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As 2025 closes, I reflect on the pride I have in my fellow coworkers within Lane County Parks and the Public Works Department. I have witnessed the extraordinary teamwork, trust, and collaboration that fueled a year of unparalleled accomplishments. Each success required a shared passion for fulfilling our promise to the voters of Lane County. We are now almost two-thirds of the way through a five-year investment that is building a foundation for a sustainable park system.
First, I begin with Ed Lutz, who has exceeded expectations as he stepped into a challenging new leadership role and built a team of loyal and dedicated field staff responsible for keeping our parks safe, vibrant, and accessible no matter the weather or unexpected disruptions. Under his leadership, the maintenance staff demonstrated their talent and ingenuity by rebuilding boat docks, ramps, and pedestrian bridges at Baker Bay, Blue Mountain, Orchard Point, Perkins Peninsula, and Richardson parks.
Additionally, I watched in amazement as a small team consisting of Karen Noel, Kam Moyer, and Rachel Parker refurbished a playground at Orchard Point that was faded and falling apart. The project involved repainting and refurnishing a play structure installed over 40 years ago with new equipment and paint. The result was a completely transformed playground that looks as though it was built from the ground up in 2025! Picnic tables, too many to accurately count, were replaced throughout the park system.
Within our coastal parks alone, a total of 120 tables were replaced and rebuilt by a crew led by Dan Anderson, who utilized the expertise of Lyle Edelman to plane, sand, and stain 450 table boards.
Field crews led by Andee Conrad collaborated with the Roads Division to improve the east parking lot at Howard Buford Park by first removing an enormous patch of blackberries, then shoveling and spreading gravel before supervising the placement of paved ADA parking and wheel stops.
The natural areas program led by the brilliant Ed Alverson teamed with the Friends of Buford Park to complete two successful prescribed burns at Howard Buford Park. The prescribed fire not only benefited the park but allowed Rachel Parker and Randy Gilbert to continue their specialized training alongside professional fire crews.
Engineering, project management, and contract administration were provided by the County’s Engineering & Construction Services Division (ECS) for parking lot reconstruction and restroom replacement at Armitage, Baker Bay, Camp Lane, Harbor Vista, Heceta Beach, Hendricks Bridge, Howard Buford, North Jetty, and Richardson parks. The County’s Roads Division and ECS provided engineering, surveying, and labor to resurface, crack seal, and restripe parking lots at Baker Bay, Orchard Point, Perkins Peninsula, and Richardson.
Memorial benches installed at Howard Buford Park were creatively designed by the County’s Landscape Architect, Rebecca Shepard.
Rebecca was involved in the planning and permitting of numerous projects including the covered pavilion at Eagle Rock Park that was completed this past November.
I am tremendously grateful for Steve Rafuse, who was hired as the Parks Superintendent after the passage of the levy. Steve excelled in the impossible task of leading the park operations/maintenance team while balancing the management of the litany of levy projects. He is not only a great leader but a better person.
Teamwork and communication were on full display within the Parks Division from the tremendous customer service and office administration provided by Kylee Tupes and Amelia Ancke to the diligent contract administration from Sara Harris. Office leadership, innovative thinking, and timely wisdom were provided by Bjorn Carlson.
Laura Linn excelled this past year in her many roles as the volunteer coordinator, grant writer, newsletter publisher, website designer, and public information provider.
Lastly, over the course of a little over a year, the two-person super team of Brad van Appel and Tara King have transformed the campground operations program that was in complete disarray. Those two have worked tirelessly to reinvigorate our campgrounds by hiring quality caretakers and hosts all the while maintaining extraordinary communication and cohesion within the program.
With gratitude,
Brett Henry | Division Manager
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