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Bill Currier Newsletter — September 14, 2026
Mayor Bill Currier • Adair Village Weekly Update • September 14, 2026
Dear Adair Village neighbors,
This week's update is really about how decisions get made, and how you can be part of them. On Thursday evening, our Planning Commission opens a public hearing on the street, sidewalk, and connectivity standards that will shape how this city grows for decades. And starting today, you may notice smoke rising to the south of us: that is a planned training burn, not a wildfire, and I want you to have the facts before the rumors start. Details on both below, plus some encouraging news from the regional economy.
🚨 Public Safety
🔹 Planned training burn near Bald Hill: The Oregon Department of Forestry is preparing a training burn of up to 40 acres of restored prairie at Greenbelt Land Trust's Bald Hill Farm property in Corvallis, with the weather window opening Monday, September 14. Fire personnel from the Corvallis and Philomath fire departments will train alongside ODF crews.
→ 💡 What this means: A prescribed burn is nothing like a wildfire. Professionals set the "prescription" in advance, covering wind, humidity, fuel moisture, and smoke management, and crews do not light anything unless conditions match it. So if you see smoke toward Corvallis this week, check before you worry.
→ 🗣️ My take: Training like this is exactly how fire crews stay sharp for the real thing, and every household in Adair Village benefits when the crews nearest to us have that experience. I am glad to see it happening in a controlled, well-planned way.
🔹 Get city alerts straight to your phone: In a fast-moving situation, minutes matter. If you have not opted in yet, text AVEMERGENCY to 91896 for emergency notifications, AVWATER for water updates, and AVEVENTS for community events. It takes about thirty seconds, and it is the fastest way we have to reach you.
👉 Sign up for TextMyGov alerts
💼 Economic Development
🔹 A downtown playbook worth studying: Last week, the Downtown Corvallis Organization presented its annual report to the Corvallis City Council, and the numbers were impressive: more than 15 community events over the year, evening Friday Lights gatherings drawing hundreds at a time, and a holiday parade that brought roughly 2,500 people downtown. Why does a Corvallis report matter here? Because as we work toward our own town square and a stronger local business base, this is proof that consistent programming and volunteer energy can transform a commercial district. That is the kind of gathering-place economy I want us building toward.
👉 Read the downtown report story
🔹 PacWave is officially open: After more than 15 years of work, Oregon State University's PacWave South facility near Newport is up and running as the first pre-permitted, grid-connected wave energy test site in the country, backed primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy. Innovation investments like this strengthen the entire mid-valley economy, from research jobs to the contractors and suppliers who support them. We are lucky to sit this close to it.
👉 Read about the PacWave opening
🏘️ Community Development
🔹 Public hearing this Thursday on our transportation code (DCA-26-01): The Adair Village Planning Commission holds a legislative public hearing this Thursday, September 17, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 6030 NE William R. Carr Avenue. On the table: amendments to our Development Code that put the City's adopted Transportation System Plan into enforceable standards, covering street design, access management, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, neighborhood connectivity, and mobility requirements. The changes apply citywide and are not tied to any single property.
→ 💡 What this means: Think of the Transportation System Plan as our long-range roadmap for streets, sidewalks, and bike routes. These amendments write that roadmap into the rulebook, so that when new development comes, it is built to the standards we chose rather than the standards a developer prefers.
→ 🗣️ My take: Roads and sidewalks get built once and used for generations. If we want a genuine range of housing options in Adair Village, and utilities and streets that can handle the growth we know is coming, the connections between neighborhoods have to be planned before the first foundation is poured. This is the unglamorous work that determines whether growth serves us or strains us, and I would rather we get it right now than pay to fix it later.
→ ➡️ What happens next: The Planning Commission will make a recommendation, and the City Council will hold its own public hearing on Tuesday, October 6, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. You can testify at either hearing, or submit written comments before or at each one. Your voice genuinely shapes the outcome here.
👉 Read the hearing notice (PDF)
👉 Review the Commission packet (PDF)
📅 Dates & Community Moments
🔹 25 years since September 11: This past Friday marked a quarter century since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Before I held public office, I wore a police uniform, so this anniversary always lands close to home for me. Take a moment this week to thank the firefighters, medics, dispatchers, and officers who serve our corner of Benton County.
🔹 A nod to Labor Day: Our week opened with Labor Day on Monday, September 7. To everyone whose work keeps this city running, from public works crews to small business owners: thank you.
🔹 Looking for something to do? The Corvallis Advocate's weekly calendar runs Friday to Friday and is packed with nearby happenings, from museum exhibits to live music.
👉 Browse this week's local events calendar
🤝 In Closing
If you do one civic thing this week, make it Thursday at 6:00 p.m. Hearings about street standards will never draw a crowd the way a ribbon cutting does, but they matter more. Come share your perspective, or send written comments if you cannot attend. And as always, City Hall is here for you at 541-745-5507, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thank you for reading, and for caring about where this community is headed.
Bill Currier
Mayor, City of Adair Village
