Gwen Barringer
IVN Contributing Writer
The Cave Junction City Council convened for their monthly meeting at City Hall Oct 14. Over the course of the meeting, the council received several important updates about progress that has been made on various community projects, and a resolution was signed that declared a local residence a nuisance.
Mayor Meadow Martell, Councilor Tina Casey Jones, and Councilor Jean Ann Miles were all physically present, with councilors Ethan Lane and Jesse Dugas attending via ZOOM video conference.
Council liaison updates were brief; with councilor Jones mentioning that the Parks and Recreation commission is working on budgeting, figuring out what projects to prioritize, and creating a new development plan for future improvements. Councilor Miles attended several different meetings, including the CEDC meeting, housing council meeting, and a meeting that was held by the local public safety coordination council. Mayor Martell mentioned that she had attended the final debriefing regarding the library renovation project, for which the council also received a very exciting update.
Teresa Stover, the library block grant administrator, addressed the council via ZOOM to announce that as of Sept. 30, the newly remodeled Cave Junction library had officially completed construction. The library has occupancy of the building again, and since Oct. 1 have been working on moving books, computers, and other necessities back into the building. Though the date had yet to be determined, Stover included that the library’s soft opening would be happening soon, with the grand opening set to take place Saturday, Nov. 9.
The council also heard another important update during the public comment portion of the meeting. I.V. Living Solutions Director Laura Mancuso informed the council that the community’s new transitional housing facility, I.V. HOPE Village, is now under construction, and the facility’s new opening date is tentatively set for March 2025. This announcement was well-received by the council, with many council members mentioning how happy they were to receive this long-awaited update.
The council also unanimously passed Resolution 951, which declares the property at 406 West Lister St. a nuisance. The property owners will be fined $1,000 a day by the city until the multiple municipal code violations related to dwellings, scattered rubbish, and offensive behavior are properly addressed.
The next city council meeting is at City Hall Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. These meetings are open to the public, and public attendance is encouraged.