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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us January 5, 2005 New council sworn in By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings In the wake of south Asia's tsunami disaster, Ashland's new Mayor John Morrison asked residents to reflect on how tenuous life can be and to be grateful to live in Ashland. Ashland's new mayor John Morrison takes his oath of office Tuesday night from city recorder Barbara Christensen. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings His remarks came Tuesday night during the annual State of the City Address, which traditionally starts the Ashland City Council's first meeting of the new year. Morrison said "that terrible disaster in Asia provides us with an opportunity for perspective - that no matter how bad our problems may appear, they pale in comparison to what the children, women and men of those faraway Asian shores have gone through. It is my sincere wish that as we face the inevitable irritations and frustrations of day-to-day living in the coming year, we keep our good fortune in mind as well, our good fortune to be living in such a blessed place as Ashland." He went on to list the accomplishments of the city government during 2004. Ashland Fire & Rescue won sizable grants to prepare a wildfire evacuation plan, improve emergency communications, help landowners reduce wildfire risk on their property and build a trailer-mounted house to teach children fire safety. Department staff also helped craft a wildfire risk reduction proposal for U.S. Forest Service land in the Ashland Watershed and guided a 183-acre helicopter thinning project on city land in the lower watershed. The police department solved three homicides and two bank robberies. On the affordable housing front, the city added 19 new affordable housing units in 2004 and is working with nonprofit agencies to provide additional affordable housing. The city council passed a minimum density rule for multifamily zones to promote the construction of apartments, and hopes to develop 10 affordable housing units above a public parking lot. A total of 278 households saw reduced electricity bills because of the Ashland Low Income Energy Assistance Program. The city has implemented many of the recommendations of a consulting firm to make the Ashland Fiber Network financially stronger. Residents also saw an electric rate reduction. The Public Works Department improved its maintenance programs for sewers, storm drains and streets, among other accomplishments. The reconstruction of Siskiyou Boulevard and Ashland Street also was completed. Among its many activities for this year, the city will replace 1909 water transmission lines, begin designing an extension to the bike path along the railroad, continue planning the Talent-Ashland-Phoenix water pipeline, face increasingly strict sewage effluent temperature standards, work to improve railroad crossing safety and begin early negotiations with three labor unions representing city staff so that contracts can be signed before the budget is set. In other business, new Councilors Russ Silbiger and Jack Hardesty were sworn into office, along with Councilor Cate Hartzell, who won reelection, and Ashland Parks and Recreation Commissioner Jim Lewis, who also won reelection. Parks Commissioner JoAnne Eggers was not present to be sworn in but will be sworn in by the city recorder at a later time. The council heard from residents Philip Lang and Art Bullock, who said the council and city government need to be more open to citizens; approved a supplemental budget; amended the tree ordinance and dedicated donated property for open space needs. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's & Men's Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress afsa studentloans home equity loans teleconferencing W2 Forms fasa student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation wholesale diamonds Currancy Exchange web conferencing Online Casinos Community Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams