Wastewater District Files Go Missing

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BY FERGUS MCCLEAN/for The Herald — Multiple records from Dexter Sanitary District files were reported missing at the regular August District Board meeting Wednesday night. Board Chair Jage Bechtle reported the mysterious empty file folders discovered as she worked with District staff on the transition in bookkeeping after the sudden resignation of the District’s long-time District bookkeeper and supervisor.

Bechtle also reported multiple examples of people living in RVs within the District hooking up illegally to sewer lines- meaning their sewage could be going directly to the treatment plant next to Dexter Park instead of first passing through a septic tank.

The Board voted to support staff and Board members in attending a 4-hour class on writing a District Emergency Response Plan at the annual Summer Convention of the Special Districts Association of Oregon.

The Board Chair reported that, starting January 1, a new law passed by the legislature provides that any Special District Board member who fails to attend or be excused from three consecutive meetings will be removed from office. Several other laws coming out of the 2023 Oregon legislature will affect the rules under which the newly elected Board (and all other Special District Boards in Oregon) will be operating starting next January 1.

Next regular Board meeting is postponed to Sunday, September 10 at 5 PM at Dexter Fire Station’s public meeting room on Barbre Road.

George Custer

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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.

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