Page 3
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, November 21, 2007
LID legal challenge ...
leave out the gratitude. (E.P. Powell)
illinois-valley-news.com
Boundary for Cave Junction,
the city should have the au-
thority and the commissioners
voted to do just that. How-
ever, the legal opinion states
that the city cannot assess a
property that lies outside the
city limits.
If the legal arguments
are found to be valid, it
means that the entire cost of
the project will be borne by
the petitioners for the LID.
That would include several
developers and Siskiyou
Community Health Center.
Steve Zabriskie, owner
of Z Coffee, stated that the
letter allows him “to breathe a
small sigh of relief.” His busi-
ness is facing an assessment
that could exceed $50,000.
He also noted that all
these questions had been
raised with the city council
prior to any legal action, but
that the council chose to ig-
nore the suggestions for legal
opinions on the matter.
During the public com-
ment period of Tuesday
night’s meeting, the council
was questioned by Andrea
Thomas, a CJ restaurateur,
concerning the questions
raised in the letter. Thomas
stated she felt that the city
rushed into a decision before
looking into all the concerns
brought by citizens.
“The legal arguments
(raised in the letter) have all
been brought to the council’s
attention by private citizens,”
Thomas said. “Why weren’t
they looked at before the city
had to address it in a law-
suit?”
Mayor Tony Paulson
replied, “We aren't lawyers.”
He went on to assert that the
city has done what is required
by Oregon Revised Statues.
Friday, November 23
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
20% OFF
Everything
in the Store
335 S. Redwood Hwy., C.J.
Next to Stevereno’s
Health Products & Unique Gifts
27893 Redwood Hwy.
592-2009
A Living Gift
is an Awesome Gift
Garden Art
Ponds & Pumps
Statuary & Fountains
Trees & Shrubs
petition would include only
those who supported the LID.
Some say that the legal
challenges raised by the law
firm appear to be unaddressed
by this action. According to a
letter sent to City Recorder
Jim Polk, Hornecker et al.
states that the city can only be
involved in an LID if the city
itself is conducting the im-
provements.
The Oregon Dept. of
Transportation is the agency
directing the improvements
on Redwood Hwy. and there-
fore, according to the letter,
the city has no jurisdiction in
the matter. To further compli-
cate the issue the land is
county property and is not in
IVHS Activities Calendar
Brought to you by the folks at
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Cave Jct.
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471-7487
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Medford
THURSDAY, NOV. 22
Thanksgiving Break
No classes
FRIDAY NOV. 23
Thanksgiving Break
No classes
TUESDAY, NOV. 27
* Boys Basketball at
S. Umpqua JV 5:30 p.m./
Varsity 7 p.m.
* Girls Basketball vs.
S. Umpqua JV 5:30 p.m./
Varsity 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY NOV. 28
Parent Financial Aid
Information Night, 6:30 p.m.
Cafeteria
Fox Farm
Fertilizers
SALE Selected Books $1 & $2
Friday & Saturday ONLY!
LID off for CJ’s projects
(Continued from page 1)
SALE!
A Health Store & More!
Hours: Mondays - Fridays, 10 to 5:30
Saturdays, 10 to 4
the city limits. The contention
is that the county needs to be
involved in the process,
which has not happened thus
far.
Some questions also
have been raised concerning
agreements among the peti-
tioners that would put a cap
on the amount of liability
attached to certain develop-
ment companies. These
agreements were not made
known to the city council by
the petitioners until the legal
challenge from Versteeg
Family Trust lawyers.
No further action has
been scheduled by the city
council on the LID until an
amended petition is received.
592-3689
228 N. Redwood Hwy.
Cave Junction
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Rec location
improvements
Nov. 29 topic
A series of seven public
open houses, including one in
Cave Junction, will be held
by the U.S. Forest Service to
review steps it is taking to
create a sustainable recreation
program at developed recrea-
tion locations.
The Cave Junction meet-
ing is set for Thursday, Nov.
29 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at
Illinois Valley Visitor Center.
Cave Junction
d.
l R
ure
La
CJ CARES MENU - A free Thanksgiving meal for all
comers will be served Thursday, Nov. 22 from noon to 2 p.m.
Meanwhile, CJ Cares leader Lynn Boucher-Johnson said that
donations of turkeys, hams and pies are anxiously awaited.
She can be contacted at 592-6855. The annual dinner, for any-
one needing a warm place to share Thanksgiving, will be held
at the Jubilee Park pavilion on Junction Avenue in Cave Junc-
tion. Boucher-Johnson said that she has some 20 volunteers
signed up, and that any donations of food or money will be
greatly appreciated.
I-5 TURKEY LURKEY - Bridge work near Grants Pass
likely will delay holiday travelers on Interstate 5 during peak
travel times Wednesday afternoon and evening, Nov. 21; and
Sunday afternoon, Nov. 25, said ODOT. I-5 is narrowed to a
single lane in each direction over Beacon Drive at milepost
57, near the north end of GP. Drivers able to adjust their plans
are encouraged to travel through this area during nonpeak
times to avoid delays of up to 30 minutes. Updates are avail-
able by phoning 511 or by visiting Tripcheck.com. Those who
cannot access 511 can obtain road and weather information
toll-free within Oregon by dialing (800) 977-ODOT (6368).
From outside Oregon, the long-distance number, (503) 588-
2941, is available. For information on California highway
conditions, visit dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo or phone (916) 445-
7623.
GRANDPARENTS AS PARENTS - A kick-off meet-
ing of a support group for grandparents who serve as parents
for their grandchildren will be held Thursday, Nov. 29 from
6:30 to 6:30 p.m. The free gathering, with a talk on
“Guardianship vs. Adoptions” by attorney
Jason Broesder, will be held at the Boys & Girls Club, 203
S.E. Ninth St. in Grants Pass. Food and child-care will be pro-
vided at no cost. The group is co-sponsored by Rogue Valley
Council of Governments, Life Span Respite, and Boys &
Girls Club of the Rogue Valley.
YOUNG GRAPPLERS - Illinois Valley Youth Wres-
tling Club will host the Tournament of Champions Saturday,
Dec. 1 at Ken Mann Memorial Gym at Illinois Valley High
School on E. River Street in Cave Junction. Weigh-ins will be
conducted from 7 to 9 a.m. Wrestling will begin at 10 a.m.
“Come support our youth wrestlers,” said the club.
‘LIGHT UP A LIFE’ - Lovejoy Hospice is sponsoring
two celebrations to honor those who have passed on. One be
held Monday, Dec. 3 in Grants Pass; the other Wednesday,
Dec. 5 at Immanuel United Methodist Church at 3 p.m. in
Cave Junction. The GP celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m. at
the hospice facility, 939 S.W. Eighth St. This year’s events
again will include a tribute in photos to those being remem-
bered, and will continue with the traditional lighting cere-
mony and reading of names. There also will be music and
refreshments. Check the ad in this issue.
HIGH-CALIBER HAPPENING - One of those odd hap-
penings occurred recently when the son-in-law of a CJ resi-
dent came home on leave from Iraq. Actually, the situation
came about as he was returning to duty via Rogue Valley In-
ternational Medford Airport. It seems that as his luggage went
through the X-ray machine, all sorts of consternation, plus
flashing lights and alarms, resulted. Apparently, his bag con-
tained a single bullet that somehow had gotten into the lining
of his bag when he originally packed to go on leave. He was
unaware of its presence. What’s weird is that he had flown
from Iraq to the States and gone through several airports; and
the single round was not detected. Not until Medford.
YULE JEWELS - The annual Christmas Decorating Con-
test again is sponsored by Illinois Valley Chamber of Com-
merce. Indoor and outdoor decorations must be ready for
judging Friday, Dec. 14. Phone 592-3326 for more informa-
tion.
AIRPORT QUERY - Josephine County officials said that
a public hearing will be called early during December regard-
ing “the future use and designation of Illinois Valley Airport.”
Watch the Noose for the news.
NOTEPAD - Christmas cards can be sent to: A Recover-
ing U.S. Soldier, c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900
Georgia Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20307 ... Jolly St. Nick
will visit Saturday, Dec. 1 during the annual I.V. Chamber-
sponsored Community Christmas Tree Lighting & Sing-Along
beginning at 5 p.m. on the Junction Inn vacant lot ... “The
Christmas Offering” is the title of a free “Night of Beautiful
Song” Sunday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. at Community Bible Church.
The all-congregations One Body-One Voice Choir will per-
form ... Glenn & Gayla Sparks, of O’Brien, have been hon-
ored by XanGo Juice Co. for reaching the 200K level …
T-shirts: *I did the math, and I’m still confused. *Good Morn-
ing is an oxymoron. *No need to yell. I still won’t listen. *Pay
no attention to the device around my ankle.
LAST WORDS - *Gratitude is born in hearts that take
time to count up past mercies. (Charles E. Jefferson)
*Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of hon-
est men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and
(Continued from page 2)
“The city has continually
ignored such notice require-
ments,” the letter said. It also
claims that the city has failed
to even properly designate the
boundaries of the LID, a nec-
essary first step in the process.
The engineer’s report,
that has yet to be approved by
the council and was submit-
ted by Marquess & Associ-
ates Inc., also is called into
question. It is stated that the
report contains no independ-
ent evaluation as to actual
economic benefits to the
properties in question. The
report is stated to only reflect
the views of the LID propo-
nents.
It is claimed that the land
owned by Versteeg Family
Trust, being a tree lot, does
not economically benefit
from the improvements on
Redwood Hwy. The letter
states that surrounding prop-
erties would benefit only if
they “are bulldozed and
turned into a housing devel-
opment and a gas station.”
Statements made by
ODOT seem to bear out this
opinion. Several comments
included in the letter attrib-
uted to ODOT say that the
beneficiaries of the LID are
the “community (the city of
Cave Junction) developers ,
and ODOT.”
The final argument put
forth is that the Josephine
County Board of Commis-
sioners has jurisdiction over
the area in question and can-
not delegate responsibility to
another agency as it has tried
to do. The commission told
Illinois Valley News two
weeks ago that since the
properties in question are
within the Urban Growth
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