Local Government

The fees will increase the costs of different types of building permits, as well as the cost of electrical, plumbing, and other types of construction fees in hopes of helping the county close a deficit in its land management department.

The Eugene City Council is still pursuing a potential replacement to the embattled fire fee in the face of widespread budget cuts.

In an announcement Wednesday, Greenhill Humane Society, which has a contract to provide those services for Eugene, said defunding will create serious animal safety issues.

The county had to close a $6.3 million dollar gap. To do that - officials could eliminate roughly 80 jobs across a few departments. About 75% of those jobs are vacant positions.

Lane County’s top law enforcement official Sheriff Cliff Harrold is resigning mid-term to take a senior security position at PeaceHealth.

Eugene's current budget would close the downtown library 2 days a week, end the city’s contract with Greenhill Humane Society, and close the Amazon Pool and Sheldon Community Center in the fall.

A Lane County food waste and recycling project has hit a few setbacks: The county’s building permit was rejected and one trash company has diverted thousands of tons of garbage and revenue, to its own landfill.

After weeks of public calls for action, Lane County Commissioners passed a resolution Tuesday promising to welcome and protect all county residents, especially those who are marginalized.

In the next few weeks, Eugene City Council could consider an alternative to the fire fee in hopes of avoiding a budget crisis and a divisive election.

Lane County will soon decide whether to increase building fees by about 21% over the next three years in hopes of closing a budget gap in the county's land management division.

One week after she was removed as Waldport’s mayor, Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies cited Heide Lambert for disorderly conduct Thursday when she came to a city council meeting and refused to leave the seat normally occupied by the city’s top elected official.

The Eugene City Council is considering whether to move the date of the upcoming fire fee referendum, try some other alternative, or let the election proceed as scheduled.