News from Jacksonville, Oregon’s City Hall
JACKSONVILLE IS EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO WILDFIRES due to so many homes being in close proximity to woodlands and forests. Jacksonville is holding a Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on Saturday, October 19, from 9am-1pm, in the D Street parking lot. Residents may bring branches, leaves and other vegetation to be chipped and disposed of.
Three dumpsters will […]
WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL TOWN HALL meeting in July, and things are changing for the BETTER here in Jacksonville with regard to overall safety and enforcement issues.
You may have noticed white striping on feeder streets into downtown, as well as new, yellow center striping on our streets! Also “SLOW” signs […]
ON MAY 7, Mayor Donna Bowen presented a very special Certificate of Bravery to Adrian McCully for keeping his neighbors safe from harm during the March 19 3-alarm house fire in the “Whippleville” neighborhood of Jacksonville.
The beautiful collection of homes designed and built by Roger Whipple, who lost his home in […]
ON MAY 7, at the regular City Council meeting, Jacksonville Fire Chief Wayne Painter received the State of Oregon’s Fire Chief’s Association Award of Excellence. The award was presented in honor of his vision, dedication, and professionalism. Painter was nominated for the award by City Councilor Andrea Thompson, who […]
WITH THE 4TH OF JULY rapidly approaching, the Jacksonville Fire Department and city staff would like to remind the public that Jacksonville prohibits the use of Fireworks within the City limits and also discourages the use of fireworks outside of City limits for the following reasons:
Wildfire Risk: We are surrounded by forests and grassy areas […]
Editor’s Note: In preparation to adopt the next city budget in June, the following Budget Message was prepared by staff and presented to the full Budget Committee for review at its May 9 meeting. The letter outlines includes commentary from staff and draws attention to areas of concern. The Budget Committee […]
UPDATE FROM CINDY RASMUSSEN ON 05/16/24: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Town Hall meeting of June 11, organized by the Citizens for a Safer Jacksonville, will be postponed until sometime in July. This meeting was to be held in the City Library Community Room. We apologize for this inconvenience and […]
As we enter the Holiday season, our committee wants to share where our work has led us this year.
As many of you know, we formed our Committee in February 2023 to address the serious speeding problem in our town. We began collecting petition signatures in the spring and quickly found over 350 residents who shared […]
A lot has been happening in the past year in regard to hazardous fuels management in the Jacksonville Woodlands, Forest Park, and within and surrounding the City of Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Woodlands Association (JWA), the City of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Fire Department, Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, Rogue Forest Partners, Grayback Forestry, […]
The City of Jacksonville has launched a new program to assist homeowners in removing blackberry thickets clogging creeks and creating a fire hazard around properties. Every year, Jacksonville property owners with natural watercourses on or adjacent to their properties are reminded through mailed notices that they are responsible for keeping these watercourses free of obstructions […]
June 2023—At its June 6 meeting, the City Council voted to increase the Police Surcharge from $20 to $35 a month. As per projections, the council agreed to hold the fee at $35 for 5 years. The $15 increase will be used to fund a full-time department or a hybrid model that includes hiring two […]
Summer used to be my favorite season. Camping trips, canoe rides, lazy days in the garden and long evenings all come to mind. Unfortunately, the anticipation of warm sunny days has now evolved into a lingering sense of dread for many of us because summers now bring a less promising […]
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is a national Firewise campaign to raise awareness and reduce risks from wildfires. Jacksonville is vulnerable to wildfires due to many homes being located in close proximity to woodlands and forests. Because of severe drought and upcoming extremely hot weather, this summer and early fall promise to be a bad year […]
For the past couple of months, the Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) tasked with providing recommendations for development code updates, worked on revising the current tree removal standards with the intent of providing recommended language ahead of all other code amendments. The reason for prioritizing the tree removal standards is a result of the increased awareness […]
Over the past couple of years, your Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) tasked with reviewing and updating the City’s Development Code has been hard at work carefully reviewing and revising the draft document. The project is a city initiative to clarify and improve regulations for development within the […]
For many of us, our introduction to Senate Bill 762 came in a letter from ODF outlining our risk assessment per tax lot. In Jacksonville, too often that risk was “High” or “Extreme”. People across the state had strong reactions to a […]
August 15, 2022— Jacksonville Mayor Donna Bowen sent the following statement out today regarding funding cuts to the Chamber of Commerce. It reads as follows:
What Went Into The Jacksonville City Council’s Decision To Change The Amount Of Funding We Give For The Visitors Information Center?
After looking at the amount of money paid to the Visitors Information […]
If you ask residents what they enjoy most about living in our city, the answers are pleasantly varied. Some cite the small-town atmosphere or the presence of the Woodlands Trails system. Others cite Britt’s offering of world-class concerts or the proximity to area wineries. There are many reasons for Jacksonville’s broad […]
This month, I would like to share my column space with City Councilor, Ken Gregg, who has served on Council since 2015. Ken is known and respected as an active City Councilor. Ken has his finger on the pulse of what is happening in Jacksonville and always […]
In cooperation with the Oregon Health Authority, the City of Jacksonville will facilitate a series of COVID-19 vaccine clinics at Jacksonville New City Hall, 206 N 5th Street, Second Floor Assembly Room (ADA Accessible). ANYONE MAY PARTICIPATE for a first or second vaccine. Your name and birth date are all that is required. […]
When this edition comes out, it will be almost the anniversary of the Almeda Fire, a fire that transformed the face of the Rogue Valley and scarred all of us. If we had previously believed that catastrophic fires happened elsewhere or that we were somehow immune, that all changed last September. Concerns about fire and […]
The Jacksonville City Council has identified emergency preparedness for wildfire as a key focus this year. The Council is working on several steps including revision of the Emergency Operations Plan, a review of the Britt Evacuation Plan and the development of a set of emergency protocols including exit routes, warning […]
Due to extreme wildfire risks, fireworks are now banned on private and public property in Jacksonville.
Please see the below resolution passed on 6/29 by the City Council.
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-007
A RESOLUTION DECLARING CRITICAL FIRE DANGER AND PROHIBITING ANY FIREWORKS DURING 2021 JULY FOURTH HOLIDAY IN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
WHEREAS, the City Council of the […]
The Jacksonville City Council has identified emergency preparedness for wildfires as a key focus this year. The Council is working on several steps including revision of the Emergency Operations Plan, a review of the Britt Evacuation Plan, instituting a set of emergency protocols which include potential evacuation routes, warning systems and fuel reduction. Our partners […]
Donna Bowen – Mayor
As I sat down to write an introductory article of myself as a candidate for Mayor of the City of Jacksonville, I struggled to find something new, exciting, and inspiring in the sea […]
The long-awaited completion of an ADA-compliant elevator is now complete at New City Hall—also known as the Courthouse. The project, which cost approximately $300,000, was funded primarily through the city’s Urban Renewal program. The Review took a tour of the Courthouse with City Administrator Jeff Alvis who explained that the Ausland Group was the contractor […]
The City of Jacksonville is closely monitoring the COVID-19 developments in Jackson County.
Due to rising cases, and Jackson County recently being added to the State of Oregon watch list, the Planning Commission Hearing scheduled for August 26, 2020 is canceled pending further notice.
Britt Festival provided the City of Jacksonville with an extension to their application […]
Thanks to a $1.34 million grant from the state of Oregon, the Jacksonville fire station will receive an overdue expansion and seismic reinforcement. The scope of the seismic work to the brick 1950’s-ear structure will be similar to what was done to reinforce the Old County Courthouse, now revitalized as New City Hall.
The Seismic Rehabilitation […]
This question comes up from time to time and the correct answer is…. not yet! The City of Jacksonville, the Forest Park Volunteers and some volunteers from local equestrian groups have been working for about a year to be able to permit horse riding within Forest Park. Currently, horses are NOT allowed in the Forest […]
May 1, 2020
BUDGET MESSAGE
2020-2021
Welcome to the Budget Committee meetings for the fiscal year 2020-2021. It is our privilege to present the proposed budget for the next fiscal year.
We understand there are potential budgetary impacts from the COVID-19 Pandemic. […]
In its effort to protect public health in the age of the corona virus, the City Council adopted a temporary ordinance aimed at maintaining social distancing and reducing the spread of the disease. Ordinance 2020-02 will now enable City Council and Mayoral candidates in the upcoming General Election to skip the process of obtaining 20 […]
FROM CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, OREGON, MARCH 23, 2020–Given the evolving situation with COVID-19 and the directives from Governor Brown, all City offices and departments will be closing to public walk-in traffic as of Monday, March 23rd at 1:00 pm. All departments will remain open and available to the public during normal work hours by phone […]
Thanks to the Mayor and Administrator, town has adopted an emergency measure granting restaurants and businesses relief from sign, delivery and parking standards. The move enables the use of sandwich boards for food pick up and food delivery and enables use of street-side parking spaces. As noted by staff, “We know that businesses curtailing their […]
At the February 18, 2020, City Council meeting, Mayor Becker presented Larry Smith with a “Lifetime Achievement Award.” Before a packed house, he recognized Larry as a citizen who, over many years, has worked in ways that benefit our city. “Larry Smith,” he said, “is a man whose presence and influence have shaped the lives […]
Over the past couple of years we have noticed a sizeable increase in the number of people walking and driving the grounds of the Jacksonville Cemetery in search of mushrooms. Unfortunately this has lead to a series of problems that must be addressed and we ask for your cooperation and understanding. We know that the […]
City Council Meeting, December 3, 2019—Mayor Becker announced his Person of The Year selection for 2019 was Rob Buerk. Noting that Rob’s “Footprint is all over the City,” the mayor listed many of Rob’s achievements and volunteer positions including having served on the Buildings and Lands Committee, the Boosters Club and […]
If you happened to be driving north on Fifth Street in Jacksonville in mid-December, you may have seen a lot of activity on the sidewalk in front of Jacksonville’s City Hall. The sidewalk from C Street to D Street was removed in front of City Hall and a new sidewalk was poured. Fourteen granite blocks […]
The New Year is bringing some new faces to the Jacksonville Fire Department. This January marks the start of Jacksonville Fire Department’s student internship program, made possible by a Federal Grant awarded in 2019.
The internship program is a great opportunity for students seeking careers in firefighting and emergency medical services. Several student firefighters will intern […]
The City of Jacksonville is currently recruiting volunteers to serve on a five-member Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) to review and edit proposed revisions to the Jacksonville Land Development Code with possible amendments to the Comprehensive Plan to ensure consistency between the documents.
The current Development Code is long overdue for an update. With inconsistencies that lead […]
Nobody wants to have a wildfire occur in their town, so several Jacksonville neighborhoods have become certified Firewise neighborhoods. Firewise USA is a nationwide program that teaches people how to adapt to wildfire and encourages neighbors to work together and […]
The City Council has selected Mike McClain to fill a vacancy on the City Council following the resignation of David Jesser. McClain has been actively involved in Jacksonville civic matters for several years and is the current Chair of the Budget Committee. He will be sworn into office at the next meeting and […]
The fact that our town is bordered on two sides by forest makes it somewhat vulnerable to wildfire. Much of the forested lands on the south side of town are intermingled with homes. Those homes are more susceptible to damage by fire…and because of that can be made safer by creating defensible zones around them.
Community Involvement is an important value for the City of Jacksonville. Recently, the City established a Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC), a five-member group of Jacksonville citizens, to review and to draft possible changes to Chapter One of the Comprehensive Plan, Citizen […]
We cannot fund our critical police service using an inconsistent flow of revenue. Based on flawed comparisons between Jacksonville and Ashland, the authors […]
On May 29, 1973, former Gov. Tom McCall signed into law SB 100. This landmark legislation moved Oregon into the vanguard of growth management efforts and put into motion the creation and adoption of statewide planning goals to govern the development of local comprehensive land use plans. The first of Oregon’s nineteen statewide planning goals […]
Why does the City need money?
Under Measures 5 and 50, the City has the second lowest property tax rate in Jackson County-$1.84 per thousand assessed value. Because our police services are using up most of our property tax revenues, we need to find other ways of paying for our police protection without sacrificing other City […]
I am Donna Bowen, native Oregonian and resident of Jacksonville since 2008. I was a Vice President of Operations for various Brokerage firms including A.G. Edwards and Shearson, Lehman, Hutton, and American Express before retirement. I have also been a small business owner and until a few years ago, raised […]
RESOLUTION NO. R2018-010 – A RESOLUTION OPPOSING BALLOT MEASURE 15-180
WHEREAS, the Jacksonville City Council finds:
This is the first in a series of columns that add some detail to the decision by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and Business Association to oppose the proposed Meals Tax. It focuses on the City Council’s decision to implement a surcharge to help pay for police services rather than other funding options.
First, we want […]
