Page 14
The INDEPENDENT, September 21, 2011
Oregon holds the line on hunger… Members wanted for transportation CAC
but for how much longer?
From page 13
Washington
County
and a central role in helping local
by Chris Thomas, Oregon
News Service
At first glance, the new na-
tional figures on hunger from
the U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture seem like good news for
Oregon. The rate of what is
known as “very low food secu-
rity” in the state has held
steady at just over six percent
(6.1%). The term means peo-
ple eat less or skip meals, even
for an entire day, when they
can’t afford food.
Oregon also looks better
compared with the nation as a
whole – but that’s because the
national rate has climbed.
Rachel Bristol, chief execu-
tive officer of the Oregon Food
Bank, says the USDA numbers
show hunger is being held in
check only through a coordinat-
ed effort – and not for every-
one, “It tells us that, despite all
the federal food and nutrition
programs, despite what the
state does, what the counties
do; what this huge nonprofit
emergency food network does,
there’s still six percent of our
population going hungry.”
One in five Oregon house-
holds is part of the SNAP pro-
gram, formerly known as food
stamps, compared with one in
seven households nationally,
Bristol says. Oregon Food
Bank locations across the state
are still seeing increases in re-
quests for emergency food.
Dr. Mark Edwards, associ-
ate professor of sociology at
Oregon State University, tracks
food insecurity. In Oregon, he
says, even groups which are
traditionally less likely to go
hungry – such as two-parent
families and people with year-
round, full-time employment –
show up in the statistics. To Ed-
wards, that’s evidence that
paychecks aren’t stretching far
enough, “From my work, look-
ing at the kinds of data that we
use and the way the numbers
do track with economic condi-
tions, I’m confident that the
data tell the right story. And so
then, the question to anybody
is, what do they want to do
once they’ve heard that story?"
Bristol’s current concern is
that emergency federal food
programs put in place during
the recession already are wind-
ing down. She says those pro-
grams increased the agricultur-
al commodities coming to Ore-
gon last year from 8.5 million to
17 million pounds, “That was a
combination of stimulus fund-
ing, as well as bonus buys that
the secretary of agriculture
made. We’re projecting this
year, our best picture is a drop
of 50 percent in those federal
commodities.”
The six percent figure
means more than 223,000 Ore-
gonians are going hungry –
and that 13.7 percent, or more
than 500,000, at least occa-
sionally aren’t sure where their
next meal is coming from.
The USDA report is online at
ers.usda.gov.
ODFW has new wildlife viewing map
The Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife has intro-
duced a new Wildlife Viewing
Map to help people learn where
and when to see Oregon’s fish
and wildlife species. The
Google-based map is available
via the ODFW website and de-
tails 235 great places to see
wildlife in the state.
Through the Wildlife Viewing
Map, viewers can discover
where to see bald eagles, mi-
grating snow geese and sand-
hill cranes as well as Oregon’s
large mammals including
black-tailed and mule deer and
Rocky Mountain and Roosevelt
elk. Tufted puffins, bighorn
sheep and spawning salmon
viewing sites are included.
See Wildlife on page 15
State Farm ®
Providing Insurance and Financial Services
Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710
Bunny Girt, Agent
1229 N. Adair
PO Box 543
Cornelius, OR 97113-0543
Bus 503-357-3131 Fax 503-357-9667
bunny.girt.b71g@statefarm.com
times during the next 18-24
months.
To ensure the CAC is both a
manageable size and reflects a
broad range of perspectives,
county residents who can rep-
resent multiple interests and
have multiple affiliations are
encouraged to apply. Commis-
sioners also want to encourage
Washington County residents
who have not been active in
the past and can bring new
perspectives to the process to
apply.
Transportation issues con-
tinue to be of major concern in
throughout the region. As
growth continues and the chal-
lenge of accommodating travel
needs becomes more difficult,
these concerns are unlikely to
abate.
The existing transportation
plan was adopted in 2002 and
identifies system needs and
characteristics through the
year 2020. A new regional
transportation plan adopted
last year extends the region’s
planning horizon to 2035 and
provides a new framework for
local government planning
work. CAC members will have
government officials within
Washington County, residents
and other stakeholders carry
out that work.
Washington County resi-
dents interested in staying cur-
rent with plan update progress
and participation opportunities
may contact the Long Range
Planning Division at lutplan@
co.washington.or.us or by call-
ing 503-846-3519. You’ll be
provided with project updates
and be informed of public out-
reach events as they are
scheduled.
Banks staff gets nod to apply for grant
From page 13
development matter and is
pleased to get good press from
its investment in the Banks
Trailhead.
• The city is continuing ef-
forts to get an Electric Vehicle
Charging Station installed in
Banks. There are a number of
potential projects that might
work, but in the long run it may
be best if the city installs two
systems similar to those cur-
rently installed in Hillsboro.
Hough advised council that the
city will investigate various pro-
grams.
• The city is working with
CCIS and the city’s insurance
agent, Tom BeLusko, in at-
tempts to reduce the city’s in-
surance premium by attending
specialized training and by
documenting more of the city’s
policies. City Recorder Jolynn
Becker will be designated as
Risk Management Person
when she completes the train-
ing.
Council adopted a resolution
creating Water Utility Capital
Equipment Reserve Funds
#15, #16, and #17. In 2010, the
Council adopted resolutions
creating Capital Equipment Re-
serve Funds #12, #13, #14.
While conducting the current
audit, the Auditor noted that
some of the funds being re-
served are from an enterprise
fund that must be reserved in
separate funds.
City staff was given approval
to explore the possibility of in-
stalling solar panel arrays on
one of the city buildings. A local
company has begun the
process of installing photo-
voltaic solar panels on three
buildings in the city. Some of
the incentive funding for solar
panel installation has expired,
and the single remaining feder-
al reimbursement fund will ex-
pire on December 31, unless
extended.
Council approved a Techni-
cal Assistance Grant applica-
tion to the Ford Family Founda-
tion for the Banks Public Li-
brary, Phase 2 expansion proj-
ect.
A first reading was conduct-
ed by title only of an ordinance
revising the Urban Forestry
chapter of Banks Municipal
Code. A second reading and
consideration for adoption will
be on October 11.
After reviewing a proposed
ordinance to revise the City’s
Bulk Water Permit and Sales
Policy, Council directed staff to
proceed with drafting the ordi-
nance.
Council adopted the Finan-
cial Management Policies and
Procedures that resulted from
revisions of a draft that was
presented to council by
Stephen Bechler on August 9.
This final draft compiles the
city’s current and proposed fi-
nancial management policies
into a single document.
The next Council meeting
will be held at Banks City Hall
on October 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Reward increased in elk killing case
From page 1
late August near Wolf Creek
Road, off Highway 26 in Clat-
sop County.
With the support of the Clat-
sop and Portland Chapters of
the Oregon Hunters Associa-
tion, The Humane Society of
the United States (HSUS) and
The Humane Society Wildlife
Land Trust, a reward of up to
$4,000 is being offered for in-
formation leading to an arrest
in this case.
According to OSP Trooper
Joseph Warwick, four illegally
killed elk, three cow elk and
one bull elk, were found August
23, about one mile up Wolf
Creek Road from Highway 26.
Some meat was stripped from
two of the elk and the remains
of all four poached elk were left
to waste. Preliminary investiga-
tion indicates the elk were
killed within a couple weeks of
being found.
The Humane Society of the
United States and The Hu-
mane Society Wildlife Land
Trust are offering a reward of
up to $2,500. This reward offer
adds to an existing $1,500 re-
ward from the Oregon Hunters
Association.
Anyone with information re-
garding this investigation is
asked to contact Trooper War-
wick at 503-468-8727 or
Sergeant Tim Schwartz at 503-
791-5249.
Questions regarding the
HSUS reward can be directed
to Stephanie Twining at 301-
258-1491 or stwining@huma
nesociety.org.