PAGE A2, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 21, 2017
Parks board wants staggered fee rollout
Suggested amounts
prompt heated discussion
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Today in History
According to tradition, Romulus and his twin brother,
Remus, found Rome on the site where they were suckled by
a she-wolf as orphaned infants.
— April 21, 753 B.C.
Food 4 Thought
“The power of imagination makes us infi nite.”
— John Muir, naturalist, author. Born April 21, 1838
The Month Ahead
Through Saturday, April 29
Willamette University’s theater department presents
Shakespeare’s Macbeth at the M. Lee Pelton Theatre on
campus. General admission is $10. 503-370-6221. thtr-tix@
willamette.edu.
Through Saturday, May 6
Jesus Christ, Superstar at Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Avenue
N.W. on Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and
Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets $27.50 to $29 for weekends, $26.50
to $28 for weekdays. $1 more for opening night, includes after
party. 503-485-4300, pentacletheatre.org.
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
When members of the Keizer Parks and Recreation Ad-
visory Board presented the fi ndings of a parks survey to the
Keizer City Council earlier this month, they did not offer a
recommendation at the time because the board had not met
to discuss it.
Board members took up the issue at their meeting Tuesday,
April 11, and arrived at a recommendation, but only after a
sometimes heated discussion.
The end result is that the board unanimously recommended
implementing a fee to support Keizer parks with a staggered
rollout. If the city council went with the board’s recommenda-
tion, the fee would start at $4 per month, increase to $6 the
following year and then max out at $8 the year after that.
“I think it’s good to show the taxpayers what we do with
each level,” said Jim Taylor, parks board member.
City offi cials have been talking for more than a year about
potentially adding a fee to create a dedicated fund for Keizer
parks. Results of a parks survey showed that more than 80 per-
cent of respondents were willing to pay something for parks
services. The fee would be billed per residence to approximately
14,000 Keizer homes.
Ore. Treasury wants employees
to have better plan than hope
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
The Oregon State Treasury (OST) is
trying to make it easier for employees
to start saving for retirement – without
employers incurring additional costs.
Last week, Joel Metlen, a retirement
analyst with the Oregon State Treasury,
stopped by the Keizer Chamber of
Commerce monthly luncheon on
Tuesday, April 11, to tell members about
the coming changes.
“The Oregon Retirement Savings
program is an attempt at a solution to a
large and growing program. People are
living longer and not saving enough,”
said Metlen.
The retirement program, dubbed
Oregon Saves and spearheaded by
OST, will attempt to make it easier
for employees to establish and grow
retirement
savings. Metlen
said
movement away from employer-based
savings programs to privately-held ones,
like 401(k)s, has left a gap for employees
where there aren’t work-based plans.
Friday, April 21
Laila Ali is the featured speaker at the annual benefi t for the
Medical Foundation of Marion-Polk Counties, 7 p.m. at the
Historic Elsinore Theatre. Tickets range from $32 to $47.
Proceeds benefi t individuals without health insurance or are
underserved. mpmedicalfoundation.org.
BERNINA Stretch and Sew Fabrics hosting a BEAR-NINA Sew-
In event, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., located at the store in Schoolhouse
Square, 5089 River Road N. Call 393-0132 to register.
Saturday, April 22
Marion County presents Earth Day at the Oregon Garden
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, parking on site is
$5. For more information, call 503-874-8100 or email info@
oregongarden.org.
Enlightened Theatrics presents “Divided Comedy Tour.” Ty
Barnett (“Last Comic Standing,” “Tonight Show”) and Ian
Harris (Netfl ix, “Jimmy Kimmel Live”) tackel race, religion,
parenting, politics, relationships, and all the hot-button topics
that often keep us divided, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., Grand Ballroom,
187 High Street N.E. $17 in advance. enlightenedtheatrics.org.
Dance with music by “Your 50’s Band” at the Keizer/Salem
Area Senior Center, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. $5 per person. Contact
Bo Allen at 503-390-7441 or boallen555@comcast.net.
Eat for Change day at Chipotle at Keizer Station, benefi tting
Alzheimer’s Network. 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Kickstands up
for Monster
Cookie April 30
The Monster Cookie
Metric Century Bicycle Ride
is on April 30. The cyclers will
go from the Salem Capitol
Mall to Champoeg State Park
and back, which is 62 miles
(100 km).
Pre-registration is $25
with optional $7.50 lunch,
$15 t-shirt, or $15 Monster
Cookie socks.
Pre-register ends April 24.
Day-of-ride registration is
$35. Registration will be open
from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
For more information,
contact Hersch Sangster
at 503-390-8024 or email
cookie@salembicycleclub.org.
Diabuddies Dash at Keizer Rapids Park, 1900 Chemawa Road
N. 10k run starts at 7:30 a.m. 5k walk/run starts at 7:45 a.m.
For more information, email kelsey@chrisdudley.org.
Salem MS Walk at the Capitol State Park. Registration starts
at 9 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m. The Oregon Paralyzed
Veterans of America will have their team participating in the
walk. Walk with the team and/or make a donation. For more
information, email oregonpva@oregonpva.org.
Sunday, April 23
Who’s on Third concert series, 3 p.m., Woodburn United
Methodist Church (700 N. Cascade Dr.) Today’s concert
features local pianists Roger and Nancy Wilhite. Free-will
offering will be taken to cover costs.
Monday, April 24
Weekly meeting of the Iris Festival coordinating committee at
Keizer Chamber of Commerce offi ce, 6150 Ulali Dr. in Keizer
Station. Open to the public.
Thursday, April 27
Keizer Points of Interest Committee meeting, 6 p.m., Keizer
Civic Center.
McNary High School seniors versus teachers basketball game.
7 p.m. in the gym. Admission is $3 and supports the Senior
Graduation Party.
Friday, April 28
Alzheimer’s Network’s 7th annual Affair to Remember at the
Willamette Heritage Center in the Spinning Room, 1313 Mill
Street S.E. Starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 for individuals
and $80 for couples. 21 and over only event.
Saturday, April 29 – Sunday, April 30
30th Annual Oregon Ag Fest at Oregon State Fairgrounds in
Salem. Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. Cost is $9 for ages 13 and up, free for children 12 &
under. Parking is free.
“It matters because people are 15
times more likely to save with an
employer-based program,” Metlen said.
Oregon Saves is a public-private
partnership, but once the program is
fully rolled out all Oregon employers
that do not currently offer retirement
savings plans will be required to offer
it to employees. It was created with the
passage of HB 2960 during the 2015
legislative session.
Employers who don’t offer savings
plans will need to provide employee
data to to the state so that accounts can
be set up, pass along information to
employees, maintain payroll deductions
and keep track of contributions.
Employees will be able to opt
out of the program and adjust their
contributions. Without action on
the part of the account holders, an
automatic 5 percent will be deducted
from each paycheck. That amount will
increase by one percent each year until
it maxes out at 10 percent. Savings
will be placed into a Roth Individual
Retirement Account and managed
by professionals. A 1 percent fee of
employee assets under the plan will be
taken to cover the management cost.
There is no employer fee.
Metlen said one of the most
frequently asked questions is what the
state is getting out of the deal.
“There is a huge self-interest for
the state. Social safety nets are strained
and without employees saving on their
own, it will create greater strain on
state budget,” he said. “Every employer
will have to do something whether it’s
facilitating the Oregon Saves program
or establishing their own retirement
plan through private provider.”
A secondary goal of the effort is
to encourage more innovation in
employer-provided plans, he added.
Metlen said a test group of businesses
will begin offering the savings account
this summer and a larger group will start
this fall. Metlen already has a number of
businesses set for the second phase, but
is accepting additional businesses willing
to join the pilot program. Metlen can
be contacted at Joel.Metlen@ost.state.
or.us.
Larger-scale roll-outs will begin
in 2018 with the goal of complete
coverage by 2020.
Youth writers: Enter library contest
Southeast Keizer Neighborhood Association meeting, 6:30
p.m., Salem Mennonite Church, 1045 Candlewood Drive NE.
Spotlight on Literacy Award Dinner & Silent Auction at the
Willamette Heritage Center at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50. More
information at www.midvalleyliteracycenter.org.
Board member Matt Lawyer said the recommendation
would allow Parks Supervisor Robert Johnson to expand ser-
vices incrementally rather than taking on a number of new em-
ployees and projects all at once, and show good stewardship of
the increased funding.
Board member Scott Klug took issue with the fi nal form of
the recommendation, specifi cally one that ended with residents
paying $8 per month when most respondents supported some-
thing less than $8.
“It bothers me that we don’t have a consensus of (survey re-
sponders) wanting to pay $8. My fear is putting my name on a
recommendation that supports that,” Klug said. “It’s not that it’s
not the right thing to do. More than half of the survey, almost
four-fi fths, came back saying they don’t want to pay $8.”
Klug added that he was not necessarily against the move
personally, but that it did not correspond with the survey results.
Taylor added that the city council could also choose to go
another direction despite the board’s recommendation.
“Having been on the council, everyone takes the task of
spending taxpayer’s money seriously. I know all seven of the
council members and they aren’t going to pass something that
is not necessary to the health of the city,” Taylor said.
While Klug supported the recommendation as part of the
board, he suggested that he might speak to the council during
public testimony about his lingering concerns.
The city council will take up the issue at a special meeting
May 8 beginning at 6 p.m. There will be an opportunity for
residents to chime in during public testimony.
The Salem Public Library’s
Spring Short Story Contest is
accepting entries until April
29. Teen writers may submit
up to two fi ction or non-fi c-
tion stories. The stories must
be between 250 and 1,500
words, and they must be
wholly original. The submis-
sions must follow the guide-
lines available on the offi cial
entry form: bit.ly/2oSXkbu.
Prizes will be awarded
in two categories: middle
school and high school. First
place winners will be award-
sudoku
Enter digits
from 1-9 into
the blank
spaces. Every
row must
contain one
of each digit.
So must every
column, as
must every
3x3 square.
ed $50, second place will
gain $20, and third place will
win $10. The winners will
be notifi ed by email on May
18. Winning entries and se-
lect runners-up will be read
at the Awards Event on May
25 at 6:30 p.m. in Anderson
Rooms A and B at the Salem
Public Library, 585 Liberty
Street S.E.
looking
back in
the KT
5 YEARS AGO
Dentist honored
Dr. David Copeland, a
longtime Keizer dentist - and
later in life, a respected fl ower
arranger — was recognized by
the Wilark Park Garden Club
with a bench near the Keizer
Civic Center.
10 YEARS AGO
3893 COMMERCIAL ST SE
THIS WEEK’S
MOVIE TIMES
Hidden Figures (PG)
Fri 6:35, Sat 4:10, 8:10, Sun 6:10
The Shack (PG-13)
Fri 4:00, 6:00, Sat 3:45, 5:35,
Sun 12:25, 5:30
Split (PG-13)
Fri 4:15, 9:00, Sat 8:45
Rogue One:
A Star Wars Story (PG-13)
Fri 1:20, Sat 1:00, Sun 2:50, 5:05
La La Land (PG-13)
Fri 6:50, Sat 6:15, Sun 8:00
John Wick: Chapter 2 (R)
Fri 8:35, Sat 6:40, 9:05,
Sun 8:35
Caught in the act
Daniel Bishop, 28, was taken
out of Wells Fargo Bank on
River Road in Keizer in
handcuffs after police believe
he attempted to rob the bank.
When Bishop failed to exit
the bank, police entered and
Bishop surrendered without
further incident.
15 YEARS AGO
Police arrest Keizer
teen in gang graffi ti
incidents
Keizer police arrested a Keizer
teen in connection with a
graffi ti spree that left gang
markings on at least three
buildings.
Fifty Shades Darker (R)
Fri 9:15
20 YEARS AGO
A Dog’s Purpose (PG)
Fri 2:00, Sat 11:30, Sun 3:05
Police union votes
against Stull, presses
city for probe of chief
Sing (PG) Sat 1:25, Sun 12:45
The LEGO Batman Movie (PG)
Fri 1:40, 3:45, Sat 12:00, 2:05,
3:30, Sun 12:00, 2:05, 4:05
FOR ALL SHOWTIMES GO TO
NORTHERNLIGHTSTHEATREPUB.COM
Keizer
police
offi cers
overwhelmingly voted against
supporting
Police
Chief
Charles Stull last week after he
demanded their union vote to
show he had offi cer backing.