2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 5, 2015
Polk County News
Dallas city
court judge
given raise
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
Dallas City Park is the largest and most used park in the city. It’s host to community events, such as Art in the Park during Summerfest. The newly
approved parks master plan will guide the maintenence and development of Dallas’ parks system.
Dallas approves parks master plan
Document establishes objectives for city’s parks and open spaces for next 20 years
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS – Residents of
Dallas want the city’s parks
to have a variety of activities,
be located nearby and pro-
vide access to all, including
those with disabilities and
senior citizens.
That is just some of the in-
sight revealed in the city’s
parks master plan, approved
by the Dallas City Council
Monday night.
Approval finished the
work that consultant, Com-
munity Planning Workshop,
and the city’s Parks Advisory
Board began in 2014. The
consultant gathered citizen
suggestions through a sur-
vey, an open house and col-
lecting feedback during
Summerfest 2014.
The results were used to
create a plan that will guide
maintaining and expanding
the city’s park system. It con-
tains goals for improve-
ments, including, safety,
community engagement,
and funding sources for ob-
taining, developing and
maintaining park space.
Dallas City Manager Ron
Foggin said the community
feedback on access was the
most unexpected response.
“They (citizens) really
wanted full access for all,” he
said. “That says a lot about
the community.”
Based on that finding, the
city has already begun im-
proving access to parks, Fog-
gin said.
He added the advisory
board will continue working,
using the plan to create indi-
vidual “master plans” for ex-
isting neighborhood parks.
Dallas owns 10 parks and
the Rickreall Creek Trail Sys-
tem, totaling 91 acres. While
the city is well served by Dal-
las City Park – by far the
largest and most used park
in the system – it is lacking in
neighborhood parks, namely
in the northeast, east and
south areas of the city.
“We really are lacking in a
number of spots in the city
Music in the Park
Main St. Park • Monmouth
A Division of Ernst Irrigation • CCB# 185365
• Residential Electrical • Agricultural Electrical
• Well Pump Service and Replacement
• Solar Water Pumping • Variable Frequency Drives
Brock Blacklaw , Electrician
Mobile: 503.757.8382 • Phone: 503.633.1111 • Fax: 503.633.1122
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www.ernstirrigation.com
Every Wednesday through August 26 ~ 6:30pm
MUSIC, FOOD, BEER & WINE GARDEN
Look for
Music in the Park
Series on Face-
book for more in-
formation about
this year’s artists.
Performing Tonight
August 5
Roseland
Hunters
in the ability (to provide)
playground equipment and
open space,” Foggin said.
According to the plan,
Dallas also falls slightly short
of minimum of 6.25 acres of
parks or open space per
1,000 residents recommend-
ed by the Oregon State Com-
prehensive Outdoor Recre-
ation Plan. Based on project-
ed population growth, the
city would need to add 13
acres to its parks system by
2020 to meet that standard.
Foggin said the plan will
be frequently updated to try
to meet that and other goals.
“It’s not something that is
chiseled in stone,” Foggin
said. “Frankly, we just aren’t
interested in this document
being a dust collector. We
want it to be something that
the parks advisory board will
be using every time they
meet.”
For more information on
the plan: www.dallasore-
gonparks.com.
DALLAS – The Dallas
City Council approved a
$300 per month raise for its
municipal court judge
Monday night.
Jonathan Clark was
hired for
the posi-
tion in De-
cember
and as part
of his con-
tract with
the city
was a re-
view for a
Clark
possible
salary increase after six
months.
City Manager Ron Fog-
gin said the city is more
than pleased with Clark’s
performance since taking
over the job.
“He has per for med
great,” Foggin said. “I can’t
say enough about how
good the judge has been in
court, with staff, with the
prosecutor and with the
police department.”
Foggin recommended
his salary increase from
$2,520 to $2,820 a month
and the council approved
the recommendation.
In other business the
council:
• Discussed implement-
ing a fee to replace the
city’s garage sale signs.
“The whole idea of using
the signs is that city looks
nice and we don’t have all
that paper and stuff up and
down the telephone poles,”
said Councilor Kelly Gab-
liks, the chairwoman of the
city’s Administrative Com-
mittee. “When the signs
look so poor it defeats the
purpose of doing it.”
The committee recom-
mended the city keep $5 of
the $15 deposit people pay
for use of the signs to pay
for replacements. The fee
will be presented to the
council at a future meeting.
• Canceled its Aug. 17
meeting.
(New Orleans Funk)
FREE AND OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC
For More Information Contact:
Mark Fancey 503-751-0147
Bring
your chairs
and blankets and
we’ll see you in
the park!
Friday Aug 7
through Thursday Aug 13
Matinees are all shows before 6pm.
New pricing for matinees
are: Adult $7.25
Children $6.75
Senior $7.00
Pricing does not reflect
3D showings.
10 Year Anniversary!
presented by
TRAINWRECK (Digital) (R)
(1:15 4:05) 6:50 9:35
THE GIFT (Digital) (R)
(11:45 2:20 5:05) 7:35 10:05
VACATION (Digital) (R)
(12:25 2:50 5:15) 7:40 10:00
FANTASTIC FOUR (Digital) (PG13) (11:40 2:10 4:40) 7:20 9:45
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ROGUE
NATION (Digital) (PG13)
Performing August 7th
Show begins at 7:30
DANCEHALL
DAYS
Lawn Seating — Bring blankets & chairs
This Week’s FREE MOVIE:
Showing August 6 • 9:30
THE HUNGER GAMES:
MOCKINGJAY PART 1 (PG-13)
NEXT WEEK Concert: THE TWANGSHIFTERS - 7:30 PM
Movie: Pacific Rim (PG-13) - 9:30 PM
• VENDORS • BEER & WINE GARDEN
Riverview Amphitheater, Independence, OR
Visit our website: independenceamphitheater.com
(1:20 4:10) 7:00 9:50
MINIONS (Digital 2D) (PG)
(12:15 2:35 4:50) 7:10 9:25
PIXELS (Digital 2D) (PG13)
(11:50 2:25 4:55)
SOUTHPAW (R)
ANT MAN (Digital 2D) (PG13)
7:15 9:55
(11:35 2:10 4:45) 7:25 10:05