About Curry County, OR

Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of a home in the southern Oregon coastal village of Port Orford. So now you need to set up service accounts for utilities and other residential services. Here is a list of numbers that you will need:

1. Coos Curry Electric Co-Op ............... 541-332-3931
2. City Hall -Water & Sewer ................. 541-332-4251
3. Verizon Telephone & DSL ............... 800-483-4000
4. Curry Transfer - Trash & Recycling ... 800-826-9801
5. Port Orford Post Office ................... 541-332-4251
6. Port Orford Schools ........................ 541-348-2291
7. Port Orford Planning ...................... 541-332-4251
8. Curry County Planning ................... 541-247-3304
9. Sterling Bank ................................ 541-332-0187
10. Chetco Federal Credit Union ............ 541-332-3711

If you need information on where to get homeowners insurance, a building contractor, firewood, medical services you could contact me or you could just ask your neighbors, or just about anyone you meet at the post office or in town. It is pretty easy to learn your way around in our community. folks here are happy to help and we always have time to chat.

The county with the lowest average tax rate in the state of Oregon continues to be Curry County. Jim Kolen, County Assessor, reports that in the tax year 2006/2207 the county's average tax rate was $8.90 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. The statewide average was $15.20 per thousand. The county with the next lowest average tax rate was Josephine where the average tax rate was $9.50 per thousand. According to our Assessor, statewide the cost of county government averages approximately 17% of the property tax bill. In Curry County the cost averages 6.58% of our property tax bills.

Jim Kolen explained that in most of the counties in Oregon we do not pay taxes of the Real Market Value (RMV) of our properties. In 1996, when voters passed Measure 50 to place a limitation of property tax increases the counties were directed to roll back Assessed Values and then limited to increases of 3% per year. Property owners will only pay taxes on their RMV if it is lower than Measure 50 assessed value.

He explains that historically, Curry County's tax rates have remained low due to the ability to harvest timber lands in the county. When Federal Regulations restricted the harvest of these timber lands the Federal Government provided funds as compensation for lossed revenues to counties in Oregon and California (O&C). Up until recently the O & C funds have paid for the bulk of county services. However, the allocation of these funds is limited to 4 more years through year 2013 after which the voters of Curry County will have to determine the level of county services that they want and how much they are willing to pay for them.

There are changes ahead but the bottom line is Oregonian's do not like taxes

Like many who visit our beaches I enjoy clam bakes and cook outs with my beverage of choice on the beach with music and conversations by a bon fire that burns into the early hours of the morning. I don't scuba dive but the divers I've met here in Port Orford tell me it is one of their favorite places. Many have made it a yearly tradition and for those who are here on the 4th of July we have a spectacular display of fireworks at the Battle Rock Park beach.

One of the best trip reports I've seen was written after a 4th of July trip by Tony Mangefeste and posted to OregonScuba@egroups.com.

Tony signed up with Seasports boat charters from Springfield, OR. The Captain for this particular outing was John Cheeseman. Their destination was Port Orford, OR for dives at Redfish Rocks which are about 6 miles off shore and Island Rock which is about 14 miles off shore. On this trip Island Rock. Below is an excerpt from Tony's trip report about Island Rock.

"Max depth: very deep! 700'+

Most sea life: 100 feet and shallower. (you can see the shelf at 130 or so, I couldn't go that deep due do
my Nitrox mix at EAN30, but the vis and sunlight was penetrating even at 100 feet to not require a light!)

Life: Bull kelp, bottom kelp, kelp greenling, canary rockfish, lincod, other varieties of rockfish, sea urchins, anemones, dahlia anemonies, jellyfish, squid, cold-water coral, hermit crabs, dungeness crabs, mussels, oysters, octopus (I didn't see any, but I saw an empty lair), and one unidentified fish.

Water Temp: 41 degrees and cooler.

Current: Yes, definitely!

Tides: minimal

Surface: swells, very windy, offshore waves

I have never seen water that clear in the Pacific Northwest before. We anchored at 56' and once I entered the water, I could see the bottom! As a matter of fact, I was picking out rockfish on my decent! I did a spectacular dive with tons of fish life, hundreds of Sea Bass, some lincod, and a whole field of Giant Sea Urchin! (ouch) I made it to 111 feet, heard one of the other divers spearfishing, looked around, and I saw his silhouette above me. After the dive, I asked him how deep he was (he was the only one with flourescent green fins), and he said he never went deeper than 40', so you can do the math. I highly recommend that the club make a trip out there. We were there for 3 hours during a tide
exchange, and visibility never changed!"

I have heard many variations of this account but Tony said it best. A memory like this is yours for the taking when you visit Port Orford, OR.

In 2005 there were 27 Real Estate Agents working for 7 Real Estate Brokerages in our local market. Today there are 6 active agents working in the one and only remaining brokerage. The sales volume is down to 16 sales in the last 12 months. The sales agreements are fewer in number, more difficult to negotiate, and much more brittle than they were in the recent past. We have gone from Boom to Bust in 4 years and lost more than 75% of our R.E agents. Some the older agents have decided that it was time to retire. Some have left the state in search of opportunities in the few areas of our country that are growing inspite of our nation's problems. Others have found work locally in other industries. While a few have decided to go inactive until the market comes back. With the current forecast there is serious doubt that the local market can support the 6 remaining agents. Tough times are no stranger to folks in our town. We have survived forest fires, floods, and major contractions in the Timber Industry and the Fishing Industry. We, the remaining Realtors, understand that the road ahead will be difficult but we travel it with the hope for a better tomorrow and the knowledge that our hard work and our first rate customer service will sustain our brokerage and create tomorrow's opportunities. It comforts us to know that we can still help friends, neighbors, and members of our community sell their homes at the best price their properties can achieve in the current market; and it strengthens our resolve to help buyers find the right home at the right price with the best terms. We continue to volunteer our time in our coastal village and work with our neighbors to build a stronger, healthier, and more robust community. We have seen tough times before and we know that tough times don't last

Proper drainage of storm water and ground water is necessary to protect the integrity of your buildings and your cut slopes.

To appreciate the value of proper drainage it helps to understand the quantity of water draining from an average domestic home in the area of Port Orford. For perspective it also helps to compare that quantity of water to the average daily usage per household. The average yearly rainfall for Port Orford is 79 inches.

So to determine the quantity of water draining from an average home calculates the following:

1. Average annual rainfall is 79 inches = 6.6 ft
2. Average area in square feet = 1700 sf.
3. Cubic ft of water to drains 6.6*1700 = 11,220 cu. Ft.
4. The number of gallons of water in a cu. ft is
   7.48 gallons. To calculate the number of Gallons
   of water going into the drain multiply
   7.48*11,220 = 83,926 gallons total
5. Average daily water usage per household = 250 - 300/day
6. Average yearly water usage per household = 91,250 - 109,500 gallons/year

We drain household waste water into public sewers or into private septic systems but storm water runoff which can be as much as in volume or more and it is all to often improperly addressed. The daily volume going into drainage during our 9 month wet season is approximately 83,926 gal divided by 270 day.

83,926 gal. divided by 270 = 311 gallon avg. per day in drainage

This amount of water can cause serious integrity issues in your foundation and/or your cut slopes. Ask your realtor for the names of geotechnical engineers or soils engineers that can help you plan for proper siting and proper handling of your storm water drainage that will protect your investment without creating problems for your neighbors.