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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 2015)
Polk County News 6A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 30, 2015 County fair begins search for new theme EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer file The Polk County Fair had the theme “Blue Jeans and Country Dreams” in 2015. The idea was submitted via a contest. Itemizer-Observer staff report RICKREALL — The Polk County Fair had fun with the 2015 theme “Blue Jeans and Country Dreams,” an idea submitted through a con- test. The fair is looking for an- other gem for the 2016 fair, scheduled for Aug. 11-13. Theme ideas can focus on any part of the fair (agri- culture, food, commercial, etc.) and should be “cre- ative and fun” in eight words or less. If you have what you think is a good idea, you have through 4 p.m. on Jan. 29, 2016, to enter your idea for the next fair theme. Rhyming isn’t necessary, but those that come with easy decoration ideas are certainly welcome. Polk County Fair Board members will select the win- ning theme at its Feb. 18, 2016, meeting. The winner will receive a “family fair package” of two adult season passes, two junior season passes, four burgers, four fries, and four medium drinks. Idea submission forms can be found on the fair’s website at www.co.polk. or.us/fair/annual/polk- county-annual-fair. Entries can be emailed to andersen.tina@co.polk.or.us; mailed to the Polk County Fairgrounds & Event Center, P.O. Box 29 Rickreall, OR 97371; faxed to 503-623- 6157; or hand delivered to 520 S. Pacific Highway (99W), Rickreall. For more information: 503-623-3048. Gomberg to research police officer funding If successful, legislation could provide full-time law enforcement, code enforcement to Falls City in a long time By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer FALLS CITY — A police officer for every town? It may have been just the product of spur-of-the-mo- ment brainstorming, but the Falls City City Council and M a y o r Terry Un- gricht are taking it seriously. During a r e c e n t town hall meeting in Ungricht t h e c i t y, State Rep. David Gomberg polled the audience about its top concerns in the city’s government. The response? Code en- forcement and law enforce- ment. That those two should be mentioned first isn’t a sur- prise. Falls City hasn’t been able to afford a police offi- cer, either its own or through a contract with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Government for 15 years. More recently, the city re- vived its code enforcement program, only to see its offi- cer move on to a different job. Falls City has not been able to fill the part-time po- sition and hasn’t found a suitable interim solution until it can get a professional to take the role. At the town hall, Gomberg offered a solution: introduc- ing legislation that would provide $100,000 for every city to hire a police officer. “One of the thoughts that come up is, ‘Mayberry had two police officers. Why can’t Falls City have one?’” s a i d Ky l e L i n h a re s , Gomberg’s chief of staff. Voters in Falls City have re- jected tax levies to pay for police in the past, but the de- feats certainly don’t speak for everyone’s attitude in town, as the response to Gomberg’s question illustrates. “As the discussion high- lighted, small cities are hav- ing a hard time in providing the basic governmental serv- ices that are ex- pected by our c i t i z e n s ,” Ungr icht wrote in an email en- couraging Gomberg to follow up on the idea. “The idea of legisla- tion to add one police officer to each city in Oregon would greatly help small cities that are struggling to control en- forcement issues.” The potential bill is just a concept and Gomberg still is researching the idea. Lin- hares said Gomberg has heard similar concerns in other areas he represents. “It comes up in quality of life conversations,” Linhares said. He added questions such as whether funding should be limited to cities under a certain population or include unincor- porat- e d , but densely populated areas still need to be worked out. With the deadline to sub- mit bills for consideration in the 2016 legislative session already past, there will be plenty of time to answer those questions before the 2017 session. “We are definitely going to pursue this,” Linhares said. “Obvi- ously, t h e question will be who is paying for it and how.” When Ungricht gave his “mayor’s report” at the De- cember council meeting, he said he wasn’t going to let the idea die either. “I think that is something we should try to get legs under,” Ungricht said. Falls City has voted on serveral levies for police. Here are the votes: • 2000: Four-year levy not to exceed $88,000 annually. Failed 165 to 159. • 2001:Four-year levy for $84,229 per year to con- tract with sheriff's of- fice for 56 hours of pa- trol each week. Failed 169 to 106. • 2002: Five-year levy for $72,000 per year to hire police officer. Failed 216 to 102. • 2007: Five-year levy for $96,974 per year represent- ing a 3 percent hike in prop- erty tax rates. Failed 157-89. Levies for a contract with the Polk County Sheriff's Of- fice were approved for 1995- 96, 1996-97, 1998-99 and 1999-2000. The contract with the ended in June 2001. A Pleasant Place to Buy or Sell Your RV CALL TODAY FOR A NO-CHARGE EVALUATION. OPEN K! WEE Y 7 DA S A • Sat 9-5 Mon-Fri 9-6 -4 Sun 10 Rick 503-437-5398 Ruben 503-915-2080 4075 NE Three Mile Lane, McMinnville, OR www.macrvsales.com Next to the Spruce Goose Aviation Museum macrvsales@gmail.com Solution on Page 2A