Park bid chosen, field officially renamed

On Aug. 14, the Cave Junction City Council gathered for their monthly meeting at City Hall. There were many updates concerning community projects, chief among them were two decisions that council members made regarding Jubilee Park.
Local company Harvey’s Construction and Jacksonville-based Par-a-dice Contracting presented their bids to the city for the splash pad and playground renovation project at Jubilee Park, with Harvey’s quoting a price of $139,000, and Par-a-dice quoting approximately $174,000. The city recommended Harvey’s Construction, due to both the reduced cost and the promise of 24-hour security that the owner of the company told the city would be provided until the project’s completion. Ultimately the choice belonged to the council, who sided with the city and gave the project to Harvey’s Construction with a vote of 4-1 with Jean Ann Miles voting no vote.
Parks and Recreation Commission Chair John Miles mentioned shortly thereafter that the groundbreaking ceremony for the new additions to the park will take place Sept. 2 at 11 a.m..
The second decision about Jubilee Park was less formal and more heartfelt. Roger Brandt, a longtime community member known for his many contributions to the youth of the Illinois Valley, was called to the front of the room by Mayor Martell. Earlier this year, there had been a ceremony to honor Brandt and rename the Jubilee Park Field in his honor. As Brandt stood before the city council during the meeting, an official proclamation was read, cementing the name change.
In a short but emotional speech, Brandt recounted how he had been surprised at the gathering earlier this year, telling the council that having the field named after him is “a humbling experience, especially knowing how many others have volunteered to help the Little League,” adding that in his mind he “still has a long way to go to earn it.”
During the Public Works update, Director Alex Ponder informed the council that although the progress on the Rockydale well project has encountered some hurdles, it is slowly progressing.
Teresa Stover updated the council on the coming library renovations, explaining that the project is now up for bid, but that the board and city will need to determine “whether the low bidder is appropriate for us.”
While Stover is hopeful that a contract could be signed as early as September, she did remind the council that the project will take approximately 10 months to complete, and in that time the library will still need to find ways to provide at least some of its services without a building to operate out of.
When the time came for public comments, Laura Mancuso, representative for nonprofit organization I.V. Living Solutions, came before the council to update them on the progress that IVLS has made in getting ready for transitional housing facility I.V. Hope Village. A trash cleanup day was held at the beginning of August at the property, and to the surprise of many participants, the area has stayed clean. Mancuso also emphasized that I.V. Hope Village may be setting a standard for the way that other rural communities approach the issue of houselessness, saying that “little Cave Junction is a role model now!”
As the meeting came to a close, Councilor Lane agreed that “it’s important to grab a hold of this momentum and go with it,” regarding all of the projects that the city is currently undertaking. This sentiment was one that seemed to be shared by the rest of the council.
The next city council meeting will be held Sept. 11, and community attendance is always encouraged.