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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (June 23, 2017)
SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 38 SECTION A JUNE 23, 2017 $1.00 Shortages persist despite ref reshed parks budget By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes Most management-level government employees probably feel some relief when the new fi scal year begins on July 1 and budgets gets refreshed. For Robert Johnson, Keizer parks supervisor, “relief ” isn't the word he would use. “It feels good, but it doesn't feel like it's a license to do whatever I want. It has to last the entire year and something always comes up,” Johnson said. Since the beginning of the year, two things have caused unexpected headaches: wind storms and vandalism. Snow during the winter and wind storms throughout the spring caused tree damage that put the city over its tree services budget, and cut into purchases Johnson was hoping to make with surplus this past month. KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Someone recently drove their vehicle on a tiny path between The Big Toy and the parking lot at Keizer Rapids Park, the act destroyed portions of native landscaping. “I had to keep it lean and I was doing that already,” Johnson said. In the past several weeks, joyriders have extensively damaged a fence separating a Keizer Rapids Park from a quarry to the north, which falls on the parks staff and contractors to repair. Last week, someone else drove a car over a berm in front of The Big Toy and into a four-foot path between the fence around the toy and the parking lot. The car bottomed out at least twice destroying a section of native plants and tearing up two sections of the landscaped berm. “Two weeks ago, we had an Eagle Scout fi nish his service project there. He got plants donated, put in a picnic table slab and fi nished bark dusting,” Johnson said. Depending on what gets vandalized, the city's parks employees – 1.5 full time and a few seasonal employees – are sometimes racing the clock in addition to trying to fulfi ll other duties and needs. Damaged plants have a limited amount of time in which they can be rescued. “When the car pulled out of the path, the driver knocked over a mountain hemlock, which is a nice landscaping tree. I won't know for a while what damage was done to the root structure,” Johnson said. Johnson did manage to sock away some funds for new equipment, which will appear in the form of new picnic tables. “We never have enough of them and the wooden ones are vandalism targets and need New team calling Keizer home PAGE A10 Please see PARKS, Page A9 Keizer’s story will be etched into trees application deadline of July By ERIC A. HOWALD 15. Of the Keizertimes “This has been several years For the past three years, one of more unusual points in the making, but I'm excited of interest in Keizer have been that it's cultural and it will be a two dead, branchless Douglas great asset to the community,” fi r trees in front of Keizer said Councilor Amy Ryan. Two ailing fi r trees were cut Civic Center. They might remain that down to the trunk in 2014, way for another two years, but but then-Mayor Christopher plans are fi nally in motion to implored city staff to keep the trunks intact turn them into with the hope something else of fi nding – story poles “ This has been someone to telling the tale several years in carve them. of Keizer. “They will the making, but In docu- not be totem ments pre- poles, they I’m excited that sented to the will depict council, the the history of it's cultural and cost is estimat- our area and it will be a great ed at $75,000 I'm sure it and includes will include asset to the ever ything things like from the actual rivers, irises community,” carving (ap- and maybe prox. $25,000) — Amy Ryan, even the face to dedication Keizer City Councilor of Thomas of the land, staff Dove Keizur,” time and the said Lore Christopher, former value of the poles themselves. Keizer mayor and current The endorsement requested member of the Keizer Public from the city council Art Commission (KPAC). included covering the costs of Christopher spoke to continued maintenance in the the Keizer City Council at form of a pest-resistant sealant its meeting Monday, June that needs to be applied every 19. KPAC is working with two to fi ve years ($350 per a grant writer to apply for coating) and insurance costs project funding and needed an of up to $1,000 annually. endorsement from the council, One outstanding question is and a designation of the area whether the poles will require around the trees as public art braces once the project is space, to meet the Oregon complete. Community Foundation Christopher also submitted a timeline for action. “We will organize Two Douglas fi r trunks near community meetings to take the Keizer Civic Center input and develop the images could be turned into story that will go on the poles,” poles by 2019. Christopher said. “Then we KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Bike station headed to Civic Center PAGE A2 Man busted in sex sting PAGE A9 Please see TREES, Page A9 Staffi ng changes on deck for MHS By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes McNary is beefi ng up its one club, one sport, one activity for every kid every year initiative. Instead of one activities director, the high school will have two in 2017-18. Derick Handley, former girls basketball coach, is taking the lead on activities but he'll be joined by art teacher Todd Layton. “Derick is a great teacher who has great relationships with kids,” McNary principal Erik Jespersen said. “Todd is a great teacher who also has great relationships with kids and we really think between the two of them we're really going to bring in a lot more kids into the fold and even more kids involved in clubs, sports and activities. It's pretty exciting. I think it's going to be great.” Volcanoes off to rough start Handley and Layton are replacing Dan Borresen, who has been promoted to assistant principal, where he will be in charge of the student management system as well as supervising the English department, counselors and attendance. “Dan brings 27 years of teaching experience into this role,” Jespersen said. “He's one of our strongest Please see STAFF, Page A9 PAGE A10 McNary principal Erik Jespersen