Report highlights regional progress
VENETA—Now that schools are out, everyone has a report card. And the Fern Ridge area is no exception.
The Fern Ridge Progress Board released its annual report June 19 as part of a community-wide effort to map out goals for the future. Those goals include replacing the city pool, installing a fiber optic telecommunications system, inviting business growth and fostering a spirit of community through volunteer partnerships.
The initial Fern Ridge Area Strategic Plan was written in 1996. In 2006, the strategic plan was updated, and the annual report gives an account of the progress made on the updated plan.
“It’s really about where the community is,” said City of Veneta Program Coordinator Stephania Fregosi. “A lot of great things are happening in Veneta.”
The board addressed progress in the areas of business development, infrastructure, quality of life and work force development, according to the report.
Progress Board member Tami Sakany coordinated efforts with the Fern Ridge Chamber of Commerce to set what she called “attainable goals” for the business development committee. Those goals are to develop a diverse local business community that can both meet local needs and attract outside dollars, according to the report.
“We were conscientious of setting goals we could meet,” she said. “If you’re not careful, you end up with unattainable benchmarks.”
Progress Board Chair Sharon Hobart-Hardin cited the opening of the chamber office as one of the major goals that has been met. Sakany said that the opening of the chamber office has made the Fern Ridge area more attractive to businesses.
“In the last 10 days, we’ve had eight businesses express interest in the area,” she said, adding that the chamber did most of the work on the business section of the plan. “We picked the chamber as the group who could make sure the plans got implemented.”
Sakany said she was pleased with the progress so far.
“The chamber’s done a pretty good job of meeting its goals to date,” she said. “I’m pretty happy with where we are as far as the business goals.”
But that doesn’t mean the organization is resting on its laurels. She said future goals for the business committee include drawing in new businesses that can help provide area residents with a living family wage. This is especially important, Sakany said, in light of the rising cost of commuting to work.
“People want to be able to live in a great community and work in a great community,” she said.
Sakany said, “The chamber is taking a proactive approach,” working on developing mentoring and partnerships to foster business growth and “not just waiting to see who comes knocking at our door.
“You certainly don’t want to pull back when the economy’s experiencing a dip,” she said. What it boils down to, she said, is this: “Are we going to be open for business, or partially open or closed? It’s the job of chamber and the city council and the business planning committee to make sure we’re seen as being open for business.”
“It’s our hope that we’re going to be very inviting,” she said.
According to the report, the Fern Ridge area has also made progress in infrastructure and work force development, in order to meet that hoped-for business growth. Two new city wells have come online, and the City of Veneta will have fiber optic lines laid beginning next year, Hobart-Hardin said.
According to the progress report, the city developed a contract with Comspan Communications of Roseburg to install a fiber optic telecommunications system to service the community beginning in the fall of 2009.
Hobart-Hardin said there is a ballot measure coming in November to help fund the new city pool.
“That was one of our goals,” she said. “I think that’s pretty exciting.”
Regarding goals met by the quality of life committee, Hobart-Hardin pointed to two community theater productions she called highly successful. In spring 2007, Applegate Regional Theater (ART, inc.) introduced community theater to Fern Ridge.
“They produced ‘Lumberjacks and Wedding Belles,’ which was excellent,” Hobart-Hardin said.
According to the report, the musical sold out at every performance. Producer Lu Krueger followed up this success with more sold-out performances of “The Wizard of Oz” by musical theater group Kaleidoscope, the report said.
“Both of those shows brought a lot to the community, because both utilized volunteers from the community,” said Hobart-Hardin.
Volunteers are an important part of the Fern Ridge Area Strategic Plan covered under “work force development”, the fourth area addressed in the strategic planning process. According to the report, the work force development group’s goals include developing volunteer opportunities for non-profit programs and essential services in order to connect local volunteers with community needs.
“We’ve got a lot of folks who’d love to volunteer but aren’t aware of the opportunities,” said Hobart-Hardin.
But the board reported some success on that front in 2007. Volunteers from Crow and Elmira high schools and muralist Joseph Collins partnered with Bi-Mart to paint Fern Ridge’s first community mural on the east wall of the Bi-Mart building, the report said. The mural is called “Wings and Wine” and features the new Fern Ridge Chamber of Commerce motto “Fern Ridge: Inspired by Nature.”
In January 2008, the work force development group hosted an event called “A Community Conversation” in order to have non-profits briefly present their needs and give citizens the opportunity to learn and participate. Hobart-Hardin said this year’s first major snowstorm impeded people’s ability to attend.
“We still had 68 people attend, which is a pretty good turnout,” she said.
Hobart-Hardin said that Fern Ridge Community Action Network will probably develop a volunteer coordinator pilot project in partnership with the Fern Ridge Community Action Network to bring together volunteers with opportunities and needs in the community.
“The most important thing about the report is the focus on collaboration, because that’s how things get done—that’s how projects come to life,” said Hobart-Hardin. “In a community this size, your resources are somewhat limited, so the more those resources can be shared, the greater the chances the community’s needs will be met. I think we’ve got a pretty bright future. The more people get involved, the brighter our future will be.”
The current board members are Ric Ingham, city administrator for Veneta; Heather Hill, from Lane County Fire District No. 1; Sharon Hobart-Hardin, Veneta City Council; Joan Mariner, of the Fern Ridge Community Action Network; and Tami Sakany, Fern Ridge Chamber of Commerce.