Polk County Itemizer-Observer • July 22, 2015 3A
Polk County News
DEADLINES
NEWS DEADLINES
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Itemizer-Observer:
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ads are updated daily on
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Public notices — Noon
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CORRECTIONS
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Observer is committed to
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WEATHER
RECORDED
HIGH LOW
July 14............... 86
July 15............... 85
July 16............... 81
July 17............... 88
July 18............... 99
July 19............... 96
July 20............... 89
57
54
55
52
62
61
57
RAIN
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
Rainfall during July — Trace.
Rain through July 20 — 15.27 in.
Change in gravel to blame for
flurry of flats on county roads
He said less
expensive one-
and two-ply
POLK COUNTY — Michael Henich has tires are more
lived on gravel Highland Road for 16 years, likely to suffer
but in the last two years, he’s had a total 20 “rock flats” on
gravel roads.
flat tires and blowouts.
He doesn’t think that is normal, and he Whitaker rec-
believes it is something about the gravel or ommends buy-
the maintenance on the road that is causing i n g t o u g h e r
Public Works
tires — public
the flurry of flats.
“The last two years have been really bad,” works trucks
Henich said. “It seems like the wrong-sized use six-ply tires to avoid flats, for example.
To Henich’s concerns about the type of rock
rock. It’s an inch too big.
used on Highland Road, Whitaker said the
“Something is wrong.”
Henich has lodged a number of com- county’s sources of rock have gotten slimmer.
The pit that produced the less angular river
plaints, even taking his tire remnants to the
Polk County Commissioners for them to see. rock used on roads previously closed about
He said he was told to buy sturdier truck two years ago.
Since then, the county has had to use soft-
tires, which he did to put on his wife’s car, but
she found the tires noisy and made for an un- er, but sharper, crushed quarry rock. That
type of rock is more
comfortable ride on
prone to causing flats,
paved streets.
“It seems like the wrong-
Whitaker said.
“She finally got so
He said it is prov-
frustrated, she said sized rock. It’s an inch too big.
ing difficult to trans-
‘take them off,’”
port rock more like
Henich said, noting Something is wrong.”
what the county re-
another issue: “They
— Michael Henich
ceived from the
are much more ex-
closed pit from other
pensive.”
Henich added that solution didn’t seem sources. Whitaker said the county uses a
practical when the only stretch of gravel rubber roller when it grades gravel roads to
road they drive is the mile it takes to get compact loose gravel, but traffic on the
from their home to a paved street.
roads quickly kick up the rock again.
Polk County Public Works Director Todd
Whitaker said in his opinion the best an-
Whitaker said, unfortunately, he doesn’t swer to the problem is stronger tires.
have another suggestion for Henich.
“That’s probably unwelcome news to
“The problem is that folks are not buying someone who is retired, but that is what it
the right tires for gravel roads,” he said.
takes to live on a gravel road,” he said.
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
Beer, wine to
come to fair
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
RICKREALL — In a year
of changes for the Polk
County Fair, organizers
have added yet another for
2015: beer and wine.
Striving to appeal to a
broader audience, the fair
will have a beer and wine
garden in the 4-H building
and patio hosted by Rogue
Ales and Eola Wine Cellars.
This isn’t the first time
t h e f a i r h a s f e a t u re d
wine — a number of years
ago the fair had a wine and
cheese tasting booth — but
it is the first year it will be
featured in this manner.
“We are trying to high-
light the county’s agricul-
ture, that grapes and hops
are grown in this county,
too,” said Tina Andersen,
fair manager.
In addition to pouring
their potent potables, both
Rogue and Eola will set up
displays about their opera-
tions in Polk County.
Andersen said adding
wine and beer to the fair
was something she wanted
to do for years, but wasn’t
able to find the time to
make it happen. Fair Board
Chairwoman Anna Scharf
offered to help.
At a recent Board of
Commissioners meeting
Commissioner Mike
Ainsworth said he opposed
having alcohol at the fair,
preferring it to be a “family-
oriented” event.
However, Scharf said
Polk County is behind
other counties in featuring
local brews and vintages.
“The majority of county
fairs in the state have some
form of alcohol,” she said.
The beer and wine garden
will be open noon to 8 p.m.
Thursday and Friday and
noon to 9 p.m. Saturday,
closing about two hours be-
fore the fair shuts downs.
Andersen said the goal is
to offer more to the 21-and-
older crowd. While alcohol
will be restricted to the
beer and wine garden, the
building is not far from the
main stage and opens to a
patio, so visitors will be
able to listen to live music.
“We are hoping people
stay at the fair longer,” she
said, adding they can visit
food booths before going to
the wine and beer garden.
“They can sit there enjoying
the afternoon or evening.”
Indy council sets goal to improve government ties
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — In-
dependence City Councilors
want to improve relation-
ships with other county gov-
ernmental agencies, specifi-
cally with Monmouth.
Independence City Man-
ager David Clyne presented
the strategic plan, outlining
six specific goals, to the
council at its July 14 meeting.
Goal 6, to improve rela-
tionships with other govern-
mental agencies, was rewrit-
ten to be broader than just
Monmouth.
“When we had our coun-
cil goal setting session, we
Government
had to (improve) our rela-
tionship with our sister city,
Monmouth,” said Mayor
John McArdle. “I asked staff
to rewrite that goal to in-
clude the Grand Ronde Trib-
al Council, the county and
school district. So they
changed that at my request.
I know that’s a little different
than what we talked about.”
Councilor Marilyn Mor-
ton said she did not see a
problem adding other agen-
cies, but Monmouth should
be a priority.
“It was clear to me that
council’s intention was to
improve our relationship
with Monmouth specifical-
ly,” Morton said.
Councilor Forrest Peck
said he liked the idea that
the city councils from both
Monmouth and Independ-
ence were planning a joint
work session — which is
tentatively scheduled for the
fifth Tuesday in Septem-
ber — but more strategies
were needed to fulfill the
goal of better relations be-
tween the two cities.
Peck suggested bringing
back the “All Hands Meet-
ing,” something that has not
happened for a few years.
The meeting was between
all the department heads of
both cities.
Other councilors agreed
that the goal should have
suggestions and steps on
how to accomplish it. The
other five goals on the
strategic plan all had specif-
ic steps on how the goal
would be measured and ac-
complished. Goal 6 was the
only one not to have such an
outline.
McArdle suggested the
plan be approved by the
council with a provision that
specific strategies for im-
proved relations with Mon-
mouth and other agencies
would be worked on and
added on later.
Councilors Morton, Peck,
Nancy Lodge and Tom
Takacs all said they would
rather pass the plan after it
was complete rather than
piecemeal.
Clyne said he would take
the strategic plan back to
outline steps for Goal 6 and
bring it back to the council.
“I would urge going back to
the original notes and put the
emphasis on putting Mon-
mouth first,” Morton said.