Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 15, 2017 3A
Dallas hiring for economic dev Bond: Will pay
City interviews seven economic development director candidates for new station
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Adding to the
focus-on-the-economy
theme in Dallas in 2017, the
city is looking for someone to
fill a new position: economic
development director.
Creating the economic
development post has been
a lengthy process, said City
Manager Ron Foggin.
“The city has actually
been talking about it for a
long time,” Foggin said. “I’ve
been talking about it for the
last couple of years.”
Last year, the city hired an
economic development
consultant, Greg Ellis, on a
part-time basis, working
about 10 hours per week.
Ellis served for about a year.
“With Greg retiring, it was
clear to me that we needed
to take another step for-
ward,” Foggin said.
The city of Dallas posted
the full-time position last
month, with a salary range
of $5,753 to $8,186 per
month. For the remainder of
the fiscal year, which ends
June 30, the salary will be
paid for with what was bud-
geted for a part-time eco-
nomic development con-
sultant post that has been
vacant since the beginning
of the year.
The city is conducting ini-
tial interviews with seven of
the 12 total applicants to
narrow the candidates to
those the city wants to take a
closer look at.
Foggin said the person
who gets the job will first be
focused on business reten-
tion and helping businesses
that want to expand.
“Then looking to see what
we can do to entice busi-
nesses to come here,” Fog-
gin said. “One of those (fo-
cuses) is how do we expand
our position in wine coun-
try. One of the council prior-
ities for the last few years
has been there, so I think
that would be a key thing for
this position to focus on.”
Foggin said the hiring co-
incides with the Rural Devel-
opment Initiative roadmap
process — now named the
Dallas Vitality Connection —
and the Dallas City Council
and Economic Development
Commission support creat-
ing the position.
He added that with the
position being in demand
for so long, people may ex-
pect to see a quick return on
the investment. Foggin said
he will have his own goals
for progress, but thinks it
could be more of a
marathon than a sprint to-
ward development.
“Setting realistic expecta-
tions for this person is going
to be really important,” Fog-
gin said. “It’s not going to be
immediate, overnight suc-
cess. This isn’t instant rice
where we just add hot water
and wait five minutes.”
To begin with, Foggin said
the new director will contin-
ue to work on what Ellis
started.
“Greg did a really nice job
and really got us headed
down a good path for eco-
nomic development,” Fog-
gin said. “This will be a nice,
strong step forward.”
Golf Club wants inside Dallas boundaries
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — The owners of Dallas
Golf Club are asking for the nine-hole
executive course to be moved within
the city’s urban growth boundary.
Planning commissions from both
the city and Polk County have recom-
mended their respective boards adopt
the expansion. Both governments must
approve the proposal.
The Dallas City Council and Polk
County Board of Commissioners will
hold a joint hearing on the application.
That hearing is tentatively set for April
3 at 5:30 p.m. in the Dallas Civic Center,
945 SE Jefferson St.
“It allows the board of commissioners
and the council to hear the same infor-
mation at the same time from essential-
ly the same people,” said Jason Locke,
the city’s community development di-
rector.
Dallas Golf Club, 11875 Orrs Corner
Road, sits just outside the line marking
the Dallas city limits and the urban
growth boundary.
Locke said this is an “applicant-dri-
ven urban growth boundary expan-
sion,” and the course owner would like
access to city water service and land
use rules that would allow for improve-
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer file
Dallas Golf Club is a nine-hole course.
ments on the property.
He said there’s no plan for using the
property for anything but a golf course.
“They don’t intend to change it,”
Locke said. “One of the reasons for
doing it is to upgrade some of the an-
cillary uses, like the club house and the
pro shop, and get rid of some of the
buildings that kind of sketchy that are
out there now.”
The nearly 42-acre property is zoned
exclusive farm use, but is under a con-
ditional use permit to operate as a golf
course.
The conditional use permit doesn’t
allow for improvements.
“They are pretty severely limited and
they can’t get city water,” Locke said.
Dallas’ Planning Commission rec-
ommended the council approve the
application with three conditions: That
the upon annexation to the city of Dal-
las (a separate process), the property
be rezoned “parks and open space.”
that owner have an agreement with the
city to dedicate land for the city’s Rick-
reall Creek Trail; and build the trail
through the property within 180 days
of land use approval for improvements
on the property.
In addition to extending the Rickre-
all Creek Trail, the proposal would ben-
efit the city by adding to its inventory
of parks and open space, which will be
needed as the city grows, Locke said.
The Polk County Planning Commis-
sion held a public hearing and recom-
mended approval on Thursday.
In other business, the council:
• Unanimously passed a resolution
allowing parking on the east side of
Wyatt Street near Kingsborough Park.
“When the park was initially devel-
oped, the plan was for diagonal parking
along the west side,” said Councilor Bill
Hahn. “This never occurred, so property
owners have discussed it with the city.”
Continued from Page 1A
The bond would pay for
replacing the district’s aging
Rickreall station, adding
sleeping quarters and a
classroom. A long-standing
goal, the Salt Creek station
would be built.
“It will decrease our re-
sponse times to Highway 22
incidents and potentially
increase volunteers in the
Salt Creek area,” said Chief
Fred Hertel.
Old fire engines and
emergency vehicles will be
replaced.
“Our current fleet is at or
nearing the end of its emer-
gency service life,” Hertel
said. “We are starting to see
reliability issues and in-
crease in upkeep costs.”
Communications equip-
ment and breathing units
required for firefighters to
enter burning structures
would be purchased with
the bond.
“Without that equip-
ment, we will no longer be
able to make entry into a
burning structure for res-
cue for firefighting activi-
ties,” Hertel said.
He added, if the district
became a “non-entry fire
department,” residents
likely would see an increase
in insurance costs.
The bond would cost dis-
trict residents 69 cents per
$1,000 of assessed value on
properties.
Board member Rod Wat-
son said if nothing changes
in a few years, the district
will be running in the red.
“We are not able to
maintain the service that
we already have,” Watson
said.
West Valley Housing Authority will hold their
Work Session Meeting on Wednesday, March
22, 2017 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at 204 SW
Walnut in Dallas, Oregon. The Regular Meeting
will be held on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at
1:00 p.m. at 204 SW Walnut in Dallas, Oregon.
An Executive Session pursuant to ORS 192.660
will be held immediately following the Regular
Meeting, if required.
Agenda for the meeting is posted on the Housing
Authority website at www.wvpha.org. The location
for the meeting is handicapped accessible. Please
advise the West Valley Housing Authority if you
need any special accommodations to attend the
meeting. For information, please call 503-623-8387,
TDD 1-800-735-2900.
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