Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • July 6, 2016 3A
Calls for loose dogs declining
Fourth of July fireworks can lead to an increase in lost dogs
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH/INDEPEN-
DENCE — Both Independ-
ence and Monmouth police
chiefs agree: calls for loose
dogs have gone down in re-
cent years, and reconnecting
those dogs with their owners
has gone up.
“Overall, I feel that pet
owners have become much
more responsible over the
past 10 years or so,” Mon-
mouth Chief Darrell Tallan
said. “Dog owners are espe-
cially better about taking
care of their pets and mak-
ing sure the dog is kept in a
secure location and not out
running loose.”
The one exception is dur-
ing the Fourth of July festivi-
ties, when dogs can be
frightened by loud noises,
Tallan said.
Impounded dogs are kept
in the cities’ respective ken-
nels for three to five days,
depending on if the dog has
a license or not.
After that, unclaimed ani-
mals are taken to the Ore-
gon Humane Society —
which can cost the police
department about $100, In-
dependence Chief Bob
Mason said.
Fortunately, that doesn’t
happen very often any-
NEWS IN BRIEF
Hancock forest properties closed
POLK COUNTY — Effective Tuesday, all of Hancock Forest
Management's Northwest Oregon Properties are closed to all
public access — including walk-ins — until Oregon Department
of Forestry declares fire season terminated.
Still time to apply for city council
INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT/ for the Itemizer-Observer
Fourth of July festivities can lead to an increase in loose dogs.
more.
Social media — specifical-
ly Facebook — has helped
t re m e n d o u s l y w h e n i t
comes to finding a dog’s
owner.
Mason said lost dog posts
are re-shared multiple
times.
“Many community mem-
bers who see the impound-
ed dog photos on Facebook
are able to help us by either
calling and telling us who
the owner is, or by just noti-
fying the owner directly to
let them know their dog is in
impound,” Tallan said.
If a dog is spotted running
loose, it is best to call the po-
lice department’s non-emer-
gency line (Monmouth: 503-
838-1109; Independence:
503-838-1214) and not try to
pick up the dog personally,
Tallan said.
“If the dog is aggressive,
we recommend that citi-
zens not approach it and let
the community service offi-
cer or officers attempt to
catch or contain the dog
until the owner can be lo-
cated,” he added.
The departments are in
the very early stages of dis-
cussing a way they can com-
bine resources to use Mon-
mouth’s dog kennel for both
cities.
The idea was discussed
first at the May joint city
council meeting with Mon-
mouth and Independence
city councils present.
Mason said the kennel
space Independence uses is
inadequate, mostly because
of its location.
“There’s houses all around
the property adjoining the
kennel,” he said. “Theirs
(Monmouth’s) is a better
venue.”
DALLAS — Citizens interested in serving on the Dallas City
Council still have time to apply to fill the vacancy left by the res-
ignation of former councilor Murray Stewart.
Applications to be appointed to the office are due on Friday
at 5 p.m. The appointee’s term of office will begin immediately
upon being selected by the council and continue through Dec.
31.
Council members are required to attend two regular council
meetings per month, on the first and third Mondays at 7 p.m.
Members are also required to attend a workshop each month,
usually on the first Monday at 5:30 p.m., and standing commit-
tee meetings every other month. Council members are also part
of the budget committee, which requires attendance at several
budget meetings in the spring.
Applicants must be registered voters of the state of Oregon
and must have been a legal resident of the city of Dallas contin-
uously during the 12 months immediately preceding appoint-
ment to the council.
Application forms can be picked up at City Hall, 187 SE Court
St., Dallas; downloaded from the website at www.dallasor.gov;
or mailed by request.
For more information, call 503-831-3557.
Paws for a Cause back for second year
POLK COUNTY — Through the month of July, the Polk Coun-
ty Sheriff’s Office will collect new or gently used pet supplies or
pet food.
All items will be donated to local animal shelters in honor of
the late Polk County Jail Sgt. Randy Whittaker.
Pet food, treats, toys, collars, leashes, food dishes and other
supplies can be dropped off at the following locations: Polk
County Sheriff’s Office, 850 Main St. Dallas; The Academy Build-
ing (second floor reception), 182 SW Academy St., Dallas; Public
Works, 820 SW Ash St., Dallas; Community Corrections, 689
Main St., Dallas; and Polk County Fairgrounds, 520 S. Pacific
Highway (99W), Rickreall.
Cash donations will be accepted and donated toward paying
for the memorial kennel at Willamette Humane Society in Whit-
taker’s name.
For more information: Jody Germond, 503-831-1733.
Wagner: FC leaders will seek district
Continued from Page 1A
Supporters hoped it would pay
for library costs long enough to
find a permanent solution.
School Board Chairwoman Jami
Kidd said one possibility — a li-
brary district including six com-
munities — was discussed, but
didn’t get far.
“All of those other communities
have essentially dropped out of
that group and left us to sit alone,
which greatly increased the cost to
our citizens,” Kidd said.
Pursuing grants is another op-
tion, but the group decided the
only viable long-term solution was
to ask for permanent support for
the library.
“Once the city runs out of
money, as far as the Wagner Fund
goes, there’s no place to go,” said
Councilor Dennis Sickles.
Getting that message out to vot-
ers is key, said school board mem-
ber Bob Young, and will affect the
timing of placing the new district
on the ballot.
Falls City School Superintendent
Jack Thompson suggested Novem-
ber 2017 as a target. He said No-
vember 2016 is too soon.
“I wouldn’t do that,” he said. “It’s
going to fail because something
that irritates people is when they
don’t find out about things until
two months before. If you give it a
year, you go next November, then
there’s a year for that conversation
to get around town.”
Young added a key piece of that
conversation has to be that the li-
brary will close in three years if
voters don’t support the measure.
He said getting information to the
community has to begin soon.
“I’m telling you right now some-
one needs to take the ball and run
with it,” Young said. “Or in three
years we will all be sitting here
thinking ‘What the hell happened
to the time?’”
Falls City Mayor Terry Ungricht
agreed, saying the city and school
district will have a challenge on their
hands in passing a library district.
He said the Falls City precinct
voted against Polk County public
safety levy in 2015, and the school
district’s bid to build a new gym
failed by 11 votes in May.
“I really think if we discuss it …
the people will do what they can,”
he said. “I think we are fighting an
uphill battle, but we can give peo-
ple the facts.”
The group agreed to meet again
in September and December to
continue discussions about form-
ing a library district.
In other Wagner business,
Thompson announced that the
district offered the vacant library
director position to Andy Rommel.
Rommel has bachelor’s and
master’s degrees in fine art and a
bachelor’s in graphic design. He at-
tended the joint meeting June 29
and said he was excited to get
started, even with the future de-
pendent on the outcome of an
election.
“I really see this as an opportu-
nity to be active in the community,
and that is what I want,” he said.
Look What’s
Coming Up!
Summerfest
Reserve by July 11th
Publishes July 27th
Polk County’s
Wine Guide
Polk County’s very
own wine, brewery
and distillery guide
...coming soon!
Interested in
hearing more?
Contact the
Itemizer-Observer
503-623-2373
www.polkio.com
147 SE Court St.
Dallas, OR
Polk County Fair
Reserve by July 25th
Publishes August 10th
Back to School
Reserve by August 1st
Publishes August 17th
Hop & Heritage Festival
Reserve by August 29th
Publishes September 14th
Contact Heidi, Rachel or Karen by
June 10th to be a part of this special!
Itemizer-Observer
147 SE Court St, Dallas • 503-623-2373