Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
The Santiam Canyon Long Term Recovery Group, which has spearheaded community response to the 2020 wildfires, is seeking new quarters as well as tweaking its staffing and mission a bit.
Kevin Dial, the group’s recovery manager, told The Canyon Weekly that the Santiam disaster response team and the case management officials, who have been based at Anthony Hall in Sublimity, have been working in the location without a lease since September. Money from the state had been paying for the lease.
Dial said “no new home for that team has been secured. They are still working out of the modular trailers at that location.”
Dial said they hope to move soon but that no site has been located.
The recovery group has closed more than 250 cases for families whose homes were destroyed. They have now returned to permanent housing. The group now has less than 100 cases left. The declining caseload has led to some structural and personnel changes.
“I was on full-time until the beginning of October, at which time I transitioned to part-time as needed/requested by the case management team,” Dial said. “I will still be doing work with Marion County for grant packets, volunteer work, events, assistance and general help. I have moved most of my time over to the United Way, which has agreed to let me keep working for the SCLTRG and the disaster team when they call.”
Dial said that the case management staff will move from three individuals to two when the case load reaches the 70 range.
“They would love to have zero cases and everyone home, but I think it will still be many months before the finish line is crossed,” Dial said.
