The Columbia Press
January 29, 2021
Senior Moments
7
Mayor’s Message
by Henry Balensifer III
with Emma Edwards
Lessons from Miss Holly
Hard choices ahead as city works toward goals
Doesn’t little Miss Holly
look innocent? I thought so,
too, when I found her under
my Christmas tree a month
ago, all 1 1/2 pounds of her.
Let me tell you, she is not
innocent.
One redeeming feature she
has is that she sleeps a lot.
She’s quite smart, too. She
knows the word “eat” and
runs to her bowl in expecta-
tion that her kitten food will
be there soon.
She’s good for my cogni-
tive abilities, something us
seniors sometimes need help
with. I try to stay a step and
a thought ahead of her. Hav-
ing a cat, especially a kitten,
is good physical exercise, too.
Oh, and it surely has tak-
en the doldrums out of
self-quarantining during the
past year. She loves her toys
and expects me to play with
her often. However, if a toy is
presented to her with a fan-
cy bow on it, she seems more
interested in the bow and
wrapping paper or even the
bag or box in which it came.
I have thought of giving her
away more than a few times.
Then she gives me that look
and cuddles up in my arms
or on my lap. We talk with
each other a lot, too, and it’s a
good thing we’re of the same
political affiliation.
She loves her little bed, but
she prefers to fall asleep on
her “blankie” at the end of my
bed. I carry her to her own
bed once she’s sound asleep.
We both fall asleep then, but
somehow, when I wake up,
there is Miss Holly in my
arms. Is she always going to
be smarter than me?
I have to be careful around
Wow. 2020 is a year I’d like
to forget, but never will.
While I am optimistic for
better times in 2021, I’m also
not holding my breath.
I’m not going to rehash the
events of 2020. You all know
them just as well as I do.
However, I want to express
that, while we have our work
cut out ahead of us, the city
remains as committed as ever
to meeting our goals.
Hard choices remain ahead
as we climb out of this eco-
nomic and emotional hole
we’re in. We are already
working on -- and will in-
crease our efforts in -- find-
ing ways to bring revenue to
the city, add opportunities
for businesses, and value to
the residents. We cannot see
ourselves (public and private
industry) in two different
boats; we’re in this together.
We need to re-evaluate how
we approach new develop-
ment. At this time, the city
has greatly improved on its
goal of requiring growth to
pay for growth.
But the last audit shows
how much more we have to
go to ensure we balance eco-
nomic growth opportunities
with the need to maintain and
support the infrastructure in
which existing residents have
her. My kids think she’s good
for me. If I’m not careful,
I could step on her or even
leave her in the refrigerator.
I kid you not!
The other day, I was mak-
ing myself a sandwich. Un-
known to me, as I went from
the refrigerator to the kitch-
en counter, she snuck into
the refrigerator. Fortunately,
for her and me, I’d forgotten
to put the mayo back in the
refrigerator. When I opened
the door, she about scared
me to death as she popped
out. It taught me a big lesson
that I’m passing on because it
could have been so sad.
She will be a much bet-
ter-behaved kitten when she
grows into a cat and learns
to socialize with people and
other cats, experts say. I will
keep you posted.
She is teaching me a lot
about unconditional love and
life. Our latest laugh promot-
er is a little laser light.
By the end of the day, I don’t
know which of us is more
worn out. Yet I am blessed at
the same time.
I am glad that long, long
ago, Noah brought two cats
into the ark with all the rest
of the animals.
already invested and paid for.
Our last audit report showed
that the city’s total increase
in funds from permanent
rate taxes was $49,362. (This
doesn’t include the school
and jail bonds, because those
are not city taxes and are
temporary.)
We also need to expand uti-
lization of our assets to pro-
vide private business oppor-
tunities.
Food carts are a great exam-
ple of this. The city collects
revenue from rent, a private
business has a place to start,
and the residents get another
choice for food.
The parks committee rec-
ommended, among other
things, providing a space for
a vendor to do kayak/canoe
rentals at Skipanon Park on
Second Street, which has a
kayak dock. This would pro-
vide an added value to our
trails system and provide ad-
ditional revenue to maintain
them.
In short, new growth needs
to be more closely evaluated
in its impact to existing resi-
dents and taxpayers at large,
and government needs to
look outside the age-old taxes
and fees playbook on revenue
opportunities.
We’ve already implemented
some of these ideas, but there
is so much more we can and
will do.
E-permits: City eases process
Continued from Page 1
said. “If he liked you, you
got one set of (rules). If he
didn’t like you, you got an-
other. Whether it was true or
not, it was alleged often. Any-
thing we can do to help stan-
dardize things, I’m all for it.”
In addition to obtaining
building permits, inspec-
tions can be scheduled also
through the system.
There is no cost to the city
for joining as the state’s sur-
charge on building permits
already pays for the program,
which is run through the Ore-
gon Department of Consum-
er and Business Services.
E-permits will be available
after the city’s building de-
partment completes training
on the new system.
Special columns in The Columbia Press
Every week: Senior Moments with Emma Edwards
Week 1: Financial Focus with Adam Miller
Week 2: Here’s to Your Health from CMH
Week 3: Off the Shelf by Kelly Knudsen
This week: Mayor’s Message by Henry Balensifer
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