SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 38
SECTION A
JUNE 23, 2017
$1.00
Shortages persist despite
ref reshed parks budget
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Most
management-level
government
employees
probably feel some relief
when the new fi scal year
begins on July 1 and budgets
gets refreshed. For Robert
Johnson,
Keizer
parks
supervisor, “relief ” isn't the
word he would use.
“It feels good, but it doesn't
feel like it's a license to do
whatever I want. It has to last
the entire year and something
always comes up,” Johnson
said.
Since the beginning of the
year, two things have caused
unexpected headaches: wind
storms and vandalism.
Snow during the winter
and wind storms throughout
the spring caused tree damage
that put the city over its tree
services budget, and cut into
purchases Johnson was hoping
to make with surplus this past
month.
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Someone recently drove their vehicle on a tiny path between The Big Toy and the parking lot at
Keizer Rapids Park, the act destroyed portions of native landscaping.
“I had to keep it lean and
I was doing that already,”
Johnson said.
In the past several weeks,
joyriders have extensively
damaged a fence separating
a Keizer Rapids Park from a
quarry to the north, which
falls on the parks staff and
contractors to repair. Last
week, someone else drove
a car over a berm in front
of The Big Toy and into a
four-foot path between the
fence around the toy and the
parking lot.
The car bottomed out at
least twice destroying a section
of native plants and tearing up
two sections of the landscaped
berm.
“Two weeks ago, we had an
Eagle Scout fi nish his service
project there. He got plants
donated, put in a picnic table
slab and fi nished bark dusting,”
Johnson said.
Depending on what gets
vandalized, the city's parks
employees – 1.5 full time
and a few seasonal employees
– are sometimes racing the
clock in addition to trying to
fulfi ll other duties and needs.
Damaged plants have a limited
amount of time in which they
can be rescued.
“When the car pulled out
of the path, the driver knocked
over a mountain hemlock,
which is a nice landscaping
tree. I won't know for a while
what damage was done to the
root structure,” Johnson said.
Johnson did manage to
sock away some funds for new
equipment, which will appear
in the form of new picnic
tables.
“We never have enough of
them and the wooden ones
are vandalism targets and need
New team
calling
Keizer home
PAGE A10
Please see PARKS, Page A9
Keizer’s story will be etched into trees
application deadline of July
By ERIC A. HOWALD
15.
Of the Keizertimes
“This has been several years
For the past three years,
one of more unusual points in the making, but I'm excited
of interest in Keizer have been that it's cultural and it will be a
two dead, branchless Douglas great asset to the community,”
fi r trees in front of Keizer said Councilor Amy Ryan.
Two ailing fi r trees were cut
Civic Center.
They might remain that down to the trunk in 2014,
way for another two years, but but then-Mayor Christopher
plans are fi nally in motion to implored city staff to keep the
trunks intact
turn them into
with the hope
something else
of
fi nding
– story poles “ This has been
someone
to
telling the tale
several years in carve them.
of Keizer.
“They will the making, but
In
docu-
not be totem
ments
pre-
poles,
they I’m excited that
sented to the
will
depict
council,
the
the history of it's cultural and
cost is estimat-
our area and it will be a great
ed at $75,000
I'm sure it
and includes
will
include asset to the
ever ything
things
like
from the actual
rivers,
irises community,”
carving
(ap-
and
maybe
prox.
$25,000)
— Amy Ryan,
even the face
to dedication
Keizer City Councilor
of
Thomas
of the land, staff
Dove Keizur,”
time and the
said Lore Christopher, former value of the poles themselves.
Keizer mayor and current
The endorsement requested
member of the Keizer Public from the city council
Art Commission (KPAC).
included covering the costs of
Christopher spoke to continued maintenance in the
the Keizer City Council at form of a pest-resistant sealant
its meeting Monday, June that needs to be applied every
19. KPAC is working with two to fi ve years ($350 per
a grant writer to apply for coating) and insurance costs
project funding and needed an of up to $1,000 annually.
endorsement from the council, One outstanding question is
and a designation of the area whether the poles will require
around the trees as public art braces once the project is
space, to meet the Oregon complete.
Community
Foundation
Christopher also submitted
a timeline for action.
“We
will
organize
Two Douglas fi r trunks near
community meetings to take
the Keizer Civic Center
input and develop the images
could be turned into story
that will go on the poles,”
poles by 2019.
Christopher said. “Then we
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Bike station
headed to
Civic Center
PAGE A2
Man busted
in sex sting
PAGE A9
Please see TREES, Page A9
Staffi ng changes on deck for MHS
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
McNary is beefi ng up its one
club, one sport, one activity for
every kid every year initiative.
Instead of one activities director,
the high school will have two in
2017-18.
Derick Handley, former girls
basketball coach, is taking the lead
on activities but he'll be joined by
art teacher Todd Layton.
“Derick is a great teacher who
has great relationships with kids,”
McNary principal Erik Jespersen
said. “Todd is a great teacher who
also has great relationships with
kids and we really think between
the two of them we're really going
to bring in a lot more kids into the
fold and even more kids involved
in clubs, sports and activities. It's
pretty exciting. I think it's going to
be great.”
Volcanoes
off to
rough start
Handley and Layton are
replacing Dan Borresen, who
has been promoted to assistant
principal, where he will be in
charge of the student management
system as well as supervising the
English department, counselors and
attendance.
“Dan brings 27 years of teaching
experience into this role,” Jespersen
said. “He's one of our strongest
Please see STAFF, Page A9
PAGE A10
McNary principal Erik Jespersen