Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • april 20, 2016 4a
EDITORIALS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Time to step into
the 21st century
Here we go again. Polk County has joined with other
O&C counties to sue the government for more money, al-
leging mismanagement of timber plans.
Polk County has joined with 16 other counties to sue the
federal government because the plans, drafted in 1937,
aren’t working as promised. The counties have been riding
this timber-harvest, government subsidy horse for too
long. It’s gotten old.
The answer has been to continue to lobby Congress and
others in Washington, D.C., for extensions on those timber
subsidies. It is past time for commissioners to show us the
money — what good have trips to D.C. done for Polk
County and its residents? If they can’t tell us what they’ve
been doing on our behalf and how it has been working, it’s
time for them to stop spending time on the East Coast and
start putting their boots on the ground here in the county.
It’s time to find another horse.
Our commissioners need to show us their drive to in-
crease economic development. Citing poor location away
from major highways is an excuse, and a condition that
isn’t changing anytime soon.
We hear these objections, but we see our cities overcom-
ing those. We see cities attracting businesses who are pro-
viding jobs. We see them creating opportunities for devel-
opers — and we see developers snatching those opportu-
nities.
The Polk County commissioners would do well to work
more closely with the leaders of Dallas, Independence,
Monmouth and Falls City to find a way to help market the
county as a whole, rather than sit upon the laurels of the
old ways of timber subsidies.
Polk County has much to offer to both residents and
tourists. Efforts last year to increase rural tourism — spon-
sored by Travel Oregon’s Rural Tourism Studio — put the
spotlight on the area’s appeal to a variety of tourists, from
agriculture and wineries to cultural experiences and bicy-
cling.
The commissioners should be the county’s biggest
champions on these fronts. Instead of arguing for hand-
outs from the government for uncut timber, let’s get ease-
ments through BLM lands for tours — maybe a moonlight
trip to listen to the endangered spotted owl.
Until the environmentalists, loggers and politicians can
sit at the same table and see that managing a forest is im-
portant to everyone, the county won’t see an increase in
timber dollars. And the likelihood of that happening any-
time soon is about the same as a snowstorm in July.
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, aPRiL 20
independence Traffic Safety Commission — 6:30 p.m., In-
dependence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-
838-1212.
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 Coun-
ty Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
THuRSDay, aPRiL 21
Monmouth arts and Culture Commission — 7 p.m., Volun-
teer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
independence Parks and Recreation Board — 6 p.m., Inde-
pendence Civic Center, third floor, 555 S. Main St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
Polk County Fair Board — 8 a.m., Polk County Fairgrounds
and event Center, Main Building, Meeting Room no. 2, 520 S. Pa-
cific Highway (99W), Rickreall. 503-623-3048.
MOnDay, aPRiL 25
independence Library Board — 4 p.m., Independence Pub-
lic library, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of-
fice, 111 SW ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
TuESDay, aPRiL 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 office, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-
623-8173.
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For more information, in-
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policy: www.polkio.com.
Proposed bond
won’t fix all streets
The proposed 10-year,
$10-million street bond is
going to be voted on by Dal-
las residents in the upcom-
ing election. The bond, ac-
cording to the city of Dallas,
is $5 million short of what is
supposedly needed for
street repairs. Consequently,
a vote in favor of the bond
does not guarantee a home-
owner’s street will be re-
paired over the next 10
years. A home worth
$200,000 will pay approxi-
mately $2,200 over the life
of the bond with no guaran-
tee this outlay will result in
any benefit. Vote no.
Stephen Mannenbach
Dallas
Jones honest, God-
loving Christian
Why I support Beth Jones
for Oregon House District
23: she is an honest, God-
loving, strong, Christian
woman who will fight for
what is truly best for our
state and our people. She
exemplifies what our gov-
ernment should be.
Brooke Stuller
Dallas
Jones has values,
integrity for HD 23
I support Beth Jones for
Oregon House District 23.
She is a woman with in-
tegrity, values and someone
I would strongly support in
her decisions for the people.
She genuinely cares and has
a heart for all people and for
where they are at. I love that
she supports pro-life, the
Constitution and family val-
ues. Beth Jones is someone I
would want on my side.
Lynnette Anderson
Dallas
Re-elect Wheeler
for commissioner
Jennifer Wheeler is a pas-
sionate supporter of the
county she grew up in. She
believes in the collaborative
work being accomplished
between agencies serving
the residents of Polk County.
Even more importantly, she
listens to concerns, works
with people and volunteers
alongside citizens to make
our county better. She is a
committed and active par-
ticipant in several Polk
County nonprofit organiza-
tions. In her first term of
service as a commissioner,
she has grown into a knowl-
edgeable and capable advo-
cate for Polk County. I en-
courage you to support her
for re-election as Polk
County Commissioner.
Ken Braun
Dallas
Fixing streets our
responsibility
Dedicated faith, deep
personal convictions, and a
willingness to support the
Dallas of tomorrow makes
our city a great place to live.
Faced with a decade of
declining state gas tax re-
ceipts and fewer street re-
pair dollars, Dallas citizens
must choose. Do we ac-
knowledge our individual
responsibility as citizens of
Dallas to protect and pre-
serve the Dallas street infra-
structure or do we put off
for future generations to re-
build the decaying local
street system?
The responsible decision
is to rebuild the Dallas
street system by passing the
May street bond.
Wanda Davis
Dallas
Dallas community
shows support
It is reassuring to know
that the Dallas people look
out for each other from chil-
dren’s sports to the senior
citizens. On top of that, vol-
unteer organizations
abound for about every
need. One thing I never sus-
pected was the personal
compassion and interest
that is there when tragedy
occurs. At the untimely
death of my granddaughter,
Makenzie Lyman, people
“came out of the wood-
work” to comfort and con-
sole — and above expecta-
tion contributed financially
to her final expenses. Grace
Community Church did so
much and generously pro-
vided hospitality for the
hundreds of those who gra-
ciously attended her memo-
rial service. The Dallas Mor-
tuary Tribute Center staff is
to be commended for the
caring and being most help-
ful. Thank you Dallas com-
munity from being there for
us.
We are at a critical point re-
garding the condition of our
streets. Two-thirds of Dallas’
streets are rated poor to
very poor. The cost of re-
pairs will increase the prop-
erty owner’s taxes between
$88.50 to $147.50, depend-
ing upon the value of the
home. The street repair
bond is a viable answer. The
longer it’s delayed, the more
it will cost.
Please join me in sup-
porting the street bond
measure. Let’s create a posi-
tive impression for our es-
tablished businesses and
new businesses exploring
the Dallas area.
Nancie Rogers
Dallas
bond? The collection in-
cluded missing pavement
on Southwest Brown and
Southwest Clay Street. There
are photos of alligator pave-
ment patches on Southwest
Elmwood Drive, Southwest
Robb Street and Northwest
Sunny Drive. Potholes on
Southeast Lyle Street and
Southeast Lewis Street.
And standing water on
Southwest Hayter Street,
Southeast Godsey and
Southwest Allgood. Please
join me and your neighbors
in voting yes to improve
Dallas’s livability by repair-
ing our residential streets.
Rich Rohde
Dallas
Re-surface now to
Repairs needed for avoid re-building
Dallas streets
It was 37 years ago that
If your roof springs a leak
and you fix it right away, the
cost is minimal. If you wait
until there are buckets
everywhere and the only
answer is a whole new roof,
the expense is huge.
Infrastructure is similar.
Maintaining the streets in
good condition adds years to
their life. But let them deteri-
orate enough and the cost of
repair becomes exorbitant,
up to and including the need
for total replacement.
Many Dallas streets are
approaching that critical
point. We can pay the pres-
ent cost, or saddle our kids
with a horrendously worse
one. The choice is ours.
we built a house on a one-
block cul-de-sac in Dallas.
Since then, there has been
no major activity and new
pavement at all on that
street.
In fact, according to the
engineering study done for
Dallas streets, it is going to
be one of the more expen-
sive blocks to re-surface —
and it needs it.
In short, support for the
Dallas street levy has be-
come critical because many
of our streets are nearing
the point where they don’t
need re-paving. Instead,
they will need re-building.
Support the levy when
you vote in May.
David Shein
Dave Weston
ning for state representative
District 23: Beth Jones. A
vote for her would bring
someone to Salem that
would work for the things
that made this country
great: the Constitution, for
families, for our military. I
know her to be a woman of
substance; ethical, morally
strong, with lots of local in-
volvement. She has more
governmental experience
than the incumbent and in-
vestigates concerns fully
and carefully. She listens to
both sides of a problem and
works diligently to solve the
issues brought before her.
She’s the best candidate.
Well, folks here we go
again. Somebody wants to
take our hard-earned money
and spend it on street im-
provements. That’s going to
take some big bucks. $50 mil-
lion in $10 million incre-
ments. It is public knowledge,
and the city has admitted
they have “deferred” street
maintenance for 20 years.
Wouldn’t you like to know
where the money that was
collected from the Dallas citi-
zens for 20 years went to, and
what it was used for? Vote no
on the street tax bond.
Dede Perkins
Dallas
Road repairs to
help neighbors
Streets will only
get more costly
As I view the dozens of
street photos sent to me by
friends, I asked myself what
kind of a neighbor would I
be if I opposed the street
All streets need repair —
now or in the future. Early
repairs save money, and
well-maintained streets are
a preferred alternative to ex-
pensive street reconstruc-
tion.
Dallas citizens contribute
tax dollars to public educa-
tion even by those who have
no children in school. We
support the Dallas police
even though we may never
(thankfully) need their serv-
ices. We support these serv-
ices for the good of the Dal-
las community.
The Dallas street bond is
another community service
we should support because
it will fix 22 miles of resi-
dential streets, making Dal-
las a more attractive and
more business friendly
community. Support im-
proved Dallas streets.
Stann Lyman
Dallas
Voters should learn Dallas
Dallas
more about Jones
Street bond serves
Don’t take more
Today I invite voters to
money from citizens greater good
investigate a candidate run-
I urge you to support the
Dallas street repair bond.
Ali Rion
Dallas
Pete Christensen
Dallas
HOW TO REACH US
nEwSROOM
emily Mentzer ..............editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 141, No. 16
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
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