Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 16, 2016 3A
Two new faces join
Falls City council
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WEATHER
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HIGH LOW
Nov. 8................ 68
Nov. 9................ 69
Nov. 10............. 58
Nov. 11............. 57
Nov. 12............. 61
Nov. 13............. 59
Nov. 14............. 59
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RAIN
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By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
Sheriff Mark Garton, center, talks with a visitor at the Polk County Fair in August. Garton
won his first election for the office by a wide margin on Nov. 8.
Garton takes decisive win
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Mark Garton,
Polk County’s newly elected
sheriff, said his first election
was an enlightening experi-
ence.
He recommends people
interested in serving run for
office just to experience
democracy in action. He en-
joyed the process, but that
isn’t to say he wants to do it
again right away.
“Not tomorrow, but in
four years,” he said following
the Nov. 8 election, in which
he received 70 percent of the
vote (22,125 votes) to 28 per-
cent (8,903) for opponent
Todd Whitlow.
Garton has four years be-
fore another election night
and plenty to do between
now and then, he said.
With campaigning in his
rearview mirror, Garton can
refocus on the new pro-
grams his office has
launched in the time since
he was appointed to fill in
for former sheriff Bob Wolfe
in December.
Those programs include
assigning a deputy to out-
reach efforts in schools, hiring
a mental professional to work
in the Polk County Jail, train-
ing programs to help those
being released from jail find
jobs, and the newly estab-
lished mobile crisis team pair-
ing a deputy with a mental
health counselor on patrols.
Garton, whose family is
from Pedee, said the amount
of support he received in the
election was “very hum-
bling.”
“It validates the things
that we’ve been doing,” he
said.
Garton gives credit to
Whitlow for giving him com-
petition for the office.
“Todd is very competitive.
He made me better,” Garton
said. “He made me work for
Rainfall during Nov. — 2.12 in.
Rain through Nov. 14 — 37.07 in.
Resource center
expands hours
Itemizer-Observer staff report
INDEPENDENCE — The Cen-
tral Community Resource Cen-
ter, 1610 Monmouth St., Inde-
pendence, is now open Tues-
days and Thursdays from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m. New agencies, includ-
ing Easter Seals and West Valley
Housing Authority, will offer
services out of the center.
For more information: 503-
606-2310.
it, and it gave people choic-
es.”
Whitlow said he saw the
election as a win-win for
him in that he would have
been honored with the op-
portunity to serve as sheriff.
If not, he could continue his
career with Yamhill County
Sheriff’s Office, where he be-
lieves he has been success-
ful.
“I called and talked to
Mark and wished him all the
best,” Whitlow said.
The election was his first
campaign, too, and he hasn’t
ruled out another run in
four years.
“We will see what hap-
pens four years from now,”
he said. “It’s a little bit early
to tell.”
Now Garton wants to
make sure the office’s service
remains up to Polk County
residents’ expectations
through constant evaluation
and seeking feedback.
In the long-term, he said
he’s going to make sure the
property taxes Polk County
voters approved for the pub-
lic safety levy in May 2015 go
to good use.
“I want to show them that
what we are doing is worth
what they are paying for it.”
FALLS CITY — The two
new Falls City city coun-
cilors who will take their
seats in January know
they need to hit the
ground running.
Soon-to-be new coun-
cilors Cliff Lauder and
Charlie Flynn won seats
in the Nov. 8 election,
joining incumbent Den-
nis Sickles to fill the three
seats up for election.
Lauder said the council
should be making decisions about infrastructure needs,
namely updating the sewer system, sooner rather than
later.
He said he was asked to run for city council after vol-
unteering to lead on community projects. A retired car-
penter, he’s lent his expertise and leadership.
Some thought that his knack for moving projects
along would translate well to serving on a council that
must make critical decisions soon, he said.
“You’ve got to use common sense. I don’t think things
that should take too long,” he said. “Small things seem
to drag on and when stuff drags out, nothing gets
done.”
Flynn also said the city has several issues to tackle in
the short-term.
He said among those are the sewer system, code en-
forcement, dealing with the transient population, and
curtailing drug activity in town.
Flynn said since filing his candidacy, he’s been get-
ting up to speed on the issues coming before the coun-
cil — and those it may be dealing with in the future —
so he can be an effective councilor from day one.
“I’m glad I get this chance to work with people who
are as committed to guiding Falls City into the future as
I am,” he said.
Running unopposed, Terry Ungricht was re-elected
as Falls City Mayor with 374 votes (92 percent).
“I have not retired.” — Clara Nimmo, Owner
223 Birchwood Dr., Dallas
Behind the bowling alley,
3rd house on right,
white picket fence.
Hours: 8-5 T/W/Th
and 8-5:30 Fri
• Alterations
• Dress Making
• Tailoring
• Repairs
Friday & Saturday
November 25 & 26 • 9 am - 5 pm
FREE ADMISSION Food available on site.
Donations gladly accepted.
TWO BUILDINGS FULL, Over 100 Craft Spaces
with a variety of handmade crafts.
Polk County Fairgrounds
520 S. Pacific Hwy W., Rickreall • 503-623-3048
Visit our
website,
www.polkio.com
...for local news, sports
and community events.
Windermere’s 2016 “Share the Warmth” Coat & Blanket Drive is coming
up soon and this year we would like to get an early start on it! This year’s
donation drive will start on Monday, November 7 and go until Friday,
December 9. Seven Locations; Windermere – Monmouth; Windermere –
Dallas; Monmouth Fitness; Les Schwab – Monmouth; Independence Library
Les Schwab – Dallas; World Gym
Crab
Feed
$30
All you can eat
3 course crab feed
with wine pairings.
Space is limited.
Call to buy tickets. 503-623-6181.
at the winery Nov. 25 - Dec. 31!
Huge savings in the tasting room.
Open Thanksgiving weekend
and offering free food
pairings with your
wine tasting.
www.chateaubianca.com
Black Friday Deals!!!
Dallas
Domino’s
is OPEN!
Please excuse our mess.
772 Main St, Dallas
503-623-8888
We apologize for any inconvenience.