Lakeside Councilor Mack Eubanks

Mack Eubanks

To the citizens of Lakeside,

I have served on the Lakeside city council the past 3 years through the good and bad. Recently, I’ve been contacted by citizens with their concerns printed in the North County News, and rumors flying around town about council business. I may have some history that will be of interest about recent allegations.

In regards to the senior center:

April 2007- The mayor apparently mentioned to a few people (not me or a few of the then seated council) that the seniors would not have to pay any more rent.

The seniors receive $150 a month from the South Coast Business Employment Association to pay toward the monthly rent for the community center space and kitchen upgrades (which to date have cost the city several thousand dollars.

However, this was never brought before the council nor was there a vote to eliminate the Senior Center rental agreement.

May 2009- With a projected income significantly less than previous years the seven member budget committee and the City Council, including the Mayor, agreed to include a small fee to cover utilities at the Senior Center.

The Senior Center is asked to pay the remaining $ 91.67, a little over $1.00 per month for each of the 80 participants.

The Mayor did not challenge this budget item during the budget process, nor has the council ever considered moving the seniors out of the Senior Center (or eliminating the lunch program as has been rumored).

To my knowledge, there is no Senior Center in Coos or Douglas County  that receives utility free usage of a public facility for an ongoing program.

In our city, which has no tax base, it would be irresponsible to not ask the Senior Center program to share the programs cost.  Yet, the management of the Senior Center program is outraged and is using this to launch a recall of the recently elected Council members.

In regards to the Waste Water Treatment Plant:

There has been much open discussion of one employees work as the Waste Water Treatment Plant mechanic/supervisor position here in Lakeside.

In my opinion, this employee has done a fine job getting the plant in good mechanical shape. The issue is Department of Environmental Quality compliance and is not a personal attack on this employees’ work.

The City of Lakeside received a letter from DEQ stating our plant must be supervised at all times by a Class 3 Operator or face several thousands of dollars in fines.

It is a 7-year process to receive the Class 3 certification. This employee does not have the basic certification, therefore the Council followed lawful procedures conducting a search for applicants with the required credentials.

A very qualified operator applied and has been hired to supervise our waste water treatment plant. No one person, the mayor or a council member, can hire or fire. Oregon law defines procedures for city government hiring practices. The laws were followed!

This employee is an asset to the plant. This new hire will bring the city into DEQ compliance, save your tax dollars… and maybe even shift some of the workload that has kept this employee from using built up comp time.

This whole mess could have been avoided if the previous council had taken the time to look into the laws governing the running of a sewer plant and followed DEQ regulations.

This may have saved a very qualified mechanic and a hard working man all this aggravation.

Among the good things I’ve proudly helped happen:

As your council representative I’ve help start the Parks Advisory Committee and the community garden which now has 22 raised vegetable beds for Lakeside.

I’ve worked towards city beautification with flowerbeds, xmas trees and a new playground.

I support the Salmon Trout Enhancement Program, Crawdad Festival, Boat Races and the July Fourth celebration.

The mayor and council members are taking things too personal, with attacks on each other. Let’s just get along and run only city business.

At your service,

Mack Eubanks
Lakeside City Council Member