Thank goodness citizens are taking notice of the sorry public money investment practices that seem to pervade Coos County. Someone is making money but it isn’t the taxpayer.
I have two questions, but first some background on why I have these questions.
The history of America is such that when people wanted to start a business they gathered the money and/or supporters, got the necessary permits and started their business.
Not so here in Coos County.
When Northwest Natural wanted to start their business here and lay their 12″ pipeline, the state legislature provided $4 million of our tax dollars ( 2 years before we knew of the project ). Then 2 years later our Commissioners convinced a majority of voters to place a $50+ Million bond against property owners for 20 years for the N.W. Natural project. Furthur the state legislators , under HB 3046, in 2007 forgave them their property taxes. The land owners whose property they took got no such consideration. To date I do not believe the tax payers have received any compensation and only minimal jobs.
When The Jordon Cove people wanted to start their LNG project our tax dollars, throuogh the Port of Coos Bay Commission, were used to obtain a contract with Weyerhaeuser. When they needed to exchange the wetlands on the site for another wetlands the Port of Coos Bay Commission, and the county Commissioners again came into play with legislation, and tax dollars.. They re-zoned Kentuck golf course.. Additionally, being in an enterprise zone they will be forgiven property taxes for 3 years.
Now Oregon Resources Corp., another foreign company, wants to do business with Weyerhaeuser in strip mining for chromite. Again our tax dollars are being used to make it possible. Our Commissioners plan on spending $1 Million+ of our tax dollars over 2+ years to re-do W. Beaver Hill Road so ORC can run their trucks 24/7 for 20+ years on a route presently called ‘scenic’. In 2009 the State and the county Commissioners forgave them their Corporate taxes for 10 years. They are also in an enterprise zone.
This seems to be only the tip of the iceberg.
My questions are: 1. How much money has the Northwest Natural 12″ pipeline netted to the citizens of Coos County & Oregon to date? 2. Are the county Commissioners going to again raise the citizens’ property taxes to the full extent under law or are they going to be considerate of our hard times and hold the line where it is??
Jaye Bell
Time to start hammering the questions but more importantly, demanding the answers. Some of our county commissioners, Kevin Stufflebean in particular, are not good at answering questions.
My house is almost equal distance, oh, 20 to 30 feet from one line on one street and another line on another street where I could obtain service. With the current tech. of being able to drill under ground horizontally and have the end of the drill come out where you wanted is nice, expensive. There were actually three ways to get to my house, two from the one location and one from the other. They involved being able to cross from one street, via. a pre-existing utility right away, including permission from the land owner who that right away served.
Of the three, a City street, not vacated, but not a street either, but there on the map could be used to make the cross over from the other block to my block, but across the street, and not in front of my house, but about 80 to 100 feet north.
I would not be charged for the cross over from the other block to my block. Problem, one on my block there were only two houses, to be served. They had to run the line South, once on my block, to in front of my house, bore under the street to my side and then service both houses on my side of the street. They would not do that unless they could service both houses.
So, they would bring the line and set meters for both house in one location on my side of the street, at the lot line between both lots, so the one meter set, could serve both houses.
That would cost me $8500.00. Then I had to install at least a hot water heater and heater in both houses. That includes running either two separate lines per appliance, or a large enough line for the gas volume of both appliances with a Y to each appliance. The per foot cost per pipe cost for the feeder line is a lot. The gas line can cost more than an appliance.
Short story, for the feeder line, both houses, for appliance, and labor, including the $8500.00 would have been between $15,000 to $18,000, The pellet stoves still work fine, and I get to pump iron each summer delivering pellets to the house each time I bring bags into the stoves. I am better off.
Thanks, Den, I didn’t know all that. Of course, like so many here, I live one block too far to get gas service so how could I know.
Yes, and some one, some where let NW decide there business model to do business in our County. If you want to hook up to the natural gas, it has to be two appliances, one a hot water appliance. Not two heater, but one a hot water heater. The hot water heater is the most costly to change out for the customer. The government gets permits, the contractors get paid for permit service.
In addition NW was not required to keep service persons here in the County. They pull them, and as a year ago, it may have changed, to get service from NW, you had to make an appointment. That was three business days out.
Another, smell gas, don’t call NW, call the fire department, because they don’t have anyone here to come out, If there is problem, the fire department shuts off the gas, you either call NW, who may come in three days, and tell you that some part has to be replaced in your appliance, thus you then have to call a local gas license contractor to repair it or an out of town company. Then wait a week or more for them to show up for the repair. So with your two appliances, your either out of heat or hot water for a week or more.
Never happens with electric or propane.
The County agreed to the contract to let them do business here, now ORC wants to do business here and the County Commissioners are the ones who are going to let them, who is in charge, who’s business model is it. Look what has happened already to facilitate ORC to do business here, were doing our road for them, what else are the Commissioners planning on giving away?