
Lane County Board of Commissioners during the October 15, 2024, hearing.
By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor — Will it end here? If so, what will be the outcome? A new (partially) board of Lane County Commissioners will, maybe or maybe not, decide the fate of Oakridge’s future, literally, from their dais in the heart of downtown Eugene on Tuesday, at 1:30 p.m., January 28.
None of the commissioners live in Oakridge. How convenient to be able to pass judgement on a city’s fate when none of the effects of your decision will be felt from the fifty-odd-mile stretch of Highway 58 that lies between Eugene and Oakridge.
It’s been a contentious battle to say the least. An eight-year-plus battle, at that. Let’s try to imagine a fair and impartial commission that has heard testimony from no less than close to a hundred residents from Oakridge. These residents have vehemently opposed the approval of Ed King’s proposed rock crushing quarry that would sit atop a local mount that prominently overlooks the city of Oakridge.
In interviews, The Herald has yet to find a single person, in or around Oakridge, who is in favor of the rock crushing operation.
Yet, despite the flood of testimonials from both Oakridge residents and city government officials decrying the devasting effect that the quarry will have on our environment, the commissioners have dragged their feet on committing to a decision as to whether or not to approve the application. Their reasoning – we need more testimony from the applicant. Eight years and the applicant still needs more time? Come on folks, really?
It’s no secret that everyone who’s been involved with this process knows that Ed King routinely donates large sums of money to support his candidates for county commissioners – several of whom are on the current board.
I imagine the meeting will be attended by another bus load of concerned Oakridgians.
Let’s hope that the Lane County Board of Commissioners have the strength to defy their deep pocket donor. They need to vote down the flawed application that has been so dismissive of the potential effects on a community that prides itself as a recreational mecca of lane County, if not of the State of Oregon.
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.