Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 14, 2016 11A
Governor’s proposed budget mostly positive
If numbers hold, 2017-19 budget could be mixed bag for education from preschool through university
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — Gov. Kate
Brown’s $20.8 billion outline for
the state’s 2017-19 budget included
a little more than $8 billion for K-
12 education.
That’s a 9 percent increase over
the current two-year budget for
schools, and is intended to sup-
port current service levels, includ-
ing providing for increased costs in
the Public Employees Retirement
System.
“We will see how that stands up
during the legislative session, but
it’s a good place to begin,” said
Tami Montague, Dallas School Dis-
trict’s business manager.
Brown’s budget assumes a $1.7
billion shortfall, which her budget
fills with a combination of cuts
and revenue increases. Lawmakers
will have their say in the state’s bi-
ennial budget when the legislative
session opens in February.
“We’ll wait and see what will
happen, don’t know how they will
backfill that,” Montague said.
She said education groups say
Brown’s figure for K-12 isn’t
enough to keep the status quo.
“Our best information from ad-
vocacy groups for K-12 education
is saying we need about $8.5 bil-
lion,” Montague said.
Measure 98, which created sepa-
rate funding for career and techni-
cal education programs and at-
tempts to increase graduation
rates, is given $139.4 million in the
budget. That is short of the $247
million advocates for the measure
wanted.
Toya Fick, the executive director
of Stand for Children, a Measure 98
supporter, said the state’s revenue
is high, inflation is low and the
economy is strong.
“Despite all of that, the gover-
nor’s budget only goes halfway,”
Fick said in a statement. “If we
can’t prioritize our children and
their education right now, when
are we going to? We are disap-
pointed with the budget and hope
lawmakers properly prioritize our
schools by fully funding Measure
98.”
The measure was originally writ-
ten to be dependent on revenue.
The state’s public universities re-
ceived $667.3 million in the gover-
nor’s budget, maintaining current
funding levels “due to statewide
revenue constraints.”
University presidents com-
mended Brown’s budget in a joint
statement, but encouraged the leg-
islature to increase the amount
going to Oregon’s universities.
“By doing so, every campus can
keep tuition at a manageable level
for the next two years and main-
tain vital support services that
keep students on track to gradu-
ate,” the statement read. “If we
want to enable more Oregonians
to earn college degrees at an af-
fordable level of tuition, additional
resources will be needed.”
Support for community colleges
remains at current levels, with
$550 million.
OBITUARIES
Elsie F. (Clark)
Werth
Sept. 10, 1920 – Nov. 18, 2016
Elsie F. (Clark) Werth,
born Sept. 10, 1920, in In-
avale, Neb., to Lewis Clark
and Alta Smith Clark, died
Nov. 18 from declining
health while living in Sheri-
dan. She was 96, the oldest
of eight siblings.
S h e
grew up in
Red Cloud
County, in
a
n
d
around
Hastings,
Neb., and
in nearby
northern Kansas. The family
left Nebraska and moved to
Grand Ronde in 1936, where
her father got a job with the
Crowell Ranch on Agency
Creek.
Elsie and her younger sib-
lings left Hastings schools
and she finished her last two
years at Willamina High
School. It was there that she
met a classmate, Elmer
Werth, and they were mar-
ried for over 73 years, the
last two surviving members
of their graduating class of
1938. They were married in
McMinnville on June 17,
1943, after Elmer had gradu-
ated from Oregon Agricul-
ture College in Corvallis and
was mid-term as an Air
Force Cadet in the weather
training program at Univer-
sity of California, Los Ange-
les, in Los Angeles.
From there, they made
frequent moves along the
East Coast, from South Car-
olina to Delaware to Florida
to New Jersey, all to advance
Elmer’s training. When he
was shipped overseas to the
Philippines, Elsie stayed in
McMinnville while working
at the Carlton Glove Factory.
After Elmer’s discharge in
1946, the couple returned to
the Grand Ronde area, to the
family farm at Valley Junc-
tion.
Besides her helping on
the farm, Elsie was very ac-
tive in community pro-
grams. She served for over
25 years as a 4-H leader,
leading cooking and sewing
clubs, and for a time on the
governor’s youth committee.
She also served on a local
citizen advisory committee
for land use planning, as
well as on a governing board
for the Oregon 4-H Center
near Salem.
For many years, she was
an activist in Oregon’s
Women For Agriculture. Be-
cause of her passion for ed-
ucation and belief that
youth should learn to read
and have access to books,
she was a member of the
Willamina School Board for
many years and a regular
occupant of the Grand
Ronde Library as a volunteer
librarian.
Her love of travel took her
all over the world. She was
probably the first — and
perhaps only — red-headed
white lady to visit parts of
Morocco, as well as visiting
Egypt, Israel, much of Eu-
rope, Japan, Australia and
New Zealand. With her hus-
band, they wandered for
over a month around Mexi-
co visiting Mayan ruins.
She is survived by her
husband, Elmer; as well as
two brothers, James and
Walt Clark; and three chil-
dren, Jo Yates and Jim and
Dennis Werth; six grandchil-
dren and 10 great-grandchil-
dren.
The family wishes to ac-
knowledge the loving care of
Tammy Tucker of Sheridan
during the last years of
Elsie’s life. Donations in her
honor are welcome at the
charity of your choice. A cel-
ebration of life/open house
will be held at the West Val-
ley Community Campus in
Willamina on Dec. 23 from 1
to 3 p.m. Arrangements by
Adamson’s Sheridan Funeral
Home.
Thomas Ivy
Neyman Jr.
Nov. 23, 1935 – Nov. 12, 2016
Thomas Ivy Neyman Jr.,
80, a resident of Falls City,
died Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016,
in the Salem Hospital. He
was born on Nov. 23, 1935,
in Brownsville, Texas, the
son of Thomas Ivy and
Wilma Nadine George Ney-
man Sr.
He was a member of the
Osage Tribe and the Oregon
State Sheriff Association.
Tom was a kind and funny
and smart and humble man.
He was a friend to all ani-
mals, trees, plants, spiders,
mice, birds, bats, dogs and
cats. He was a painter,
sculptor, actor, writer and
director. He was a builder of
everything and the best hus-
band and dad ever.
He is survived by his wife,
Kay E. Tredway Neyman, of
Falls City; daughters, Jackey
Jones, of Falls City; Julie
Fleener, of Corvallis, and Ivy
Neyman, of Falls City; along
with four grandchildren and
one great-grandchild.
Private family services
were held. The Dallas Mor-
tuary Tribute Center is car-
ing for the family. To leave a
message or memory for the
family please go to www.dal-
lastribute.com.
James Leland Sele
Feb. 8, 1933 – December 2016
James Leland Sele was
born in Gary, Minn., on Feb.
8, 1933, to Earl and Ella Sele.
He was the second in line of
six children living in a two-
bedroom farmhouse.
As a young boy, he would
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be right by his mom’s side
helping her in the kitchen.
When he was 18, the family
moved from Minnesota to
Portland. Shortly after they
moved to Sweet Home. It
wasn’t long before he met
Sue Wake-
field, and
they mar-
ried in
1958. In
the sum-
mer of
1971, Jim
bought a
farmhouse on the outskirts
of Dallas, where he lived and
raised his children until
April of 2015.
In 1990, he married his
current wife, Linda Ehlers, at
which point he gained three
more children. During this
time, he showed off his
amazing vocals and yodel-
ing skills, spending 29 years
in the Rickreall pageant. He
worked at the Willamette In-
dustries Mill for 44 years. His
time on the farm was filled
with tractor rides, cows,
chickens, and growing food.
He was quite handy, using
his handiness on his many
Carmen Guias.
Some of his favorite pas-
times included fast cars,
hunting, fishing and danc-
ing. He was quite the gentle-
man on the dance floor. This
stubborn Norwegian, at the
heart of things, had a very
gentle and loving side.
Jim is survived by his
beautiful wife, Linda Sele;
his siblings Cordell, Nyla,
and Ivy; his children Ron
(Cathy), Mark (Cathy), Paula
(Bob), Melodee ( John),
Jason (Leslie) and Matt
(Gina); 19 grandkids; and 27
great-grandkids. Services
were held; Dallas Mortuary
Tribute Center is caring for
the family. To send an online
condolence; go to www.dal-
lastribute.com.
Gail Boid Uehlin
May 6, 1924 – Nov. 27, 2016
Gail Boid Uehlin, 92,
passed away Sunday, Nov.
27, 2016, in Fruitland, Idaho.
Gail was born on the family
farm in Decatur County,
Kan., to William Uehlin and
Nina Deck-
er Uehlin.
Gail was
one of nine
children.
During the
Depres-
sion, the
f a m i l y
moved to
Payette,
Idaho. His
favorite
memories
were of
working on the family farm
with brothers and sisters.
Gail served in the Army as
a combat infantryman in the
European Theater during
World War II until his dis-
charge in 1946. Gail was a
police officer in Canyon
County, Idaho, from 1956-
1962. He fondly remem-
bered his time working as
traffic sergeant and his spe-
cial relationship with the
teenagers of the ’50s. He met
and married Helen in 1961.
Gail left law enforcement to
start a series of small busi-
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He could talk to anyone for
hours and was always will-
ing to help a friend in need.
Gail and Helen lived in
Fruitland, Idaho, from 1979-
1994, before moving to Dal-
las, where they lived for the
past 19 years. People always
remember Gail because of
his unique humor and his
life mission to minister to
people about Christ.
Gail is survived by his wife
Helen of 56 years; daughter
Malinda Uehlin Andersen;
son Clifford Uehlin; sister
Arlene Uehlin McKee; and
many grandchildren, nieces,
nephews and extended fam-
ily.
At Gail’s request, a private
service was held for family.
Condolences may be left in
Gail’s online guestbook at
www.yourtribute.com, or
may be sent to P.O. Box 8574,
Portland, OR 97207.
Dan Roy Barnes
Dec. 9, 1954 – Dec. 1, 2016
Dan Roy Barnes, 61, for-
merly of Willamina, died on
Dec. 1 in Salem.
He is survived by mother,
Rena Barnes; sisters, Susan
Wakefield and Karen Rogers;
spouse, Susan Carol Barnes;
children, Ross, Hogan and
Meredith Barnes; and three
grandchildren. Predeceased
by his father, Bill Barnes and
son, Connor Barnes.
Virgil T. Golden Funeral
Service handled arrange-
ments.
Darlene Lillian
Webster
March 27, 1931 - Dec. 2, 2016
Darlene Webster, 85, died
Dec. 2. She was born to Emil
and Violet Lake in Fresno
County, Calif. A funeral serv-
ice was held at Farnstrom
Mortuary. Memories and
condolences at Farnstrom-
Mortuary.com.
Obituary
Information
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Monday before publication to
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words (column inch) and in-
clude a photo and flag for vet-
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department — are subject to
editing for style, content and
length.
Information can be brought
or mailed to the Itemizer-Ob-
server, 147 SE Court St., Dallas,
OR 97338, or emailed to
ionews@polkio.com.
For more information: Emily
Mentzer, 503-623-2373, ext. 117.