Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 2016)
Polk County News Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 14, 2016 5A Library district would save Wagner Falls City officials consider size, scope of district needed for library By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer JOlEnE GuzMan/Itemizer-Observer Doug and Renee Pierce, of Dallas, took over ownership at Courtyard Coffeehouse & Deli. Settling into food service New owners of Courtyard Coffeehouse keep old favorites By Jolene Guzman Check it out The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — Doug and Renee Pierce, of Dallas, got married in June and wanted to find a way to spend more time together. Doug worked 25 years as a truck driver and wanted to end his days on the road. “I wanted to downsize a little,” he said. “Not be gone as much.” Their solution? Taking over Courtyard Coffeehouse & Deli in downtown Dallas. Renee said the move seems perfect. “We are going to be to- gether all the time,” she said with a laugh. Doug worked in restau- rants decades ago before he joined the U.S. Navy, where he was worked as a cook. “He fed everyone on the ship,” Renee said. She said she’s leaving that responsibility to Doug at Courtyard. What: Courtyard Coffeehouse & Deli. Where: 156 SE Mill St, Dallas. New Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Contact: 503-623-9686. “He’s the cook,” she said. “I’m the cashier.” The operation is a family affair, with Doug’s daugh- ter, Jamie Pierce, and R e n e e’s m o m , C o n n i e Ames, working behind the counter, too. While the coffee shop and deli isn’t the full-scale restaurant Doug has dreamed of owning yet — featuring sandwich, wraps, soups, a salad bar and cof- fee — it’s a start for the cou- ple. They officially took over Dec. 1 and by the next day, Renee was already nailing regular customers’ names. “Hi Tom,” she said to a customer as he walked through the door. “It’s Tom, right?” The man nodded his head and headed toward the counter to place his order. Doug said they want to make customers feel at home. “We want to make it a lit- tle more personable,” he said. With that in mind, they will be keeping favorite sandwiches on the menu. Popular creations — Gob- bler, Spicy Jack, and The Whittaker — still are fea- tured. Doug is adding chili dogs to the menu on Thursdays, and everyone’s favorite soups still will be served. The resident cook agrees with his customers on the best sandwiches — Gobbler and Spicy Jack — and he likes a good mocha, too. “This is a perfect fit for him,” Renee said. FALLS CITY — Would Falls City residents support pay- ing to keep the Wagner Community Library open? That is what Falls City school and city officials want to find out before plunging into planning to put a taxing dis- trict or operating levy on the ballot. The library’s funding is limited to what remains in the Wagner Trust Fund managed by the city, which will run out within a few years. Neither the city nor the school dis- trict can afford to pay operational costs, so it would be up to the citizens to provide funding necessary to keep the doors open. Both entities believe that may be a challenge, citing losses at the ballot for a bond to build a multi-purpose gym at Falls City Elementary School and weak support in the precinct for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office levy. “The city precinct has always been very tight on voting,” Mayor Terry Ungricht said. “It would take a lot of educat- ing and trying to get the no-sayers to come to a meeting to offer their ideas.” The group decided its first step should be surveying the community, with suggestions of putting the survey in util- ity bills, online and passing it out at sporting events. Library Director Andy Rommel said material stating what the library provides to the community should be dis- tributed at the same time the survey goes out. “To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t want to put a whole lot of work into it if people are going to vote no on it,” said Bob Young, who is on the school board. He said, as a school board member, he’s willing to sup- port the library to keep it open, but there only so much that can be done once the trust money runs out. “These people need to say yes or no to something, and if they say no, fine, it’s no,” he said. The library’s advisory board would oversee writing the survey, which the city and district could help distribute to community members. Depending on the outcome of the survey, the two enti- ties may schedule a meeting with state library and Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library System repre- sentatives to discuss forming a district versus asking vot- ers for a three- to five-year levy. Ungricht said he would like to see community mem- bers, both those who use the library and those who don’t, attend that meeting to hear about options — or provide their own. “That’s what we are running into — we are not getting public involvement,” he said. “We’re only trying to come up with solutions to help the community, and we don’t have all the ideas.” Call us. The Itemizer Observer can help you expand your market share, and make your business more profitable. Call Heidi, Rachel or Karen at 503-623-2373. ADVERTISING THAT WORKS. 2017 WHO’S WHO IN POLK COUNTY A FULL COLOR GUIDE to businesses serving Polk County! Name of Business ___________________________________________Phone_____________________ Take this opportunity to tell Polk County your story! Publishes January 18, 2017 Contact Name____________________________________________Phone_____________________ ❑ I would like to run the same ad for 2017 ❑ I would like a new photo. Call __________________ to schedule. Your Name/Number ❑ or Save an additional $10 and use photo from last year. ❑ I would like to change my written information. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Reserve before Dec. 30 for only $132 __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Website____________________________________________________________________________ Email Address_______________________________________________________________________ Bring this form in to our office: 147 SE Court St., Dallas Fax it to 503-623-2395, or mail it to: PO Box 108, Dallas, OR 97338 Visit our website to see last year’s issue of Who’s Who: www.polkio.com