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Volume 140, Issue 52
www.Polkio.com
December 30, 2015
75¢
IN
YOUR
TOWN
DALLAS
Year-end donations
at Goodwill expected to
be strong.
WHAT WILL SPROUT UP AT
INDEPENDENCE RIVERFRONT?
»Page 7A
FALLS CITY
City considers how to
help legislation that
would pay for a full-
time law oicer.
»Page 6A
MONMOUTH
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer
N icholas I ndra is
turning his 3-D printer
into a full-time busi-
ness.
The 20-acre lot on the Willamette River, owned by the city of Independence, is ready for development by Tokola Properties.
Old Valley Concrete site will become a Tokola Properties development
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE —
Tokola Properties, of Gre-
sham, have been selected to
develop the land formerly
occupied by Valley Concrete,
said Shawn Irvine, econom-
ic development director for
Independence.
“They’ve worked on sev-
eral successful public-pri-
vate partnerships in the last
several years,” he said.
“Tokola is primarily a devel-
oper of higher-density, resi-
dential and mixed-use units,
but sees the opportunity for
lodging on this site, and will
be partnering with a hotel
developer for the project.”
Now that the developer
has been chosen, work can
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer file
The city of Independence invested roughly $400,000 into
the $800,000 property to grade it, survey it, and do other
things required for development.
begin on the details of how
the land will be developed
and for how much.
“It is very premature at
this point, with so many de-
cisions to be made by both
teams, to forecast an accu-
rate construction start date,”
Irvine said. “Doing it right is
far more important than
doing it quickly.”
The company was select-
ed from three who submit-
ted requests for qualifica-
tions, a method the city used
to attract a developer who
would align with the city’s
vision for the 20-acre plot of
land.
The city bought the land
from Valley Concrete for
$800,000 in October 2014,
and invested roughly
$400,000 in grading, surveys
and otherwise preparing the
land to be “shovel-ready.”
The reason for that was to
make sure it was developed
to its maximum potential,
Irvine said.
“We will be working to-
gether with Tokola in the
»Page 3A
first phase of this project to
fine tune the plan for this
project by the creation of a
master plan and the appro-
priate land use and zoning,”
Irvine said. “Identification of
an acceptable hotel partner
will also be essential to early
success as well.”
Getting those things de-
fined, as well as financing,
will be broadly identified in
an exclusive negotiating
agreement over the next
couple of months, Irvine
said.
“From there, we’ll negoti-
ate a development and dis-
position agreement, which
will have all the nuts and
bolts about how the proper-
ty will be developed, when,
who pays for what, etc.,” he
said.
SPORTS
Sports editor Lukas
Eggen spells out his
athletic goals for 2016,
which include tennis,
golf, basketball and a
triathlon.
»Page 12A
EDUCATION
Attendance reports
are in for school dis-
tricts around the coun-
ty, but what do they re-
ally say about how well
Polk County students
attend?
»Page 14A
FAREWELL, 2015; HELLO 2016
The Itemizer-Observer takes a look at the top stories of each month, and a few notables. Happy New Year!
Itemizer-Observer staf report
POLK COUNTY — It has
been a busy year with some
things getting completed and
others just getting started.
Take a look back through
the Itemizer-Observer’s top
stories of 2015.
January
Jan. 7: “Delirious Ducks;
Football’s championship
game run gives locals ‘Ducks
Fever’” — Longtime Oregon
Duck’s fan and Polk County
Commissioner was thrilled
to travel to Arlington, Texas,
to watch the football team
compete in the inaugural
College Football Playoff Na-
tional Championship Game.
The Ducks lost the game to
Ohio State.
January notables:
Jan. 14: “Rookie represen-
tative” — Polk County elect-
ed two new representatives
to the state Legislature: Paul
Evans and Mike Nearman.
Jan. 28: “Death raises
questions” — a young man
dies when medics cannot
safely reach him because of
an undermanned sheriff’s
THE NEXT
7
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
WEEK
department.
February
Feb. 4: “10 important
questions regarding the
county public safety levy” —
When Polk County Commis-
sioners agreed to put a pub-
lic safety levy on the ballot
in May, reporter Jolene Guz-
man went to work answer-
ing questions about what it
would mean, how much it
would cost, and why the
sheriff’s department and
district attorney’s office
needed the help. It was up to
the public to decide, but this
story kicked off a series of
stories Guzman wrote, div-
ing into the topics. The levy
passed in May.
February notables:
Feb. 18: “No place to call
home; Issues of homeless-
ness a hidden problem in
Polk County” — Homeless-
ness can affect anyone, and
not much help is available in
Polk County.
March
March 4: “Who will be
Dallas’ new schools
leader?” — Three finalists for
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer file
In January, Rep. Paul Evans was one of two rookie representatives from Polk County to be elected to the Oregon Leg-
islature’s House of Representatives.
Dallas School District’s new
superintendent are intro-
duced to the community. All
three prove to have the ex-
wed
thu
fri
Feeling tense? Head
over to Rogue Farms
for some free yoga
in the hopyards, the
last Wednesday of
each month.
6 p.m. Free.
As you make plans
to ring in the New
Year, remember to
include a desig-
nated driver: Be one
or ind one, and
have a safe one.
Happy New Year! To
celebrate the arrival
of 2016, our oice is
closed today. May
your year be a
blessed and happy
one.
Sunny
Hi: 40
Lo: 26
Sunny
Hi: 39
Lo: 25
Sunny
Hi: 39
Lo: 26
perience, but Michelle John-
stone shines through and is
offered the job a week later.
March notables:
sat
Monmouth Senior
Center will host its
monthly all-you-
can-eat breakfast
fundraiser this
morning.
8:30-10:30 a.m. $3-6.
Sunny
Hi: 40
Lo: 26
March 18: “Center will in-
crease health access; Full
dental, medical, infant-tod-
dler care to be available” —
sun
Is learning to sing
on your list of reso-
lutions? From the
Heart Community
Sing is open to all
ages.
1:30-3 p.m. Free.
Sunny
Hi: 39
Lo: 26
Construction begins on the
Central Health and Wellness
Center.
See REVIEW, Page 5A
mon
tue
Dust of that instru-
ment and join oth-
ers in the New
Horizons Orchestra
for those adults
looking for music.
6:30 p.m. $25/month .
Got a new e-reader?
The Independence
Public Library will
host a workshop to
help you get to
know your device.
6-8 p.m. Free.
Mostly cloudy
Hi: 38
Lo: 29
Partly cloudy
Hi: 41
Lo: 29