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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 2017)
Polk County News 8A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • September 27, 2017 Charter to pass franchise fees to customers By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — The city of Dallas is considering estab- lishing a utility license re- quirement and fee for all util- ities operating in the city’s rights-of-way and a new in- ternet modem license. The city has franchise agreements with Pacific Power, Northwest Natural Gas, Century Link and Char- ter. Those utilities are exempt from the license, but it ap- plies to all other utilities who don’t have a valid agreement with the city. The ordinance also cre- ates a new license require- ment and fee on internet modem services. That portion of the pro- posal is modeled after simi- lar licenses established in Gresham and Eugene. Councilors conducted a first reading of the ordi- nance on Sept. 18, and two utility representatives from NW Natural and Charter spoke before the council. Bruce Anderson, NW Nat- ural’s regional community af- fairs manager, said he appre- ciated that utilities with cur- rent franchise agreements are exempted, but said the ordi- nance didn’t make clear what happens when the agree- ment expired. “Once we get to the end of our franchise agreement, would the intent be to have us renew that franchise or to be rolled under this new reg- ulation?” he asked. Robin Smith, representing Charter, warned that any new fees would fall to cus- tomers to pay. “If the purpose of the util- ity license ordinance is se- cure fair and reasonable compensation for its (the city’s) residents, then realize that any tax imposed will most likely be passed on to the customer as line items on their bill,” Smith said. She said if the city estab- lish a 7 percent fee on modem services, that would equate an average $11 bill increase for customers each month. If the ordinance is approved, the council would separately establish fee rates. “To the extent that the city intends to impose any new fees or taxes on Charter customers, regardless of service, we believe it is un- warranted and unlawful,” Smith testified. “If the intent is to tax the internet, the city should recognize the inter- net as an important service in today’s economy and adding a tax to that service is unwarranted and unlawful.” She said the requirements in the ordinance appear to violate the Cable Communi- cations Policy Act, a federal law, and asked the city to re- consider. Councilor Micky Garus asked if it’s true that the or- dinance could increase cus- tomer bills. City Attorney Lane Shetterly said yes. “You would need to adopt a resolution setting the amount of the fee on inter- net or modem services,” he said. “But her testimony to you is absolutely correct that would be a fee that the cus- tomers don’t pay now on in- ternet or modem services.” Shetterly added that he disagreed that the ordinance is illegal, saying that it is modeled after those in Gre- sham and Eugene that have been upheld by the Oregon Supreme Court. “I guess what I would say is safe harbor,” he said. “The supreme court has looked at both the Gresham and Eu- gene ordinances and we are well within the tracts of those two city ordinances.” The ordinance will go to a second reading and vote on Monday. OBITUARIES Vernon Lloyd Balsbaugh June 13, 1929 – Sept. 17, 2017 Vernon Lloyd Balsbaugh went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sept. 17, 2017. He was born June 13, 1929, near Flint, Mich., to Lloyd and Ruth (Swisher) Balsbaugh, the sixth of nine children. Their family moved to Ohio when he was 12, and then at age 15 he drove one of the two family cars as they moved to Modesto, Calif. He graduated from Modesto High School in 1947. Salem 412 Lancaster Drive NE Salem, OR 97301 (503) 581-6265 Low Cost Cremation & Burial Funerals & Memorials Simple Direct Cremation $595 Simple Direct Burial $710 Traditional Funeral $2,275 Discount priced Caskets, Urns and other Memorial items. Privately owned cremation facility. Locally owned and operated by Oregon families. www.ANewTradition.com Vernon accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and was baptized on June 29, 1947. On Aug. 12, 1950, he was united in marriage to Mari- lyn June Landes, daughter of Edgar and Eva (Gantt) Lan- des. In March of 1963, they moved their family to Dallas, where they resided for 49 years be- fore mov- ing back to Modesto in June of 2012. Ve r n o n spent his working life in sales and design. He was always working on an invention of some kind and owned several patents. He was an avid hunter and garage sale enthusiast. Most of all, he loved the Lord, was a student of the Bible, and loved serving his church family in Modesto, Dallas and Perrydale. He was preceded in death by two grandsons, Zachary David Balsbaugh and William Lloyd Balsbaugh; one great-granddaughter, Olivianna Grace Grover; brothers John, Ray, Carl, David; and sisters Esther and Doris. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Marilyn; son Brian and wife Laurel, of Escalon, Calif.; daughter Connie Grover and husband Phil, of Modesto; daughter Jeanette Danielian and hus- band Robert, of Dallas; son Michael and wife Melodie, of Fullerton, Calif.; 10 grand- children and 12 great-grand- children. He is also survived by sister Mary Gish and hus- band Roger, of Modesto; and brother Hubert Balsbaugh and wife Janet, of Engle- wood, Ohio; and sister-in- law Loveda Balsbaugh, of Brookville, Ohio. Services were as follows: Viewing: Saturday, Sept. 23, 4 to 6 p.m. at Deegan- Ripon Memorial Chapel, 111 Palm Ave., Ripon, Calif. In- terment: Sunday, Sept. 24, 1:30 p.m. at Wood Colony Cemetery, 3511 Dakota Ave., Modesto. Memorial Service: Sunday, Sept. 24, 3 p.m. at Big Valley Grace Church, 4040 Tully Road, Modesto. In lieu of flowers, dona- tions may be sent to Restore My Soul Ministries, P.O. Box 341, Dallas, OR 97338, or on- line at restoremysoulmin- istries.org (Nonprofit min- istry of daughter Jeanette Danielian). David D. Edmonson 1933-2017 David D. Edmonson, 84, of Warrenville, Ill, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, at the Illinois Veterans Home in LaSalle, Ill. Private memorial services will be held at a later date. Full military rites will be conducted by the LaSalle- Oglesby Ve t e r a n s Memorial Group in a private service at Mueller-Pagani Funeral Home in LaSalle. Mr. Edmonson was born July 25, 1933, in Elmhurst, Ill, to Kenneth and Dorothy (Harris) Edmonson. Mr. Edmonson was a vet- eran of the U.S. Coast Guard, serving from 1954-1960. He received an MBA from North Central College and was em- ployed in extrusion machin- ery sales for 45 years. He was a member of Evangelical Bible Church in Dallas. He enjoyed photography, fishing, real estate and woodworking. Survivors include two children, Jim (Meghan) Ed- monson, of Sugar Grove, Ill, and Mary (Jon) Safiran, of Warrenville, Ill; six grand- children; three great-grand- children; his sister, Susan Hoyt, of Columbia, S.C., and a special friend, Ellie Mae Kendall, of Dallas. He was preceded in death by his parents. The online guestbook may be viewed and remem- brances shared at www.MuellerFH.com. Vivian Bethell Oct. 17, 1915 – Sept. 12, 2017 Vivian Marie Elder was born in West Liberty, Iowa. Her mother was Adna Es- telle Green and her father was Frank Thomas Elder. She was raised on a farm and had a beautiful life as a child full of happiness, rid- ing horses, going to the country fair, was a 4-H girl, and was very active in the Methodist church activities. She graduated from West Liberty High School, then married Wilson Hildebrand in 1939, and had one son, Richard. They moved to Springfield in 1953, and later moved to Medford. Vivian was employed at the Rogue Valley Hospital where she was assistant director for 16 years. Vivian loved her work; she loved helping people and making them happy. In 1974, she retired. She enjoyed fishing, hunt- ing, and traveling with her husband Wilson until he passed in 1991. After his passing, she moved to Salem to be closer to her son Richard. She later met an old friend, Jim Bethell, and they married in 1993. Vivian and Jim had a beautiful life together enjoy- ing family, camping trips, fishing, hunting, and travel- ing. Vivian is survived by her son Richard (Donna) Hilde- brand; her grandchildren Shana, Greg, and Debra; and her numerous great-grand- children; as well as her step- daughters Sheryn, Terry, and Cindy. She was preceded in death by Wilson Hildebrand, James Bethell, and Sandra Baylan. Vivian loved life and the Lord and will always be in the heart of her friends and family. Services will be held on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, at 1 p.m. at Restlawn Funeral Home in Salem. www.rest- lawnfh.com. Leona May Brooks Celebration of life will be from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 30 Myrna J. Braziel Myrna J. Braziel, 85, of In- dependence, died Sept. 19. A visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, at Farnstrom Mortuary. Darrel Leroy Mercier Darrel Leroy Mercier, 87, of Grand Ronde, died Friday, Sept. 22. He was born on Sept. 23, 1929. Viewing will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 26 in the Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center. Recitation of the rosary will begin at 7 p.m. on Sept. 27 in the St. Michael Catholic Church. Funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. on Sept. 28 in the Grand Ronde Tribal Gym. Private interment will follow. Finger foods and desserts are welcome at the dinner fol- lowing the services on Thurs- day. To leave an online trib- ute: www.dallastribute.com. Solution on Page 3A Jerris M. Vaslev Jerris M. Vaslev, 67, of Monmouth, died Sept. 23. Farnstrom Mortuary is han- dling arrangements. Anne V. Krupa Anne V. Krupa, 86, of In- dependence, died Sept. 24. Farnstrom Mortuary is han- dling arrangements. Susan Matthies July 11, 1949 – Sept. 21, 2017 Susan Louise Matthies passed away in a tragic acci- dent in Dallas on Sept. 21, 2017, at the age of 68. Susan was born in Port- land to Gordon and Rosa Neal. She spent most of her life in Portland and graduat- ed from Cleveland High School. Susan married Rodger Matthies in 1969, and they were mar- ried for 48 years be- f o r e Rodger passed away May of 2017. To- gether they raised two children, Michael and Paula. Susan loved spending time with her fam- ily. Later in life she pursued her degree from Portland State University and gradu- ated with a degree in Me- chanical Engineering. She enjoyed using her degree at a job designing forklifts at Hyster-Yale. Her hobbies in- cluded fixing up old houses, landscaping and gardening. She loved camping at Ore- gon parks, especially the Oregon Coast. Susan recently retired to Dallas. Susan and Rodger became “snowbirds,” spend- ing winters in Arizona and summers in Oregon. After Rodger’s passing, she be- came active in volunteering at the Delbert Hunter Ar- boretum. She loved walking and just learned how to play pickleball. Susan is survived by her two children and their spouses, Michael and Dawn Matthies, Paula and Russell Port; two granddaughters, Re b e c c a a n d Mi c h e l l e Matthies; brother and his spouse, Kenneth and Mary Neal; and many extended family members. A gathering will be sched- uled later in October to cele- brate Susan’s life. Remem- brances in lieu of flowers may be sent to Delbert Hunter Arboretum, P.O. Box 604, Dallas, OR 97338-0604. The Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center is caring for the fam- ily. To leave a message or m e m o r y, p l e a s e g o t o www.dallastribute.com.
