6A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 22, 2015
Polk County News
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Continued from Page 4A
County admin
should live in means
Well, isn’t that sweet!
Polk County Administrator
wants to give his people a
pay raise in May, when the
citizens and voters of the
county go to polls to vote
yes or no on a Sheriff's Pub-
lic Safety Tax.
This we don’t need, tax-
payers to pay for salary in-
creases on top of the public
safety levy.
It is time to wake up, get
real and vote for people that
will govern for the people
and live within the same
means that Polk County res-
idents who are unemployed,
under-employed or retired
must live.
Nelda Carroll-Allegar
Dallas
Money could be
used elsewhere
Why do we need a $1.22
million amphitheater?
Upon reading about the
project in the I-O, I ask my-
self, what’s really the point?
Let’s face it, the community
often seems to pick up un-
foreseen costs with projects
like this.
Does anyone else remem-
ber the issues with funding
the police station? Are there
not other funding issues
currently happening?
Does it make sense that
we should spend over a mil-
lion dollars on a project that
will see minimal use?
We should look to Inde-
pendence for example, not
just try to keep up with
them.
They have a much better
amphitheater than the one
proposed, and it goes large-
ly unused. What will Mon-
mouth do differently?
Our sister city has shown
that there’s little to no
chance of seeing a return on
this investment, so why are
we doing it?
Why not use the funds we
have to finish projects that
are not moving forward?
This amphitheater seems
like a “keeping up with the
Joneses” idea that hasn’t ac-
tually been thought thr-
ough.
We shouldn’t allow for pet
projects to be blown out of
proportion on such a scale.
It’s not responsible plan-
ning, nor is the community
asking for such a project.
We can simply travel a
few blocks down the street
and make use of the much
nicer amphitheater that al-
ready exists.
Let’s come up with a bet-
ter idea for the space we
have available, rather than
simply copying an idea
that’s proven not very good
in the first place.
An arboretum or public
garden, for example, are
better (and more beautiful)
ideas.
What’s wrong with the
current method of setting
up a temporary stage for
music events?
The answer to this ques-
tion should be very good, if
we’re to invest $1.22 million.
There are better uses for
this space.
Robert Strutz
Monmouth
County pay raises
not necessary
Does anyone else see a
problem with the Polk
County Administrator say-
ing that there is money for
pay increases for the county
officials, and yet there is no
money to support the Sher-
iff’s department?
Rather than tax the peo-
ple, maybe the answer is
that we need a new county
administrator.
Ron James
Dallas
Citizens cannot
afford more taxes
Here we go again, and
again, and again.
The Polk County Com-
missioners are again asking
for property owners to open
their checkbooks and give
more money.
In many instances, it is
money citizens on a fixed
income cannot afford.
The public safety tax levy
has been defeated once be-
fore. To send a strong mes-
sage to our county commis-
sioner’s that we are sick and
tired of more tax increases,
please vote no.
Raymond Godfrey
Independence
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will be edited.
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Writers are limited to one elec-
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Each writer is restricted to
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retractable after this deadline.
CSD budget
outlook positive
Itemizer-Observer staff report
INDEPENDENCE — Central
School District’s budget out-
look is better than it has
been, even with a modest
state economic forecast.
Thanks to careful and fru-
gal planning in years past, the
district will move forward
with enough money to sus-
tain programs and hire addi-
tional teachers for imple-
menting things including full-
day kindergarten, said Super-
intendent Buzz Brazeau at
Monday’s budget committee
meeting.
However, the state’s May
economic forecast could still
mean some uncertainty for
the district’s financial status,
Brazeau noted.
The budget message and
introduction were made at
Monday’s meeting.
Budget committee mem-
bers will have until May 18 at
6 p.m. to review the numbers
and be ready to ask questions
and approve the budget.
The school board will be
able to adopt the final budg-
et at its June 1 meeting.
For more information:
www.central.k12.or.us.
OBITUARIES
Edith Louise
Brixius
Oct. 17, 1953 – April 15, 2015
Edith Louise Brixius, 61,
of Dallas died April 15.
Celebration of life gathering
was Sunday at The Club House
of Meadow Creek Village Mo-
bile Park in Dallas.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center handled arrange-
ments. To send an online
condolence: www.dallastrib-
ute.com.
Clarence ‘Ronald’
Wilson
Dec. 17, 1938 – March 12, 2015
Celebration of life for
Clarence “Ronald” Wilson,
76, of Independence is
Thursday at 2 p.m. at the
Salem Eagles, 2771 Pence
Loop SE, in Salem.
Farnstrom Mortuary in
Independence handled
arrangements. To send an
online condolence:
www.FarnstromMortuary.
Crown Memorial Service
handled arrangements.
Earl John ‘Sonny’
Dickman
May 24, 1925 – March 13, 2015
July 6, 1942 – April 7, 2015
Earl John “Sonny” Dick-
man, 72, of Dallas died April
7 from cancer.
He was born to Carl and
Loraine Dickman in Yamhill
County.
He was married to Donna
Hamilton and they had lived
in Valsetz. They later moved
to Dallas where they lived
and raised their four daugh-
ters.
Sonny had worked in the
mill and cannery.
He was preceded in death
by his wife, Donna in 2007.
Survivors include his
daughters, Michelle Jose,
Linda Roberts, Lesa Bel-
wood and Jennifer Dobbins;
siblings, Lori, Sharon, Cathy,
Elmer, Jimmy and Dee; and
10 grandchildren.
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I N D A L L A S
Fred Carlton
Griffith
Fred Carlton Griffith, 89,
of Dallas died March 13 in
Dallas.
He was born to Carl Grif-
fith Sr. and Abby Hawkins
Griffith in Lufkin, Texas.
Carl was a plumber and
pipe fitter and active in his
union for more than 60 years.
At various times in his life, he
was a real
e s t a t e
agent, a
restaurant
c h a i n
manager, a
weekend
commer-
cial fisher-
man, and
dealt in electronic sales of
books and collectibles.
He hunted deer, moose,
elk, pheasant, and turkey for
the table from the time he
was a young man through-
out his life. He read widely
and subscribed to several
science magazines.
Carl loved meeting peo-
ple, sharing stories, and
helping others.
He was known by friends
and family as a kind and in-
teresting man.
He was preceded in death
by his brothers, Gene and
Donald.
Survivors include his sib-
lings, Richard, Charles,
Larry, and Cheryl Mickelson;
daughters, Jill Griffith, Lau-
rie Anderson and Joyce Grif-
fith; many grandchildren
and great-grandchildren;
and extended family.
Memorial gathering will
be Aug. 16 at noon at Oak
Grove Grange.
Charles Edward
Taylor
April 17, 2015
Charles Edward Taylor,
Sr., 82, of Dallas died Friday
in Salem.
He had worked for the
state hospital for 31 years
and retired in 1988. He and
his wife, Loma moved to
Dallas in 1995.
Survivors include his wife,
Loma of Dallas; son, Charles
Jr. of Dallas; and sister,
Dorothy Fishel.
Private burial was in the
Willamette National Ceme-
tery in Portland.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center handled arrange-
ments. To send an online
condolence: www.dallastrib-
ute.com.
Celia Jennie
Putman Phillips
May 6, 1931 – April 15, 2015
Celia Jennie Putman
Phillips, 83, of Monmouth
died April 15.
She was born to Lucy and
Byron Putman. Her mother
Lucy died while Celia was
very young. Her father then
remarried Alberta, her step-
mother.
Celia grew up on a dairy
farm in upstate New York in
the family home which
housed three generations.
She attended a business
school in Massachusetts and
l a t e r
worked in
an insur-
ance com-
pany and
for General
Electric.
C e l i a
met Buell
at a friend’s
wedding and they married a
year later on March 8.
Celia and Buell moved to
California in 1958 and set-
tled in Monmouth in 1965.
Celia’s talents included
painting, sewing, cooking
and preserving foods, fish-
ing, skiing, archery and ca-
noeing. She retired after 26
years of service at Central
High School.
In retirement, Celia and
Buell enjoyed wintering in
Arizona and traveling
throughout the United
States, including Alaska and
Hawaii. She lived a full and
rich life.
She was preceded in
death by her brother, Alvin.
Survivors include her hus-
band, Buell; son, Russell
(Shannon); daughter, Cheryl
(Dieter); two grandchildren;
and one great-granddaughter.
Service was Sunday at
Farnstrom Mortuary in In-
dependence.
To send an online condo-
lence: www.FarnstromMor-
tuary.com.
Santos Ledezma
April 20, 1962 – April 16, 2015
Santos Ledezma, 52, of In-
dependence died Thursday.
Services are pending with
Farnstrom Mortuary in In-
dependence.
For information and to send
a condolence: www.Farn-
stromMortuary.com.
Georgetta Johnson
July 16, 1942 – April 17, 2015
Georgetta Johnson, 72, of
Dallas died Friday in Salem.
She was born in Coquille
to George and Loretta Wod-
kins.
Georgetta graduated from
Coquille High School. She
married Doug Johnson on
Oct. 8, 1960, in Monmouth.
They settled in Dallas in
1966.
Georgetta started working
for Salem Title Co. in Dallas
in 1962. She continued to
work for the title company
and retired as an escrow of-
ficer in 1999 from Ticor Title
in Dallas.
Georgetta was an active
member of Beta Sigma Phi
and enjoyed spending time
with her sorority sisters. She
also was a member St. Philip
Catholic Church. She espe-
cially loved her grandchil-
dren and enjoyed spending
time with them and her
family dogs.
Survived by her husband,
Doug of Dallas; children,
Tami Johnson (Russell Wyatt)
of Santa Rosa, Calif., Kelli
(Kenny)
Moffett of
Pacific City,
and Larry
(Stacey)
Johnson of
Phoenix,
Ariz.; sister,
Darlene
Belden of
Redmond; and six grandchil-
dren.
Funeral Mass is Saturday
at 11 a.m. at St. Philip
Catholic Church in Dallas.
Visitation is Friday from 10
a.m. until 6 p.m. at Dallas
Mortuary Tribute Center.
Private interment will be at
Dallas Cemetery.
Contributions are sug-
gested to Willamette Hu-
mane Society or De La Salle
School Blackfeet in care of
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center, which handled
arrangements.
To send an online condo-
lence: www.dallastribute.
com.
S.C. ‘Jack’ Crocker
Jan. 4, 1924 – April 19, 2015
S.C. “Jack” Crocker, 91, of
Dallas died Sunday in
Salem.
He was born in Van
Buren, Ark., to Smither and
Mattie Morrell Crocker.
Jack grew up and lived in
Van Buren until joining the
Navy during World War II.
He was stationed on the USS
Cleveland until the end of
the war.
In 1948, he met his wife
M a r i e
Weaver at a
dance hall
i n Te x a s ,
she had
made the
comment that she had seen
the man she was going to
marry, and she did. In 1949,
they moved their family from
Texas to Sweet Home where
Jack worked for Willamette
Industries as a production
manager. He worked there
until 1985 when he retired
and began traveling with
Marie. They traveled the
United States and played golf
wherever they could. He con-
tinued to play golf until Janu-
ary of this year.
He was preceded in death
by his wife, Marie.
Survivors include his sis-
ter, Norma Milton of Austin,
Texas, and his son, Terry
Crocker (Rebecca) of
Neskowin.
G ra v e s i d e s e r v i c e i s
Thursday at 11 a.m. at Dal-
las Cemetery.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center handled arrange-
ments. To send an online
condolence: www.dallastrib-
ute.com.