Cathy Witt and Rosebud enjoy a sunny fall day outside her 117-square-foot trailer home. The Pilot/Steve Kadel

Cathy Witt is happy making a small footprint on the Earth. 

Mo O’Leary appreciates the freedom.

GOLD BEACH - Organizers for Oregon Consensus at Portland State University are expected to be in Curry County soon to help county commissioners form a Citizens’ Committee to help the county find ways to head off the financial crisis forecast for the coming year.

“They have already given us a verbal commitment. They are working on an agreement,” Commissioner Bill Waddle said Tuesday.

GOLD BEACH – Transition of services from a county department to the Coastal Home Health & Hospice has gone well for patients, staff, and volunteers alike, officials of the nonprofit home care agency report four months after the change took place.

“It was a major undertaking,” Executive Director Lori Kent said. “Our long-term strategic planning of the transition was essential and is contributing to the success.”  

GOLD BEACH – Curry County Assessor Jim Kolen has called a meeting of county elected officials for this afternoon (Nov. 2) asking for their opinions on what those officials can do to help the county out of its budget crisis.

“I called the meeting to discuss what we can do to help, what do we need to know,” Kolen said Tuesday.

A public hearing on the proposed Riverside Academy Charter School will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Brookings-Harbor High School auditorium.

Community members will have a chance to voice their support or opposition for the school. A sign-up sheet will be available for those who wish to speak.

Local residents strongly supported banning future mining along the Chetco River during a forum Wednesday afternoon at the Best Western Inn.

The session, hosted by the U.S. Forest Service, was intended for testimony on a proposal to prohibit mining near the river for five years ­– with the possible exception of existing claims.

Thirteen people testified in favor of the ban. No one spoke against it.

Backers of a proposed aquatic center in Brookings Harbor hope the facility can be built three to five years after they raise enough money for a feasibility study.

That’s the timetable outlined Tuesday by Juliane Leighton, chairwoman of the nonprofit Friends of the Brookings-Harbor Aquatic Center.

She briefed local residents during a forum on the center’s progress, held at Chetco Community Public Library. Leighton emphasized that detailed planning, in the form of a feasibility study, is needed to make the venture financially sustainable.

The city of Brookings has taken another step toward making its parks smoke-free.

Parks and Recreation Commission members Thursday asked City Manager Gary Milliman to present a proposed amendment banning smoking in city parks for consideration at next month’s commission meeting.

If approved by the advisory group, it would go to the Brookings City Council for a final decision.

GOLD BEACH – An independent audit of Curry Health District found that it has lost approximately $1.5 million during the past two fiscal years, which could endanger the district’s ability to stay in business.

The audit results were presented to the district board of directors Wednesday.

“The District has incurred substantial operating losses during the years ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, which have been only partially offset by the receipt of property taxes, and used substantial amounts of working capital in its operations and experienced a decrease in net assets during the year ended June 30, 2011,” said the report presented by Steven A. Evans, a partner in the Delap LLP firm.

A proposal to begin charging Coos Curry Electric Cooperative a franchise fee is on hold while city officials study the status of all such fees in Brookings.

The possible fee on CCEC surfaced during Brookings City Council discussions earlier this month.

Most Oregon cities collect a franchise fee from their local electric utility, based on gross receipts. However, an agreement between the city and CCEC allows the utility to maintain a number of street lights in lieu of paying a franchise fee.