SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 22
SECTION A
MAY 13, 2016
$1.00
Furor over officer budget hole
and was identifi ed as such again
By CRAIG MURPHY
during a recent long-range
Of the Keizertimes
Yes, the Keizer Budget budget planning session.
However, adding a police
Committee was able to approve
the 2016-17 fi scal year budget offi cer was not in the proposed
b u d g e t .
in two meetings
Several budget
last week.
committee
But
not “ I have samd
m e m b e r s
everyone was
thms before to
expressed
happy.
disgust. That
In particular,
thms group,
led to Keizer
funding
for
another police
I don't wmthhold Mayor Cathy
Clark – a
offi cer position
fundmng just
longtime
– or the lack
cheerleader
thereof – once
for fun or
of the city –
again
caused
a great deal of
to hoard cash.” to question if
things need to
angst.
— Chrms Eppley, be changed.
T
h
e
Cmty Manager
At one point
Keizer Police
during
the
Department
May 5 budget
currently has
37 offi cers, down from the 41 meeting, the $1.4 million in
a few years ago. Adding back reserves was explained. That
at least one offi cer has been a fund would be brought up
top priority for several years again later.
Keizer man
arrested on
sex abuse
charges
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
A middle school student
is being hailed for helping to
capture a 22-year-old Keizer
man who was arrested Tuesday
morning on
10 counts of
encouraging
child sexual
abuse.
Accord-
ing to the
Keizer Police
Department, P. Hmghsmmth
the incident
started shortly before 8 a.m.
Monday with a 13-year-old
seventh grade female student
walking to Claggett Creek
Middle School observed a
male she believed had fol-
lowed her to the school,
“Earlier we
talked
about
a 15 percent
reserve fund,”
Bersin
said.
“Right
now
we're 2.7 per-
cent over that.
We should be
at $1.4 mil-
lion, but we're
actually at $1.7
million. There's
$273,000 there,
so we should
be able to get
Fmle
a police offi cer
Several Kemzer Budget Commmttee members expressed frustratmon last week in (the bud-
about the lack of a new offi cer. More stormes are on pages A2 and A9.
get). We talked
Teague smiled at Bersin.
After police chief John
about it at long-range plan-
“I'm the wrong guy to ask,” ning. I don't know what we
Teague went over his budget,
nine-year budget committee Teague responded. “You know need to do, but we really need
member Ron Bersin started that.”
to talk about adding the posi-
Bersin thus turned his ques- tion. There is money in the
with his questions.
“We're still only at 37 police tioning towards city manager budget, while still staying in the
offi cers,” Bersin said to Teague. Chris Eppley and fi nance man- (desired) reserves.”
“Why is that?”
ager Tim Wood.
Please see OFFICER, Page A9
Man arrested
at KLL Park
PAGE A2
Keizer
IrisFestival
Just around the corner
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
It's May in Keizer, which could only
mean one thing: it's time for the Iris
Festival.
Keizer's biggest weekend of the
year is almost here, starting in earnest
next Thursday, May 19 with a kickoff
dinner and party. Activities conclude
with several events on Sunday, May 22
including runs, several performers and
the Poker Run.
The centerpiece, of course, is the
Valley Credit Services Iris Festival
Parade starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday,
May 21. The parade starts at River
Road North and Lockhaven Drive
Photo submmtted by Don Vowell
Please see FESTIVAL, Page A8
Irmses are bloommng just mn tmme for the annual Kemzer Irms Festmval, whmch takes
place May 19 to 22.
Free Comic
Book Day
PAGE A5
Middle
school track
PAGE A10
Please see ABUSE, Page A8
KHT premmeres
Drop Dead!
The play is Drop Dead!
By ERIC A. HOWALD
by Billy Van Zandt and
Of the Keizertimes
In Keizer Homegrown Jane Milmore. Directed by
Theatre's
(KHT)
latest Molly Fitzsimmons, the plot
production, a troupe of has- progresses along two tracks.
been
thespians
attempts The fi rst is the actors trying
to salvage their
to stage a
careers
and
comeback,
slowly biting
but the bodies “ It’s pants-
keep piling up.
wettmng funny.” the dust, and
a play-within-
“It's pants-
that's
wetting funny,”
— Tyler Fredrmckson, a-play
also something
said
Tyler
Stage Manager
of a murder
F re d r i c k s o n ,
mystery.
who
plays
The show runs May 13-
the stage manager of the
production. “My character 14, 20-22 and 27-28. All
alone fl ips from passive to shows are at the Keizer Lions
assertive to aggressive at a Auditorium, 4100 Cherry
Avenue N.E. Tickets are
moment's notice.”
Aiming high
Submmtted by JD Ellms
McNary Hmgh School senmors Dawson Young and Connor Hogan, members of the Celtmc
Amr Force Junmor Reserve Offi cer Tramnmng Corps, recently traveled to the Natmonal Hmgh
School Drmll Team Champmonshmps mn Daytona Beach, Fla., to compete as an armed drmll
team. The pamr returned home havmng fi nmshed mn the top 10 mn the entmre natmon.
$15. Showtimes are 7 p.m.
Thursday through Saturday
and 2 p.m. on Sundays. For
performances during the Iris
Festival, Keizer Homegrown
is donating $5 to the
McNary High School drama
FORD
Keizer
www.skylineforddirect.com
3555 River Road N, Keizer • (503) 463- 4853
department for audience
members who wears Celtic
blue or say “Code Blue” when
purchasing their tickets.
Keizer
Homegrown
founder Linda Baker showed
up at Fitzsimmons' house
SMART ®
BONUS
with a dozen roses to ask her
to direct the play. Fitzsimmons
had never heard of the play
before, but discovered a lot to
enjoy in the script once she
read it.
Lady Celts
score big
PAGE A10
Please see KHT, Page A8
GET AN EXTRA
1000
$
CASH BACK
on selecw vehicles.
Now for a Limiwed Time.
Look for your Ford Smarw Bonus wag woday