Corvallis e-News | November 2023
In this issue: The Situation Table comes to Corvallis, fall leaf collection gets underway, and more!
(View this newsletter in your browser.)
Measure 2-141: Proposed Ballot Measure for the Library and Parks & Recreation
In November, Corvallis voters will have an opportunity to consider a proposed ballot measure which would continue the existing five-year operating levy that funds services in Parks & Recreation and at the Library, as well as the City’s annual social services grants. These two web pages include answers to some common questions about services that would be funded if the levy passes.
English: https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/community/page/proposed-ballot-measure-l...
Español: https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/community/page/medida-electoral-propuest...
Fall Leaf Collection Now Underway
The City’s Fall Leaf Collection Program is now underway and runs through the week of December 25. During this period, Republic Services will pick up leaf piles in the street once a week, generally on the same day as normal garbage collection.
The final leaf pickup for a property will be on its scheduled service day the week of December 25, 2023.
Community members are asked to help by following these simple guidelines to ensure a successful leaf collection program:
- Use your yard debris cart as the first choice for disposing of leaves.
- Only rake leaves into the street if you run out of room in your yard debris cart. Consider bagging your excess leaves and putting them in your cart the following week.
- If you need to rake leaves into the street, place them there in piles the evening before your scheduled leaf pick up day.
- Place leaf piles one foot from the curb to allow space for rainwater to runoff along the street curb line.
- Ensure that leaves do not block or cover catch basins or storm drains.
- Avoid parking vehicles near leaf piles, as Republic Services cannot collect leaves blocked by vehicles.
- Out of consideration for the bicycling public, please do not place leaves in bike lanes. For those of you who live adjacent to streets with bike lanes and no parking, this means using yard debris carts for leaf disposal. Contact Republic Services for additional options to handle the volume of leaves on your property.
The Fall Leaf Collection Program is the only time leaves may be deposited in piles in the street. Using blowers to scatter leaves into the street is not allowed at any time. Other debris, such as grass, branches, limbs, are strictly prohibited from being placed in the street at any time, and will not be picked up by Republic Services.
In conjunction with the Fall Leaf Collection Program, Public Works will expand its street sweeping to include both day and night shifts. Neighborhoods are scheduled to be swept once every two weeks. More information can be found here: https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/publicworks/page/leaf-collection
Community Partners Pilot New Training for High Risk Individuals in Benton County
Local service providers and law enforcement have teamed up to implement a new model aimed at coordinating efforts to support Benton County's highest risk individuals that present impending or significant danger oneself or others.
Representatives from social services, healthcare, and public safety (police, fire, and emergency medical services) came together for two days of initial training on the Situation Table approach. The training took place from October 19-20 at the Benton County Department of Human Services building in Corvallis.
"The Situation Table's goal is to offer solutions to individuals at high risk before situations escalate," stated Benton County Commissioner, Xan Augerot.
The Situation Table is a risk-based, rapid triage model that brings together various human service providers in the community for regular meetings to address situations where individuals or families are confronted with a specific threshold of Acutely Elevated Risk (AER). AER refers to situations that have a detrimental impact on an individual, family, group, or location, where there is a high likelihood of imminent and substantial harm to oneself or others.
The Situation Table aims to help those who often face the highest levels of risk in the community and who tend to fall through the cracks in the system. The model's objective is to bring together multiple agencies in a holistic manner to assist those in need at a pre-incident level. Sometimes a single agency can address one of the individual's issues but may not be able to solve the whole problem. A case brought before the Situation Table would offer a more comprehensive approach from multiple agencies to individuals in crisis.
City, OSU Partner on Monroe Avenue Corridor Study
The City of Corvallis and Oregon State University are partnering to develop a vision for how Monroe Avenue between 14th and 26th Streets could better accommodate travelers by all modes while enhancing opportunities for connections between the community, University, and adjacent land uses.
In late November, our public involvement process will provide an online mapping tool and project survey for the community to provide feedback on the corridor and an initial set of corridor concepts we want to share. We invite all interested parties to participate in this activity and share their thoughts.
The survey and mapping tool will be available through the City’s web page at www.corvallisoregon.gov/monroeave, so check in late November and give us your feedback. If you would like to be notified when the survey and mapping tool are available, please email monroeave@corvallisoregon.gov and we will let you know.
Government Comment Corner at the Library!
Meet your local government officials and chat about whatever's on your mind at Government Comment Corner. Each two-hour session takes place at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon each Saturday. A rotating cast of elected leaders from Corvallis and Benton County will be available for open, honest, one-on-one conversations with anyone who wants to stop by. Bring your questions about city services, and learn more about how to volunteer and get involved!
Here's the schedule (subject to change):
| Date | Name |
|---|---|
| November 4, 2023 | Laurie Chaplen |
| November 18, 2023 | Paul Shaffer |
| December 2, 2023 | Hyatt Lytle |
| December 16, 2023 | Charlyn Ellis |
Strategic Operational Plan Monthly Update
The Corvallis City Council receives regular updates on the current Strategic Operational Plan (SOP) throughout the year. The SOP contains many long-term objectives, with metrics measured in months or even years, so it is important to collect these updates in a periodic communications tool to help the Council and public engage with municipal services.
These updates are an opportunity for the public to gain some insight into the SOP. Monthly SOP updates are available on the City website.
Click here for the SOP Monthly Update for October.
What's New at the Library this Month?
- Storytime: 10:30am Tuesday-Friday, Main Meeting Room . Tuesdays: Infant, Wednesdays: Toddler, Thursdays: Preschool, Fridays, Family. Drop in.
- Free Employment Help: 1st Wednesdays, 10am-noon, 2nd Floor Classroom, drop-in. Job-seekers can drop in to meet with an Employment Specialist from Worksource Oregon.
- Tech Help Lab: 1st and 3rd Wednesday, 2nd floor Classroom, Drop in for free, basic, one-on-one tech help from a library staff member. Bring your computer or device or use one of ours
- Día de los Muertos - Movie Screening: Coco: November 3, 4-6pm, Main Meeting Room. Movie and snacks!
- Search the Internet Like a Pro: November 4, 11am, 2nd Floor Classroom. Learn strategies for finding information you can't find in a typical Google search. Discover new online resources and learn advanced searching methods.
- Bob Welch: Seven Summers (And a Few Bummers): November 7, 5:30pm, Main Meeting Room Bob Welch presents his new book Seven Summers (And a Few Bummers): My Adventures Hiking the 2,650-Mile PCT.
- Random Review: November 8 , 12-1pm, Main Meeting Room . Dr. Mark Edwards, reviews Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond. In person only, no registration required.
- Coral Reef Community Art Collab: November 18, 2-4pm, Main Meeting Room. Artistic Coral Reef Community Art Display. Feel free to create coral reef components out of easily portable fiber, paper, or upcycled materials, then drop your items off at the Library!
- Get a Library Card: Sign up for a library card and get access to all services and materials including placing holds on materials, downloadable books, audiobooks, magazines, streaming movies and more!
- Home Delivery Service: Get your holds delivered to you! Delivery is available to patrons with current library cards who live within the library service district.
- Books & More from Home: Read ebooks, download audiobooks and magazines, or watch streaming video all from the comfort of your home with your library card!
- Library Newsletter: Want to get monthly updates, upcoming events, and other library news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our email newsletter!
