The INDEPENDENT, December 18, 2003
Banks Council looks at water fees, trees and parks
Despite having a full special
meeting agenda just two weeks
ago, the Banks City Council
had a busy meeting December
9. Included in the evening was
a public hearing on the plan-
ning commission’s recommen-
dation for updating the long-
term population and employ-
ment forecast, part of the peri-
odic review process.
City Planner K.J. Won told
council that updating the long-
range population forecast to
year 2024, an element in the
city’s periodic review, had been
completed and approved by the
planning commission. A public
hearing was held October 28,
though no public testimony was
offered at the meeting.
Won explained the three
components that affect popula-
tion – births, deaths and net mi-
gration. The most influential
component on Banks’ popula-
tion is the third element, the
movement of people in and out
of the city. Won said that the
city’s population had remained
stable through the 1980s, at
about 500 residents, and had
moderate growth through mid-
1990. With the development of
Banks Estates and Arbor Vil-
lage in the late 1990s, Banks’
population grew from 625 in
1997 to 1,310 in 1999. The rap-
id growth of the 1990s is not ex-
pected to continue, Won report-
ed, though some growth is ex-
pected.
Four methods for estimating
population by the year 2024
were utilized and evaluated.
The historic population trend,
producing an estimate of 4075,
was considered overly opti-
mistic, due to expectations of a
more moderate rate of growth.
The proportional method as-
sumes that Banks would con-
tinue to comprise 0.29 percent
of the county population, or
2,025.
The remaining methods as-
sume that population growth
would occur at an average per-
centage per year. Two ap-
proaches were used. The first
applies the county’s long-term
average of 2.22 percent
growth, which would predict a
Banks population of 2,303. The
final method utilizes a city of
similar size and type. According
to Won, the city of North Plains
is comparable, with similar pop-
ulation size and location for fu-
ture growth, and is affected by
the same economic circum-
stances and market forces.
North Plains recently complet-
ed their long-range population
forecast and successfully de-
fended a growth rate of 4.5 per-
cent, based on a study con-
ducted by Metro in 1997. Ap-
plied to the City of Banks, a
growth rate of 4.5 percenrt pre-
dicts a population of 3,739 for
the year 2024, which the plan-
ning commission recommend-
ed as the appropriate forecast
for Banks. An ordinance to
adopt the proposed plan
amendment will be presented
to council in January.
Property Complaints
Prior to the business portion
of the meeting, council heard a
complaint from former city
council member Gary Coffey
about the degenerating condi-
tions at the apartments on
Wilkes Ave. Councilor Kirk An-
drews said that this was the
same property that was
cleaned up about six months
ago at the request of council af-
ter complaints had been re-
ceived. According to Coffey,
garbage has not been picked
up for over two weeks, exten-
sion cords run outside from
apartment to apartment and to
a freezer sitting in the yard and
there are abandoned cars on
the lot. Mayor Bob Orlowski
told Coffey that they would hear
a report from the police depart-
ment next month after an in-
spection of the property.
City recorder Debbie Dee-
gan told council that the owner
and the property manager of
246 Wilkes Street had been in
contact. A representative of the
management group met with
Orlowski and viewed the prop-
erty and, according to Orlowski,
was appalled by the condition
of the property. Some progress
has been made in the last
month and both the owner and
the management group have
made it clear that the situation
will be corrected. Orlowski rec-
ommended that council allow
more time to clean up the prop-
erty and council concurred.
A hearing to determine if a
nuisance exists at 110 Depot
Street was scheduled for the
January meeting. Deegan re-
ported that both the property
owner and the person occupy-
ing the property have been sent
letters asking for the removal of
tires, garbage, an abandoned
boat, trailer and assorted junk.
Deegan said both parties con-
tend that the items belong to a
third party who is out of the
country. The city attorney will
send notification of the hearing
to the property owner.
Fees Set
Council approved a fee of
$25 for a returned check and a
water service restoration fee of
$25 during normal business
hours and $50 after hours and
on holidays. Council also ap-
proved a new service applica-
tion fee of $25. All three fees
will take effect January 10,
2004.
Trees and Parks
Orlowski reported that he
and Councilor Katie Murdoch
met with several arborists over
the last few weeks and re-
ceived a “very wide range of
recommendations” for the prun-
ing and maintenance of trees in
Boy Scout Park and street
trees. He told council that infor-
mation is being compiled re-
garding safety, pruning for es-
thetics, and maintenance. Mur-
doch will bring the information
to council in January.
Branstitre started discussion
on a Boy Scout Park commit-
tee, saying it could not be com-
bined with the Greenville Park
committee at this time because
of the nature of the park main-
tenance agreement. Orlowski
told council that some cities
lease part or all of a park to an
organization to manage and
maintain, similar to the Scout
Cabin in Vernonia. City Attor-
ney Jim Lucas told council that
Arbor Village Homeowners As-
sociation could be approached
with the idea of changing the
membership rules of the park
committee to allow the inclu-
sion of both parks. Branstitre
said that the agreement was
too complicated and that she
“didn’t want to mess with it.”
She went on to say that the two
committees would eventually
become a single committee.
Branstitre said that she wanted
to insure that a majority of com-
mittee members were from
within the city of Banks. Ione
Pilate told council that it would
be a “terrible mistake” if resi-
dents of the surrounding area
were excluded from the com-
mittee. Council approved for-
mation of a Scout Cabin Park
Committee of five to seven
members, with the percentage
of non-residents to be deter-
mined at a later date.
Public Works Building
Public Works Superinten-
dent Tim Grossnickle brought
plans for a building to be con-
structed on the city-owned lot
close to the library. The metal
40’ x 50’ building, with a 20’
ceiling, will have one corner of
finished space with an office,
kitchen/lab and bathroom on
the main floor. A second floor
space above the office, with
outside access, will be finished
to provide storage space for the
library. The paper recycling sta-
tion currently on the site will be
redesigned to be more estheti-
cally pleasing. Competitive bid-
ding for the building will begin
in January.
City Manager Feasibility
Councilor Pete Edison said
that he had met with Councilor
Ryan Birr and Grossnickle to
set objectives and assign tasks
for the committee studying the
feasibility of hiring a city man-
ager. The committee reviewed
a list of Oregon cities with pop-
ulations between 1000-2000
and agreed to identify the dis-
tinction between a manager
and administrator. Objectives
set by the committee include
mapping the current organiza-
tional structure, review of hiring
criteria for the public works su-
perintendent, and review of city
charter. The committee also
discussed the long-term finan-
cial impact of hiring a city man-
ager. Edison said that commit-
tee would meet again in Janu-
ary with the other two mem-
bers, Mark Ward and Wes Win-
ship, to continue their delibera-
tions.
In other business council:
• Discussed ways to relieve
water bills for deployed service-
men. Discussion will continue
in January.
• Approved $20 expense for
Orlowski to attend the January
20 Urban Lands Symposium as
a panel member.
• Discussed improvement to
the city’s web page, including
the addition of e-mail capacity.
Page 9
Christmas lights
contest Dec. 19
Banks will be lit up with
Christmas lights on Friday, De-
cember 19, for the annual
Christmas Lighting Contest,
sponsored annually by the
mayor and city council.
Local businesses donate
prizes which will be awarded to
the top four lighting displays.
The contest is open to both
business and residential light-
ing displays.
This year’s three judges will
be Mayor Bob Orlowski, and
council members Heidi Duck-
worth and Pete Edison. They
will be touring the city, looking
for the contest winners on De-
cember 19.
The community is invited to
enjoy the lights and the holiday
spirit engendered by this
Christmas tradition.
Banks official
symbol chosen
A design submitted by Banks
High School senior Lynsey
Douglas was the unanimous
choice of the Banks City Coun-
cil as the official symbol for the
City of Banks. Over 40 people
gathered to judge the six en-
tries. Two of the entries re-
ceived nearly the same number
of votes and both were present-
ed to council.
Douglas will receive $50 for
her design, which pictures
three trees and a hill enclosed
in a raindrop. The new logo will
be used on letterhead, busi-
ness cards and a new sign for
City Hall.
Douglas, 17, is the daughter
of Kathy and Stuart Douglas of
Banks.
Banks Fire Department Association
will begin offering scholarships
Banks Fire Department As-
sociation will be offering a
scholarship award to Banks
High School students. The
award equaling at least $300
will be presented in May of
each year to at least one indi-
vidual. While preference will be
given to those students seeking
a career in the fire service or
emergency medicine, all stu-
dents are encouraged to apply
for the award.
The Banks, Buxton, and
Timber communities are en-
couraged to participate by do-
nating to the scholarship.
Donations may be sent to
Banks Fire Department Associ-
ation Scholarship Fund, 300
Main Street, Banks, OR 97106.
Any Banks High School student
wishing to apply for the award
should see their high school
counselor.
The Banks Fire Department
is committed to excellence in its
service and is proud to promote
these ideals in its future lead-
ers. For more information, con-
tact Louisa Partain at 503-324-
0226.