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The Sdndy Post
Editorial & Opinion
Von Braschler, Publisher
Caroline Duff. Office Manager
Don Dillon Editor
Scott Newton News Editor
SANDY OREGON THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 23 1982
Sandy sign code changes timely
Sandy's municipal sign review
com m ittee has recommended
some sign code changes that
should help business here
The biannual 14-member com
mittee of business persons, coun
cil appointees and city staff this
year wants to perm it more tern
porary signs The code changes
would provide permanent provi
sions for temporary signs for
business.
Businesses would be permitted
one temporary two-sided sign to
advertise sale items or prices A
temporary sign may be placed on
each
s tre e t
fro n ta g e
by
businesses that front more than
one stree
Standard size would be 12
square feet per side with dimen
sion of 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide
Maximum sign size of 20 square
feet would be permitted, when an
applicant shows special c ir
cumstances
Also, all city-approved signs in
Sandy must be neat and of profes
sional quality as before, and new
temporary signs would not be
a llo w e d to im p e d e v is io n ,
pedestrians, tra ffic or other signs.
The sign review committee also
proposes council allow temporary
signs to d ire c t a g ric u ltu ra l
workers to berry farms that re
quire seasonal labor
They also want to exempt
customary seasonal decorations
for times like Christmas Further
more, they seek to extend time
lim it on placement of streamers
and banners for grand openings
from seven to 30 days.
A loose lobby of concerned
shopkeepers in Sandy approached
the city this summer for some lie-
niency to p e rm it tem p ora ry
signs—sim ple things like gas
price signs The shops proved the
city right in its tolerance by not
abusing the privilege.
Citizen input now is sought on
the proposals at a public hearing 8
p.m. Oct. 4 in council chambers
Businesses in Sandy also are be
ing asked by city council to com
ment individually on the pro
posals.
Should little criticism surface in
the review period, Sandy City
Council would be wise to grant the
proposed sign code changes. After
all, Sandy as a service center and
shopping hub has a lot worth
boasting I t ’s just a m atter of
communicating what Sandy has
to offer. ( VB)
Cherish small-town doers
by JACK ZIM M ER M AN'
Associated Oregon Industrie*
The late Fred G Meyer became the first
statewide retailer ot the year in 1972
Prineville’s Les Schwab followed the next
year Succeeding years saw the roll ex
lended to include John Ehrlich, Medford;
Eric Blackledge, Corvallis, Don Boyd,
Klamath Falls, Clifton Cutter, Brookings,
Maune Jacobs, Eugene. Robert Bergeron,
Gresham; Dean Pape’, Coburg and John
Novak, Klamath Falls
But most are little know outside their
own communities but well known there,
Indeed
An example is this year’s Retailer of the
Year, E A
(Buck! Buchanan, variety
store owner operator in tiny Dallas
(population 4,800) 16 miles west of Salem
Unless you're one of the 27 Ben Franklin
store owners in Oregon and Washington,
you've probably never heard of him Butin
Dallas, where he’s been in business since
195«. Buck is former junior first citizen,
first citizen nominee, president of Jaycees.
Chamber of Commerce and Rotary,
organizer of local industrial development
efforts, booster of school budgets, tax
bases and charitable fund raisers
As in many places, people in Dallas have
a tendency to pass the buck when it comes
to shouldering community responsibility
“ That buck stops with Buck in Dallas,“
according to one grateful admirer
That’s what it takes to become Oregon's
retailer of the year
Ask the superintendent:
Students score above norm
PETEMN
bv DR JOHN PETERS
Superintendent, Mandy High
QUESTION
Why Isn't more emphasis
placed on improving classes such as
English and composition
ANSWER
This la a paraphrased version
of a concern raised in The Post recently by
a Welches' parent . feel it presents a ques
tlon to which we must respond since it
underscores an issue that bothers many I
have requested that our assistant prin
clpal, Dennis Crow, address this matter in
this column His reply follows
“ Mandy High .School requires four years
of English instruction, which consists of a
balance among English and American
literature, expository and descriptive
writing, language study and English
grammar During both freshman amt
sophomore years, students receive inten
stve review of the principles of sound
English usage and their application to
multi paragraph composition
“ In our annual evaluation of perfor
mance the California Achievement Test
helps tai measure 17 areas in spelling
language met ha men and language expres
sion Roth ninth and eleventh grade
students lake the CAT every school year
Osar results from the IM I «2 testing
demonstrate that students possess a high
degree of skill in these subjerts
Whenever studants fall below average
in the Item analysts reinforcement is built
into the regular English program This
nest school year our areas of toncentra
Mountain teachers, strife spur mail
Support teachers
join your husband in Idaho
Tom Well
Welches
I would like to make a
few responses to Vicki
Kram ers' letter to the
editor in the Post Sept. 16
The Christmas and new
How soon we forget Was year season is nearly here
it not two or three years We also are faced with
ago that grocery clerks at r e la te d
in c re a s e
in
T h riftw a y stores w ere burglaries that alw ays
about to strike «needless to p re c e d e
the
h o lid a y
say o v e r s a la r y and seasons We can expect an
benefits»? My, how times increase in these crimes
have changed
due to unemployment
Unemployment is up, In
How can we protect
deed, but what percentage ourselves and our proper
of those people are really ty? In addition to lights, an
beating the pavement look
effective and relatively in
ing for work*’ A select few
e x p e n s iv e m e th o d is
Teaching would be ideal, subscribing to the services
if we could leave work at 4 of a reputable and bonded
p m and no, have to think security service This is
about work until the next especially helpful to those
day
individuals who cannot
But after 4 p m is when reside full time on their
the papers are graded, properties
practices are planned and
A community with a high
plays are rehearsed This degree of freedom from
is when assessments of burglaries and vandalism
students needs and pro will be a calm, cohesive
g ress a re th o ro u g h ly community and a wonder
checked in order to get ful place to live and raise
ready for the next school your children
day.
Arthur Cansler la open
How sweet it would be. if ing a branch office of
teachers were paid time Cansler Security Service,
and a half after their eight- inc in Zigzag M r Cansler
hour day or double for the has more than 16 years of
holidays
experience in security with
As I understand, you service in both city policy
w ere once a fu ll tim e and The Clackamas County
grocery clerk who elected Sheriff Dept He is civic-
to quit her job So fortunate minded and insists on a
to be working again, at high degree of training and
least part time
discipline in his security of
As far as teacher salaries fleers.
are concerned, money is in
He is prepared to furnish
the budget for salary in a much needed service to
creases in which are ask you and your community,
ing This would mean no in and I do not hesitate to
crease on your tax dollars
recommend his service
Maybe you should keep We need this service
up with the Joneses and
A security service will
Secure homes
Salem scene:
This is when Oregonians honor their
“ mainstays of Main Street."
For more than a decade, Oregon's
largest cities and smallest towns have paid
tribute this time of year to individuals who
play a special role in the welfare of their
communities
Target of this attention is one of the most
fam iliar faces in town - a retail merchant,
who in the process of serving customers,
also manages to provide leadership, par
ticipation and wherewithal that makes a
town or city a worthwhile place to live,
work and raise a family.
The brainchild of a former chain store
executive, the Oregon Retailer of the Year
award was conceived to recognize the un
sung merchant—first to be called upon for
support of worthy projects and most
susceptible to criticism if goods or ser
vices failed »o satisfy purchasers
“ A unique product of the American
m a rk e tin g system ,** said founder
luiwrence W Winthrop, “ the retail mer
chant is the final link in the chain of pro
duct ion and distribution of goods that have
raised American's living standards to a
level unsurpassed in human history
"And the ultimate seller of goods in the
marketplace is the moat intimate acquain
tance of the consuming public “
Customer complaints and praise seldom
find their way to the manufacturer or
distributor They most often focus on the
purveyor of goods the readily accessible
local merchant
Likewise, the moat readily available
helping hand is th«» same merchant, with
convenient doors open longeat to ac
comodate the buying public
Letters to the editor:
lion will be pronoun usage, subject-verb
agreement, spelling and capitalization
“ I would like to point out that Sandy
High requires one more year of English in
struction than Is required by state stan
dards Students must complete four years
of English We also are one of the very few
schools In the Mount Hood Community Col
lege District to offer Writing 121. 122 and
122 for college credit Through an agree
ment with MHCC and the Oregon State
System of Higher Education Sandy High
seniors may enroll in special writing pro
grams here, for which they can earn up to
nine quarter hours of college transfer
credit “
I NOTE Or Peters will answer question«
directed in rare ef The Pest, P.O. Row 88.
Mandy. OH OTMS.l
also generate new jobs that
are badly needed Let’s
help him stay on the moun
tain
Albert H Green
Mountainair Park
Likes reports
I am writing to express
support for one of your m a
jor contributing reporters,
Michael Jones Michael
has contributed his time
and ta le n t to v a s tly
enriching the readers of the
Sandy Post in several mat
ters of interest on the
mountain
Some of the more impor
tant topics exposed and il
luminated by his pen in
clude land-use planning in
the Mt. Hood Corridor,
news about Welches School
and reports on water quali
ty including hydroelectric
projects and fish vitality
Also enjoyable are his a r
ticles on local history and
weekly log of the fire
department activities
I look forward to reading
more informative articles
my Michael in the Post and
hoj»e to see an expanded
paper once again with
more local news articles.
M arjorie Wicks
Rhododendron
Death mourned
Life is nothing but a
dangerous and painful test
There are good times and
bad times, both of which
can be dealt with in a
peaceful and heavenly
way.
Your outlook on life can
affect your attitude toward
life
There are people that q u a litie s , an excellen t
say, “We take care of our athlete, as well as an ex
families before we spent c e lle n t student in a ll
time with God ’’ In my categories, an outgoing
view that is wrong, because warmth and love for others
God put you on this earth that all of whom you came
with the ability to work and in contact with felt
care for others There is
I and everyone else knew
never not enough time to for a fact that you were go
spend with God But there ing to make it big in life
is almost always two sides with your powerful drive to
to a story At this time that succeed above all others
is my opinion
I think of the good times
As with Michael and
and bad times we shared
every other living thing,
together, as well as the fun
God put them on this earth
times, but most of all I
to give us joy and hap
thank you for being what
piness. and we should be
you were A leader
thankful to no end
But when God takes them
A day hardly ever went
back, we tend to blame God by that I haven’t stopped to
or ourselves for our sor look at your picture and
rows, but instead should be recall a good time we had
thanking God for the joy
together
and heartaches we shared
I thank God for putting
with his gift.
you on this earth to give me
Everything on this earth joy
God has put here for a pur
I will miss you like none
pose, But when man in other, until I see you again
te r fe r e s
w ith
G o d ’s in heaven There we will
balance, he is not only en enjoy abundance of good
dangering his soul, bu, the times together 1 long for
souls of others
the day I will see you again
Michael gave
joy and
Until then I will continue
peace We shared his joy as to try and follow in your
well as his sufferings
footsteps for a good educa
Mchael was truly a prize tion and healthy gody, as
in the eyes of God One to well as a love for others
be watched over and taken
I will miss you as I love
extreme care of A carbon
you, my brother A part of
copy of his mother and
me is gone, but the
father, he was loving and
memories no one can take
caring and always there
away.
when you needed h elp-n o
I know you will be with
matter what the task could
me in spirit for ever and
be.
ever I love you.
Michael was one to look
Love,
up to. I longed to be one of
Your cousin Tom
his character and talent
He was more of a man at
his age that I ever hope to ( E D IT N O TE: M ichael
be A true image of his O tt , 14, died at home near
father, he held the finest
Sandy last week.)
Personally speaking:
Aren’t some roadside signs funnv?
J
Aren't roadside signs funny7
I mean, it's one thing to paw
through aisles and shelves of
a tor egoods, trying to figure
what’s included in hasty “ 2 fer 1”
and “ inventorry reduckshun"
sale signs There, at least, you
have time to ponder what the
message is supposed to say and
decide with careful deductive
reasoning what's covered by the
vague labels
Screwy roadside signs that
cross your path at 55 mph find lit
tle chance for interpretation
The really funny ones are the
marquees where light bulbs have
burned out on letters in the sign,
so that only half the sign is
readable You get wild store
labels like “T r f way" (spotted in
Gresham), * Quality used c rs"
(in Portland* and “ Good Foo **
inear Rockwood). My favorite is
one at Twelve Mile Corner that
states, “ Flower i l l " With all the
pollution in East County lately, I
shouldr, t wonder.)
Luckily. Sandy's preference for
permanent wood signs prevents
such confusion here For the rest
of the area wizards of business,
it's hard to understand how a
store owner could spend good
time snd money putting up a
brightly illuminated sign and
by VON BRASCHLER
then let it run down like that.
T b s t e s p e c ia lly goes for
billboards like the ones near San
dy on Highway 38 that peel with
wind, rain and neglect Nothing's
quite so distracting at 55 mph as a
hot model with a coy smile, as she
hints: “ Find happiness under the
sun in lovely nearby .” (peel,
rip, te a r.)
You wonder If that's any sillier,
though, than the professional
man who puts his name, address,
I
serial number and biographical
file on display for cars zipping
past his billboard at 55 mph He
communicates about as little
Good billboards like Berma
Shave laughers and fruit stand
teasers, are a comfort to the
traveler who welcomes their
presence on a long, dull trip Do
any Seattle transplants like me
rem em ber cranning a neck
across tne freeway bridge near
university district to see an in
surance building time reader
b o a rd 's
fu n n y
m o rn in g
messages'’ So many commuters
were sad, when the readerboard
flashed its final “Goodbye” with
removal of the sign, crowded
from roadside view by towering
new buildings.
Readerboards that require
hired unskilled labor to change
the message, however, are prone
to unintentional humor When
they run out of certain letters,
they improvise or leave things
out The same approach it taken,
when they aren't certain how to
spell or punctuate So occasional
ly you'll see gems like “a klat tun
I78” and “ %10 Spuds IK » ’ A
S a fe w a y
re a d e rb o a rd
on
Hawthorne in Portland notes,
“ Friendly people 8-10 p m ”
(Guess it*s best not to run into
any of them after hours.)
No matter. It all means th
same thing, right?
Like those yard signs hanc
crafted to sell houses, cars an
garages
My recent favorite is a sign o
a Powell corner telephone pole 1
simply says “ For sale ’’ Perhap
GT had too many poles ii
Gresham'’ Or perhaps the hous
nearest the pole was the item fo
sale? Well, the nearest buildinj
was a church.
The one roadside sign we al
must heed religiously, of course
is the traffic sign Even here
however, I encounter some ronfu
sion
In Canada, official directiona
signs that tell you when to tun
are explicite. If the sign point!
right at the corner, you’d bettei
turn at that corner as close to th«
sign as you can cut it In the good
old USA, however, directional
signs are far less precise A sign
might tell you to turn left for
something, but the turn might
come in half a block, two blocks
or even half a mile
How cane this guys com-
municat like that, and except any
one to under stand them’ We in
the newspaper biz never have
such problems, I hope