SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 39, NO. 35
SECTION A
JUNE 1, 2018
$1.00
Service calls up
15 % at KFD
#torchard
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Pilts of dtad fi lutrt trtts wtnt up in smokt at Ktiztr Rapids Park last wttk as voluntttrs
madt way for a local farmtr to utgin harvtsting grass sttd in tht 20-acrt arta in tht tast
stction of tht park.
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
Keizer
Fire
District
responded to 15.7 percent more
calls in 2017 and the 2018-
19 proposed budget with an
increase of $581,900 or 8.3
percent accounts for that.
Resources have increased by
$1,193,748 over the previous
budget. While the majority of
the increase is due to higher than
anticipated project carryover,
property taxes and ambulance
billing revenue are projected to
increase by more
than $600,000.
The budget
allows for the
continuation
of all current
prog rams
and services
while
also
increasing
staffi ng
by
one fi refi ghter/
paramedic. But the number
of full time equivalent remains
at 35.5 due to the deletion
of the volunteer coordinator
position that was unsuccessful
during the grant process.
Nearly all increases in the
proposed budget are related to
personnel services, including a 4
percent cost of living adjustment
in salaries, 13.9 percent increase
in health insurance and 25.6
percent increase in workers
compensation
insurance,
along with the addition of a
fi refi ghter/paramedic.
Materials and services have
increased by 3.2 percent, with
the greatest increase coming
from the addition of $25,000
in a radio maintenance line for
an annual fee for a radio system
that is under construction.
Since most equipment has
been purchased through the
bond, capital outlay needs
have decreased by $15,000.
The proposed budget includes
the fi nal year of the fi ve-year
local option level of $0.59 per
thousand. The district will be
on the ballot for a renewal of
the levy in November.
Reserves and contingencies
have increased by
$20,000.
The district
will continue
to have three
funds—the
general
fund, which
consists of four
organizational
u n i t s —
administration
($1,665,885, fi re ($335,854),
EMS ($2,095,780) and training
($398,901) the capital projects
fund ($250,000) and the bond
fund ($318,073).
Administration sees an
increase of 11.3 percent and
EMS 10.2 percent.
The budget committee
approved the budget on
Wednesday, May 16 and sent
it to the Keizer Fire Board of
Directors for adoption during
its regular meeting on June 19
at 7 p.m.
A copy of the document may
be obtained at the station, 661
Chemawa Rd. NE from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m.
Witt named
softball's
Player of
the Year
PAGE B1
Students
release
latest book
PAGE A2
Blanchet student defi es challenges, aces PSAT
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
Nikhil Namburi, a junior at
Blanchet, had a “pounding” head-
ache the day he aced the PSAT.
“I did not think I did well at all
in the PSAT,” Namburi said. “I just
wanted to go home and take a nap.”
Overcoming headaches and fa-
tigue has become a way of life for
Namburi.
At age 4, he had emergency
brain surgery to drain a cyst, which
Namburi says was about the size
of a baseball. Namburi's doctors
thought he might suffer from a
learning disability.
“I think most people with the
condition I have tend to have
learning disabilities, especially the
size of my cyst,” Namburi said. “I
don't think it hindered my learning
abilities particularly but it defi nitely
makes it harder to work hard. The
symptoms compound the more and
more I work. There's a certain limit
Nikhil Namuuri, a Blanchtt studtnt
and Ktiztr rtsidtnt, rtctntly
actd tht PSAT dtspitt ltarning
challtngts that rtsulttd from a
urain cyst whtn ht was 4.
I have to set for myself and I can't
work beyond that or else it's just
going to end up hurting me more
than it helps me.”
The symptoms also depend on
Namburi's sleep schedule and diet.
He has to stay away from excess
sugars and fast food.
“The way that I maintain my
lifestyle makes a huge impact on
the symptoms that I have,” Nam-
buri said. “It's more of just knowing
my limits and maintaining a healthy
lifestyle for both short term and
long term benefi ts.”
Namburi, who also scored per-
fectly on the ACT and earned 1570
of 1600 possible points on the SAT,
said he doesn't enjoy school more
than any other student. He just
thinks differently.
“I have more of an analytical
mind so test are defi nitely easier for
Pltast stt PSAT, Pagt A5
KEIZERTIMES/Dtrtk Wilty
Cemetery
clean-up
PAGE A8
Andtrson looks to Volunteer will run for city council
“Whtn I found
lift afttr city council
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
City Councilor Bruce
Anderson is opting not to
seek another term on the
Keizer City
Council.
“ I ' v e
been look-
ing at the
activities
that I'm in-
volved and
and there B. Andtrson
are
some
other areas I want to move
into,” said Anderson.
Anderson was appointed
to fi ll a vacancy left by City
Councilor Brandon Smith
who moved to Salem shortly
after being elected in 2014.
Anderson's term will offi -
cially end in January 2019.
Anderson's time as a
volunteer with the city
predates his service as a
councilor, he was a member
of the Keizer Planning
Commission for seven years
before stepping up to the city
council.
“My wife and I have lived
here for 28 years, we appreci-
ate living in this community
and being part of it. Being
part of how our community
is shaped has been important
to me,” Anderson said.
Being a member of the
city council widened his lens
on everything the city is in-
volved in and granted him a
bird's eye view of just how
much the city counts on vol-
unteers to accomplish the
Pltast stt ANDERSON, Pagt A7
out Bruct was
sttpping down,
I ftlt likt it was
timt to sttp up.”
— Dan Kohltr
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Last year, Keizerite Dan
Kohler heard the city was
looking for help in removing
wood chips from The Big
Toy in Keizer Rapids Park.
When he approached Keizer
Public Works Director Bill
Lawyer with a proposal to
get the job done in a day,
Lawyer was skeptical to say
the least.
“Bill looked at me and
said, 'There is no way you
can do that.' Inside I said, 'I'll
take that challenge.'” Kohler
said.
Drawing upon members
of his church – the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints –
throughout the
mid-Willamette Valley as
well as other organizations
and the community at large,
Kohler
enlisted
several
hundred
volunteers
to
remove 600 cubic feet of
wood chips to make way for
a pour-in-place surface in six
hours. When the volunteers
were done, it only took city
staff about a day to fi nish the
job. Lawyer later estimated it
saved the city about $6,000
in city resources.
Kohler is now planning
to run to replace sitting
Councilor Bruce Anderson
in Position 6 on the Keizer
City Council. Anderson
is stepping away from the
council after being appointed
to fi nish out the term of
Brandon Smith when Smith
moved to Salem. Keizer
voters will determine who
replaces
Anderson
this
November.
“I had a number of people
who approached me and said
Pltast stt COUNCIL, Pagt A7
Doutt will be
two-sport
athlete at
George Fox
PAGE B1