City e-News
October 24, 2025—Issue No. 8
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WATCH NOW! 3 Things to Know with City Manager Sabrina Cotta. Topics include:
- City Hall
- BPA Contract (Bonneville Power Administration)
- CEAP Incentives (Climate Energy Action Plan)
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City of Ashland Community Belonging & Welcoming Survey
Help shape a stronger, more inclusive Ashland! Take the anonymous Community Belonging & Welcoming Survey, your voice matters. Available online and at local events. We Are Better Together!
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The 2025 Fire Season has Ended
Widespread rain ends fire season in Jackson & Josephine counties, including Ashland, as of October 14. Open burn season is now allowed in Ashland through October 28. Apply today
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Controlled Burn Season is Here
Cooler, wet weather signals the start of controlled burn season in Southern Oregon. These prescribed fires reduce wildfire risk and support healthier forests near Ashland. Stay healthy when smoke is in the air! Learn more
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PedalPower Youth Bike Program
PedalPower returns to Ashland schools, bringing bike safety and skills training to every 4th and 5th grader during the 2025–2026 school year, thanks to strong community support.
| | | The City is Seeking Applicants for Audit & Budget Committees | | |
Municipal Audit Committee
Two Citizen Vacancies
The Municipal Audit Committee provides independent oversight of the City’s financial reporting and internal controls. Deadline to apply is October 31.
Additional information at ashlandoregon.gov/MunicipalAuditCommittee
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Citizens' Budget Committee
One Citizen Vacancy
The Citizens’ Budget Committee works with the City Council to review and recommend the City's biennial budget. Deadline to apply is November 14.
Additional information at
ashlandoregon.gov/CitizensBudgetCommittee
| | Pictured (front): Charisse Sydoriak, 2025 Ragland Award Recipient, with City Manager Sabrina Cotta. In the background, Mayor Tonya Graham looks on. | |
Join us at the 2026 Town Hall
Know someone making a difference in Ashland? Nominate them for the Ragland “Volunteer Spirit” Award by Nov 16! Honorees will be celebrated at the January 21, 2026, Town Hall Gathering.
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| Are you coming to the Town Hall Gathering 2026? | | Ashland High School Theatre on Mountain Avenue | | 01/21/26 5:30pm - 01/21/26 7:00pm US/Pacific | | We would love to see you in person but if you can't make it, the event will be broadcast by RVTV (Rogue Valley Community Television). | | | | |
Building Better Together
City Project Highlights
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Better Together, the Work of the City
Once again we are presenting our award-winning Better Together series through OLLI. The courses have been dubbed by OLLI participants as, "Civics 101!" In case you missed it, the presentations were recorded. Watch now
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Executive Summary of the Evac Drill
Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Wildfire Evacuation Drill in October 2025. More than 300 Ashland residents took part, and local agencies and community partners worked together seamlessly to make the event a success.
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STUDY SESSION
The November 3, 2025, highlights:
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REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING
November 4, 2025, highlights:
- Southern Oregon University Facilities Masterplan
| | | Stay informed and engaged with Ashland’s local government. The Public Meetings page, ashlandoregon.gov/PublicMeetings, provides easy access to City Council agendas and minutes, meeting schedules, public comment options, and information about commissions and committees. Explore archived City records, learn about Oregon’s public meeting laws, and more! | | |
Public Meetings at your fingertips! Did you know RVTV (Rogue Valley Television) has an APP? Stream meetings live or watch on-demand anywhere, anytime! Get the RVTV App on your desktop, mobile or TV streaming device. Enjoy fast access, captions and keyword search capability! More at ashlandoregon.gov/WatchMeeting.
| | Watch City Council, Parks Commission, Planning Commission and Budget/Finance public meetings. | | |
Interested in contacting a Commission or Committee?
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Office Hours for the City Council & City Manager
Meet your City Councilors and City Manager during regular office hours at City Hall to discuss issues, ask questions and share concerns.
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Curious about Something?
Just Ask!
Let curiosity be your guide! Submit your question and see what others in the community are curious about.
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Recent CURIOSITY questions include:
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There’s been a lot of discussion lately about pesticide and herbicide use in Ashland, can you clarify what’s actually true about how and when the City and Parks Commission use these products? See the answer
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When will the new CEAP (Climate Energy Action Plan) incentives passed by Council on October 21 take effect? See the answer
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Construction at the Electrical Substation on East Nevada Street
Upgrades to the PacifiCorp electrical substation on East Nevada Street began in September 2025.
As part of the ongoing work, fans powered by a generator will be operating 24/7 for the duration of the project. PacifiCorp is currently exploring sound-dampening solutions, as construction is anticipated to continue through mid-to-late December.
For questions or concerns about this project, please contact PacifiCorp directly.
Call: 888-221-7070
Email: customerservice@pacificorp.com
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RecycleOn Oregon!
Ashland just made recycling history. The first RecycleOn center/bin in the U.S. is now open, making it easier to recycle tricky items and shifting costs from residents to companies that produce packaging materials. Learn more.
For information on other Recycling programs in our area visit Recology Ashland.
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Thank you for reading our e-News!
If you know of a friend or family member who would like to receive it, they can sign up on our website, ashlandoregon.gov.
Stay Connected with the City
From the City Manager’s Report to live streams to emergency alerts, stay connected to all things Ashland, because we’re always Better Together, ashlandoregon.gov/StayConnected.
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