The INDEPENDENT, February 15, 2007
Banks gets police officer
Deputy Phong Tran was
sworn in as a city police officer
at the Banks City Council meet-
ing February 13, so he can now
enforce city ordinances. Tran
has been working in Banks for
about five weeks and reports
that he has dealt with many
calls regarding juvenile distur-
bances. He has also conducted
speed patrols and is learning
how best to serve the needs of
the people of Banks.
Council had a second read-
ing of ordinances that are being
modified as part of the codifica-
tion process. An ordinance re-
garding the firing of firearms
had been included, but it gen-
erated discussion last month
about what defined a firearm.
City Attorney Jim Lucas looked
into this issue and adopted lan-
guage from Beaverton for the
Banks ordinance. The new lan-
guage clarifies that paintball
guns and guns that fire small
plastic balls are not considered
firearms. The first reading of
the ordinance engendered no
further discussion.
Lucas also recommended
that council look at another
Beaverton ordinance that
makes it illegal to carry replica
or airsoft guns in public places.
They would still be legal on pri-
vate property. Lucas pointed
out that Beaverton has had
many problems with these
guns being mistaken for, or de-
liberately used as, real
weapons. Council will look at
such an ordinance.
The city’s noise ordinances
had been considered for updat-
ing, but Deputy Tran said that
he found the existing ordi-
nances clear and easy to use.
He has successfully solved
noise complaints in the city with
these ordinances. Lucas said
that the Banks ordinances
were similar to those in other
cities. Council decided not to
pursue changing these ordi-
nances.
Council approved the lan-
guage of the ballot title for a
measure to update the city’s
charter in the next election.
They also decided to revisit the
proposed charter when all
councilors are present; Jason
Short and Craig Stewart did not
attend the meeting.
Council approved a resolu-
tion supporting an application
for a Transportation and
Growth Management grant to
perform transportation system
planning work. The grant pro-
gram requires a local match of
approximately 11 percent of the
project cost, or $3300-3800.
City planner KJ Won requested
council’s approval. Transporta-
tion planning is one of the last
steps in updating the city’s
comprehensive plan.
Allen Polendey spoke about
his application to sit on the
Banks Planning Commission.
Council voted to accept his ap-
plication and he will start at the
next meeting. Council also
talked with Doug Walters about
his application to fill the vacant
seat on the City Council. Wal-
ters ran in the last election but
was not elected. Council will
decide this matter at their next
meeting.
Openings remain on the
city’s tree board and park com-
mittee. Information on these
committees is available at city
hall.
The planning commission
has reviewed the park master
plan drafted by Parati and rec-
ommends that all non-city-
owned property be removed
from the future needs assess-
ment and that this draft plan be
treated as a conceptual, not as
a final master plan. These rec-
ommendations coincide with
council wishes. Council decid-
ed to take another step, howev-
er, and employ Parati to pre-
pare system development
charges based on the plan.
Council voted to have Parati re-
vise the plan by removing non-
city-owned parcels and to de-
Please see page 16
Page 15
Let Banks Firefighters serve you breakfast, Feb. 18
The Banks Volunteer Fire-
fighter’s annual Breakfast will
be held Sunday, February 18,
from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in
the Banks High School cafete-
ria.
Ticket prices are $6 per
adult, $5 per senior, $4 per
child (6-12 years of age) and
children under six are free. $25
gets the whole family (up to six
family members) breakfast.
The menu includes pancakes
or biscuits/gravy, ham or
sausage, eggs, fruit, coffee,
milk or orange juice.
Firefighters will demonstrate
kitchen safety and fire preven-
tion during the breakfast and
there will be a raffle. Fire en-
gine rides will be available for
children.
The Banks Firefighter Asso-
ciation buys equipment, funds
scholarships, and sponsors
holiday gift baskets using the
proceeds from this fundraiser.
Soup raises dollars for Foundation
The Bare Soul Band entertained the crowd at the Banks soup festival. Band members, L-R,
are Bob Rickard, Steve Battie, Suzy Brown and band leader John Deegan.
About 120 people attended
the fourth annual International
Soup Festival raising approxi-
mately $1600.00 for the Banks
Community Foundation (BCF).
Helping BCF were Rex
Bryant, Dave Degman, Larry
Lee, Bare Soul Band and Ed
Trussell. Sponsors included the
Brown Derby Restaurant,
Champion Signs, Costco, Can-
dy and Ray Deeth, Elements
Café, Kathie and Steve Jack-
son, Jim’s Thriftway, New Sea-
sons Market, Precision Pump,
Safeway and Sweet Tomatoes
Restaurant.
BCF has just formed a play-
ground committee to start rais-
ing funds toward playground
equipment for Greenville Park.
The park is located in the sub-
division, which has no play-
grounds at this time.
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