“I can’t vote for yes until I see a plan,” Muirhead said.
The city has saved $18,000 this fiscal year by not having cleaning services for the closed Commons. Elliott said he is negotiating with a custodial firm to resume daily cleaning of the Commons.
There is also $20,000 in the proposed 2021-22 budget to contract with someone to oversee daily details of the Commons’ operation, freeing up Community Services Coordinator Heather Hoen to more closely manage larger city projects.
Councilor Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessy said while “science is saying it’s time to reopen” City Hall and other facilities, there needs to be a plan.
Stott, who said she will bring up reopening at every council meeting, pushed back that the city can require masks or ask to see vaccine cards.
“It’s not that complicated and we need to get things open,” she said.
The council and Elliott agreed that staff would bring back a plan to reopen city families at the council’s next meeting, June 3.
In other business Wednesday, the council:
- Agreed to pay Katherine Guenther, who will become interim city manager June 3 when Elliott leaves, $7,000 a month until a permanent city manager is hired. The council rejected a complicated suggestion by Vaaler to pay Guenther $27 a hour for the two days a week she works as the city planner and then $4,200 a month for the rest of her time.
- Agreed to have Vaaler, Councilor Greg Scott and Public Works & Streets Commission chair Linn West begin discussion with the Southwest Lincoln County Water People’s Utility District about updating the city’s emergency use water agreement with the district to the north of the city. The water district has a much more ample supply of water than Yachats, especially during the summer months when Yachats can run into issues.
- After almost two years of Planning Commission work and council hearings, voted 3-1 to approve a new lighting ordinance. Vaaler voted no, saying she believes the city will struggle to enforce the regulations. Muirhead recused himself because the ordinance affects the Adobe Motel and Restaurant, where he is general manager. While the ordinance sets nighttime curfews for marine lighting, it also establishes new, more restrictive rules on “trespass” lighting from businesses or homes shining onto neighboring property. The ordinance takes effect in 30 days.
- Recognizing that the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District is in financial difficulty, voted 2-3 against a motion to require the district to pay a portion of the proceeds of the sale of its former downtown station to the city for a lot the city gave to the district 30 years ago. Councilors asked fire officials for more details and documents on how it received the land.
- Agreed to let a Eugene architect proceed with helping the city’s Trails Committee develop preliminary plans for two types of paths – a boardwalk or walkway – over the Yachats River between Pontiac Street and U.S. Highway 101.
- After more than 20 minutes of discussion, voted 4-1 to have Lincoln County place 3-foot-high lane markers 10 feet apart on Ocean View Drive between West Seventh Street and Yachats State Park. Weeks ago, the council voted to have the markers five feet apart. Vaaler conceded that the council was “overealous” in its earlier spacing requirement. Stott voted against the change.