Tuesday, OcTOber 18, 2022 A7
REDMOND SPOKESMAN
Write to us: news@redmondspokesman.com
GUEST COLUMN
High Desert
gardening is
a challenge
BY CARL VERTREES
G
ardening in Central Oregon is always a challenge, but
those challenges keep changing. Our 3,000-foot ele-
vation doesn’t change, and the threats for late spring
frosts seem to be present every year.
My first memories of gardening go back to my childhood
home in Seattle in the late days of World War II. My parents
had a Victory Garden, one of many adaptations made to
cope with shortages due to the war effort. We grew lettuce
and onions, peas, cucumbers, zucchini; I don’t remember
corn. Perhaps they reasoned the summers weren’t warm
enough.
When Ginger and I
moved to Alaska we at-
tempted carrots and lettuce We still take pride in our
in Sitka without remarkable garden, enjoy its bounty,
success. In Anchorage, the
and will continue to cope
longer summer daylight
hours facilitated greater
with the challenges.
success. Potatoes were easy.
Our cabbages were large,
but not like the cabbages of
legend at the Alaska State
Fair.
In Oregon we lived in
Bend and Island City —
outside of La Grande — be-
fore moving to Redmond
Vertrees
in 1975. The elevation in
the Grande Ronde Valley is
almost as high as here, but the growing season was appre-
ciably longer and more dependable. We could grow almost
anything, including apples and pie cherries.
Here we have an exceptionally large garden. Our city lot
is almost half an acre. When we had planted all the lawn we
thought prudent for maintenance, we dedicated the balance
of the west side to a vegetable garden.
Tomatoes are usually our stellar crop. We start three or
four varieties from seed in early April, letting them lan-
guish in our living room windows until early to mid-May
when we move them to our garden shed for hardening, usu-
ally putting them in the ground the last week of May. This
year a cool May delayed tomato planting until June 3.
Everything else we sow directly in the ground as soil tem-
peratures allow. The main difference in the garden calendar
I attribute to global warming. In the mid-1970s we seemed
to fear a killing frost shortly after Labor Day. Our response
to the frost alert was to strip all of the remaining tomatoes
for storage in the garage where they would ripen over the
next two months.
As I write this in mid-October, we have had no frost, let
alone a killing frost, and there is no frost in the two-week
extended forecast. The excessive heat we had in July inhib-
ited pollination of many plants, especially tomatoes, so our
tomato crop has been late this year.
Other challenges to Central Oregon gardening: the very
sandy soil needs amending with organic matter to retain
the precious moisture, and a variety of critters can wipe out
many verdant crops. Deer are usually the prime offenders,
even in the city. Our fences are not high enough to keep
them out. This year they’ve obliterated our beans, drasti-
cally pruned our zucchini, and nibbled their way through
the rest of the yard and garden. They are not especially fond
of tomatoes, but they forget, so they’ll take a bite out of sev-
eral and knock others off the vines as they amble through.
A few years in a row in the 1980s we had uninvited por-
cupines marauding our corn crop in the middle of the night
around Labor Day. We’ve had no success with carrots and
beets most recent years, because the neighborhood quails
meander through the garden and devour the tender little
shoots as they emerge from the soil.
Rarely have rock chucks been a problem in our garden,
although one year I shot one in our spinach patch. It was
not a killing shot, and the marmot escaped under the gar-
den shed where it subsequently died.
The odor of his decaying carcass was an unpleasant re-
minder for several days until an uninvited raccoon drug it
out in the open, so we were able to properly dispose of it.
We’ve had skunks, too, but we haven’t detected that they
have caused any damage.
Despite these issues, we still take pride in our garden,
enjoy its bounty, and will continue to cope with the chal-
lenges.
Life goes on.
█
Carl Vertrees has lived in north Redmond since 1975 with his wife, Ginger.
He was publisher of The Spokesman from 1975 until 2001.
YOUR VIEWS
Schmidt for county commissioner
Morgan will collaborate with city gov-
ernments to thoughtfully build more hous-
ing that can support local businesses, fami-
lies, communities, and our Central Oregon
way of life. None of us want people living in
tents on the street or in the forest; no one
wants to “become Portland.” The only way
that will happen is if we do nothing.
Morgan knows that having a continuum
of stable, dignified housing options makes
our communities safer and saves taxpayer
dollars. Morgan believes the county’s role is
to align with the integrity and intent of our
land use system: planning for affordable,
livable cities while preserving the forests,
farmland, waters, and open spaces that we
all love.
Deschutes County is one of the fastest
growing counties in the nation. This has
We support Morgan Schmidt for county
commissioner.
What is a county commissioner? County
commissioners oversee services, policies,
and public funds for our people, lands, and
waters.
Tragically, our county has one of the
highest youth suicide rates in the state.
Morgan will collaborate with the experi-
enced professionals and make behavioral
health a priority and forge partnerships
with local organizations and mental health
care providers so our whole community
can be well.
Morgan supports women of all profes-
sions and walks of life to make their own
medical decisions.
brought benefits to our community, as well
as challenges like soaring house prices, traf-
fic jams, strained infrastructure, and un-
sustainable pressure on our lands, waters,
and wildlife. Our lands and water are irre-
placeable.
Morgan believes taxpayers deserve to
have public funds managed carefully so that
people get the services they need. Morgan
is ready to invest wisely, while being fiscally
responsible by being fiscally strategic.
Morgan is forward-thinking, not re-
gressive, and believes in making strategic
investments that will benefit all of the res-
idents of Deschutes County. Morgan will
lead with confidence, backed by data, and
driven by a vision for the future.
Jim and Debbie Barnes
Sisters
GUEST COLUMN
Recreation center worthwhile
BY RICHARD LANCE AND LEANNE K. LATTERALL
T
he proposed Redmond Commu-
nity Recreation Center would be a
great leap forward.
A 74,000-square-foot building, featur-
ing two swimming pools, a high school size
gym with overhead track, fitness equipment
and rooms for exercise classes and more.
Wow!
Still, it’s a big ask. We’ve been talking to
neighbors and some would like to support
it, but have doubts. Here are their concerns.
IT’S TOO EXPENSIVE
We’ve heard rumors that with this and
the new Redmond Police station going on
the rolls, my taxes will go up $1,000. Is this
accurate? Too see, look at the table below:
Facility Who Pays? Bond Cost Operat-
ing Levy Cost Total Average
The Redmond Recreation Center bond
would cost the average district residence
$126 per year, or $10.50 per month, while
the levy would add $54 per year, or an-
other $4.50 per month.
The new police station will cost city
residents about $180 per year, or $15 per
month.
These numbers are based on the
average assessed value home in the
RAPRD service district, which is roughly
$225,000. This value is used by the
county tax assessor to figure your taxes
and is a lot less than what your house
might sell for.
Redmond residents will pay around
$276 per year or $23 per month, for both
the rec center and the police station.
Redmond Area Parks & Rec District
residents living outside Redmond city
limits (look at tax bill to see if you fit this
group) don’t pay for the police station, so
their additional property taxes are roughly
$148 per year, or $12 per month.
How did we get from $1,000 to $276?
First, there’s a big difference between
how much the county thinks your house
is worth, and what a realtor will tell you.
Look on your annual Deschutes County
tax bill – it’s a lot less. Can’t find it? – look
at redmondrecreation.org and click on “es-
timated tax impact” to find out.
Want to know exactly how much the
RCRC would cost you? Follow the steps
on the web site listed above and you’ll
know.
ONLY SENIORS WOULD USE IT
Tell that to swimmers who find the ex-
isting 1978 pool overcrowded, in need of
major maintenance, with water too cold or
warm for comfort. Tell that to adults who
would like a safe place to walk in inclement
weather, or enough gym space for their bas-
ketball league games.
Likewise, persons who use exercise
equipment or classes, and can’t afford the
private club costs.
If you want a complete picture of what
the new rec center would offer, see redmon-
drecreation.org. We think it offers some
thing for almost everyone.
LET THE PRIVATE CLUBS DO IT
Some have pointed out that fitness clubs
offer workout equipment, exercise classes,
etc. So why duplicate this? We see it differ-
ently.
First, clubs don’t offer full-size gyms,
swimming pools, rooms for a variety of
classes and meetings and child care for us-
ers.
Second, given membership/user fees,
clubs are more expensive. RAPRD can keep
costs lower. It does this because it has three
sources of funding: building the new facil-
ity is paid for by the bond, part of operat-
ing costs (staff, utilities, maintenance, etc.)
is paid by the increased RAPRD operating
levy and the rest of operating costs are paid
by user fees (and in-district users pay less
than out-of-district users).
Third, RAPRD is a not-for-profit organi-
zation. It’s heart is in providing services ac-
cessible to all.
For example, it has a substantial scholar-
ship fund which helps limited income fam-
ilies enroll their kids in swim lessons and
other classes.
CONCLUSION
This is the third time voters have been
asked to approve a new rec center. We think
it would serve the recreational needs of our
growing community well, and at an afford-
able price.
In the end, you will decide. We hope you
support it.
█
Richard Lance and Leanne K. Latterall
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
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Redmond
Mayor George Endicott: George.endicott@
redmondoregon.gov, 541-948-3219
Deschutes County
County Commission Chair Patti Adair: Patti.adair@
deschutes.org, 541-388-6567
County Commission Vice Chair Tony DeBone: Tony.
debone@deschutes.org, 541-388-6568
County Commissioner Phil Chang: Phil.chang@
deschutes.org, 541-388-6569
Your Legislators
Rep. Jack Zika (District 53): 503-986-1453; 900
court st. Ne, H-387, salem, Or 97301, rep.JackZika@
oregonlegislature.gov
Sen. Tim Knopp (District 27): 503-986-1727; 900
court st. Ne, s-425, salem, Or 97301, sen.TimKnopp@
oregonlegislature.gov
State
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 state capitol, salem,
Or 97310; 503-378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read: oregon.
treasurer@ost.state.or.us; 350 Winter st. Ne, suite 100,
salem Or 97301-3896; 503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum:
Justice building, salem, Or 97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative documents and
information are available online at www.leg.state.or.us.
Federal
President Joe Biden: The White House, 1600
Pennsylvania ave., Washington, d.c. 20500; 202-456-
1111; to send comments, go to www.whitehouse.gov.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: d.c. office: 313 Hart senate
Office building, u.s. senate, Washington, d.c., 20510;
202-224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland office: One
World Trade center, 121 s.W. salmon st. suite 1250,
Portland, Or 97204; 503-326-3386; fax 503-326-2900.
baker city office, 1705 Main st., suite 504, 541-278-
1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: d.c. office: 221 dirksen senate
Office building, Washington, d.c., 20510; 202-224-
5244; fax 202-228-2717. La Grande office: 105 Fir st.,
No. 210, La Grande, Or 97850; 541-962-7691; fax, 541-
963-0885; wyden.senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (2nd District): d.c. office: 1239
Longworth House Office building, Washington, d.c.,
20515, 202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. Medford
office: 14 N. central avenue suite 112, Medford, Or
97850; Phone: 541-776-4646; fax: 541-779-0204;
Ontario office: 2430 s.W. Fourth ave., No. 2, Ontario, Or
97914; Phone: 541-709-2040. bentz.house.gov.