Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 20, 2016 4A
EDITORIALS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Service providers
join to help others
A week from today, organizations from around the
county and some from the state will gather for a one-stop
shop where people who need help can find it.
For the fifth year, Polk County Service Integration will
host the Polk Community Connect event from 9:30 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. at Valley Life Center Church, 1795 SE Miller Ave.,
in Dallas.
The event is for anyone in need, but focuses on helping
the county’s homeless population, one that is often over-
looked. Homelessness is an issue here, particularly when
the nearest shelter is in Salem and very little public trans-
portation is available to get from here to there. The Com-
munity Connect event serves as Polk County’s point in
time homeless count.
To help people take advantage of the services offered,
Cherriotts or CARTS will bus people to and from the event.
Direct services are available, including dental care,
health screenings, pet car, bike repair and haircuts. People
will be available to help with employment, housing, veter-
ans, benefits, behavioral health, and resources for children
and families. Breakfast and lunch will be served to partici-
pants.
Supplies are available, including camping supplies,
warm clothing and food. Last year, tents and socks were
popular items.
Everything is free and confidential.
The best part about all this is the atmosphere of com-
plete acceptance and lack of judgement from those there
to help. Everyone is made to feel welcome at Polk Commu-
nity Connect, making it a wonderful way to find help —
and giving people a great chance to volunteer.
Connections are made, not only between providers of
these services — who so often are in silos, rarely commu-
nicating with each other — and between the people who
need those services.
It’s not going to solve the homeless problem in Polk
County, but it’s a good step toward treating them with dig-
nity.
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County.
To submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via fax (503-
623-2395) or email (ionews@polkio.com).
—
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, irst loor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Arts and Culture Commission — 7 p.m., Vol-
unteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
THURSDAY, JAN. 21
• Independence Parks and Recreation Board — 6 p.m., In-
dependence Civic Center, third loor, 555 S. Main St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
• Dallas Economic Development Commission — Noon, Dal-
las City Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3565.
• Polk County Fair Board — 8 a.m., Polk County Fairgrounds
and Event Center, Main Building, Meeting Room No. 2, 520 S. Pa-
ciic Highway (99W), Rickreall. 503-623-3048.
FRIDAY, JAN. 22
• Polk County Health Advisory Board — Noon, Academy
Building, Room 212, 182 SW Academy St., Dallas. 503-623-8175,
ext. 2307.
MONDAY, JAN. 25
• Independence Library Board — 4 p.m., Independence
Public Library, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of-
ice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
TUESDAY, JAN. 26
• Independence City Council — 7:30 a.m., Independence
Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Monmouth Senior Advisory Board — 1 p.m., Monmouth
Senior Center, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9 a.m.,
Polk County Courthouse, BOC oice, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-
623-8173.
• Mid-Valley Behavioral Care Network Executive Commit-
tee — 3 p.m., MVBCN oice, 2965 Ryan Drive SE, Suite 150,
Salem. 503-585-4935.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, irst loor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
Parents group
wants privacy for all
As most of us are aware
by now, across this nation is
the issue of access, should
we allow anatomical males
and anatomical females in
opposite sex locker rooms
or restrooms? Right here in
our Dallas schools this situ-
ation is taking place.
Parents for Privacy for All
is advocating privacy and
safety for all students, not
just a select few. Our desire
is that all students have
their right to bodily privacy
respected, not violated. Why
should anyone have forced
upon them the presence or
visual of the opposite sex, in
a locker room or restroom
where people are taking
care of personal business?
Every student should have
the right to feel safe and se-
cure, especially in such a
place of vulnerability.
Where is the respect for
one’s religious or philosoph-
ical belief that looking upon
another human being
naked, or almost naked
body is sacred?
Please join us in support-
ing the privacy rights of
every student, and encour-
age our school board to set
policy that achieves this
goal.
Kris Golly
Dallas
Bicyclists, drivers
must share the road
First of all, my sympa-
thies to the family of John
Shapely and sympathies to
Daniel Major who will be
forever haunted by this
avoidable tragedy.
Why do we always react
and think that we have to
throw money at something
to protect ourselves from
ourselves? Hoffman Road is
not the problem. Those who
use Hoffman Road — or any
road — are the problem.
Everyone just needs to re-
member to share, pay atten-
tion and be safe.
As for bicycle safety: Not
wearing a helmet? Not very
smart. Wearing dark cloth-
ing on a dark night?
Hmmm … cars barely see
bicyclists in broad daylight.
No mention was made of
lights and reflectors on the
bicycle so I’m going to guess
not. So, bicyclists — and
pedestrians — be visible.
Drivers, pay attention and
drive safe.
Julianna Burke
Independence
I agree with the writer
that Congress has failed us
by simply refusing to govern
and forcing the president to
take some actions that they
should have dealt with.
Please check your facts and
question everything you
read.
Bright clothing can
make a difference
For years, I have enjoyed
the beauty of Dallas Parks
and trails, thanks in large
part to the work of Ron
Lines and his small parks
crew.
Ron invested a great deal
of himself in maintaining
and improving Dallas parks.
His death was not only a
loss to his family and
friends, which I consider
myself, but to all who enjoy
Dallas parks.
I think it would be a fit-
ting tribute to Ron for each
of us to make a special ef-
fort to help keep the parks
looking good — picking up
litter, pulling weeds, clear-
ing drains or whatever you
see to keep parks looking
their best.
Ron always appreciated
small acts, and I expect he
would still approve.
A couple years ago while
driving along a road near
my home in the predawn
darkness, I rounded a curve
and almost ran over a jog-
ger.
The thing I remember
most vividly was that he was
wearing brown sweat pants
and a black sweatshirt.
Luckily, I was able to swerve
in time.
I cannot understand why
so many people cannot
make the connection be-
tween their dark clothing
and getting run over in the
darkness.
Additionally, the advent
of LED lighting technology
has made it possible and
economical for people to
light themselves up pretty
brightly so as to be noticed
from a long distance.
I am not making judge-
ments about the poor soul
who was hit while riding his
bicycle on Hoffman Road,
but I sure wish he would
have had some awareness
about the hazards of dark
clothing and dark skies
while riding on the road-
ways.
Please folks, light your-
selves up. Give us drivers a
break and perhaps a chance
to save your life.
Dale Derouin
Dallas
Fred Brown
Dallas
Fact check letters
before you believe
Michael Cairns
Independence
A letter to the editor in
the Jan. 13 I-O by a Richard
Evans repeatedly calls Presi-
dent Obama a dictator, evi-
denced by his uncontrolled
use of executive orders. For-
tunately my computer has
Google, so I was able to
fact-check the accusation.
If one clicks on
http://www.presidency.ucsb
.edu/data/orders.php, you
will see that President
Obama has, in truth, issued
fewer executive orders per
year (33) than any president
since the first term of
Grover Cleveland (1885-
1889).
My fact-checking finds
Mr. Evans’ accusation to be
in the “pants-on-fire” cate-
gory. By comparison, FDR
issued 307 executive orders
per year. If readers want to
understand the constitu-
tional basis for executive or-
ders, their history and use,
Wikipedia is a good source
to start: https://en.wiki
pedia.org/wiki/Executive_or
der.
Help maintain parks
in memory of Lines
SUPERINTENDENT’S CORNER
Dear Dallas Community,
January is School Board
Recognition Month, and the
Dallas School District, on
behalf of its staff and stu-
dents, would like to express
its deep gratitude to our
school board members Lu
Ann Meyer, Jon Woods,
Michael Blanchard, Mike
Bollman, and Matt Posey.
School board members are
volunteers who spend
countless hours serving our
district.
They have a tough job to
do that requires a delicate
balance of valuable skills.
They are skilled listeners,
decision makers, advocates
for children and public
schools, and policy makers.
They set and monitor
goals, establish budgets,
guide collective bargaining,
and establish and maintain
policy to positively lead our
district forward.
They work diligently to-
gether to focus on the key
question, “Is it good for kids?”
The following words from
a few of our staff members
and students express the
sentiments of us all:
• The key to our success
rests in people like you who
embody the spirit of great-
ness by saying, “Yes I can,
and you can, too!”
• Just a small reminder, so
that you’ll always know, we
surely do appreciate how
you help children grow.
Thank you!
• Thank you for all the
hours you spend, attention
you give, needs that you
tend, knowledge you pass
on. Your special touch, offer-
ing guidance, and undaunt-
ed by much.
• Thank you for being ap-
proachable and hosting board
meetings in our buildings.
• Thank you for visionary
leadership that puts chil-
dren at the center of all you
think, say, and do.
Thank you, school board,
for your devoted service to
our district.
Michelle Johnstone
Superintendent
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For our complete letters policy:
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HOW TO REACH US
Vol. 141, No. 3
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
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