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Corvallis e-News | April 2022

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In this issue: Check out the Arbor Day photo contest, share input on your values for the facilities project, and check out an in-person show at the Majestic Theatre.

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Arbor Day Photo Contest

April is Arbor Month in Oregon, and we're celebrating trees in our urban forest this April!

To observe Arbor Month, National Arbor Day, and to celebrate Corvallis’s 21 consecutive years as Tree City USA and 13th Growth Award, the Parks and Recreation Department is inviting the community to participate in a Tree Photo Contest!

  • Submit a photo entry of your favorite tree and why, with a general location of where the tree is located to get a chance to win a prize!
  • To qualify, photos should be taken within the Corvallis area and submitted by April 15.
  • The community will then get to vote for their favorite photo! Then vote for your favorite online from April 16 - April 28.

The top three photos with the most votes will be announced the winners on National Arbor Day, Friday, April 29. Winners will be notified via email. 

The first place winner will have their photo featured in this fall’s Activity Guide from Parks & Recreation!

Submit a photo here!

Facilities Investment Project

The City of Corvallis recently completed a study of its buildings to determine the space needed for employees and the tools and equipment they use to deliver services to the community. The assessment identified significant and decades-old deficiencies in public buildings and facilities. Read more about these findings on the City website.

We have a plan in place to address these long-term issues. The Citywide Facilities Strategy, which lays out the scope of work, is available on the City website.

Share Your Values

There’s a big task ahead of us, and you can help out by sharing your input on the various facility shortcomings that can be addressed through different projects.

Please let us know what YOU think in this short questionnaire: ENGLISH | SPANISH

The feedback provided here will be shared with the City Council at their May 5 work session. We appreciate your thoughtful input.

Neighborhood Bikeways Taking Off in Corvallis

The first in a planned series of neighborhood bikeways is starting construction this spring on 11th Street!

Wait, what's a neighborhood bikeway?? Well, these are local streets adjusted to make it more pleasant for people to walk, ride bikes and/or roll. Neighborhood Bikeways are part of our Low-Stress network outlined in our Transportation Systems Plan and budgeted for in our City’s Capital Improvement Program. We’ll be rolling out more of these as the years go by and next locations are as follows:

  • 11th Street South (from NW Harrison to SW E Street; FY22-23)
  • Tyler Avenue (NW 1st St to NW Kings Blvd; FY23-24)
  • SE Corvallis (FY25-26)
  • NW 27th Street Bikeway (NW Walnut Blvd to NW Grant Ave; FY26-27)

Elements of a Neighborhood Bikeway vary from corridor to corridor. Mostly, they will bring pavement markings (sharrows), new signage and sometimes new asphalt for better travel conditions. They can also mean  curb bulb outs, made with flexible posts and paint, at certain higher volume intersections and neighborhood traffic circles, also made with flexible posts and paint, at smaller intersections where Neighborhood Bikeways intersect. Removing on-street parking is not generally a treatment used in Neighborhood Bikeways treatments.

We're excited to get started on this project. Let us know what you think as 11th Street starts to take shape!

Linden Avenue and 9th Street Improvements

This is just a heads up that Public Works will be starting a big construction project on NW Linden Avenue and NW 9th Street in April. The project will begin with some water pipeline work on Linden, followed by some repaving on Linden, before moving on to grind & resurface 9th Street from Circle to Conifer.

The whole project should carry us through the end of the summer and wrap up, ideally, by October. There will likely be periodic traffic controls in place for portions of this work. The map shows more detail on the affected areas. For more information, please feel free to contact Josh Tacchini at Joshua.Tacchini@corvallisoregon.gov.

Spring/Summer Parks & Recreation Activity Guide

Registration is OPEN for most activities in the new spring/summer activity guide from the Parks & Recreation Department. Print copies are arriving in mailboxes soon, and you can always access the full roster of events online in English and Spanish!

Who Works at the City of Corvallis?

Who works at the City of Corvallis? We're stewards and sustainers, and planners and dreamers. There's a place for you, too. Read more & apply for a job online.

In-Person Performance Update at the Majestic Theatre

Majestic Theatre has been offering in-person events for a while now, but this month the theatre will be ending vaccine verification and masking requirements for live performances. In doing so, the theatre is following venues both across the state and locally in moving from requiring to recommending that patrons and volunteers continue to mask up in order to help bring the COVID-19 pandemic to an end.

If you purchased tickets for upcoming Majestic performances with the understanding that masking and vaccine verification would be in place and are not comfortable attending without them, please reach out to us Monday - Friday 10 a.m. 5 p.m. at 541-758-7827 to request a refund.

If you have any concerns or questions about this plan, please contact the Theatre Supervisor at jimbo.ivy@corvallisoregon.gov or 541-766-6586.

And don't forget to visit the Ticketing page for more information on all of the fabulous upcoming productions at the Majestic.

What's New at the Library this Month?

There's a lot going on at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Check out any of the events below to learn more!

More Information

View full details on our website

Corvallis e-News | March 2022

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In this issue: Meet the new Fire Chief, sign up for Corvallis Police 101, and browse active land use cases at the City.

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Ben Janes Appointed as Corvallis Fire Chief

Ben Janes has been appointed to the position of Fire Chief of the Corvallis Fire Department. City Manager Mark Shepard made the announcement after a three-month transition period in which Janes served as Interim Fire Chief.

“Chief Janes brings a wealth of knowledge and a thorough understanding of the Fire Department’s operations and strategic vision,” Shepard said. “In addition, he is a respected leader who will work hard to develop the next generation of firefighters and professional staff at the Department.”

Janes, a 20-year veteran of CFD, was born and raised in Corvallis and came up through the Corvallis school system, eventually graduating from Linn-Benton Community College and Oregon State University. Janes started in 2001 as a volunteer firefighter with CFD, and he worked his way through the ranks over the next two decades, serving as a fire prevention assistant, firefighter, lieutenant, and battalion chief. In 2020, Janes was named Deputy Fire Chief, responsible for day-to-day operations at the Department’s five stations.

Read more about Chief Janes, and be sure to give him a wave if you see him around town!

Support for Our Sister City in Ukraine

Corvallis has had a 30-year relationship with our sister city in Uzhhorod, Ukraine. Because Uzhhorod is located in the most western region of Ukraine, thousands of refugees are fleeing each day to escape the war in the eastern portion of the country. To help alleviate the needs of these individuals, the Corvallis Sister Cities Association is raising funds to send to our physician colleagues in Uzhhorod. Checks and cash can be dropped off at or mailed to:

Citizens Bank - Circle Branch
978 NW Circle Blvd.
Corvallis, Oregon 97330

Checks need to be made out to: Uzhhorod Refugee Fund. Due to the emergency nature of this need, the donations are not tax-deductible.This fundraising effort is sponsored by the Corvallis Sister Cities Association. Donations will be wired to a contact in Hungary to deliver to our physician colleagues in Uzhhorod (because banks in Ukraine are closed at this time). They will use them to help the refugees with bedding, medications, food, or other needs.

Register Today for Corvallis Police 101

The Corvallis Police Department is enrolling now for Corvallis Police 101, a FREE ten-week virtual program that provides 20 hours of instruction, discussion, participation, and fun. Classes meet online Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 starting on March 30, 2022. CPD 101 is like an extended open house, and our door is open for you. It is the best way to get to know your police officers, and to learn about all facets of your police department, the services it provides, and how it delivers those services.

The 2022 session will be hosted in a virtual webinar format. The schedule and sessions have been slightly altered to accommodate the virtual format. To participate in this session, you will need access to a computer with internet access. If you have any questions about the virtual format, please send us an email at CPDEvents@corvallisoregon.gov.

Class members historically represent a cross section of our community: teens to seniors, Corvallis newcomers to lifelong residents, people just curious about what their police do to people considering careers in law enforcement, and proponents of police to people with oppositional views. In short, participants come from the full range of demographics that make up our community. We welcome and encourage you to attend.

Read more about CPD 101 — the deadline to apply for the next course is coming up on March 9.

Active Land Use Cases at the City

Here's a nifty resource to bookmark and keep handy: a page on the City website listing all active land use cases currently before the City.

The page includes a link to the application filed with the City, as well as contact information for the staff person who is managing the case. It also displays recent decisions and closed cases. Check it out and be sure to share with your friends and neighbors who like to be kept informed about these topics.

New Development Services Lobby Hours

Effective March 7, 2022, the Development Services lobby at City Hall will be open to customers from 8 to 10 a.m. and from 2 to 5 p.m., or by appointment. The lobby will be closed to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The changes to our lobby hours are due to a current staffing shortage and high volume of work.

Customers can use the online permit system (www.corvallispermits.com) to apply for a permit or to check the status of a permit.  You can also contact our office at (541) 766-6929 if you have any questions.

Annual Water Quality Report Released

The City of Corvallis Public Works Department’s annual water quality report is now available to download at www.corvallisoregon.gov/waterreport.

The report offers a snapshot of municipal water system in Corvallis, including an overview of how water is produced, treated, stored, distributed, and tested regularly to ensure a safe, secure, and affordable water supply for City customers.

The City of Corvallis produces water from two sources – the Taylor Plant in south Corvallis, which draws water from the Willamette River, and the Rock Creek Plant on the lower slopes of Marys Peak, which draws water from a 6,000 acre forested watershed.

The report details a number of water quality metrics required by state and federal law, including levels of various minerals and potential contaminants. As in years past, water produced by the City of Corvallis is well within regulations from both state and federal agencies.

As Corvallis looks ahead to the spring and summer, Public Works officials are advising residents to save water by watering wisely. Weekly irrigation guidelines are available online at www.corvallisoregon.gov/irrigation or by phone at 541-766-6733.

For more information on the municipal water system in Corvallis, as well as tips on reducing water use, go to www.corvallisoregon.gov/water.

What's New at the Library in March?

There's a lot going on at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Check out any of the events below to learn more!

 

More Information

View full details on our website

Corvallis e-News | February 2022

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Welcome to 2022! We're revamping the monthly Corvallis e-News email newsletter to make it integrate better into the city website. It's the same great roundup of news and announcements from the City of Corvallis ... it just looks a little different. Thanks for reading!

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Empowerment Grants Return for 2022

The popular Empowerment Grant program is returning this year in Corvallis, after taking 2021 off due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As in prior years, the program will make available $10,000 in small cash grants from the City of Corvallis to fund projects around the community. The grant program is inviting applications from the community in two broad categories:

  • Neighborhood Empowerment Grants are focused on improving geographic areas in Corvallis. Past projects have included landscape improvements, neighborhood events, public art installations, education programs, and training services.
  • Community Empowerment Grants are focused on assisting individuals and organizations doing enriching work throughout Corvallis. Example grants include cultural events, guest lectures, outreach campaigns, or the launch of a nonprofit organization. Often this work cuts across different geographic areas and may serve diverse community groups.

The City of Corvallis will host two virtual grant workshops on February 9 and February 23 to share more information about the grant program. City staff and board members will be on hand to answer questions about the program and the application process.

Read more on the Empowerment Grants program page. Applications are accepted through 5 p.m March 1, 2022.

New Strategic Operational Plan for 2022-2026

The Corvallis City Council adopted its annual Strategic Operational plan, covering the five-year period from 2022 to 2026. The SOP is a reflection of the policy priorities of the City Council, along with the action items and metrics that we are using to achieve those priorities. The SOP is updated each year to reflect available resources, staff capacity, guidance from the City Council, and input from the Corvallis community.

The SOP is built around the framework of Imagine Corvallis 2040. As such the Strategic Operational Plan addresses six focus areas, which mirror the six focus areas of the vision. The SOP is designed to be a resource for elected officials, city staff, and the general public. Although it's a detailed document, the SOP is intended to be readable and transparent for a broad audience. you've ever wondered "What's the City doing about [X]?" then the SOP is for you! The Corvallis community is encouraged to explore the SOP to learn more about the many and varied services provided by the City of Corvallis. Think of it as a single location to see not only what's coming in the next year, but also what's on the horizon for future years for all City departments.

Read more about the latest Strategic Operational Plan.

C3 GameCon at Corvallis Community Center

Join us for two days of gaming, cosplay, and vendors! C3 GameCon is a place to celebrate all things gaming, fanart, cosplay, and more! With live tabletop and board game sessions, a costume contest, and a vendors hall with local artists and businesses, there's something at C3 GameCon for everyone!

Interested in attending, vending, or running a game? Check out our C3 GameCon Page!

CTS Bus Service Reductions

Due to an ongoing shortage of drivers, Corvallis Transit System is forced to reduce service beginning on Monday, January 24, 2022 until further notice.  This reduction will affect Routes 5, 6, 50, and Route 1 Peak PM. We are working very hard to hire drivers and as soon as we do and they are fully trained, CTS will return to regular service.

Read more about specific service reductions on these routes.

In addition, all Corvallis Transit System and Philomath Connection passengers will be required to provide their own face covering. Face coverings should fit snugly against the side of the face, be secured with ties or ear loops, and have multiple layers of cloth. Wearing a face covering is mandatory to ride Corvallis Transit System and Philomath Connection.

How to Deal with Graffiti

Graffiti is a problem that impacts our neighborhoods in a variety of ways. It decreases property values in residential neighborhoods, negatively impacts industrial and commercial areas, and it is often the first sign of criminal street gang activity. If you spot graffiti, please report it!

Businesses and residences who are victimized by graffiti are responsible for its removal. Contact the Police Department at 541-766-6924 prior to removing graffiti, as they will match victims with businesses offering to sell paint at cost, provided there is a police report and/or business card from the responding police officer; the back of the card should include the case number and the words “Qualified for Victims of Graffiti Project.” The Downtown Corvallis Association (541-754-6624) also has graffiti clean up and painting materials available for its members.

Graffiti in Parks: Please call Parks and Recreation directly at 541-766-6918. Parks staff typically remove graffiti on sight (especially if it is offensive), or within 48 hours if special equipment is needed to remove it. The Police Department will be contacted by Parks staff if it is hate, gang, theft, or high-value related.

Graffiti on City signs, pump stations, buildings, reservoirs, traffic signal controller cabinets, bridges, etc: Please call Public Works at 541-766-6916. Public Works will also facilitate callers reporting graffiti on Benton County (signs), Oregon DOT (bridge abutments) and private utility (Qwest, Comcast cabinets) properties as the responsible party is often difficult for a citizen to know.

Drug Take-Back Locations in the Benton County

Do you have old, unused, unwanted, or expired medications? Don't flush them down the toilet. Dispose of them safely with NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

Community members can now safely and discretely discard unused, unwanted medicine at participating pharmacies in Benton County. To find nearby locations on a map, visit the Oregon Drug Take-Back Program at https://medtakebackoregon.org/

The Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies estimates that 40% of all prescribed medicine goes unused. Most prescription medication abuse occurs when drugs are obtained from family and friends. As a water, wastewater, and stormwater utility, the City of Corvallis Public Works Department also is interested in removing these products from our watersheds to protect our drinking water supply and the aquatic organisms that live in our streams and rivers.

What's Up at the Library This Month?

There's a lot going on at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Check out any of the events below to learn more!

More Information

View full details on our website

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