Pictured: Budget documents provided to the Independence Budget Committee, one for the city budget and one for the city's urban renewal district.

Independence's Budget Committee kicks off 25-26 cost containment process

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 18, 2025 

 
The first meeting of the 2025-26 budget committee was held this week. About halfway through it – just about the point where city administrators were explaining their commitment to transparency – a resident contacted Trammart News to report there was no video feed. A record of the meeting couldn’t be found by press time, either – despite a thorough search of the Independence YouTube channel.

So a TN editorial analysis about the meeting has been written. And a request has been sent for future budget meetings to be made remotely available, so that residents can judge for themselves what transpires, as well as reading about it from Trammart News. Thank you, Anne Scheck

The budget document became available after a training session for  committee members by Independence Finance Director Rob Moody Wednesday night.

Recommendations for budget cuts include shutting the Independence Library for one additional day per week, closing the Independence Civic Center on Fridays, selling the museum building and consolidating the museum and library into a single “Community Services” department. Under the plan, at least one park property would be sold, as well.

Will it be enough? And how likely is it that assets owned by the city will sell fast enough to rescue ailing finances?

Trammart News tries to unpack some of the ramifications of the proposal so far. The answer to the previous two questions is unknown. But it’s clear that the budget session is beginning with a $776,000 shortfall amid an economy that nearly every expert has described as unpromising. Trammart News poses some other questions – several of which have already arisen from residents – and attempts to offer some answers.

What is the need for additional cost reductions? TN’s guess is likely to be as good as yours, once you read the budget document, which is available at the city website (link is provided at the end of this editorial analysis). However, some findings do appear to be cause for ongoing concern: The city, technically speaking, is in the red if you call the General Fund’s deficit cause for further alarm. Charles Marohn, a municipal engineer and the founder of Strong Towns, a non-profit advocacy organization for better local government, might see it the same way. In a series of essays in which he argues for better city planning, he’s warned that some municipalities have been chronically over-spending. It’s not because they want to do so but because they chart budgets like many families plan household expenses, with “cash accounting.”

This approach “ignores promises and long-term liabilities that cities make, focusing only on the amount of cash coming in and going out,” he explained in a report he wrote a year ago for Strong Towns Digest. “Some people get upset when I use the analogy of a family budget for a city, but a city is just like a family,” he asserted. Cities have revenues and expenses “just like a family or a small business.”

He likened it to pledging to pay for a daughter’s college education. He could save money for it early on; He could borrow it when the time arrived; He could try to dramatically increase his earnings in time to pay those bills; Or he could tell her she is on her own.

“What I can’t do is not deal with it,” he stated. It appears to be the same with the City of Independence. There is no solution that seems capable of fixing the problem at this point, apart from drastic measures.

But now new approaches are in place, right? “Best Practices” have been implemented, correct? City Manager Kenna West identified the transfer of funds over the years that add up to millions of dollars allocated to places where they didn’t originate, such as the water fund contributing to services that weren’t related to water. But putting these funds into their own “buckets” with no possibility of any other use doesn’t seem to be what the State of Oregon had in mind when certain Oregon Revised Statutes were put into effect. ORS 294.468 allows the loan of any fund to any other fund, with some limits.

The Oregon State Treasury describes it this way: Interfund borrowing is a tool “to assist agencies experiencing short-term transitory cash imbalances created in the conduct of legislatively approved agency activities.”  (An interfund loan that isn't paid back is considered an interfund transfer, which the city is seeking to cease.)  

A former employee of a state government office agreed that it allows some flexibility in a pinch. “You can bet that sooner or later your city will need it and use it,” he told Trammart News.

What is a balanced budget? Good question. It’s typically equated with a budget in which anticipated revenues match expected spending. “Cities refer to their balanced budgets positively, as organizational achievements,” stated municipal consultant Mark Moses, a former city financial director, in his popular treatise on budgeting, “The Municipal Financial Crisis.”

But even a balanced budget may not stay that way, the definition veers from narrow to broad, he pointed out.

About a dozen years ago, two professors – Jonathan Justice, of the University of Delaware and Eric Scorsone, of the University of Virginia – published “Measuring and Predicting Local Government Fiscal Stress.” Three questions were found to be important for maintaining financial balance: The first asks if there are enough resources; the second asks if they are being managed effectively. But the third question seems to be relevant to several Oregon cities, including Independence. "Is your government paying the full costs of operating or is it postponing costs to a future period when revenues may not be able to pay these costs?" That seems to lead to an inquiry a city councilor brought to the first budget committee meeting, regarding the shortfall.

How will the shortfall affect the budget? This question was asked by City Councilor Dawn Roden in the wake of an announcement a few weeks ago that the city had one, in the amount of $776,000. However, Roden’s statement at the budget-committee meeting got lost in a shuffle when she also referenced the city audit, which was submitted and accepted last week at the city council meeting.

City Manager Kenna West told her that the audit is not the purview of the budget Committee – it is the purview of the city council.

When a former high-level state employee who has dealt with multiple budgets was asked about the shortfall, he indicated that it would be a serious disadvantage as a starting point for the city budget committee. “They will need to make several corrections to ensure stability and work toward sustainability,” he said.▪

Link to city budget document:  https://www.ci.independence.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Independence-BUDGET-2025-2026_-Proposed_-Final.pdf 

Pictured: Headquarters for Brandt's Sanitary Service with recyclables collection bins in front for customer drop off; Inset: Joshua Brandt.

Brandt’s Sanitary Service Inc. obtains rate increase and receives compliments from City Council

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 18, 2025

A 4% rate increase was granted this month by the city to Brandt’s Sanitary Service Inc., the company that collects solid waste and provides recycling pickup for households in Independence.

In a unanimous vote at its April 8 meeting, city councilors approved the 4% rate increase and retention of a previous 1.9% recycling fee. Several councilors commended the reliability of Brandt's, which is below the cost of many other providers across the region.

Joshua Brandt (in photo), who describes himself as “wearing 12 hats,” is a fourth-generation family member who runs the operation. He wants to keep the rate increases as low as possible, he told the councilors during a presentation on the rate hike.

He expressed hope that he will only have to implement them every other year.

The new billing, which will kick in May 1, arrives as dumping costs are ticking up – and eventual closure looms – at Coffin Butte, the landfill in Benton County, Brandt explained. Fixing the fleet of trash trucks has gotten more expensive, too – the price of parts is higher and so is the labor for repairs, he said.

For those homes that use a 35-gallon receptacle cart, the increase would mean roughly an additional $12 a year; For a 95-gallon cart, the cost would nearly double, to $24 annually.

The future appears destined to need more dollars for trash collection – notice of a 7% franchise fee by the city was included in the council's agenda packet for the meeting, as well.

Last week, Salem City Club covered the issue, too, in a session titled “A Deep Dive Into Garbage Pollution: The Future of Waste Management.”

The Oregon legislature passed the “Recycling Modernization Act” during the legislative session four years ago. However, starting in July, portions of the law on plastics and recycling are likely to start. Though the regulations are said to make Oregon a state leader in recycling, they’re going to have a local impact, according to Ryan Zink, franchise administrator for the City of Salem, who spoke at the city club meeting.

It remains to be seen what the trickle-down effect will be on Brandt’s. But one trend already is pushing up the need for bigger containers: Online shopping. Brandt said he is seeing the “Amazon effect” of multiple-packaging pileups that’s being cited by other trash haulers.

To continue the need for only the smaller 35-gallon cart, as opposed to the 95-gallon one, Brandt recommends relying on reusable bags, bottles and containers. But that can take time and planning, he acknowledged.

The company has been a mainstay in the Monmouth-Independence community since 1953. Brandt, a resident, noted he’s a current board member of the M-I Chamber of Commerce.

He praised Dave's Mobile Repair in Rickreall, which has been the company’s go-to shop for rehab and repairs on trucks.

Brandt also supports the proposed ReHub transfer station for regional waste management planned for the former Rickreall Dairy. He noted that the Polk County franchise agreement for it was tentatively clinched by the prospective owner, Apple Tree Holdings. However, the site won’t open until 2027 at the earliest, Brandt said.

Brandt added that he has “conversation and coffee” about once a month with Nic Dahl, who is at the helm of Apple Tree Holdings. “I know a lot of people may be against this,” Brandt said. However, it would put a facility nearby, rather than outside the county.

There is a lot of paperwork and “so many permits” before such an operation could begin, he said. But Brandt observed that the foul odors now emanating from the pond on the dairy property won’t happen with ReHub. “Their whole operation will be inside,” he pointed out. ▪

Pictured: Tiffany Dienhart, owner of Mayhem Mutts, offers her canine clientele a full range of services, all in the comfort of their own homes. (Submitted photos)

Mayhem Mutts makes house calls, caters to canine clients' needs

By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service, April 18, 2025

Mayhem Mutts is going to the dogs.

Tiffany Dienhart (in photo) owns the Independence-based and mobile Mayhem Mutts, which provides a full range of services to pooches in their own homes. The area served is quite extensive: McMinnville south to Corvallis, Dallas east to Salem, all spots in-between.

Mayhem Mutts got its start about the same time the pandemic hit. Given the fear, restrictions and public health warnings at that time, Dienhart decided to take her skills on the road.

“So I started out as just doing nails,” she said. “But now I do nails, mobile baths, face and feet trim-ups, glands, ears.”

A fairly comprehensive list, to be sure, but there is a line that Dienhart doesn’t cross.

“I do everything, I would say, except grooming … which, by definition, is a full haircut on a dog,” she said.

While guiding an upstart business through challenging times wasn’t easy, she remained confident she was providing a necessary service.

“During the pandemic, dogs still needed haircuts. Paws were still going to grow. Ears were still going to get dirty,” she said. “And so I slowly started … shaving pads, cleaning out ears, giving advice.”

By being mobile, she’s better able to care for pets whose human companions face other challenges, such as being homebound or on a limited budget.

“A lot of my customers are low income and elderly. Who can’t get out of their house, can’t afford a lot, and maybe has an older dog,” she said. “They love their dog. But they maybe don’t have the experience to know that, with an older dog, they’re slipping because their paw fur is covering their pads.”

Each dog is an individual and is treated as such, she said.

“All my appointments take a different amount of time because every dog is going to be different,” she said.

Dogs are collared before Dienhart enters a home. Once inside she positions herself to be eye-level with her four-legged customer.

“I tell the owner … I’m going to come in and I’m going to sit on the floor, and they can get in their wiggles, their barks, their growls,” she said. “So I literally just go in … and do whatever that dog needs to do to be comfortable with me.”

Dienhart has been doing this for so long she is now fluent in interpreting canine body language. She knows, for example, when a dog is ready to be approached, and when it isn’t.

“So every dog is different, and I’m very in tune with their needs,” she said. “I keep their needs in mind constantly.”

This love for dogs and other animals is rooted in Dienhart’s childhood.

“I’ve worked with dogs and animals, in general, my entire life. I got my first dog when I was six years old. I started grooming and showing her by the time I was seven,” she said. “Got my first horse when I was two. Started showing her as soon as I legally could.”

A former 4-H member, she eventually became a trainer and advocate. So what is it about animals that inspires advocacy in Dienhart?

“I would say everything. No matter what, they love you unconditionally. No matter what you do to them,” she said. “They’re without a voice. So we have to be their voice.”

One way to speak for animals is to document their abuse, especially when it involves 500 or so animals. Dienhart said she documented such extreme abuse.

At 13, Dienhart videotaped the rescue of these animals from a Molalla barn. She said her tape was later used as evidence against the owners.

“So these people were hoarding. Horrible, horrible hoarding situation,” Dienhart said.

She arrived on scene after her family was alerted by a call from a family friend. Animal advocates and law enforcement officials were already on the scene. 

“I was always in the middle of everything…. So I was filming while the police were dealing with the owners of the house, and while other rescue groups were slowly removing the animals,” she said. “We saved a lot of animals, and my video helped incriminate the owners. So literally, my whole life has been devoted to animals.”

Her camera took her to scenes of abuse not yet seen by others that night.

“I was walking around videotaping. And if there was an area where the police or rescue workers had not gotten to yet, I was videotaping it. Then going back to tell the rescue group, hey, there’s some snakes over there in a box,” she said. 

Dienhart is an experienced hand when it comes to animals and animal care. Some may remember her from when she worked at Jack’s World in Independence, a former pet grooming establishment.

You can reach her at (971) 241-1573 for more information or to schedule an appointment.▪

Pictured: Inset -- Carol and Mike Brown, who advocated against annexation of Corvallis Road

City Council votes to delay decision on Corvallis Road annexation

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 11, 2025 

A plan by Independence to annex Corvallis Road south of the city limits was postponed Tuesday night after adjacent property owners protested that the proposal raised bewildering questions and baffling answers. The move eventually will include what is known as a "jurisdictional transfer," which would place the road into city oversight. Corvallis Road is currently maintained by Polk County.

Independence city councilors voted unanimously to extend the hearing on the issue to May – the hearing drew about a dozen residents who reside by Corvallis Road inside the city’s urban growth boundary but not within the city limits. 

In giving their testimony, many along Corvallis Road said they feared there’s more than simply road annexation at stake, including the possibility of future zone changes, tax increases and the loss of their rural lifestyle. 

Noting that five generations of Henry Hill’s descendants have lived on property still owned by his family, Eric Hill called the letter he received about the Corvallis Road annexation “ambiguous.” Hill and others wanted to know if expansion beyond the road was under consideration, too. 

If it is, that would raise taxes by $3,000 annually for her property, said Michelle Lewis, adding that, with her husband’s retirement looming a few years ahead, the increase would be hard to bear. 

Lewis noted that several years ago an attorney was hired to ward off an annexation effort by the city. 

Mike Brown, who farms land on Corvallis Road with his wife Carol (photo to upper right), told councilors he was worried about the “farm deferral” for his land, where the couple grows blueberries and apples.

Portions of Corvallis and Hoffman roads, as well as a part of the old 6th Street, were part of the annexation proposal. However, it was the annexation of Corvallis Road that seemed to worry the crowd of meeting attendees. 

Though City Planning Manager Fred Evander reassured those at the meeting that there were no plans for broader annexation, urban growth boundaries serve to show where city limits are likely to extend. “Each Oregon city is surrounded by an urban growth boundary, a line drawn on planning maps to designate where a city expects to grow over a 20-year period,” according to an Oregon state advisory on land use. The growth can occur in ways that range from new houses to industrial facilities.

Several attendees said the annexation of Corvallis Road looks like a first step. 

City Councilor Marilyn Morton, apparently responding to those fears, suggested a letter from the city to reassure residents no future annexation beyond the right-of-way on Corvallis Road is planned. Evander agreed to write the letter. 

But some answers by Evander to those who testified proved confusing: they were stymied about why the city wanted to take on the added expense of street maintenance for a roadway currently under the county’s care. 

Evander explained that the right-of-way annexation for Corvallis Road would allow the city to make certain the roads met the current standards of Independence, as well as to control speed limits and set safety zones. 

“It is all about the roadway,” confirmed City Manager Kenna West, who also alluded to an intergovernmental agreement with Polk County for a water main line along the route, in preparation for a water treatment plant in the vicinity. 

The city needs “to be consistent with the intergovernmental agreement between Polk County and the City of Independence for the management of the Independence unincorporated Urban Growth Boundary,” according to the report provided to the Independence City Council. 

News that the annexation was needed to fulfill an agreement with Polk County prompted City Councilor Dawn Roden to cite that as a reason some property owners might be “hesitant”; The factors for annexation seemed to go from revising speed limits to a city-county IGA regarding a water line. 

A resident agreed with Roden, calling it “kitchen sink-ism” that was hard to grasp. 

County officials who were asked about the issue appeared reluctant to address it without more specific information on the annexation – the application for jurisdictional transfer of Corvallis Road from the county to the city hasn’t yet been received by the county. 

In fact, a hearing this week on jurisdictional transfers by the Polk County Board of Commissioners raised questions, too. 

Jurisdictional transfers are a complicated process that need more clarity, asserted Commission Chair Craig Pope.

"I want to have that opportunity," Pope said. "I'd love to find ways to clean things up," concurred Commissioner Jeremy Gordon

At the board of commissioners meeting, Talmadge Road in Independence was exempted from the discussion and inquiries about Hoffman Road were tabled. 

Like the meeting in Independence, the county commissioners delayed their hearing until May, as well. 

For jurisdictional transfer to occur, the road – whether whole or up to the center line of the road – must reside within the city limits of the city, according to Polk County Administrator Greg Hansen.  “Once that condition is met, then the city can request jurisdictional transfer,” he added. ▪

Pictured: Inset -- City audit, which was accepted this week by the city council

City council votes to accept the audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 11, 2025 

 The recent city audit shows debt that is old, new and misclassified. 

The old listing: MINET’s “doubtful account” remains, a debt of more than $4.1 million, which accumulated over the years when the municipal fiberoptic company was unable to make its bond payments and borrowed from the city to do so. 

The new debt: Independence failed to properly track over-spending in nearly a dozen categories, though it remains difficult to sort out how much of that is actually true debt. There was about $715,000 in expenditures that exceeded appropriations. Even though the funds in which these over-expenditures occurred may have had sufficient money to cover the overages, they weren’t handled appropriately. 

They should have been placed in a “supplemental budget” rather than recorded simply as over-runs, according to the auditors. 

The mis-classified debt: Transactions were called inter-fund loans when they should have been labeled as debt service. 

The audit was presented to the Independence City Council by Rob Moody, the city’s finance director, and Cyrus Ward, of Aldrich CPAs and Advisors LLP in Salem. 

Though the auditors spotted several findings that were flagged as falling short of minimum accounting standards, they didn’t necessarily reflect a serious book-keeping issue, Ward said. He pronounced the city as having a “clean” audit, despite these lapses, which were similar to those seen in other municipalities. 

Moody told councilors that the inter-fund loans have been corrected for the 2025-26 budget document. As for the over-expenditures, “we’ll just own those,” Moody said. “We’ll do everything we can to try to monitor those.” 

Moody added that this effort will be “stepping up our game a little bit.”

The audit, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, was approved unanimously to be accepted by the city council. It was signed by the auditing firm representative on March 31, 2025. 

Ordinarily, municipal audits are due by January 1 to the Oregon Secretary of State, but Independence requested and obtained extensions for filing the financial statements. The city reported that several factors contributed to the delay, including limited staff availability in the finance department over the last several months. 

(Note: During the council meeting Finance Director Rob Moody reported that full payments are being made on the debt for the Independence Civic Center. Trammart News has requested a record of those payments.) ▪

Pictured: Inset -- Recent school board meeting where finances were discussed (Photo CSD YouTube)

13J School District facing likely budget cuts in 25-26 school year

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 11, 2025 

Central School District finances have been dealt a new blow. An increase in absenteeism and a reduction in enrollment, among other setbacks, mean reimbursement revenue is headed down – making it necessary to plan for cuts.
“Although this is hard, we will have to move forward with cuts,” said CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista ( in photo to right) in her report at the school board meeting Monday night. Because funds from the legislature are still in flux, the fiscal picture could change, she said. 

However, plans need to be made for cutting personnel costs and paring down programs, Kubista said, noting that personnel comprise the lion’s share of the school budget.  

The "regular attenders" rate of students – as defined by attendance of 90% during the school day – decreased by 5% this year, to 62% of the student body. Enrollment dipped below 3,000 students, a downturn from last year. Both could mean a significant loss of state revenue. 

The current expectation based on the data: District trimming will be needed across the board. 

Other costs have risen significantly, but only a 3.3% increase is anticipated to this year’s budget due to the enrollment and attendance drops, Kubista explained, among other factors. PERS obligations continue to climb, and so do certain other costs. For example, the district is getting 28 cents of reimbursement for each dollar spent this year on high-needs special education; That's down from about 40 cents to the dollar last year, according to CSD figures. 

High-needs special education often requires assistive technology, extra time of personnel – including an assigned aide – and possible addition of special mobility accommodations. Several in CSD, including teachers and staff, have expressed worry that some federal money will dry up due to changes at the federal level under the current presidential administration.

How much strain is likely to result? It is "hard to predict," said Nathan Muti, who heads the teachers' union and was at the meeting when the announcement was made. Updates are anticipated throughout the spring as the state legislative appropriations become clearer, Kubista said. ▪

​Pictured: Photo of Central High School with inset of Waight, whose contract hasn't been renewed (Photo of Waight from CSD 13J YouTube video)

School board struggled to reach decision on non-renewal appeal

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 4, 2025 

 A school district meeting to re-examine a decision not to renew the contract of Central High’s popular assistant principal, Laura Waight, divided the school board in a split vote – with board member Jann Jobe calling the evidence presented a “collection of mish-mash data.” 

After two tie votes, Board Member Donn Wahl – who had refrained from voting – cast his vote to uphold the non-renewal, bringing the final count to 4-3. 

“The non-renewal remains in effect,” said Board Chair Byron Shinkle. 

The hearing began with testimony from Superintendent Jennifer Kubista, who said Waight engaged in “ongoing negative talk” about decisions and directions made at the high school, in violation of certain Oregon Administrative Rules. Such behavior constitutes insubordination, Kubista said.

The superintendent singled out alleged “behind his back” criticism of former CHS Principal Dale Pedersen by Waight. (Greg English recently stepped into Pedersen’s role for what is anticipated to be the remainder of the school year.) 

Waight, in her rebuttal, countered that the hearing was the first time she was allowed to respond to the assertions – accusations that she said she received only on March 21. They alleged she worked counter to standards of professional practice. However, there were no specific dates or other information. “The district implies that I stalk around Central High School angry and ranting,” talking about other administrators, she said. But “there was no opportunity to check their claims,” Waight said. 

Waight, who was in her three-year probationary period as an administrator after leaving the teaching  faculty, had been evaluated at several points after she became a new assistant principal at CHS, another administrator explained, after being asked by Trammart News how such evaluations are conducted. 

Waight  was repeatedly found "proficient" in her new role, according to  material presented at the hearing, although Board Member Steve Moser  pointed out that Waight was rated "basic" in a couple of the categories.  

The positive record, up until most recently, prompted Board Member Jobe to describe  the sudden findings as a "kaboom" that was difficult to understand. “The hard data just isn’t there for me," Jobe also said. 

The decision to uphold the non-renewal capped a two-and-a-half-hour-long midday meeting at Hawk Hall in the Henry Hill building with a full audience in attendance. Some attendees had to watch the proceedings elsewhere, due to being turned away after every seat was filled. 

One of those was Amy Lemco, who has two children enrolled in CSD 13J and is an active school volunteer. Lemco characterized it as “deeply disturbing that, for some board members, the deciding factor was ‘deferring’ to leadership.” 

Lemco observed that, just as Jobe said, it was “not that the evidence was undeniable and compelling.” In fact, “there was a resounding, articulate consensus from the community, calling for Ms. Waight’s non-renewal to be overturned,” Lemco stated. 

At the hearing, the audience erupted in favorable applause for Waight at several points, and at one juncture, rose to give her a standing ovation. Jobe called out for the participants to cease.

Such a hearing – and vote – exists to balance leadership with the will of the people, Lemco asserted. Jobe cited her time serving as principal of CHS as a period that demonstrated how important mentorship was to the development of good administrative growth. 

Waight, who had been a teacher at CHS, probably needed that – but there were “itinerant principals” at the high school, with the most recent one being unrecognizable to Jobe, she said. “I wouldn’t know the current principal if I ran into him,” Jobe said. 

“We are not giving an opportunity right now to continue stability in that school,” she added, noting that there has been a revolving door of administrators there. 

No board members directly opposed the views shared by Jobe, but the question of how to vote seemed to hinge on what to believe. However, Wahl pointed out that in any hearing, both sides present their best case. “And I can say with a great deal of conviction, I don’t believe either one of them,” he said. “I think there is a middle ground, probably some place where the truth exists,” Wahl said. 

Wahl said he was waging an internal struggle with determining the best way forward. 

Board Chair Shinkle stressed that insubordination undermines both supervisors and the processes put in place. 

The votes initially seemed divided between those members with public-education experience – Jobe, Peggy Clyne and Melanie Landon-Hays – and those whose work history is in other professions: Shinkle, Moser and Susan Graham.  

To some families, the outcome was one more reason to become concerned and involved in the local schools. Some have labeled 16th Street – the thoroughfare to Talmadge Middle School, Ash Creek Elementary and CHS – “school crisis lane” for administrative shuffling and principal losses in recent years. (See “Leaving Ash Creek” by Jessie Padilla in an accompanying article of this April 4 issue.) 

A grievance hearing related to the matter is likely to be held soon, but it’s expected to be conducted in executive session. Waight and her attorney, Nathan Rietmann, were asked by Trammart News if they had considered further litigation. Neither answered in the affirmative, but Rietmann indicated a lawsuit hasn’t been ruled out.  (Note: the entire hearing is viewable at the CS 13J website at the School Board page “Watch Board Meetings Live” YouTube link.) ▪

​Pictured: Photo of Ash Creek Elementary School with inset of departed Jessie Padilla (submitted photo)

Leaving Ash Creek: An assistant principal's parting words

Trammart News Service, April 4, 2025 

The letter obtained by Trammart News from Jessie Padilla, a former assistant principal at Ash Creek Elementary School, contained echoes of similar concerns voiced by parents and teachers over the past several months. This editorial look, which relies on Padilla's letter – along with recent negative public reactions to the school district – seemed to merit a response from the district. Some in the school system appear to feel that the district office turns a deaf ear to school administrators who are trying to instigate change. 

In a reply, Emily Mentzer, the communications coordinator for Central School District, recounted her experience – that each month, the district's leadership team meets, and has "hard conversations." The meetings include principals, assistant principals, and managers of departments. 

In her five years with the district, she's never heard someone be "shut down" who speaks their mind in one of these meetings. "The final decision may not align with what everyone wanted, but it is always what's best for kids," Mentzer said. "And everyone is heard, even when we disagree."

She reiterated that "in the end, we always put students first, and do what's best for them."

However, in leaving the district, Padilla seems to have reached the opposite conclusion -- with regret. Her letter follows. 


Dear CSD School Board Member,

I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to share my experience as a former employee of the Central School District and to express my deep concern regarding the decisions and actions currently shaping our district. My intent is to communicate from a place of care and a sincere desire to support positive change for the students, staff, and community we serve.

I dedicated almost 20 years to this district, first as a parent and regular volunteer, then as a teacher and behavior specialist, and most recently as an assistant principal at Ash Creek Elementary. My commitment to this community runs deep – my husband and children are all graduates of CSD, and I have personally called Monmouth/Independence home for nearly 25 years. I obtained my teaching education through WOU, student-taught in this district, and envisioned my role here as a lifelong career, firmly rooted in my values of service-based leadership, accountability of community, and a deep commitment to the well-being of our students, families, and staff.

However, over the past several years, I began to recognize a growing misalignment between the district’s publicly stated values and its actual practices. Time and again, I witnessed actions and decisions that did not reflect the vision and goals we claim to uphold, particularly when it came to the treatment of individuals – both adults and children. Out of my deep investment in this district, I worked diligently to communicate my concerns through appropriate channels, always with the intent of fostering dialogue and identifying solutions.

Rather than being met with meaningful action, I found that concerns were acknowledged but largely unaddressed. I remained hopeful that constructive conversations would lead to change, but after years of trying, I had to accept the reality that the district’s core values no longer aligned with my own. The heartbreaking decision to leave my position was not made lightly. I quietly and respectfully transitioned out of my role, ensuring those most impacted by my departure were informed and supported, all while navigating the personal toll this decision took on my family.

A week after submitting my resignation, I was unexpectedly placed on administrative leave with multiple restrictions. The stated reasoning for this action was categorically false and outside my sphere of control, but both COSA and affiliated legal counsel informed me it was a discretionary decision by the district. Directives given included not being present on/in any district properties or facilities, being "directed to stay away" from all CSD sponsored activities (on or off district property), and to not have any contact with CSD students or families except in my private capacity as a family member. I was to do all this while remaining "available to meet in person during my established work hours", which meant I needed to stay local and out of sight, as even an outdoor walk or a stop at the grocery store typically resulted in several interactions with CSD families who questioned why I wasn't at work or why I was ignoring their attempts to communicate around existing student needs requiring attention. The timing, just before Winter Break, meant I vanished from the lives of students, families, and colleagues who relied on me, offering no closure or explanation for my abrupt absence.

For students who depend on school as a source of stability, the days leading up to a break can be especially challenging. I had students who were checking in with me, seeking support, and preparing for time away from school – only to find me suddenly and inexplicably gone. When the stated reason for my leave was officially cleared six days before my last day of employment, 
I requested to return to work or at least have the opportunity to connect with those I had served for over a decade. That request was met with silence after an initial response of needing time to consider my request. My last day came and went without an opportunity to say goodbye, to reassure students and staff, or to bring any sense of closure to the relationships that had defined my career.

I share this with you not as an isolated personal grievance but as one piece of a larger pattern that many in our community – staff, students, and families alike – are speaking out about. The culture within our district is causing harm, and concerns raised by invested stakeholders are too often met with avoidance or inaction. We must do better.

I remain deeply committed to the success of this district, even as I transition away from my role within it. I urge you, as elected leaders, to listen to the voices of those expressing concern and to take meaningful steps toward restoring alignment between our district’s values and its actions. The well-being of our students and staff depends on it.

In closing, I would like to share a few excerpts from notes written to me by Ash Creek students and delivered to my doorstep this week. I hope you share in the sadness I feel reading the words of some of our youngest and most vulnerable community members as they try to make me feel good, hope for my happiness, and assure me they are ok.

One of the core components of my job as an educator is to never let my own adult needs weigh on the lives of my young students. I hear the weight of confusion, worry, and loss as a result of the manner in which I left them.

● “I hope you’re happy at your new job” and “I miss you” were stated over and over, which felt heartbreaking in itself as I saw the signatures of those who wrote those words and knew they had no understanding of why I left them or if it was because of something they did that made me unhappy

● “I’m happy you got a new job but I’m sad you left this one”

● “I’m so glad you found a good job, we will all miss you here at Ash Creek, you were awesome here and I’m sure you will be awesome at your new job”

● “I’m so happy that you got the job. I hope you are happy with the other job. I miss you. Thank you for your help”

● “I hope you miss us sooo much and come back please. But when you’re in Portland, you should get Voodoo Doughnuts. They’re super-duper good. I love that you got a new job. I’m happy for you, but I’m also sad. I hope the volcano doesn’t explode. You should come back and visit us at least 1 time a month. That means you visit us at least 12 times a year”

● “I’m so happy for you. I hope you are happy, too. But, I will miss you. You are awesome and wonderful and kind and helpful. I hope you like your new job”

● “You have been the best person in my life. Thank you for everything. I hope you have a better job now”

● “Thank you for supporting my family through tough times! Thank you for being very nice to me and my brother. We will miss you!”

● “You are one of the kindest people I know, and I am really happy for you. You are so strong and have a great smile. We loved having you and we will always remember you”

● “I hope you have a good new job. I hope you come visit us!”

● “I hope I see you again” (1st grader)

● “I am happy you were here” (1st grader)

Thank you for your time and consideration. I am happy to further discuss my experience and concerns if that would be helpful in your efforts to strengthen our district for the future.

Sincerely,
Jessie Padilla ▪

​Pictured: Inset--Yareli Caballero (with drill) & Kaylin Echeverria work on plane with Pat Hatfield (R). Photos by Lance Masterson

Local program provides teens with guidance, plane facts

By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service, April 4, 2025 

Alec Jones is getting quite an education in aviation.

“I’m learning how to build airplanes. I’m learning how airplanes work. I’m learning the parts of them,” he said. “I’m learning … the technical side that you don’t really see when you’re flying in an airplane.”

Jones’s classroom is the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 292 building at the Independence State Airport. His instructors are EAA volunteers who lend teens their expertise and guidance in the building of airplanes. (Jones with David Ulman in photo at right.)

Participation in Teen Build is free and open to those ages 14-19. Classes are on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Jones, a sophomore, attends Franklin High School in Portland. He learned of Teen Build after participating in Teen Aviation Weekend, also sponsored by Chapter 292. The opportunity to build planes piqued his interest in the program.

“I’ve always liked flying. As I got older, middle school, high school, I started exploring job opportunities in aviation,” he said.

Participation in Teen Build is partially responsible for a slightly altered career choice.

“At first, I thought I wanted to be a pilot,” Jones said. “But now I think I want to go down … the aerodynamics and engineering route.”

Jones is also learning to apply mathematical equations to real world problems, like how to figure out angles of ailerons and other aviation-related quandaries.

“I learned about the Pythagorean theorem in geometry. I just didn’t really know how to apply it to real life. But now it’s like, oh, that’s how I do it,” Jones said. “I’m in manufacturing at school, metal shop. So I’m using a lot of these skills there. Measuring and planning out things. Figuring out the angles of stuff.”

He has been with Teen Build for less than a year and has worked on three planes, each with different challenges. The planes students work on are often donated by or belong to EAA members.

While Jones learned of Teen Build through online searches, Yareli Caballero discovered it through the Career Technical Assistance Center, an occupational training program offered by Salem-Keizer School District.

Caballero, a senior at South Salem High School, has been accepted into the aviation maintenance program at Lane Community College. As such, she’s following in the footsteps of former builders.

“Our teens often go into aviation as a career. One young lady is now a junior in mechanical engineering at OSU. One’s a professional pilot. One’s a mechanic. One’s a high school teacher, teaching aviation. And one’s an ag pilot,” Youth Activities Chairman David Ullman said of the program’s success. “So we’ve had some influence on young people.”

For Caballero, Teen Build proved to be a portal into a different, more challenging world.

“I just really like the hands-on-ness of it. I like being able to build, to learn how to use tools, and using those tools to create a project. I just like making it come to life,” she said. “I’m really excited for the day the plane takes off and flies, seeing it go off the runway. Knowing I helped build it; that I’m part of the reason why it’s able to go up in the sky.”

Caballero has been interested in building things since she was young. But Teen Build takes the complexity of her projects to a higher level.

“I’ve built certain small projects, but nothing like this, where it's super hands-on. Working with tools. Working with machines. Working with metal or fiberglass,” she said. “So all of this is kind of new to me…. I’ve had to learn to be more independent with the work that I do.”

Volunteers demonstrate how to complete a task, and then take a step back. It’s part of the ‘on-hands-ness’ approach that Caballero appreciates.

“(Volunteers) go over the steps that need to get done. They show us how to get started. Then they let us take over and take charge. Well, okay, this is how it’s done,” she said.

Volunteers step in and take control, as needed.

“All these kids are gaining confidence, because the way we work with them, generally, we show them how to do a task. Walk away … (but) close enough where we keep an eye on it, making sure that it isn’t going to go south,” Ullman said. “I think most anybody with reasonable skills can do these things with supervision.”

Volunteers understand competency differs with each teen, especially in the early stages of their development.

“They come to us with all kinds of different skills. None of the skills are what they need to build an airplane. Because airplanes are made out of metal, wood, fiberglass, and different kinds of material. There’s electronics in them. There’s engines. Airplanes have just about everything,” Ullman said. “So for as far as specific skill sets, they can’t possibly have the right ones. So we teach them those.”

Among the skills taught, how to use power tools, how to read plans and “how to go into a thick book … and find the right place to see what the designer said you should be doing,” Ullman said.

It often takes time before a teen is ready to commit to Teen Build. They want to make sure it’s a good fit for them. For others, the attraction is evident almost immediately. As it was for this teen on his Young Eagles flight.

“Generally, the way the flight goes … is that they take off, get up to around 1,500 or 2,000 feet, and the pilot just turns to the kid and says, ‘it’s your airplane. Let’s go’,” Ullman said.

Relinquishing control is possible, in part, because modern airplanes are very stable.
“If you don’t touch them, they’ll just keep going. So it’s not dangerous in any way,” Ullman added. “The kids, having all flown simulators, grab onto the controls and start moving things.”

What happened next with this young man was a reaction that was a cut above what’s normal.

“(We’re) talking. He’s doing really good. I say, change the heading. He changes the heading. I say, change altitude. He changes the altitude. Doing really well, and then he went real silent on me. And I wondered, what’s going on here?” Ullman said. “Then he turned to me and said, ‘I was born to do this.’ Okay, bingo! We got that one!”

Writer’s note: You can reach Chapter 292 at 503-383-9010 for more information. ▪

Museum-library consolidation likely to address part of city's $776,000 shortfall

(Pictured: A recent work session on the challenges of a looming shortfall and decreasing city funds)

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 28, 2025 

A plan hatched by the Heritage Museum curator and the Independence Library director to combine the two departments in order to save them both appeared to receive the city council's blessing at a work session this week, though no formal action was taken.

The consensus came as councilors grappled with city finances. The total deficit for the city this fiscal year is predicted to be $776,000, putting city coffers under substantial strain before the first budget committee meeting in a few weeks time. 

City Councilor Marilyn Morton praised Library Director Patrick Bodily and Heritage Museum Curator Amy Christensen for coming up with a workable proposal to move the museum into library space, hopefully on a temporary basis. Mayor Kate Schwarzler agreed that it seemed the most "fiscally responsible" alternative at hand. 

Selling the museum building could net about $300,000, perhaps more, and the sale would put it back on the property tax rolls. "Hopefully we could get that building sold in the fiscal year," said City Manager Kenna West. 

Under the current $85,000-a-year mortgage for the museum building plus other expenses, the annual savings would be substantial, according to the council discussion. 

The concept was consistent with city-wide survey results, which showed low support for the museum. Of the 228 respondents to a survey of Independence residents, the most important departments were the library (53%), parks (42%), trailed by the museum at 6%. A large majority, 66%, favored reducing the museum department to cut costs, over parks and library. 

Another annual saving will be through job attrition – the city's downtown manager has announced a departure this summer, after Independence Days, and her salary and benefits are about $100,000, annually. She won't be replaced by another paid employee taking the spot, West said. 

The central question at the work session appeared to be how to maintain services at the museum, parks, library and planning and building inspections while closing the financial gap? 

West said staff has been cut "to the bone." However, raises have been reported for personnel, no reductions in business travel have been announced, and staff was increased –  a licensed engineer was added to public works, for example. 

Also at the work-session meeting was a proposal to improve and upgrade the event center – with an estimated total ranging from $77,522 to $123,022. The event center, on the lower level of the Independence Civic Center, was reported at a previous city meeting as failing to generate any significant income for the city as a venue. (The proposal received no public discussion but was was printed in a handout at the meeting.)

Requests from Trammart News for clarification on raises, travel and personnel additions were made to Communications Director Emmanuel Goicochea but no response was received. In fact, one survey respondent appeared to identify Goicochea's position as unnecessary, stating that the closed municipal pool and other services are important but "we don't need high-quality videos for marketing on social media." 

The budget sessions arrive as other sources of funding are diminished. Gone are covid "rescue" funds that infused Independence with a significant amount of extra money. Property taxes can no longer pay for city expenses, as personnel and material costs crept higher, and inter-fund transfers have been eliminated. 

Other city revenue, such as charges to developers, has dried up, too. The city council nearly doubled those developer fees, pushing them past $50,000 per home-unit. Three of the builders told Trammart News they are no longer constructing houses in Independence as a result of the hikes, with no plans for returning. 

Since then, City Manager West and City Public Works Director Gerald Fisher pushed forward a proposal for a new water-treatment plant – with an estimated cost of $44 million. 

Two first steps toward the plan appear to be costing more than anticipated: The attempt to secure the land south of town for the plant by eminent domain led to legal wrangling and the sale of the parcel to another party; A $7.5 million loan that was initially announced as being sought from the state on low-interest terms was instead taken out as a line of credit through Umpqua Bank, more than doubling the interest rate typically available under the state's "revolving fund." 

Additionally, sign-ons with other water districts as hoped-for partners across the county, including the nearby Luckiamute Domestic Water Cooperative, never took place – though Monmouth inked an intergovernmental agreement related to the project, according to those familiar with the document. 

Now federal funding for the new treatment plant – once stated as a likely source of significant revenue – seems more questionable under the current presidential administration. ▪

Why the budget committee needs a current city audit

(Pictured: An array of documents on city finances that don't yet include the annual city audit)

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 28, 2025 

A municipal audit by an outside accounting firm is required by the state – and due on the first day of the calendar year to the Oregon Secretary of State. 

So far, there isn't a fiscal 2024 report on file for Independence; and no explanation from the city for the absence.

Why should a missing city audit cause concern? Here's an editorial analysis of the reasons for worry. 

Financial transparency suffers without a timely municipal audit. An outside expert review is needed to confirm the financial status of the city. Depending on city officials to interpret finances may prove less reliable. 

That's the unsurprising conclusion – that politicians aren't always the best assessors of city financial health – from a 2024 study on fiscal monitoring of municipalities across the United States, according to the Journal of the American Accounting Association. 

One example in Independence: City administrators have, at times, been unclear in representing some of the tax-generated funds; A nearly $3.9 million loan of unknown cause was officially approved by the city council without clear explanation for how it was created because, as City Manager Kenna West explained, staff was too overloaded to track it down. 

So the city council was asked to okay what was essentially an expenditure of unknown origin – which they did with two councilors opposing. Who identified the source of the loan last year? The outside auditor. 

It was listed in the city's audit as payable to the city, a $3,867,234 sum. It was for additional costs of construction of the Independence Civic Center, which previously had been listed as costing about $10 million. Trammart News informed the city that, with the additional sums disclosed by the municipal audit, the price of the ICC – the city hall plus the lower-level event center – would be about $14 million. The new figure went unchallenged by the city finance director, Rob Moody. 

Budget lapses may go unreported without a timely municipal audit. Accurate and timely audits are essential, according to the League of Oregon Cities, which weighed in about a decade ago on this finding with an analysis by lawyer Sean O'Day. 

Oversight of what transpires following the budget is one reason city audits are important. There is a $776,000 shortfall this year in Independence, which appears to lack an explanation of precisely why.

Last year, then-city councilor Kate Schwarzler, who is now the mayor of Independence, called for sending an unfinished city budget back to city staff for preparation – taking it out of the hands of the budget committee, which, in addition to city councilors, is half-staffed by citizen volunteers. Her motion passed, with some committee members objecting. 

That city budget committee had a relatively long list of cost-trimming proposals last year, many of which weren't publicly addressed. Observing this low-probing discussions in past years, a city administrator from another town said that perhaps this shouldn't have been surprising – the Independence City Council hasn't been functioning as a watchdog, he said.

This year the challenge to the city councilors is to "really do our  homework so that when we get to the first budget committee meeting we  have some actual ideas," Mayor Kate Schwarzler said at a recent work session on city finances. 

Budget-balancing approaches may go unrecognized without a timely municipal audit. Without the required annual audit, strategies may escape notice or flaws may not be spotted early enough to take corrective action. 

For example, in Monmouth – Independence's nearest city neighbor – the city audit this year included the recommendation for improving grant-tracking by doing it in real time, as grant spending actually occurs. Will that be included in the Monmouth budget, as a special task or for specific allocation of resources? It's a possibility. 

The Monmouth city audit also shows successful use of inter-fund loans – in this case from the Sanitary Sewer Fund and the Power and Light Fund.

The Monmouth Sanitary Sewer Fund loan was for $500,000, signed in 2019, with an annual interest of 2.75% and was paid off in June 2024; The Monmouth Power and Light Fund loan was for $500,000, signed in 2016, with an annual interest of 2.54% and is scheduled to be paid off in July 2025. ▪

Dandelions: should they stay...or...should they go?

(Pictured: A yard with encroachment by dandelions that may or may not be able to remain)By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 28, 2025 
 They're bright yellow flowers and they're blooming all over. But they're not daffodils – and every year when they start appearing a certain minor battle begins. 
They're dandelions and they unfailingly ignite the same springtime debate. They're weeds! No, they're essential pollinator plants! You need to get rid of them! No, you need to enable them to feed those bees! 

This year, the dandelion divide line seems a little different than the last one, when gender seemed to play no role whatsoever. In 2025, it's been men on one side, women on the other.

The recent opinions were drawn from a sample size of about 10 – evenly split male-to-female, five to five – and findings from this random investigation are incredibly, even pathetically, non-scientific. 
However, the viewpoints do provide some insight. Where are dandelions welcome little occupants of the yard versus places where they're yanked out of lawns like alien invaders? As stereotypic as it sounds, males seem more prone to possess that killer instinct.

"I take pride in my yard," explained Independence resident Mike Connor, who believes strongly in eradication. 

No one seems to know why dandelions are appearing in late March when they usually make an appearance later in spring. However, one sign of early spring this year, according to folklore, was a total lunar eclipse around the time of the "worm moon," which occurred in mid-March. 

Worms and grubs started being sighted, sometimes in droves; The Farmer's Almanac considers these wrigglers an indication of seasonal change. 

When the dandelions started popping up, many people start popping into local nurseries. 

That was the case this week at Rocky Mountain Nursery just outside of town on Corvallis Road. Kyle Paratore, who is part of the family that owns and runs the business, said he isn't really worried about the dandelion population for bees. Paratore is the nursery's propagation specialist.

However, he said this could be because the nursery grounds are filled with them buzzing around, he conceded. 

Still, "there's enough pollen providers that dandelions probably don't make a difference," he reasoned.

Customer Marian LaBounty explained that you can, in fact, have it both ways. She "sequesters" a part of her yard for dandelion proliferation and keeps the rest of the grass free of the yellow-headed growth. 

Dave and Sharon Cutz, also on a visit to the nursery, were representative of the great dandelion divide. She professed love for pollinators. He confessed to constant weed-pulling. 

They have a solution for those worried about dandelion destruction. By planting some floral sources for bees, they can be nourished, and the yard can remain grassy without interference. Just put in "intentional flowers," Sharon Cutz advised. ▪