Polk County
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 12, 2017 4a
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EDITORIALS
Wind storm Friday
reminds us: prepare
Power and internet service was intermittent on Friday
morning as winds gusted through the valley. Nearly
100,000 Pacific Power customers were without power for at
least half of the day as powerlines fell left and right.
While it wasn’t as severe locally, with a few felled trees
and powerlines, it was a good reminder to be prepared.
Saturday, reporter Jolene Guzman attended the Prepare
Fair, where she was reminded that the Cascadia Zone
earthquake is overdue — with a 33 percent chance that it
will happen in the next 50 years.
That seems like a long ways off. Some of us don’t expect
to be on the planet in 50 years, but our children and chil-
dren’s children will be. But it’s not that the quake will hap-
pen in 50 years. It’s not like the Great American Eclipse,
when we know the exact date and time the event will take
place.
The earthquake could happen right now, as you’re read-
ing this editorial.
It is more important than ever to start the 24-weeks to
preparedness. While it may feel daunting, with baby steps,
you can feel the peace that comes with preparedness for
you, your family, your furry friends and livestock.
We urge our government leaders in the State Capitol to
make preparedness at all levels a priority.
We’ve been told time and again that the government will
not be coming to help us in a large-scale disaster. That
means depending on ourselves and each other. Consider
signing up for the Polk County Community Emergency Re-
sponse Team, and learn how you can help your family bet-
ter prepare, and how you can help the community in times
of crisis.
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County.
To submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via email
(ionews@polkio.com).
—
WEDnESDay, aPRiL 12
• Monmouth Tree advisory Board — 7 p.m., monmouth
Senior Center, 180 Warren St. S., monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• independence Heritage Museum Commission — 4 p.m,
Independence Heritage museum, 112 S. Third St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
• Monmouth Library advisory Board — 7 a.m., monmouth
Public Library, 168 Ecols St. S., monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Monmouth Parks and Recreation Board — 7 p.m., Volun-
teer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Polk Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Di-
rectors — 6 p.m., 580 main St., Suite A, Dallas. 503-623-9680.
THuRSDay, aPRiL 13
• Polk County Fire District no. 1 Board — 6 p.m., Central
Station 90, 1800 monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1510.
• Western Days Commission — 7 p.m., Independence Civic
Center, 555 S. main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Falls City City Council — 6 p.m., Falls City Community Cen-
ter, 320 n. main St., Falls City. 503-787- 3631.
MOnDay, aPRiL 17
• independence Tourism and Events Commission — 6:30
p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. main St., Independence.
503-838-1212.
• Dallas City Council — 7 p.m., Dallas City Hall, 187 SE Court
St., Dallas. 503-831-3502.
• Dallas Budget Committee — 5:30 p.m., Dallas City Hall, 187
SE Court St. 503-831-3502.
TuESDay, aPRiL 18
• independence Historic Preservation Commission — 4
p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. main St., Independence.
503-838-1212.
• Monmouth City Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 War-
ren St. S., monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9
a.m., Polk County Courthouse, BOC office, 850 main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
WEDnESDay, aPRiL 19
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 Warren St. S., monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Falls City School District Budget Committee — 5:30 p.m.,
111 n. main St., Falls City. 503-787-3521.
gOVERnOR
Gov. Kate Brown (Dem.)
160 State Capitol
900 Court St. nE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4582
Email: via website,
http://governor.oregon.gov/
—
STATE LEgISLATORS
Sen. arnie Roblan
(District 5, Democrat)
S-417 State Capitol
900 Court St. nE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
sen.arnieroblan@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Indy Station should City did disservice
be finished first
to community
On a daily basis as I enjoy
Independence City Park, I
watch the progress of the
new construction project as
it takes shape.
There was another con-
struction project that was
started and never finished.
It’s an eye sore on the city,
and one that is forgotten
about. I’m talking about the
site at 203 Monmouth St.
As I sit there and think
about that site and building,
one thing comes to mind:
Will this project be complet-
ed or will a skeleton of a
building never completed
be sitting there as the prop-
erty on South Second and
Monmouth streets.
We, as citizens, should
stand up and hold the
mayor accountable for this
project that was never com-
pleted. The city should not
allow new construction
projects to start until the
one on South Second and
Monmouth streets is either
completed or torn down.
Jimmy Christensen
Independence
Indy detective’s
column appreciated
Thank you for the column
written by Detective Sarah
Scharf of the Independence
Police Department regard-
ing Child Abuse Awareness
Month.
The column was very
clear, concise and easy to
understand. It also gave
valuable information for
family members, friends
and members of the com-
munity who suspect abuse
is happening to children.
Let’s hope that this infor-
mation can keep our most
vulnerable children safe
from harm.
Patty Taylor Dutcher
Monmouth
Ding dong the trail is
dead. On April 3, the Dallas
City Council did their part
to effectively kill the possi-
bility of making the Rickre-
all Creek Trail System a re-
gional trail by approving a
change to the urban growth
boundary to include the
Dallas Golf Course property
on Orrs Corner Road while
removing conditions that
the trail be extended
through the property.
The property owner, who
admitted that the usage as a
golf course should never
have been permitted in the
first place, testified that in-
clusion in the UGB was es-
sential to the survival of the
business because of plans to
build a restaurant, a 20-
space RV park, and an ex-
panded pro shop that could
not be built under the cur-
rent provisional permit.
I find it interesting that
the property owner said
there is no room for a 10-
foot wide trail on an edge of
the property, but has plenty
of room for all the proposed
new amenities.
The council gave the
property owner everything
they wanted while getting
nothing in return.
The, “Not in my back-
yard” argument presented
by Ceres Gleann residents
seems weak.
The trail, if routed on the
north edge of the golf
course, would pass a total of
10 Ceres Gleann lots.
The city had several op-
tions, the most obvious being
to send the matter back to
the planning commission for
further consideration, since
the property owner decided
to no longer honor the deci-
sion of that body.
The city could have col-
laborated with the property
owner to find ways to create
a trail segment at no cost to
the property owner.
The timeline for complet-
ing a trail extension could
have been reconsidered.
None of these were con-
sidered. What about the
goals of the Dallas 2030 Vi-
sion? Ignored. Shame on
you, City Council.
Joe Koubek
Dallas
Reps need to
support students
About 644,000 Oregonians
are facing food insecurity,
about 33 percent of those
people are youth, and about
10 percent are seniors. The
Dec. 27 Itemizer-Observer ar-
ticle regarding food insecuri-
ty on Western Oregon Uni-
versity’s campus, covered a
lot of students’ daily strug-
gles on campus, referencing
a study from 2014, about 60
percent of students on my
campus struggle to eat.
It is appalling that we
know more than half of stu-
dents at Western Oregon
University are struggling to
afford food and yet we are
looking at a 12 percent tu-
ition increase. Things are not
looking bright for me; the av-
erage Oregon student gradu-
ates with $30,000 in debt. We
are drowning in debt and
many are unable to afford
basic necessities. Students
need our local decision mak-
ers to prioritize investment
in higher education.
Sen. Jackie Winters and
Rep. Paul Evans need to be
champions for their con-
stituents attending Western
Oregon University by support-
ing the Oregon Student Asso-
ciation’s Budget Asks, $765
million for universities, $636
million for community col-
leges, and $155 million for the
Oregon Opportunity Grant.
It is important that we are
giving all folks a fair shot at an
affordable higher education.
Sen. Jackie Winters
(District 10, Republican)
S-301 State Capitol
900 Court St. nE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1710
sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/winters
Sen. Brian Boquist
(District 12, Republican)
S-305 State Capitol
900 Court St. nE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1712
sen.brianboquist@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/boquist
Rep. David Gomberg
(District 10, Democrat)
H-471 State Capitol
900 Court St. nE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1410
rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg
Rep. Paul Evans
(District 20, Democrat)
H-281 State Capitol
900 Court St. nE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1420
rep.paulevans@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/evans
Rep. Mike nearman
(District 23, Republican)
H-378 State Capitol
900 Court St. nE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1423
rep.mikenearman@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/nearman
—
U.S. COngRESS
Sen. Ron Wyden (Dem.)
221 Dirksen SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Fax: 202-228-2717
Salem office: 707 13th St. SE,
Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-589-4555
Email: via website,
www.wyden.senate.gov
Ceph Poklemba
Corvallis
WANT TO WRITE A LETTER?
Letters to the editor are lim-
ited to 300 words. Longer letters
will be edited.
Election-related letters of all
types are limited to 100 words.
Writers are limited to one elec-
tion-related letter per election
season. Election letters from
writers outside of Polk County
are not accepted.
Each writer is restricted to
one letter per 30-day period.
Letters that are libelous, ob-
scene or in bad taste will not be
printed. Attacks by name on
businesses or individuals will
not be printed.
Letters to the editor that are
obvious promotions for a busi-
ness, products or services will
not be printed.
Letters, like all editorial mate-
rial submitted to the newspa-
per, are edited for length,
grammar and content.
Letters must include the au-
thor’s name, address and tele-
phone number. This includes
letters submitted via the I-O’s
website. names and cities of res-
idence are published; street ad-
dresses and telephone numbers
are used for verification pur-
poses only.
Letters must be submitted
from individuals, not organiza-
tions, and must be original sub-
missions to the I-O, not copies of
letters sent to other media.
Letters of thanks to busi-
nesses, individuals and organi-
zations are limited to 10 names.
The deadline for letters to the
editor is 10 a.m. monday. Let-
ters submitted may not be re-
tractable after this deadline.
For the full letters policy:
polkio.com.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (Dem.)
313 Hart SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Fax: 202-228-3997
Salem office: 161 High St. SE,
Suite 250, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-362-8102
Email: via website,
www.merkley.senate.gov
Rep. Kurt Schrader (Dem.)
108 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-5711
Fax: 202-225-5699
Salem office: 544 Ferry St. SE,
Suite 2, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-588-9100
Fax: 503-588-5517
Email: via website,
www.schrader.house.gov
—
POLK COUnTY
Board of Commissioners
850 main St.
Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: 503-623-8173
www.co.polk.or.us
—
CITIES
Dallas
187 SE Court St.
Dallas, OR 97338
503-623-2338
www.ci.dallas.or.us
Falls City
299 mill St.
Falls City, OR 97344
503-787-3631
www.fallscityoregon.gov
independence
555 S. main St.
Independence, OR 97351
503-838-1212
www.ci.independence.or.us
Monmouth
151 W. main St.
monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-0722
www.ci.monmouth.or.us
HOW TO REACH US
nEWSROOM
Emily mentzer ..............Editor/monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 142, No. 15
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
Winner of 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 general Excellence Awards
from the Oregon newspaper Publishers Association
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Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone: 503-623-2373
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which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.