The Sandy Post
E d i t or i a 1 & O pinion
Mark Floyd. Editor
Dan Dillon, News Editor
Von Braschler. Publisher
Caroline Duff. Office M anager
SANDY. OREGON, THURSDAY. JUNE 18. 1981
Letters to the editor:
School flaps draw reader fire
3AY I SOT AN IDEA/ LET'S
6 0 OVER TO THE EMOLISI!
D E P A R T M E N T / SOMEBODY
THERE CAN READ EM TO US//
Bull Run School
For the past several years
we have had children in the
Bull Run Schixil and always
been happy with the school
and teachers Consequently
it came as a shock to us when
we learned that the school
board was not renewing the
contracts of four of the six
teachers, retaining only the
two teachers they hired the
previous year plus the prin
cipal
Our feelings and those of
m any o th e r concerned
parents rapidly changed to
frustration and anger, as we
found our attempts to com
municate with the school
board met with total lack of
response When questioned,
they have replied, 'Our
resp on sibility is to the
children,' while avoiding the
real issue the rig h t of
parents to help decide what
is in the best interest of their
own children
The attempt to restructure
the teaching staff at Bull
Run makes it apparent that
the school board is attemp
ting to create what they feel
will tx* a superior educa
tio n a l
e n v iro n m e n t.
However, there are those of
us in the community who feel
that the resaons we have
local school Lords is for the
desires and objectives of the
community to tx* carried out
The board’s educational
philosophy is twmg forced on
the community, without ask
ing parent involvement and
calously disregarding the
rights of teachers This is the
problem that must tx* resolv
Salon scene:
Game changes to ‘hardball’
In J ACK ZIMMERM \ \
XssiM'iated O regon In d u s trie s
It s only natural for politicians to play
politics.
Likewise, when the Legislature convenes
in Salem, one expects the game to coin
mence
Actually, some preliminaries predate
each session, as individuals vie for positions
of leadership during exhibition contests
The first hall is thrown from the stands by
the governor in the form of his budget pro
|X)sal
I he game's tempo during a session's first
I«-\ a innings resembles the slow pitch varie
ty Everyone gets a cut at the ball, while
tolls are being introduced As committees
begin deliberating, intensity increases Dur
mg that period, there are a few sidearin
deliveries and an occasional overhand
Zinger
Hut it isn't until a session’s final weeks
that (Hihticos really start playing hardball
Salem watchers were exposed to the
beginning of that phase of this year's game
last u«*ek, when a measure dealing with the
future of land use planning in Oregon was
defeated on the Senate floor
Touted as one of this session's major
issues in pre game ceremonies, the
Assembly's task was to determine the role
of the Land Conservation & Development
Commission in post acknowledgment The
latter means the jwiiod alter all cities and
counties have achieved approval of com
prehensive land use plans within terms of
goals set earlier by LCDC
A major problem involves the fact only
104 ot the state's 277 cities and counties have
had their plans approved It will take at
least two more years Io complete the com
pliance phase
Another problem dates back to 1973, when
LCDC was established by the Legislature
and even further back in < »regon's land use
history LCDC has been extremely con
troversial Though the 1973 bill has tieen
repeatedly upheld at the polls, its tenets
sharply have divided rural and urban
populations
As one would expect, that division has
been reflected in a general sense by
lawmakers with either rural or urban con
stituencies
An interim committee, headed by Sen
Jack Kipper
problem and
measure, SB
Ted Hallock
tD-.North Bend), studied the
introduced SB 300 A second
314. was offered by Senators
(D-Port land’ and LB Day
(R-Salem).
It appeared particularly significant from
a hi partisan standpoint and because
Hallock's long involvement had earned him
the nickname of Father of Land Use Plann
mg Furthermore, Day served as LCDC's
first chairman
A Douglas county bill SB 419 also went
into the hopper, sponsored by freshman Sen
John Kitzhaber <D Roseburg'
All three were referred to the Senate's En
vironment A Land Use Committee, chaired
by Sen Debbs Potts < D (»rants Pass), a two-
term Senate president in 1967 and 1969 Serv
ing on that panel are Hallock. Day, Ripper,
Tom Hartung ( R Beaverton», Ed Eadely
I, Eugene1 and John Powell D Halsey >
Only Powell was not in the Senate, when
SB BM) created LCDC in 1973 The following
year he unseated former Sen Hector Mac
pherson. co-sponsor with Hallock of SB 100 -
partially by campaigning for local control in
land use decisions
It is interesting to note Potts is the only
member of the panel who voted against SB
100 in 1973 However, his nay vote was
shared by currrent Senate Pres Fred Heard
<D Klamath Falls). Sen Tony Meeker
(R Am ity) and Sen Bob Smith <R Bums) ~
four of a total of 13 upper chamber veterans
still serving
From the beginning, it appeared odds
were stacked against the committees
chances to produce a bill to please the many
interest groups involved Potts named a
subcommittee of Ripper, Day and Hartung
to start the task It labored daily beginning
at 7 a m for some eight weeks, seeking a
compromise vehicle
L e g is la tiv e R ep o rt fro m the Stat«- C a p ita l
E X C L U S IV E to O re g o n ’ s W eekly Newspa
pers Iro m A sso cia te d O regon In d u s trie s
The result failed to satisfy anyone com
pletely, tint achieved a do pass reeommen
dation and headed for the Senate fhxtr
Since it was an amalgam of the three in
itial bills (tint differed from them in many
respects», it was suggested a new number
lx* assigned to enhance its chances of
passage SB loot) was available and had a
nice ring to it Oregon’s initial land use plan
inng statute was created by SB Id in 1969 SB
Iik) followed in '73
That idea quickly was scotched when the
committee realized news media and op
ponents would have a ball claiming SB 1000
was 10 times worse than SB too Then, too.
the watchdog 1000 Friends of Oregon lot»
hied extensively on the issue and might ap
pear to tx* linked to the compromise
measure, even though it was far from
satisfied with the bill
It became SB 945
Proponents believed it was a shoo in Day
carried the bill, spending more than an hour
explaining its provisions Debate continued
another hour A motion to rerefer it to com
mittee failed by one vote The lull failed by
one vote Day served notice for reconsidera
lion next day, but couldn’t line up the
necessary 16 ayes He gave up in exaspera
tion Sen Charles Hanlon, who voted to kill
the bill the* day before -- along with Bur
bulge, Fadeley, Gardner, Hallock, Kit
zhaber, Kulongoski, McCoy, McFarland,
Monroe, Roberts, Trow, Wingard and W’yers
- sought to change the rules, so he could
move for reconsideration
Backers of SB 945, knowing the bill would
not survive in the House of Representatives
unless it received overwhelming Senate sup
port, scotched Hanlon's motion
It was hardball, sports fans
Halhxk and Fadeley opposed the commit
t«*e position and led the opposition, along
with Kitzhaber Hanlon had reasons of his
own to oppose the bill as a show of spite
against Senate Pres Heard
The action plays into the hands of those
who believe land use planning is controlled
by city folks at the expense of those w ho ow n
and work the land
Next inning will be played in the House
Ten more bills already are under considera
tion by that chamber’s land use panel,
chaired by Rep Wayne Fawhush <D-Hood
River).
Twelve members of the House served in
1973, and four of them voted against SB BM)
All have significant constituencies among
their peers this session They include Ways
A Means C o-C hair J e ff G ilm o u r
< D-Jefferson), Minority Leader Paul Han
neman » R-Cloverdale», Intergovernmental
Affairs Chair Glenn Otto (D Troutdale) and
Bill Markham <R Riddle), co-chair of two
other House panels
Next inning's House lineup likely will in
elude consideration of provisions in SR 945,
but with a different number on its uniform
Those provisions probably w ill include por
tions of other bills - even more unpalatable
to Senate liberals
Then there * the question of LCDC’s
budget for the coming biennium Wily
veteran Senator Potts from his vantage
point on W ays A Means has said he will keep
that budget captive, until a satisfactory land
use hill is passed
More hardball
lx»ng time observers believe it will be dif
ficul, to adjourn this session of the
legislature without an LCDC budget
The hallgame is far from over Extra inn
ings appear likely And it ’s big league
politics throwing hard and swinging for
the fence
ed
The constituency of the
Bull Run School needs to
have its faith restored in the
school board This can lx*
done if the board will start
involving the public in set
ting policies and objectives
of the school Almost 50 peo
pie attended the last txiard
meeting These people could
tx* utilized in committees on
discipline, curriculum, goals
and objectives
This controversy can tx*
turned into an advantage for
all concerned. if the board
W ill capitalize on the interest
and concern of parents to in
volve them in the decision-
making process Nothing
would heal the breach more
quickly
Grade school levy
are painstakingly selected,
analyzed and approved by
local community advisors to
make sure all segments of
com m unity interest are
represented
This is perhaps the only
enterprize where cooperatin
and funding has been com
bined within the district to
include help from Mt Hood
Community College, Sandy
City Council and the local
Sandy grade school
The adults enjoyed 33
classes this past quarter,
and the children almost have
as many scheduled for this
summer session All instruc
tors are volunteers who
donate their talents, time
and expertise They offer a
whole world of resources
that otherwise would remain
untapped
Don’t think of the Com
munity School as an adult
social club or a child's
kindergarten, but as a learn
ing experience for all ages
It knows no bounds In fact,
it is underutilizing the volun
tary talents and resources
available and still untapped
in our community.
The “ B” ballot measure
covers the maintenance,
supplies and personnel ex
penses of the Sandy Com
mumty School. If it fails
June 30, this model for other
communities will cease to
exist.
Corbin Willis
The Community School is
Sandy
located in a tnixiule trailer
donated by the Mt Hood
Community College and
In response to the letter
nights and weekends utilizes that questioned the openness
lo c a l
grade
school of Sandy C o m m u n ity
classrooms that otherwise Players and alleged dif
would lx* vacant.
ficulties in becoming involv
The classes run the gamut ed, I would like to share the
from local history lectures following information with
and tours to physical educa the community.
tion. crufts and debates All
When I directed “ The
SCP involvement
Curious Savage" several
months ago, 1 had 46 people
show up for auditions There
were 11 speaking roles in the
play. Of these roles, seven
were cast with brand-new
people who never before ap
pea red on stage in a SCP
production. There also were
several new people involved
with production of the show
During “ A Funny Thing
Happened on the Way to the
Forum’’ there were more
than 15 new faces in the cast
and production crew. The
upcoming play, “ The Odd
C o u p le ," also fe atures
several new persons
It is pure delight to see so
many new persons trying ou,
and getting involved As with
any volunteer organization,
we goof occasionally in not
following up and finding
areas
to
in v o lv e
a
newcomer
If you are interested in
SCP or if you have a coni
plaint or suggestion, give me
a call at 661-0218
Our SCP board meetings
are open to anyone to attend
and speak out Our next
auditions w ill be Monday
evening July 6 at the theater
You should arrive between 6
and 7 p m There are parts
for men and women ranging
from 16 to 75 years of age
The play, “ A Barrel Full of
Pennies,” is a delightful
comedy that appeals to all
ages
A bundle of thanks to the
community and the Sandy
Post for your past and con
tinued support
Jim S. Wilhite
Vice Chairman, SCP
Nix heliport
Since the Zigzag heliport
controversy began six weeks
ago, the mountain communi
ty has become increasingly
vocal in opposition to the
proposed location.
All concerned organiza
tions to vote on the issue
have been unanious in their
opposition These groups in
clude the Welches School
Board. Hoodland Senior
Citizens, Mt. Hood Pre
school Co-op and the
women’s resource group
The county has received
many letters by individuals
opposed to the heliport site
In addition, ECOS has turn
ed in petitions with more
than 200 signatures against
the heliport location
Due to all the negative in
put from Hoodland groups
and individuals and the
Planning Commission report
to deny the proposal, Com
missioner Ralph Groener
has addressed the issue as
“ dead" at the com m is
sioners’ level
However, ECOS w ill con
tinue to keep close watch on
any further development
proposals w ith a ques
tionable impact on the area
Environmental Committee
on Suitability
Blythe Creek George Sheets
Carol Smith Marilyn Ieslie
Park dean-up
The property bordered by
Salmon River Road and
Highway 26, adjacent to and
including the com m unity
te n n is c o u rts , th e to t
playground and the building
leased by the Hoodland
Women’s Club, is county-
ow n ed a n d kn o w n as
Hoodland Park.
This land consists of ap
proxim ately 11 acres, of
which a very small portion
currently is developed.
Improvements and expan
sion of the developed area is
necessary to insure con
tinued existence of Hoodland
P ark
C lackam as County
cu rren tly does not have
funds to develop this proper
ty. As residents, we can
make the necessary im
provements and expand the
existing facilities
Saturday, June 22, from 10
a m until 2 p m , the first
community clean-up of our
public park w ill he held
Bring a garden tool (hoe.
rake, w heelbarrow , e tc .)
and a lunch Enjoy being a
participating citizen
Penelope Wilburn
Connie Hamlin
L E T T E R S P O LIC Y :
The Post asks that all
letters to the editor be typed,
double-spaced and signed.
Deadline is noon, Tuesday,
le tte rs should be accurate,
free of libelous remarks and
in
good
tas te.
This
new spaper
atte m p ts
to
publish all letters it receives
and may edit m aterial lightly
to conform to guidelines.
M axim um
length is 290
words.
Legislator's report^
Higher education should share cuts
bv KEN JEKNSTEDT
State Senator, District 28
The people of Oregon founded our
system of higher education more than
a century ago, and they generously
have maintained it ever since
Now despite its q u a lity and
ahcievements. it is coming under its
closest legislative scrumty since 1969
At that time the attention was occa
sioned by violence and destruction on
campus, the interruption of academic
freedom and the disruption of the
educational program for all students
This year, however, higher educa
tion is under the microscope because
of
m oney
O r —m o re
precisely—because there isn’t enough
money to go around to please
everyone, which is a major change
from the recent past when the cups
have runneth over
Because of this, higher education
budgets already have been cut by
agreement of W ays and Means Com
mittee members Higher education is
being subm itted /t o a new and
frig h te n in g experience: a cram
course in Priorities I-A
This situation, of course, is greeted
with anguish by those who believe any
legislative scrutiny into higher educa
tion constitutes nothing less than full
scale assault on academic freedom I
have received scores of complaining
letters on the subject
In the past, higher education has
been held less accountable in a fiscal
sense than any other department or
agency The leg islature hasn't given
it a searching fiscal look in a number
of years, and the Secretary of State's
Office finds it the most difficult agen
cy to audit
Higher education is the only agency
that does not submit its budget in
what legislators call line-item form,
telling how each dollar is to be spent.
The Legislature approves large,
round figures for higher education,
and then the system takes over
Seldom do legislators receive the
detailed accountability they demand
from all others
Necessity, however, requires the
Ways and Means Committee to iden
tify every possible economy It is try
ing to determine whether or not
higher education's demand for “full
funding” is justified - particularly
when all others are taking reductions
in growth and when a cut in state aid
to local schools is an alternative being
seriously discussed
These budgetary dilemmas involv
ing both higher education and local
schools have denizens of the ivory
towers in an uproar, and have unsettl
ed local school boards who have
nowhere to go but property taxpayers
to absorb a m ajor cut in state finan
cial aid
In his original budget, the governor
funded basic school support below the
recommended 40 percent goal Now
the possibility of a further 10 percent
cu t a c ro s s -th e -b o a rd has been
presented In checking a prelim inary
report giving statistics for 28 of the
school discricts in my Senatorial
District. I find that 21 would suffer
cuts placing them under the 1990411
figure and only 7 would benefit.
Hopefully, something will be done to
correct this gloomy picture
On a more hopeful note, I agree with
Sam Johnson, v e te r a n fo r m e r
legislator and now mayor of Red
mond He suggested higher education
must bear its share of the austerity
burden with cuts in unnecessary,
duplicative curricula and elective
courses not at the core of a basic
education