Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 14, 2017 4a
How to
Contact
Officials
EDITORIALS
Free speech
is not free
The Dallas City Council is looking at a new policy to gov-
ern rules of conduct on social media.
Some say this would violate a councilor’s first amend-
ment rights. The intent of the new policy is not to prohibit
someone’s free speech, but to hold them accountable
when they break the already-established rules of decorum.
As the saying goes, “Free speech is not free.”
Lately, we’ve seen a few comedians cross the line of what
society considers acceptable when it comes to expressing
their disdain and dislike of our president, or using speech
considered to be inappropriate by most of our nation.
They have the right to express themselves in whatever
manner they choose — very little is truly illegal when it
comes to free speech and expression — but choices, ac-
tions and words come with consequences.
While the man holding the top political office in our na-
tion uses social media however he chooses, we expect
more from our local representatives.
Not only should our councilors show respect to each
other both in person and online — even when (especially
when) they disagree — but they should avoid discussing
city business on social sites including Facebook.
We have seen councilors comment on each other’s Face-
book feeds. On the surface, it seems innocent enough, but
if a majority of councilors discuss city business, regardless
of location or medium (in person, via telephone, email, or
social media) it could be considered a violation of public
meetings laws.
It is great to see our councilors taking to the internet in
attempts to better educate the community. We’ve seen an
increase in city council meeting attendance, perhaps a re-
sult of some councilors’ social-media savvy. However,
we’ve also seen some major misunderstandings and upset
citizens because partial truths were posted online. If the
whole story or process or policy would have been dis-
closed sooner, it could have saved everyone some
headache.
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, JunE 14
• 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.
THuRSDaY, JunE 15
• Monmouth arts and Culture Commission — 7 p.m., Vol-
unteer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• independence Parks and Recreation Board — 6 p.m., In-
dependence Civic Center, third floor, 555 S. Main St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
MOnDaY, JunE 19
• 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.
TuESDaY, JunE 20
• 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, JunE 21
• 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.
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
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
County not doing
enough for suicide
I read this morning an ar-
ticle about Polk County and
the prevention of suicide.
Up to this point I have
been kind about the servic-
es I received last winter as
far as the situation with a
girl I welcomed into my
home, but I am not doing
anyone any service.
The county is under the
delusion that a person can
reach out on their own.
This girl had BPD and
had two distinct personali-
ties where anyone who
helped, including the doc-
tors assistants and the po-
lice, either became the
enemy or she turned on the
charm and my call was
treated as a domestic dis-
pute.
I don't fight, never have. I
called for a welfare check
and the police simply told
us to stay away from each
other, joking about it being
time for lunch.
The next day she hung
herself. Previously in Mon-
mouth, I asked for a psy-
chological evaluation from
the doctor’s assistant (the
only person we were al-
lowed to see). I was blown
off.
The pros are delusional if
they think these people
have the capacity to pick up
the phone and call for help.
Others may simply be look-
ing for attention.
If you’re going to practice
this sort of medicine, take it
seriously.
Randy Wisnia
Dallas
All life on earth at
risk of extinction
Donald Trump, many of
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
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
his associates, as well as too
many of his supporters are
obsessively stupid of the
threats of global warming
and much environmental
damage we have created.
Now all viable life on
earth is in greater risk of ex-
tinction than 66 million
years ago when a 6-mile
wide asteroid struck near
Yucatan, Mexico, killing the
dinosaurs and 70 percent of
all species.
Among our many sins is
fracking, which endangers
our most valuable asset:
pure, clean water.
Walden Joura
Dallas
Demeaning others
feeds hatred
In the Holocaust Museum
in Washington, D.C., are
posters the Nazis used to
spread their hatred toward
Jews.
At the beginning of their
campaign were three
posters that stuck out to me
reading: “The Jews are our
misfortune,” “Just doing my
job,” and “Propaganda fuels
hatred of Jews.”
Today we seem to have
justified our hatred toward
those we don’t agree with as
if we were just doing our
job, and it is our misfortune
that they exist.
Name-calling was the be-
ginning of the Nazi rise.
Whether you are a Re-
publican, Democrat or In-
dependent, demeaning
those we don’t agree with,
disrupting speeches, and
destroying property only
fuels the hatred that is with-
in all of us.
It does not build unity or
understanding.
Because they don’t vote
our way, we say they lack in-
telligence or are racist. We
have the right to say what
we want, so we think we can
tear anyone down and it
won’t affect our rational
thought, but hatred begins
with thinking you are the
only way.
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
Larry Dalton
Monmouth
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.
The Itemizer-Observer does
not guarantee the accuracy of
facts presented by letter writers;
dissenters are welcome to re-
spond. Letter writers who dis-
agree with other published
letter writers should maintain a
civil discourse and address the
subject, not the author.
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.
—
Reach us at:
Mail: Editor, Polk County
Itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108,
Dallas, OR 97338.
Fax: 503-623-2395.
Email: ionews@polkio.com.
Office: 147 SE Court St., Dallas.
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. 24
(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
Periodicals postage paid at
Dallas, OR, Independence, OR and Monmouth, OR.
Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone: 503-623-2373
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Polk County — One Year $35
Other Oregon Counties — One Year $40
Outside of Oregon — One Year $45
POSTMaSTER:
Send address changes to: Polk County itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108, Dallas, Oregon 97338
Lukas Eggen..................Sports Editor......................................................................leggen@polkio.com
Jolene Guzman............Dallas/Falls City/Polk County Reporter ................jguzman@polkio.com
DiSPLaY aDVERTiSing
Heidi Leppin .................Display Advertising Manager ....................................hleppin@polkio.com
Rachel Best ....................Display Advertising.............................................................rbest@polkio.com
Karen Sanks...................Client Services ...................................................................ksanks@polkio.com
CLaSSiFiED LinE aDVERTiSing
Dawn Ohren.....................................................................................................................ioads@polkio.com
PRODuCTiOn
Kathy Huggins ..............................................................................................................iosales@polkio.com
Karyn Pressel .................................................................................................................iosales@polkio.com
The Polk County Itemizer-Observer assumes no financial responsibility for errors in advertise-
ments. It will, however, reprint without charge for the portion of an advertisement
web: www.polkio.com
Phone: 503-623-2373
Fax: 503-623-2395
which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.