Gathering in Railroad Park was last scheduled for this year
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
The city of Ashland’s third and final “Coffee & Conversation” gathering of the year drew a crowd of residents from diverse ages and equally varied concerns from the final fate of the electrification ordinance to the city’s water systems and homelessness services. Earlier gatherings were held in May and July, all in city parks.
The bid for public feedback is a conversations “free for all,” said newly appointed City Manager Sabrina Cotta in welcoming a growing group gathering around two samovars of Case Coffee’s “Epiphany Blend” in Railroad Park Wednesday afternoon.
“Find your favorite person and go for it,” she said.
A woman turned to Parks & Recreation Director Rocky Houston and gestured at the shirts that lined the fence behind the park, the “Say Their Names” memorial. She asked the director if this was indeed “in Parks domain” and what was his official opinion on the grass-roots art installation with its lack of direct city sanction. Houston demurred he was too new on the job to have an official opinion.
Asked about Oak Knoll Golf Course, the director easily recited the latest update — that an individual had been hired to serve as golf manager after assessing the history of the course and finding it runs better with someone filling the role rather than relying on alternative management structures. Once the new candidate has been onboarded, Parks will be using a five year business plan to help them understand what the level cost recovery should be, Houston said.
Public Works Director Scott Fleury leaned against a support for the park’s shade covering and discussed with Candace Williams the “TAP,” or Talent-Ashland-Phoenix water-supply intertie.
The water line, an emergency backup for Ashland, can’t be left empty when not in use — “you don’t want to let it go dry,” he said. But in the future, the system is expected to pump to “a wholesale agreement” that would allow Ashland to sell its excess water supply to its neighbors.
“Have we ever had excess water supply?” Williams asked.
“In the winter, every winter, all winter long. The demand in the city during winter is like 1.75 million to 2 million (gallons) a day. Into the reservoir we’re seeing anywhere from 5 to 25 million, all winter long,” Fleury said.
“Why not cut our rates a little bit then?” she asked.
Fleury responded everything goes into the total cost of service; any future revenue stream from Talent and Phoenix would lead to an adjustment of rates due to gaining an additional customer base that wasn’t there. Council is expected to discuss these possibilities next year once agreements related to the system are completed.
Councilor Dylan Bloom perched on a picnic table, turned to a small group of teenagers wearing matching blue shirts advocating climate action and allowed himself to get carried away talking about climate concerns.
He was all in favor of a small engines ban from an environmental perspective, but he wondered if the city’s legal department would detect shortcomings or limitations on the idea in practice. He also worried for small business owners who may experience undue hardship upgrading their equipment. The group of teens tilted their heads slightly and one of their members, Kiera Retiz, explained they were focused on the electrification ordinance.
“Oh, well then, I’m in favor, no reservations,” he said.
Kelly Marcotulli, who has filed to run against Councilor Jeff Dahle in the upcoming election, arrived and sought out the conversation of this gaggle of fresh faces in blue shirts. After they confirmed they were familiar with the concept of “blue zones” or areas where people appear to be living longer healthier lives than other locations, Marcotulli shared an idea.
“In Ashland we know we have a lot of seniors here, but the seniors don’t have a whole lot of connection to people like you. I want to create some kind of intergenerational experience where — let’s say you have a neighbor where she’s 83 where you could gain dividends or some kind of credit, something to put on a resume, it would be that purpose, to create a bridge,” Marcotulli said.
After the pandemic caused immense loneliness for people very young and old, Marcotulli said she was trying to create a solution and hoped to see the passion she admired in these young people be part of that.
One woman directed questions to Cotta about where people sleeping on the so-called “night lawn” behind the City Council chamber and police station buildings on East Main Street go during the day.
“The hope is they’re going to OHRA (Opportunities for Housing, Resources & Assistance) for some navigation services or the library,” Cotta said.
“But some of ’em are just going to the parks tables and taking over,” the woman responded.
“Everyone’s allowed to be in the parks,” Cotta answered
Homelessness advocate and member of the 2200 Ashland St. Master Plan Committee member Debbie Niesewander told Cotta a day center was recently discussed as a potential use for the building, but was then ruled out due to a concern it would be “too many people on that side of town.”
The woman turned and asked Cotta why the emergency shelter was shut down.
“It was purchased to be a severe weather shelter — we had funds to run it as a 24/7 shelter, then council wanted to discuss what they wanted to do with it further; as Deb was mentioning, the ad hoc building is discussing that,” Cotta said.
The woman rejoined with an insistence that the building had once been a place where people could live and she wanted to know why this had ended. Cotta restated the building was purchased to be a severe weather shelter and council chose to decline funds for a building that would require significant retrofitting to accommodate the other purpose.
As the woman continued to pepper the city manager with questions, Niesewander introduced herself and invited the woman to attend the public form for the 2200 Ashland St. Master Plan Committee forum. The forum will be held Oct. 9, as previously reported by Ashland.news.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news.
