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V o l. 72 N o 48
The Sandy Post
S A N D Y. O R E G O N THURSDAY DECEMBER 2. 1982
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Higher assessments levied on LID 4
by DAN D ILLO N
The city of Sandy is going for broke
in its attempt to recoup costs of the
Heritage Square parking lot
At the same tim e, city staff
members are considering a lte r
natives if adjacent property owners
d o n ’ t a c c e p t th e c it y 's new
assessments
The city last week mailed the new
assessments to the seven adjacent
property owners based on a new
engineering report that bills them for
the entire project, excluding the
c ity ’s legal fees and part of its
e n g in e e rin g cost
P r e lim in a r y
assessm ent for the p ro je c t is
$141.449 49
The city w ill kick in $23,047 98 on
the project under the new plan
In late 1981, Clackamas County C ir
cuit Judge Winston Bradshaw ruled
that property owners involved in the
parking lot could be assessed just a
portion of the cost That would have
left the city to pick up remaining
legal fees, interest and construction
costs
However, since a recent state
Supreme Court ruling stated the city
had to reinitiate the entire pro
ceedings to establish the local im
provement district, the Sandy City
Council billed the participants for the
cost of the project
The 63-spa.e parking lot was com
pleted in 1977 Cost of the construe
tion, including grading, paving and
drainage. landscaping, lighting and
removal of overhead utilities was
$56,954 89 The total cost, including
engineering, legal expenses and land
acquisition is $164.497.47.
The c ity ’s participation under the
new prelim inary assessment con
siders lawsuit fees and engineering
fees for Phase I I of the project which
wasn't completed
The new assessments were the
result of the Supreme Court decision
which, in effect, negated the whole
project and sent the city back to the
beginning stages of an L ID . accor
• 1 I
PUBUC'HOTICE
FOR HOHE IHI-UKMATION CO NTACT
sa hot city ^
ll :
668-5533
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The Heritage Square parking lot is the middle of a dispute between property
owners and the city of Sandy. Monday, Dec. 13, a public hearing will help clear
ding to City Manager Tom Reber
The property owners now have un
til a public hearing Monday. Dec 13,
at 8 p m to remonstrate against the
project. If all the affected property
o w n e rs s a y no to th e new
assessments, the city staff w ill come
up with alternatives for the parking
lot
"W e're just going to do some
brainstorming on what alternatives
are available," Reber said "W e'll be
presenting those to the city council
and see what they will pursue."
The options should be ready for
council consideration at the Dec. 13
hearing
If all property owners remonstrate
against the project, the city manager
expects the council to take action
swiftly
“ I would assume they would act
that night,” Reber said, ‘i f all a lte r
natives have been investigated and
the air about the financing and future of the area,
we have a thorough report, then I
think they’ll make a decision We
won't be presenting a report if it isn't
complete.”
The new assessments are based on
the square footage of each land
parcel that benefitted directly from
construction of the parking lot. The
area of each parcel was calculated
and then a percentage was determin
ed of that area as it related to the
total square foo4age of the properties
benefitted by the L ID
Credit was given to those who
donated property to the project
Under the new plan, estimated
assessments are Warren and Elaine
Decker, $11,422 44; Arthur Bolster,
$21,343 42; Heritage Square Develop
ment Corp., $39,497.82; the Double
D ragon. $20,405 66; C a rro ll and
Phyllis Rader, $19,317 86, Georgia
Shaffer, $17,967.49; and Betty A rm
strong, $11,494.80.
Prevention plan involves community
by DAN D IL LO N
" I f people think safely, they’ll act
safely," said Sandy F ire Chief Bob
Rathke, explaining new directions
the F ire District's prevention pro
gram may take in coming months
"T h a t’s what I think we re trying
to promote comm unity-wide.”
Fire Marshal Jim Gallagher con
curred “ F ire prevention here has
never been stagnant It looks like
some real new challenges are going
to develop "
The lo c a l d is tr ic t had been
prepared to hire a fire prevention
educator and work toward a local fire
code In light of economic conditions
and the recent statewide attempt to
lim it property taxes, however, the
plan has been abandoned
"One of the things that came out of
our review of Measure 3, in terms of
that program ." Rathke said, “ we're
not going to hire an additional man
The fire prevention specialist and
"all-encompassing" local fire code
were two goals in the district's long-
range plan completed three years
ago Now the district finds it hard to
justify hiring the new fu ll-tim e
firefighter the program would re
quire
Instead, after a nine-month review
of the fire prevention program.
Rathke and Gallagher want to take
the prevention program to the people
in a greater degree
"We re looking for outside help,"
G allagher explained
"The new
avenue to look at is tc provide the ser
vice without m ajor expenditures of
taxpayers' dollars.”
The program, which the fire chief
w ill present to the board of directors
at its Dec 14 meeting, could involve
service groups. Boy Scouts and
senior citizens
"The whole concept is a different
focus,” Rathke said. "How can we in
crease effectiveness and get other
people involved9"
The outside groups, after training
by local firefighters, could provide
hom e safety inspections on a
volunteer basis, help out with the
smoke detector program and take
audio-visual programs to the schools
Part of the long range plan called
for greater emphasis on the use of
smoke detectors A recent survey by
the district revealed that district
residents got that word Nearly 75
percent of those polled had detectors
installed
T h e n e x t s te p in v o lv e s a
maintenance program to find a way
where citizens, “ besides us,” Rathke
said, become involved spreading
reminders about battery checks and
such
“ W e ’re looking to m ake fire
prevention a com m unity effo rt,
rather than a fire district effo rt,”
Gallagher said adding, the new pro
gram provides "better balance.”
District personnel would also take
an active role in the program, if it is
implemented.
A review of the district’s records
showed a steady increase in the
number of illegal fires such as burn
ing on days when it is prohibited by
the Department of Environmental
Quality.
"One aspect is to make a greater
effort in controlling illegal burns."
Rathke explained. That could include
revising adm inistrative procedures
for handling burning per-its, in
stituting a brochure to be handed out
to first-tim e offenders and, ultim ate
ly. assessing people the cost of put
ting out the fires, a practice permit
ted by Oregon law.
The district would also place
greater emphasis on buildings where
there is a potential for the loss of
lives such as assem bly halls,
restaurants and taverns
“ In the past it's been, ‘If you call
us, w e’ll m ake an inspection,"
Rathke said In the future, the
district could begin a regular inspec
tion process
The district also plans to update
the fire loss records annually to
make appropriate adjustments in the
fire prevention program
District joins area-wide cooperative
At the same time the Sandy F ire
District is examining its preven
tion program, it is beginning a uni
que cooperative venture to combat
the growing fire problems of the
area
The M t Hood Fire Prevention
Association, following the old
sports adage that teamwork wins
the game, utilizes the expertise of
fire and ranger districts in eastern
Clackamas and Multnomah coun
ties
T h e p u rp o se of th e new
cooperative is to "consolidate in
formation and make it go twice as
far and reach more people." accor-
ding to Sandy F ire Marshal Jim
Gallagher
The group includes experts in
structural and wildlands fires
"Both have been doing basically
the same thing,” Gallagher noted,
"but approaching it in different
manners ”
Charter members include San
dy, Estacada. Hoodland and Cor
bett fire departments, the Oregon
State Department of Forestry, and
C o lum bia G o rg e , C lac ka m as .
E stacada and Zigzag R anger
District of the M t Hood National
Forest
Once initial studies of the major
fire causes of each member agen
cy have been completed, projects
of the association will include a
regular newsletter, cooperative
presentations on fire safety to
schools and community groups,
newspaper articles to keep the
public informed about fire issues
and programs aimed at reducing
fire hazards in summer homes in
forested areas
"P a rt of this joining together is
dropping some identity," the local
fire marshal said "W e’re talking
as members of the co-op about
common problems, rather than in
dividual "
The cooperative's educational
programs are designed to tie in
with local districts' individual
prevention program s enabling
districts to get more mileage
without spending more money.
A partial list of subjects which
have been targeted for Mt Hood
F ire Prevention Association atten
tion include safe wood stove in
stallation and use, woodcutting,
forest campfires, debris burning
and fireproofing holiday decora
tions.
Programs help handle winter bills
H e a tin g
b ills r is e
as th e
tem perature drops Post-Christmas
bills put a pinch on budgets
For fam ilies and individuals with
troubles meeting w in tertim e ex
pensea. two programs can lend a
helping hand
Wednesday, the state of Oregon
began taking applications for low
income fam ilies who need help to
meet w inter heating bills
This winter, an estimated $23
million w ill be available from the
federal government for the Low
Income Energy Assistance Program
Local agencies, including the San
dy Community Action Center and
Sandy Senior Center, take applica
tions or help area residents set up ap
pointments for interviews
Any household whose income is at
or below 125 percent of the poverty
level is eligible for assistance Pover
ty levels are based on household in
comes To be eligible, the household
must have demonstrated energy
costs
For example, a fam ily of four with
a monthly income of $989 or less or
an annual income below $11,825
would be eligible
Com m unity action and senior
agencies around the state take the
applications for assistance from low-
income families who face rising bills
Checks will be distributed by the
state Community Services Program
Payments are made to suppliers who
sign contracts with the state or to ap
plicants whose suppliers haven't
signed contracts
B IL L -P A Y IN G H E L P
Free professional counseling*^ be
ing offered local residents whose
fam ily income can't keep up with
debts incurred when the economy
was better
Consumer Credit Counseling Ser
vice of Oregon is currently helping
some 16 Sandy. Eagle Creek and Bor
ing residents find ways to make
financial ends meet Of the estimated
15,000 persons in the area, however,
L arry Winthrop, president, calls 16
"an insignificant number Several
hundred people in the area could use
our services
“The trouble is getting to people to
tell them there is a non-profit service
that’s ready to help them, free or for
very little money," he said
The services are open to anyone,
regardless of income level, who can’t
pay the bills
"Our clients are people anxious to
pay their debts and protect their
credit," Winthrop said “ In the past.
we've said their troubles were caus
ed by bad luck, bad management or a
combination of both These days, it's
also a bad economy and the loss of a
job or a lay-off ”
Counseling is free If more held is
needed, there's a debt management
program for which a $9 charge is
made—o r waived in hardship cases
In these programs, counselors work
with clients and their creditors to a r
range m utually satisfactory pro
grams for getting debts paid usual
ly by extending repayment periods
and reducing monthly payments
Appointments are available by
calling 232-8139.
Single Copy 25<
Santa Claus
visit begins
festivities
Santa’s coming to town!
Jolly Old St Nick, portrayed
by Herb Fenwick, arrives by
fire engine at 9:30 a m Satur
day. Dec 4, at the Sandy Rexall
Drug parking lot
He ushers in a host of
Christmas festivities sponsored
by Sandy A rea M erchants
under the banner. "Christmas
in the Country ”
Santa w ill preside over Satur
day's "breakfast with Santa"
from 10 a.m until noon beginn
ing Dec 4 at Sandy Senior Com
munity Center
The merchants are hosting
this first breakfast, with free
admission for kids younger than
12 accompanied by an adult
Adult fare for the continental
breakfast is 50 cents
Pictures with Santa w ill be
available
Subsequent breakfasts with
Santa will be 10 a m until noon
Dec. 11 at T J ’s Fireside and 10
a m. until noon Dec. 18 at
Tollgate Inn
Local school children are
decorating a community tree
going up Saturday in the drug
store parking lot.
Carolers from Sandy Grade
School, Kelso School and Sandy
High School will entertain at the
three Sandy breakfasts with
Santa
K R D R will perform a live
remote radio broadcast this
Saturday at the Santa breakfast
at Sandy Community Center
Herb Fenwick will be relieved
by perennial Santa figure. Paul
Spence, on subsequent ap
pearances by Santa in Sandy
After the breakfasts, Santa will
stroll throughout town to greet
shoppers and pass out free can
dy
Wy'East Lodge
celebrates new
craftsmanship
The craftsmanship of the 1930s
W PA
p r o je c t
th a t
becam e
internationally-fam ous Tim berline
Lodge comes full circle this weekend
with the culmination of an 18-month
drive to furnish the new W y’East Day
Lodge with the craftsmanship of the
1980s
Two flat bed truckloads of new art
works and furniture have been
delivered already to the day lodge by
Sandy Truck Lines as the grass-roots
fund drive celebrates completion of
the project More will be delivered
this week and in the coming months
This Saturday, 4 to 8 p m , visitors
will have the opportunity to chat with
more than 30 craftsmen involved in
making the 80 tables. 400 chairs, 20
concrete containers, 115 steel and
wood signs that continue the comm it
tment to works by the hands of Nor-
thwesterners begun with Timberline
At 4:30 p m there w ill be a short
d e d ic a tio n
e n d in g
w ith
the
ceremonial cutting of a cake in the
shape of the day lodge by Dick
Kohnstamm, area operator for 28
years. Dick Hoffman. Timberline
forest ranger, and Dick Spies, day
lodge architect
Because all the funds—more than
$260,000 in cash, m aterials and
labor—raised for the project were us
ed only for the hand-crafted work,
the contributors going tn the celebra
tion are bringing the hors d'oeuvres
for the party themselves It is ex
pected to be Oregon's biggest potluck
in the spirit of community and pit
ching in for that spirit
Index
SECTION I
Editorial. Opinion
... 2
Keeping Posted
... 3
Obituaries ........................
4
Menus
............................
9
Senior Center News
... 5
Sports. Recreation
11 12
SECTION II
Classified Ads
T V Revue
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