2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 15, 2015
Polk County News
Amphitheater one step closer Falls City manager
City of Monmouth looks at funding options to finish project
leaves post Friday
By Emily Mentzer
Mayor to serve as interim leader
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — By
Fourth of July 2016, Mon-
mouth’s Main Street Park
could have its amphitheater
ready for summer concerts,
if the council can find a way
to pay for it soon.
Parks system develop-
ment charges (SDCs) can be
used for this project, as well
as money from the urban re-
newal district (URD), said
Mark Fancey, city communi-
ty development director.
Fancey said during the
April 7 city council work ses-
sion that if the council de-
cided to pursue grant fund-
ing for the project, it could
take until 2017 or longer to
complete.
The amphitheater project
entails several structures in-
cluding new bathrooms.
Storage would allow the city
to stop using the old fire sta-
tion as a storage facility.
The project also would in-
clude landscaping and a
large storage tank under-
neath the restroom where
water from the park’s splash
fountain would be stored to
irrigate the park.
In total, the amphitheater
project’s estimated cost is
$1.22 million, the final of
three large parks projects
listed on the Monmouth
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DAO ARCHITECTURE/ for the Itemizer-Observer
The amphitheater in Main Street Park could be ready for concerts as early as summer
2016, depending on how the Monmouth City Council decides to pay for it.
parks master plan. The other
two projects now completed
are Madrona Park and the
splash fountain in Main
Street Park.
The council decided to
use $422,000 from the parks
SDC fund, as well as some
money from the urban re-
newal district’s capital re-
serve fund, and explore op-
tions for financing from the
URD.
Councilors debated the
value of a five-year loan from
the URD vs. a 10-year one.
A 10-year loan would have
lower annual payments, but
with just 10 years left on the
urban renewal district, some
councilors thought it would
tie their hands when it came
to offering incentives to
downtown businesses or fu-
ture developers.
Fancey and City Manager
Scott McClure said they
would bring back more in-
formation on both a five-
year loan and a 10-year loan
before councilors made a
final decision on funding the
amphitheater project.
FALLS CITY — The city
of Falls City began its
search for a permanent city
manager just in time to see
its temporary manager
leave.
Interim City Manager
Jon Hanken submitted his
15-day notice on April 2.
His last day will be Friday.
“As you are aware, I have
been actively pursuing full-
time positions and have
tentatively accepted anoth-
er position,” Hanken wrote
in his resignation letter.
“Thank you for the opportu-
nity to serve the citizens of
Falls City. I wish you success
in your recruitment efforts.”
Hanken, who was hired
in October 2014, had been
scheduled to fill the post
until June, unless he found
another job. He did in Ione,
Calif.
“That’s exciting for him;
sad for us,” said Mayor
Terry Ungricht Thursday at
the Falls City City Council
meeting.
Ungricht will serve as
“city manager pro tem”
until a permanent city
manager is hired. He said
the city’s 2015-16 budget
Government
proposal is nearly com-
plete and should be fin-
i s h e d b e f o re Ha n k e n
leaves.
The city began its official
search process on April 2
when it began to advertise
the now part-time post.
Falls City is looking for
someone to work 20 to 24
hours per week at a salary
range of $22 to $25 per
hour. Qualifications include
a bachelor’s degree in pub-
lic or business administra-
tion, accounting or a relat-
ed field, with prior local
government management
experience recommended.
Applications are due
April 29 and will be re-
viewed by May 14. If qual-
ified candidates apply, in-
terviews are slated to be
finished by the end of
May, and a new city man-
ager could be on the job
by July 1.
Western Oregon’s presidential announcement expected Thursday
Itemizer-Observer staff report
MONMOUTH — The search for
Western Oregon University’s new
president is nearly wrapped up.
An announcement was expect-
ed Tuesday, but has been delayed
until Thursday.
The presidential search commit-
tee received 45 applications to re-
view for the post, which will be
open once President Mark Weiss
retires on June 30.
Out of those 45 applicants, four
were selected for on-campus inter-
views, tours, student and open fo-
rums.
The finalists visited the campus
in Monmouth from April 1 through
April 8 and spoke of their vision for
a midsized, public, comprehensive
university.
Fernando Delgado, 48, of the
University of Wisconsin-River
Falls, said WOU needs to focus on
survival through recruiting stu-
dents.
“It’s taking students from differ-
ent walks of life, bringing them
into this space and developing
them as professionals, scholars, or
employees,” Delgado said.
Christopher Ames, 58, of Shep-
herd University in West Virginia,
said an undergraduate degree is
more than just an accumulation of
enough credits, it’s a holistic expe-
rience of emotional, intellectual
and personal growth.
Margaret Madden, 62, of State
University New York Potsdam, said
higher education isn’t just about
getting someone a job — not that
finding employment isn’t impor-
tant, but a “lot of things happen at
this institution that are in some
ways more profound and longer
lasting.”
Rex Fuller, 62, of Eastern Wash-
ington University, said higher edu-
cation is vital to a thriving econo-
my and a citizenry capable of
thoughtfully communicating with
each other, but it needs to be ac-
cessible — and affordable.
Surveys were available on West-
ern Oregon’s website until mid-
night on April 8.
Marshall Guthrie, member of
the presidential search committee
and on WOU’s board of trustees,
said the surveys would not go into
a “circular file,” but rather input
would be carefully weighed when
making the final decision.
See the Itemizer-Observer online
at www.polkio.com for stories
about each finalist, as well as for
breaking news about who will be
selected to fill the role as Western
Oregon’s new president.