may 1, 2015, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A13
TRANSIT,
continued from Page A2
get downtown and back. Also,
Cherry Lift is available for those
confined to wheel chairs, and
CARTS connects rural Marion
and Polk Counties.
I’d like to help get the rest of
the transit stations up and go-
ing in South Salem, West Salem
and where the rides are needed.
Let’s improve the frequency of
stops, get weekend and evening
services back and bus passes for
the youth at the most efficient
price tag.
A big issue for the transit district is
Moving Forward and the
possibility of returning evening
and weekend service. How
needed is this service?
CB: The return of week-
end and evening transit services
is being looked forward to by
many people. A person can get
to their swing shift job now, but
the last pickup is done before
he can get off work. Hospital
workers, Chemeketa students
and others who work at 24 hour
businesses are stuck. Extended
services will help these folks get
“unstuck” and will allow more
people to enjoy weekend and
evening events by leaving the
car at home.
Employers will benefit be-
cause employees can get to
work on time. Folks can ride
the bus to church service, visit
family members or connect to
an out of town provider for
those weekend trips. Let’s make
more reasons for people to want
to live in our area.
RS: Weekend and evening
service will have a positive im-
pact on our community in many
ways. Being a capitol city with
weekend transit service will
increase tourism opportunities.
It will create jobs in the com-
munity and allow some people
to worship in their respective
churches. It can stimulate the
economy and all our small busi-
ness. It will provide our seniors
and disabled neighbors better
access to our community.
I need a power wheelchair
to get around, and I am transit
dependent. My wife was hospi-
talized in Salem Hospital from
Friday to Tuesday and I could
not visit her until Monday. I
cannot imagine how weekend
and evening service would be
a detriment to our community.
It was needed in 2009 when it
was cancelled and it is needed
more today.
Even if it passes this fall,
because of funding delays and
transit procedures, hiring and
training, the new service can’t
start before the second quarter
of 2016, at the earliest.
Implementing Phase 2 of Moving
Forward would require more
revenue, with payroll or
property taxes being mentioned
as the means to acquire that
revenue. Which option do you prefer
and why?
RS: According to an inde-
pendent consultant firm, the
cost of weekend and evening
service would run between $5
million and $6 million and is
currently being audited by staff.
The current prevailing opinion
is $5.2 million. The property
levy or payroll tax could pro-
vide ample funding. The tax
liability is similar in cost and I
would expect future increases
to offset any inflation would be
included.
The property levy is limited
by statute for a period of five
years. The possibility of service
interruption is real if the mea-
sure is not renewed. A payroll
tax is permanent and will en-
sure reliable transit service. The
fare increase of January 2015
was the first increase since 2009.
I think this illustrates prudent
spending of public funds, es-
pecially with the unexpected
costs associated with the Court-
house Square remediation and
the construction of the Keizer
Transit Center. Funding for stu-
dent passes is also included in
the Moving Forward Phase 2
proposal.
CB: To implement the
Moving Forward Phase 2 would
require additional revenue. To
pay for a service that reaches
the whole Salem-Keizer area
in order to serve everyone who
may potentially use it, implies
that the cost should be spread
out among as many as possible.
I favor using the means of a
property tax levy, which does
just that. Let’s get this project
going, then we can approach
the Legislature together for the
long-term solutions.
Aside from that extra
service, what would you like
to see the transit
district working on?
CB: I’d like to see the transit
district become a more visible
partner in disaster preparedness.
I’d also like to see the transit
district invest more in youth
internships, training up a transit
savvy next generation.
RS: My ultimate goal would
be to place a bus shelter at every
place the bus stops, 15-minute
frequency at every stop, added
seating for disabled and seniors
and a Keizer shuttle.
BENDIN’: ‘The couple that motivated
me were both 70 years old.’
(Continued from Page A1)
He
kept
competing
throughout a 20-year stint in
the Marines and racked the
career in the late 1980s. Pow-
erlifters typically peak between
35 and 45, but there was only
one guy Suetos couldn’t beat
in traveling the California cir-
cuit.
“There was a guy named
Jim Lem who was 50 and
squatting more than 700
pounds,” Suetos said. “The one
time I thought I was going to
beat him, he didn’t realize he
still had one more lift left. He
ended up tying me and, when
that happens, the lifter who
checks in at the lower weight
wins.”
After more than 15 years on
the sidelines, Suetos decided to
take part in a meet in Medford
in 2004. He won the whole
thing.
Since then, he’s kept up his
regimen and competed several
more times.
“Two years ago, there was a
meet and I set two American
records and all the Oregon
state record alongside a world
record in the squat for my age
group,” he said. That was his
first world record.
He rededicated himself to
the sport after having a stint
placed in his heart last June,
which he said “scared me to
death.”
After attempting another
world record in December he
found out he was in the wrong
federation with different re-
quirements. That’s when he
decided to give it one last go a
month ago.
“I would have sworn some-
one was helping me get those
last six inches,” he said.
He’s now contemplating
dropping a few pounds and
going for a few more records,
but he also knows his time in
the sport is waning. His knees
and back can’t withstand the
rigors the way they once did.
As much as the thrill of
competition gets him going,
Suetos has found that inspiring
others to stay in shape, and ex-
ceed their self expectations, is
just as thrilling.
“I like nothing more than
to see somebody learn, get bet-
ter and feel good about them-
selves. All you have to do is be
consistent. You don’t have to
go out and squat 500 pounds.
Just walk 30 minutes a day, the
circulation will improve ener-
gy and mental clarity,” he said.
He said most of his best
friends have been made in the
gym while coaching and men-
toring.
“The couple that moti-
vated me were both 70 years
old and competing in Medford
in 2004. The oldest guy at the
meet was 77,” Suetos said.
Big muscles, soft heart
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
So, how does a cham-
pion powerlifter and former
Marine end up with two
master’s degrees and a job as
a teacher?
For Vince Suetos it all
goes back to being stationed
in Okinawa, Japan.
“We would go out to
various state-run places
where the disabled kids
were and the conditions
were pitiful. We would go
to orphanages and build
buildings for them or pro-
vide activities for them,”
Suetos said.
Suetos and his wife, who
was also a Marine, informal-
ly “adopted” one young girl
who touched their hearts.
“When we went to her
facility or she came to the
base, we were the ones
making sure she was in-
volved,” he said.
After retiring from the
military, Suetos earned a
master’s degree in vocation-
al rehabilitation and began
working with developmen-
tally disabled adults making
the transition to indepen-
dent living or new accom-
modations. Eventually, he
ended up working with
students in the Springfield
School District.
He earned another mas-
ter’s in special education
shortly thereafter and ended
up working in the develop-
mental learning center at
McNary for five years. He’s
been back and forth at the
school for the past several
years, only interrupted by a
pair of stints working as an
independent contractor in
Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I’ve been all over and
seen how the developmen-
tally disabled are treated in
other parts of the world
and it’s tragic,” Suetos said.
“There are so many kids
and adults with these types
of conditions, and others
think they aren’t aware. But
they know things and they
have potential. If you don’t
give them an opportunity,
they’re going to lose that
chance. I want them to have
those opportunities. Some-
times you have to search
and look and ask and in-
vestigate, but if you get the
lights on high beam it really
gets you going.”