The troubled town of Oakridge will need to take out a $500,000 loan to pay its bills.
The troubled town of Oakridge will need to take out a $500,000 loan to pay its bills.
The former timber town has struggled with high unemployment for decades. Its most recent troubles involve a dwindling cash supply for city government. A recent meeting discussing a recall effort featured emotional theatrics.
Supporters of the four targeted councilors and those who spoke out against them enjoyed sporadic bursts of applause from those in the audience of more than 100. One recall proponent, Eugene Welsh, nearly found himself thrown out of the meeting when he got up and took to the microphone after the time for public comment had ended.
Mayor Don Hampton — one of the four city councilors targeted for recall — ordered Welsh to sit down. When he refused, Hampton asked one of the Oakridge police officers in attendance to escort him out. Welsh then took his seat and was allowed to stay.
Read more in the Register Guard.
