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Polk County News 6A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 12, 2017 Coming attraction: Dallas Cinema County could ask for levy renewal early Former Fox Theatre undergoing remodel; to serve beer and wine soon By Jolene Guzman By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer The Itemizer-Observer POLK COUNTY — Voters may be asked to consider re- newing the Polk County public safety levy a year sooner than expected. The county is going into its third year of the five-year levy. It was approved by voters in May 2015 at 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed value on properties. The Polk County Budget Committee discussed when — not if — the county should ask voters to renew support for the levy, which helps pay for the county’s sheriff, district attorney, community corrections, and juvenile offices. County Administrator Greg Hansen said unless a change occurs in property tax law or timber harvests in- crease dramatically, the county will need the levy to pro- vide current services. The range on the new levy would be 35 cents to 40 cents, he said. “It’s going to be less than what you went out for origi- nally, but the county is still going to need assistance in funding the public safety system if you want to maintain the services that this levy brought,” he said. On the timing, Hansen recommended May 2019, which would be before revenue was collected for the fifth year of the levy. “Doing it in advance, you are guaranteeing stability if it passes,” Hansen said. “You still have a year if it fails to get something passed.” Committee members agreed, though the final decision will be made by the Polk County Board of Commissioners. “Doing it a year early makes a lot of sense just because I’ve seen how it works,” said committee member Vern Wells. “People low on the totem pole, they are worried about having a continuing job in that last year.” Wells said if they wait until the last minute, people start looking for other work, and you may have to hire and train new people. Commissioner Craig Pope said the county should con- tinue the promise made to voters in the first campaign to use timber revenue — whether that be from the current O&C Act or a new management plan — to lower the amount levied each year. “I think the upside is that we also get to tell our con- stituency, if the federal folks actually get it done and start bringing more dollars in, we are going to use those dollars first,” Pope said. Hansen said if the levy is reauthorized a year early, he believes the last year of the current levy would be repealed and the new rate would take its place. He said he would find out for certain before the official decision is made. DALLAS — The Dallas Cinema, formerly the Fox Theatre, is gearing up for a fresh start. The theater closed Friday and will re-emerge this Fri- day with an updated look in- side, including a lobby re- model, new paint, a new snack bar, some sound up- grades, and auditorium seat cleaning. “We will open Friday whether or not we are done,” said owner Jeff Mexi- co on Monday. “I can still show a movie.” Friday’s reopening is just the beginning of changes at the theater. Dallas Cinema is applying for a license to sell beer and wine and adding more kitchen equipment to ex- pand the menu. “We won’t be ready for food, beer and wine until the end of April,” Mexico said. “I’m still waiting for the OLCC (license) to be com- pleted. That takes time. Then we have to learn our oven.” Once the staff has a han- dle on the oven, the theater will offer pizza, burgers and fries, chicken strips, sand- wiches, salads, nachos, slid- ers — in addition to pop- corn, of course. Mexico plans to apply for the city of Dallas’ facade grant to change the sign, which still reads “Fox,” and repaint the front of the building. JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Soon the sign on the former Fox Theatre will feature it’s new name: Dallas Cinema. New flooring is going in this week, along with a remodeled snack bar and other changes. Changing the name is part of the process, he said. “It had a reputation when I got it in 2007,” he said. “I tried to improve it and everything, but it still looked the same outside.” He’s hoping a new name will help pique curiosity enough that people will want to give it anoyher try. Mexico said he had this vision for the theater for a long time, but couldn’t com- mit the time to making it happen. “With the drive-in closed, I’ve got more time to con- centrate on this, get it where it should be, and get more people in the doors,” he said. “It does OK, but we need more people in the doors. Everybody wants beer and wine these days, and the remodel has been a dire need for a long time.” He offered a similar menu at the Pix Theater in Albany before he sold it four years ago. It’s still serving beer, wine and an expanded menu, and doing well, he said. The plan is to replicate that success at Dallas Cine- ma. He said adding beer and wine to the menu won’t de- tract from the family-friend- ly atmosphere. Most showings will be open to all ages. Mexico said in his experi- ence at the Pix, he didn’t have problems with people consuming too much alco- hol during movies. “It’s not like a bar. People will have one or two glasses of beer or wine,” he said. “They aren’t going to sit here and get drunk. At the Pix, I never had a problem.” Dallas Cinema will offer some weekend shows for adults only. “We are going to do Friday night and Saturday night late shows and they will be 21 and older only,” he said. “That will be approximately a 10 p.m. show, just because it would be nice to have a late-night date night without any kids.” with Maundy Thursday Service 6 pm Service begins with Maundy Thursday soup supper followed by observance of Good Friday. All are welcome to participate in this service. Trinity Lutheran Church • 320 SE Fir Villa, Dallas 503-623-2233 • www.dallastlc.org You are invited to join us for worship. April 14 Good Friday Prayer Vigil Noon - 6 pm and 8pm - Midnight Good Friday Tenebrae 7:00 pm - Service of Darkness Easter Sunday 7:30 am - Sunrise Eucharist 8:30 -10 am - Easter Breakfast 10:30 am - Festival Eucharist Faith Lutheran Church 200 Monmouth - Independence Hwy Monmouth • 503-838-3459 The Church on the “S-Curves” Pastor Dallas C.R. Dubke • www.FaithLutheranMonmouth.org 6:30 a.m. Easter Sunrise Service 7:30 a.m. Easter Breakfast — Free (7:30 to 9:30) 10:00 a.m. Easter Celebration with Holy Communion 9:00 a.m. Sunday School Easter Egg Hunt Youth Bake Sale — Before and after worship In celebration of the day, please bring a canned food item to benefit the Dallas Food Bank. Trinity Lutheran Church 320 SE Fir Villa, Dallas • 503-623-2233 • www.dallastlc.org