Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 9, 2017 4a
EDITORIALS
How to
Contact
Officials
Educate visitors
on fire danger
Even with a forecast of showers for early next week, it’s
still hot and dry out there.
We’ve seen fires started by cars driving on fields — and
this week, a car that broke down on the side of the road
started a five-acre field fire. It wasn’t even on the grass —
that shows you how high the fire danger really is.
Residents of Polk County are familiar with fire danger —
hot and dry conditions mean running field equipment and
home lawn mowers in the morning when possible, being
responsible with barbecues and cigarettes (does anyone
smoke anymore?).
But in less than two weeks, we will see a surge of out-of-
towners, some from around the world, who will not under-
stand why they can’t have a barbecue in the camping spot
they’ve paid $500 a night for in the middle of a farmer’s
field. They may think they’re not doing any harm by driv-
ing around the grass looking for the perfect viewing spot or
making s’mores around a campfire.
It will be up to us to help educate them and spread the
message of safety when it comes to fire danger during the
Great American Eclipse.
We hope people will be responsible next week, for
themselves and their visitors. Let’s make this eclipse a
good memory, rather than a fiery one.
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).
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wEDnESDay, auG. 9
• 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 Coun-
ty Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
THuRSDay, auG. 10
• 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, auG. 14
• Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of-
fice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
TuESDay, auG. 15
• 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, auG. 16
• 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/
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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
Careless drivers
needlessly kill deer
As I write this, there is a
small fawn (still in spots)
struggling for life after being
run down by an inconsider-
ate driver who has no com-
passion for the wildlife in
the area.
I have a question for the
people who reside on and
traverse on Brown Road (off
Highway 22).
What is your hurry?
There have been many
deer hit and killed on this
road in the past few years.
Why?
Do you not realize this is
a deer-populated area, and
they do dash across the
road.
These are unwarranted
killings. This street is not
the Indy 500.
Save lives; slow down;
leave five minutes earlier.
The body left dying in the
roadway could just as easily
be a child or a beloved pet.
Pat Utter
Dallas
Staff brings Dallas
library to life
I want to acknowledge
the terrific job and extend a
big thank you to the staff at
our Dallas library.
The folks running the li-
brary are always pleasant,
knowledgeable, and helpful
with accessing library mate-
rials.
They have activities for
children and teenagers,
present local art and artists,
as well as authors and
speakers.
Our local library is a great
place in our community be-
cause the staff makes it
great.
Thank you.
previously damaged and re-
moved by these agencies.
Karen Messer
Dallas
David Christensen
Independence
Evans used fear to
push green agenda Commissioners not
enforcing codes
This is in regards to Paul
Evans’ letter to the editor:
Your letter was long-
winded with no solution to
the problem.
Your letter was very tech-
nical and hard to follow.
As you know, the only
way we will have a solution
as you suggest is to have our
government impose safer
transport requirements of
hazardous materials on our
roadways.
You act very concerned
that this is an everyday oc-
currence that is causing
harm to our environment,
when in fact these occur-
rences are rare.
I believe that you’re caus-
ing panic within your party
so that at some point you
can justify the removal of
fossil fuels from use and go
to greener fuel alternatives.
I have driven through
that area at least six to eight
times a week and have seen
the damage firsthand.
While we need safer vehi-
cles that carry hazardous
materials, we also need bet-
ter patrols of our roads, in-
cluding Highway 99W.
As a state representative,
you should be asking how
Benton and Polk county
sheriffs could increase pa-
trol so these types of situa-
tions don’t occur.
Also as a representative,
maybe you should be con-
cerned on how the Oregon
State DEQ and the fire
agency in Philomath has re-
paired that section of road.
As I write this, this sec-
tion of road does not ade-
quately replace what was
Part of the Polk County
Commissioners’ job is to see
to the enforcement of the
county zoning and land use
codes.
The commissioners say
they work with law violators
to get them to conform.
However, in some instances
that can never be accom-
plished.
It does not matter what
zone you are in, if it is resi-
dential in a subdivision or
exclusive farm use, the
abuse continues and in
both cases have been going
on for over a year.
We live close in West
Salem in a nice residential
subdivision.
The non-enforcement of
the land use zoning and
land use codes and state
regulations by Polk County
could affect many of the
surrounding property own-
ers financially and could
have possible health conse-
quences.
The county counsel told
us to hire an attorney.
This is an admission that
the county does not intend
to enforce the law. Most
senior citizens do not have
money to hire an attorney.
Call your state represen-
tative, whether you are a
Democrat or Republican, if
you are being harmed by
this non-enforcement.
This lack of zone enforce-
ment could affect any Polk
County landowner at any
time.
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
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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
Lanny Robson
West Salem
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-
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The Itemizer-Observer does
not guarantee the accuracy of
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dissenters are welcome to re-
spond. Letter writers who dis-
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letter writers should maintain a
civil discourse and address the
subject, not the author.
Letters, like all editorial mate-
rial submitted to the newspa-
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Letters must include the au-
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The deadline for letters to the
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tractable after this deadline.
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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
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POLK COUNTY
Board of Commissioners
850 Main St.
Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: 503-623-8173
www.co.polk.or.us
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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
Vol. 142, No. 32
(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
nEwSROOM
Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Lukas Eggen..................Sports Editor......................................................................leggen@polkio.com
Jolene Guzman............Dallas/Falls City/Polk County Reporter ................jguzman@polkio.com
Stephanie Blair.............General Assignment Reporter........................................sblair@polkio.com
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Rachel Best ....................Display Advertising.............................................................rbest@polkio.com
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