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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 2017)
Polk County News Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 25, 2017 3A Committee agrees to raises for county officials County administrator say increases needed to bring Polk up to par with salaries in other counties By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — The commit- tee that evaluates the salaries of Polk County’s elected officials recom- mended raises for all of them, and providing a sup- plement to the district attor- ney’s position for the first time in nearly 30 years. The Compensation Com- mittee consists of the three non-elected members of the county’s budget committee. They review salaries every year. The group met on Jan. 18. Current monthly salaries for the county’s elected offi- cials are: Commissioners — $5,679, with $500 expense allowance; Assessor — $6,454, with $350 expense allowance; Clerk — $6,376, with $150 expense al- lowance; Sheriff — $7,650, with $786 expense al- lowance; and Treasurer — $1,000, with a $5,850 stipend for tax collector and finance officer duties. The district attorney’s salary is paid by the state, and the county hasn’t of- fered a supplement to its last five district attorneys, even though it is a longstanding practice in most other coun- ties in the state, said County Administrator Greg Hansen. “I have a long-standing argument that the state should pay the individual or that posi- tion appro- priately. I don’t be- lieve they have or w i l l ,” h e said. Hansen’s Pope recom- mendation to the committee was to begin with a $750 monthly supple- ment to the DA. He Wheeler said his goal is to increase it over time. Addi- t i o n a l l y, H a n s e n’s memo out- lined in- creases for other offi- Ainsworth cials: Com- missioners — 6 percent to $6,520; Assessor — 3 percent to $6,998; Clerk — 3 percent to $6,717; Sheriff — 2 per- cent to $8,589 and Treasur- er — a $150 increase to the stipend to bring the total to $7,000. Those salaries still are less than those of each officer’s counterparts in Benton, Lin- coln, Linn, Tillamook and Yamhill counties. The sher- iff’s salary is the closest to the five-county average at 1.53 percent behind, while the commissioners would be the furthest behind at 7.80 percent. “I try to recommend what I feel is right and what is the best business practice to get the salaries in a competitive area of compensation,” Hansen said. The salaries are proposed for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Committee member Blair Wasson asked if the county is seeing any big swings in revenue. “We’re seeing property taxes growing back at pre- 2008 rates. We’re probably a little over 5 percent in total growth,” Hansen said. “You are going to get most of that 3 percent natural growth, and new growth is in the range of 2 percent or 2.5 per- cent.” Hansen said the budget could be squeezed a little if Proposed increases Current monthly salaries for the county’s elected officials are: • Commissioners — $5,679, with $500 expense al- lowance; • Assessor — $6,454, with $350 expense allowance; • Clerk — $6,376, with $150 expense allowance; Sher- iff — $7,650, with $786 expense allowance; and • Treasurer — $1,000, with $5,850 stipend for tax collec- tor and finance officer duties. Greg Hansen’s memo outlined increases as follows: • Commissioners — 6 percent to $6,520; • Assessor — 3 percent to $6,998; • Clerk — 3 percent to $6,717; • Sheriff — 2 percent to $8,589 and • Treasurer — a $150 increase to stipend to bring the total to $7,000. He also suggested adding a $750 monthly stipend to the district attorney. insurance coverage costs make a big jump, combined with an approximately $600,000 increase in Oregon Public Employees Retire- ment System costs. “I would say we are on solid financial ground, as solid as we have been in the last 10 years,” Hansen said. The monthly cost of the increases as proposed is $2,461. “This isn’t going to affect us fiscally,” Hansen said. Committee members had no problem with breaking with tradition on offering HEALTH DIRECTORY AUDIOLOGY GENERAL DENTISTRY Trust your hearing to those that specialize in hearing and hearing related disorders. Evan L. Evans, Ph. D, and Julie B. Evans, AuD are both doctoral level Audi- ologists who have the knowledge, experience and compassion to provide you with the best care for your hearing health. We offer free hearing screenings; by our hearing aid specialist. 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JONES, DMD - 1004 Monmouth St., In- dependence, OR 503-838-0434. Offering a broad range of dental services in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. New patients and emergencies welcome. CHIROPRACTIC • JOYNT FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC - Dr. Brian Joynt, DC - 629 Clay Street East, Monmouth, OR 97361 Family- oriented chiropractic clinic, dedicated to creating an unparalleled experience of service, quality and care by teaching the true principles of chiropractic. We look forward to empowering each of you to help your fam- ily participate more fully in life. New patients wel- come. Accept most insurance. Auto/personal injury and work comp. Massage therapist on site. Compli- mentary consultations. Call us today to make your ap- pointment (503) 837-0550. • WESTON K. MORRILL, DMD - 289 E. Ellendale Suite #201, Dallas. 503-623-6616. Family, preventive, and cosmetic dentistry. Complete dentistry for the entire family. Se habla español. • DR. MICHELLE HASBROOK, DMD - 120 N. 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Call 503-831-0784 for an appointment. Visit salemhealth.org/westvalley. HEARING HEALTH • JOYFUL SOUND HEARING SERVICES, INC. Mark Sturtevant, 312 Main Street, Dallas OR, 503-623-0290. Providing Polk County with hearing solutions for 30 years. Services include: Hearing evaluations, Diagnos- ing hearing loss; Impedance; Fitting all types of hear- ing devices, Servicing all makes and models of hearing aids; Ear inspections; Wax removal; Hearing protec- tion. Hours: Monday - Thursday 9-4pm. (Fridays by appointment only) • THORNTON CHIROPRACTIC - Drs. Sharon and Marty Thornton - Palmer Graduates - We care, God cures. 1650 Monmouth St., Independence, OR 97351 • 503-838-3346. Office hours: Mon, Tues & Fri 8-noon & 2-6 pm; Wed 8-noon & 2-4 pm. & Thurs 2-6 pm. Proudly serving Polk County for over 17 years. Offering Thompson Drop and other hands-on techniques, as IMAGING SERVICES well as Advanced Activator Methods and Functional Neurology. We provide gentle and effective full-spine • SALEM HEALTH WEST VALLEY offers state-of-the- and extremity adjusting for all ages in a loving and car- art all-digital diagnostic imaging services. With your ing environment. We are accepting new patients for physician's referral, we provide bone densitometry, CT Family Wellness Care, Medicare, Auto or personal in- scan, fluoroscopy, mammography, ultrasound, X-ray jury & Workers Comp. Licensed Massage Therapy and MRI services. Check out our comfortable and spa- available on site. cious mammography suite. We are located at 525 SE Washington St., Dallas, 503-623-7302. COUNSELING • CROSS AND CROWN COUNSELING ~ KATE KOENS, NCCA Licensed Clinical Christian Counselor and Cer- tified Temperament Therapist. Cross and Crown Counseling offers counseling services to individuals, couples and families as well as identity seminars and grief recovery workshops. Our office is located at 1156 SE Holman Ave. Dallas. Some specific areas of counsel are adolescent, premarital, marriage, trauma, crisis, grief, depression, anxiety, anger, divorce, and identity crisis. We help our clients find healing, learn commu- nication skills, and appropriate responses to individ- ual and family needs and how to obtain overall health, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We provide a safe and caring environment to face life situations, ad- dress interpersonal and intrapersonal conflict and help individuals realize their full potential in order to live decisively with truth, relevance, perspective, and purpose. For more information or to schedule an ap- pointment please call (503) 917-1625 or visit our web- site at www.crossandcrowncounseling.com LABORATORY SERVICES • SALEM HEALTH WEST VALLEY provides lab services at two convenient locations in Dallas and Monmouth. Both labs are fully accredited, providing collections and testing with healthcare provider referral. Employ- ment and self-referral drug testing is offered. The West Valley Hospital lab in Dallas is open 24 hours, seven days a week, at 525 SE Washington St., 503-623-7303. The Monmouth lab is located in the Monmouth Med- ical Center, 512 Main St., Suite 300, 503-838-1388. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., closed be- tween noon and 1 p.m. Appointments are not required. MASSAGE • OUT OF GRAVITY MASSAGE - Julianne Klingberg DeForest, LMT - 503.510.2256 - NOW IN INDEPEND- ENCE Enter Stressed, Leave Blessed - Out of Gravity Massage offers massage sessions to suit a variety of needs and health concerns. Intuitive and holistic bodywork are blended with extensive and varied edu- the district attorney a sup- plement. “I’ve always thought Greg’s theory made a lot of sense. It’s the state’s respon- sibility, let the state do it,” said committee member Vern Wells. “I’ve also never thought that Polk County would make the difference. If every other county pays, Polk County is not going to change the state’s mind.” Increases for assessor, clerk, treasurer and sher- iff — which, by statute, must be the highest paid position in the office — were deemed reasonable by the committee. A 6 percent raise for the Polk County Board for Commissioners was viewed as steep. Hansen said he will con- tinue to propose increases for the commissioners until they catch their peers. That doesn’t mean the committee — or the board, which has refused pay raises in the past — will accept the proposal. “If we do 6 percent on the commissioners, that com- bined with last year’s 4 (per- cent) is 10 percent in two years,” Wasson said. He suggested the increase be cut to 3 percent. Wells said he took issue with the idea that it’s accept- able to pay elected officials less than appointed officials to serve as CEOs of their or- ganizations. Nevertheless, he voted to approve Hansen’s proposal with the reduced percentage increase for the commis- sioners. The cost per month for a p p r ov e d i n c re a s e s i s $1,950. The budget committee and the board of commis- sioners will review and vote on the salaries during the budget process this spring. Call the Itemizer-Observer at 503-623-2373 to have your business listed in this directory. cation, creating a caring and knowledgeable environ- ment of healing. Also, with a prescription and a claim number, up to a year's therapeutic massage sessions will help in your rehabilitation from a motor vehicle accident. Relaxation, well care, geriatric and pediatric massage is available, as well as motor vehicle accident rehabilitation. Infant massage instructional sessions available. Call today for an appointment. 503-510- 2256 OR # 7627/ National #295187-00 ORTHODONTICS • YENNE & SCHOFIELD - SPECIALISTS IN ORTHO- DONTICS - 580 Main Street, Suite E, Dallas, 503-623- 5002. Providing Polk County with orthodontic care for children and adults for functions and cosmetics. Open Tuesdays & Thursdays. PHYSICAL THERAPY/ REHABILITATION SERVICES • PINNACLE PHYSICAL THERAPY is an orthopedic physical therapy facility committed to getting great re- sults for each patient. We focus on advanced spine care, women's health issues, sport rehab, vehicle acci- dents, and work injuries. We offer highly specialized care including manual therapy, aquatic therapy, spe- cific deep tissue mobilization techniques, Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) techniques and therapeutic exercise. We have a warm, caring and friendly staff and accept most private health insurance, auto insur- ance, and workers' compensation insurance. We offer both male and female physical therapists. Often no physician referral is needed to start care. Call us today and ask how to get therapy for your condition or talk to your physician to see if physical therapy is right for you. Call us: 503-623-2433. We are conveniently lo- cated at 210 W. Ellendale Avenue Dallas, Oregon 97338; (next to Taco Bell) Check us out on the web: www.pinnacle-physicaltherapy.com • SALEM HEALTH WEST VALLEY offers a wide range of rehabilitation services. Our hospital in Dallas, lo- cated at 525 SE Washington St. in Dallas, offers phys- ical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and aquatic therapy (at Dallas Aquatic Center). 503- 623-7305. Our clinic in Monmouth offers physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Located at 512 Main St. 503-838-1388. Visit www.salemhealth.org/westvalley. PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS • DR. CHARLES ESSEX, family medicine, is accepting new patients at Salem Health West Valley Medical Clinic, located at 512 Main St., Suite 300, Monmouth, 503-838-1182. With a proactive healthcare approach, Dr. Essex provides care for the entire family and will work with you to build a healthy lifestyle with annual exams, immunizations, lifestyle counseling, sports physicals, skin care, cancer screenings and more. New patients are welcome. • DR. JOHN HADLEY, family medicine, is accepting new patients at the Salem Health West Valley Medical Clinic at 555 SE Washington St., Dallas, 503-623-7301. With a proactive healthcare approach, Dr. Hadley pro- vides offers family medicine for your entire family from newborns to adults with annual exams, immunizations, lifestyle counseling, sports physicals, skin care, cancer screenings and more. New patients are welcome. SHAMANIC HEALER • MARIAN SIMON, MA Shamanic healer and coun- selor specializing in spiritual healing and development since 1994. If you are ready to open your heart, expand your mind, understand your soul’s purpose in life and solve problems from a spiritual perspective, I can pro- vide you with shamanic tools to empower your life. 503-831-0158. simonart@teleport.com http://marian- simon.com
