<![CDATA[TRAMMART NEWS - Current Indy Online Weekly Posts]]>Sun, 22 Dec 2024 16:01:39 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Indy News Online, December 13, 2024]]>Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-december-13-2024Independence Heritage Museum Director Natascha Adams departs to helm a new museum operation 

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service 
  
Natascha Adams, who has a master’s degree in museum studies from George Washington University, landed her position as director of the Independence Heritage Museum in an unusual way – as a former hopyard-venue manager, a business co-owner, a branch director for the YMCA and a volunteer recruitment specialist for Oregon’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman. 

But now she’s moving on to a job in the same field, as curator of exhibitions with the Benton County Historical Society. She will help oversee a museum in Philomath and one in downtown Corvallis. 

Though it sounds like a wise professional move to everyone who’s been asked about it, her incentive was the failure of the levy on the November ballot, Adams confirmed in a brief interview this week. The “uncertainty” that resulted from the levy’s defeat led her to leave “the privilege of imagining, creating, and building the museum in its new location,” she said in a letter announcing her departure. 

“I don’t fully have the words to express how much I treasure and love the community of Independence,” she added as part of her message. 

Adams lived in Independence for nearly a dozen years before moving to a different part of Polk County. She has been a force in heightening the museum's visibility since its grand reopening at the current downtown location in the spring of 2022.

Diana Lindskog, a former city councilor and long-time volunteer for the museum, is an  admirer of Adams, and she said she’s disappointed to see her go. “I am very sad about it but very happy for her, too. She did a wonderful job,” Lindskog said. 

Patty Nevue, who helms the Ella Curran Food Bank, said that Adams’ contribution to the museum is known by many. Jim Humphreys, president of the Heritage Museum Society, agreed, noting that Adams showed innovation and energy throughout her tenure. 

Jim and Amy Dawson, professors at Western Oregon University, recalled that Adams was responsible for creating the “birds of prey” exhibit that included presentations by them – they are both ornithologists – and gave educational talks at the museum with live birds of prey. 

The crowd-drawing visits were mentioned as a landmark event by many who were asked about Adams, including Humphreys, who said he considered the events an example of her fresh ideas that struck a chord with the public. 

Like Adams, he is concerned about the future of the museum.

Billy  Whisenant, commander of  American Legion Post 33 in Independence,  observed that the veterans group and the museum have shared a good  relationship – and credits Adams as helping forge it. The museum  participated in various veteran activities, including the creation of  the signage for the kiosk for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, he noted. 

Independence had sought a five-year local tax – $1.82 per $1,000 of assessed property value – to support the city’s museum, library and parks. Without the money from the levy, funding is only assured through the end of June. The three are threatened with shutdown or shorter service hours and reduced days of operation, according to a statement published by the city. 

One idea that has been floated is enabling part-time curator Amy Christensen to step partly into Adams’ shoes, while solutions are sought for financing the museum. 

“What I am hoping for is a period of transition,” Humphreys said – time in which alternatives could be explored, perhaps in the realm of non-profit fundraising that would include more emphasis on grants and donations to start to fill in some of the financial gaps. ▪

A Trammart News Editorial Essay: City Debt in 2025. What’s Next? 

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service Editorial
  
The worst is yet to come, so hang on tight. Trammart News will be right there with you, every fiscal step of the way. 

A $15 million debt on the Independence Civic Center will soon require payments by the city beyond interest-only amounts, burdening the already strained general fund. Considered dead on arrival was a five-year levy aimed at restoring financial stability to the museum, library and parks. And, as the municipal audit of city finances draws to a close this month, the starting point left behind from the last audit is a million dollars over the city’s debt limit. 

What happened? A combination of longtime city spending in which warnings about these possible over-expenditures by an outside auditor went unheeded, along with longtime legal limits on property tax revenue – Measures 5 and 50 – that are putting the squeeze on other cities, too. 

The references City Manager Kenna West repeatedly made about her predecessors’ habit of relying on fund transfers seemed to take a toll on the public perception, too – these sums were revealed to add up to $15 million. “OK, I get it, she inherited the problem,” commented one homeowner. “But sitting right there (on the council) were some of the people responsible for it.” 

Another factor mentioned by residents who were queried about their skepticism over transparency included observations about the city manager’s leadership, from allegedly imparting “zero” information about the status of the municipal pool since its closure to attempts at quashing news coverage by Trammart News – with a ban that has meant the city communications director has failed to answer even basic questions from this media outlet. 

“It makes that whole thing about ‘We are trying to be transparent’ look phony,” said one. 

In fact, to check on some of the information for this editorial essay, the city’s communication director, Emmanuel Goicochea, was queried by Trammart News three times. (Once by email, once by dropping off a printed inquiry for his city hall mailbox and once by voice mail.) As is typical, there was no response. To be sure that the sums were presented fully and factually, Trammart News – Anne Scheck – made them public at the podium during the most recent city council meeting.

A few who regularly view the city council meeting seemed saddened by the last one, in which no mention was made about any upcoming discussion for meeting the challenges of the year ahead. The only cutback so far is a reduction of Independence Days from a three-day event to only two, a move approved Tuesday night. 

In what may have been her last official public act for the Independence City Council Tuesday night, City Recorder Karin Johnson – who is retiring at the end of this month – shared results of the city’s levy vote, defeated by nearly a two-to-one margin. 

To outside experts consulted by Trammart News, that means “no” votes so thoroughly outnumbered “yes” votes that a reversal is unlikely in a future attempt. And a future attempt is just what is likely to be undertaken. Let’s hope so, anyway. The apparent alternative would be to shutter these services.  

“The city now faces important decisions about the future of these departments,” according to a news release issued by the city after the bulk of the levy votes were tallied. Options for “how to proceed” are on the table, according to the posting. 

News of the more than $15 million debt on the Independence Civic Center, along with the failed levy, arrives at a time when the next monthly utility bill will include a $20 public-safety fee, instituted this coming year to shore up depletions of the General Fund for the Independence Police Department. Unlike Monmouth's city hall, the Independence Civic Center was not funded by a voter-approved bond but is an on-going debt against the general fund.

Of course, Independence isn’t the only city facing this fiscal cliff. Salem seems poised on the same precipice, as well. But part of the reason appears remarkably similar. Both cities poured investment money into new ventures for growth. 

In Salem, the city allocated large sums to its municipal airport, to encourage carriers to schedule flights in and out of the city. Independence did something similar on its riverfront, waiving system development charges to draw hotel construction for boosting tourism. However, as former Independence City Manager Tom Pessemier once pointed out, the $2 million for those riverfront SDCs should be considered a loan and paid back in full. 

As the year draws to a close, the city’s previous municipal audit shows an outstanding debt of about $37.5 million – with a general debt limit of about $36 million. Like some states, Oregon restricts city debt with a cap based on a percentage of total city assets. 

However, excess debt can remain just that, until it’s reduced; Oregon law effectively forbids cities from filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy – only irrigation and drainage districts can do so. 

So, more loans would seem a questionable option, given the debt load – property taxes are likely to remain the primary revenue supply. “The city takes their share and that is what we have to work with,” stressed Independence City Finance Director Rob Moody in a videotaped explanation of last year’s budget. 

As Independence begins to meet these challenges in 2025, Trammart News – despite the city’s ongoing effort to keep the news outlet from fact-checking and fact-finding – will be watching spending decisions along with residents who tune into the city council and other public meetings. 

So, fasten your seat belts engaged citizens of Independence, you and I may be in for a bumpy ride. -- Anne Scheck  ▪

An illuminating tour of home holiday displays in the downtown area 

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

Lights! Camera! Cocoa! 

A car ride as dusk descends on the city’s downtown is all it takes to make even the grinchiest, gloomiest, most scrooge-like spirits bright. 

The easy-to-follow route includes a Christmas tree to rival the one on the Western Oregon University campus, a house that’s become regionally famous for its spectacular illumination and a home with a front porch so covered in holiday wreaths it could pass for a forest glen. 

And Santa’s on the itinerary, too, of course. 

Grab a cup of coffee, toasty tea or hot chocolate and get on your way. There are many places to view that capture holiday magic in lights and decorations. 

Start by turning onto Gun Club Road from Hoffman Road and look off to your right. Wait a minute, you don’t even need to do more than glance! Looming like a movie set is a tree bedecked with oh-so-many lights by a house lit up the same way.

Drive a little further and keep an eye out for Williams Street. Take a left on it and prepare to be awestruck by glittering glimmer. This seasonal show has been thrilling Independence residents – and those beyond the city limits – for years. 

Get back on Gun Club Road and go all the way to the Monmouth Street intersection. Turn left and you’ll spy an entire row of houses covered with lights. Are these neighbors trying to outdo one another or simply create their own block of bright lights? Either way, it’s a sight to behold. 

Is it time to break into a Christmas carol yet? 

You can strike up a few bars of this one: “Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the lights are so delightful. And since we’ve got nowhere to be, let’s drive to more we can see.” 

Of course, that’s not how the song really goes, but it works for this special trip. 

As you nearly reach Farnstrom Mortuary, look for Santa on your left – surrounded by shining lights, of course. When you stop at the Main Street intersection, be sure to look at Umpqua Bank, lit by bulbs framing the historic windows with a Christmas tree inside.  

Turn right and then hang another right on D Street. Off to your right is the Pink House Café, all dressed up with lights, lights, lights. 

Proceed to 4th & D streets and look to your right. The porch is packed with wreaths, dense greenery that looks as if it was plucked from a Madrigal dinner celebration.

Turn right again on 5th Street and the two houses on the left as you approach Monmouth Street are downright bedazzling. At the stop sign, turn right on Monmouth Street (again) and this time when you get to the intersection with Main, take a left. 

Drive slowly down Main Street, if you can. The luminous streetlamp poles look like candy sticks, topped with circles of holiday wreaths. The café lights festooning the sidewalks make the scene look like it’s a holiday card come to life. 

This is Main Street in Independence, all aglow, heralding the arrival of Christmas and Hanukkah on December 25. ▪

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online, December 6, 2024]]>Fri, 06 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-december-6-2024A new bond idea is set afloat at school board meeting 

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

A relatively small bond that details necessary projects at each Central District building – one that completely drops a proposal to construct a new Monmouth Elementary School – likely would have a much better chance of passing this spring than the one that failed on last month’s ballot, according to Shannon Ball, a parent volunteer known for her activism in local education. 

“Go out for a smaller, specific bond that doesn’t include deferred interest,” she urged, adding that district officials should consider an exploratory committee for the outcome of Monmouth Elementary School.

Ball made her comments Monday night at the Central School District Board meeting – and her opinion was backed up by other parents, who told Trammart News they agreed with her. 

If the CSD Board presents another voter-approved bond in May that makes replacement of Monmouth Elementary School a priority, it is doomed to fail, some parents said. Though several didn’t want to be identified by name, they called for recognition of their view, warning that public opinion is likely to be altered favorably only by passage of a bond that gives near-immediate attention to current infrastructure problems. 

Taxes  are going up next year via CSD, with or without the bond, according to  one local homeowner. "This year those taxes, even without that six-cent or so increase from the bond, will go up by quite a bit," he said.  

Others  have said the district needs to emphasize swift action was taken after the "tax surprise" of 2023. The firm hired by the district to issue the  bond recommendation had advised that change; As a result, CSD no longer  retains that bond counsel for bond planning purposes, according to  district sources. 

A smaller bond could accomplish the repairs and restoration, such as fixing leaky roofs and installing appropriate drainage to make outdoor play areas fully functional at elementary schools. This would demonstrate visible gains with tax dollars, potentially paving the way for a bigger bond, a few suggested.

Lack of public “trust” and a “disconnect” with some voters were two words used by board member Melanie Landon-Hays to describe possible reasons behind the recent bond defeat. Improved communication about the “constraints we are under” would be one way to address that, she said. 

“There was also a misunderstanding that voting yes was akin to giving a blank check,” said Board Member Susan Graham, who reported on a post-election discussion by the “facilities committee,” which was largely responsible for the information campaign promoting the bond. Graham was at tabling events with pamphlets and was present at many of the tours and forums offered by the district. 

Though the school board seems to have made replacement of Monmouth Elementary School a priority, an informal survey of families conducted by Trammart News a few months ago showed the public is confused about why an entirely new school is necessary to meet safety concerns. The multiple individual doors of the “California model” by which Monmouth Elementary School was built – with many separate buildings – is seen by district officials as making it vulnerable to intruders. 

However, one of the questions posed by Ball at the meeting touched on this point: Could modifications answer that? The concept of safety being so compromised by four dozen doors seems lacking in evidence to some. 

In fact, many Southern California schools that have been built with the same general architectural plan are now protected by fencing, which was installed specifically for security purposes. The California Department of Education advises implementing what is termed “territorial protection” measures, such as fences, walls and other barriers that limit entry points to a few gates. Security cameras are also considered key by that state’s education-safety division. In her testimony, Ball called for specific language in what will be done with bond money. 

This is an approach currently being undertaken by Polk County as it prepares to launch a local-option levy. In a brief interview this week, Polk County Administrator Greg Hansen explained three critical elements that the county will be including so that voters “pretty much know precisely what they’ll be getting.” The levy aims to improve Polk County Fairground facilities. The levy hasn't been formalized or adopted for the May ballot, but a hearing on it is scheduled in early January, Hansen explained. 

The county is keeping it as low-cost as possible – 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value – and it spells out in detail what the money will finance, from new administrative office space to refurbishment of walkways. Those two elements – low on cost, high on specifics – are considered essential, Hansen said. 

Though county staff haven’t promoted the concept of a bond – nor can they under Oregon law – the facts showing need have been aired year after year in a public way, in Fair Board reports that show growth in attendance at the site against a background of deferred maintenance. This has been repeatedly conveyed.

Several at the county said they hope this continual message – having to work around areas of disrepair on the Fairground campus – will resonate with voters who are likely to be familiar with those circumstances by now. 

However, “we know we will have competition,” Hansen said. Both CSD and the City of Dallas are expected to have bonds on the ballot this May – and Independence seems likely to do so, as well, he noted. 

Ball said she is advocating for a “scaled-back” school bond, and pointed out that if it passes, the state will release another $6 million to the district. That could go a long way toward the enhancements being sought for schools, she said. ▪

What's behind low 3rd-grade state test scores for Latino-Hispanic students? 

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
  
Recently released state test scores for third graders in Central School District indicate only 27% are at grade level in English Language Arts  – and more than twice as many white-Caucasian students show proficiency (37%) compared with Hispanic-Latino (16%). 

Is there a better way to assess such lagging students? A school board member suggested this past fall that the testing itself can be a setback for some.

Third grade is considered a make-or-break point in public education. “Research shows that students who can't read at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to leave high school without a diploma,” according to the district’s website. 

The state report shows CSD third-grade language arts scores are flat over last year; The state average for third grade is 40%. 

Latino-Hispanic students can face special stress from tests, noted CSD Board Member Jann Jobe. Earlier this fall, she observed that members of same group undergo periodic English Language Proficiency Assessment, a test measures and reports on students’ English language proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and comprehension. 

Jobe, a former teacher who served as an interim principal at Central High School, said these students can experience a deep-seated sense of failure from such testing, which may dramatically impact their attitude about school. “I have seen them in tears,” she said. 

In a brief conversation after the CSD school board meeting Monday night, Jobe said she favors, in some cases, a “portfolio approach” that would examine and evaluate student work and achievement over longer intervals of time rather than the traditional “snapshot” from a once-a-year state test.

The portfolio is a collection of student work, from essays to writing exercises, which assesses progress over months. But the portfolio method can take a lot of teacher time to provide guidance and evaluate growth, Jobe pointed out. 

Following Jobe’s comments this past fall, some community members said they also question the single-test method. Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith, a former Independence city councilor who graduated from Central High School, said there was “a cultural divide” when she attended CSD schools, and she remains concerned about those separations when the school experience should be a “melting pot.” 

However, outside support plays a big role, too, she said. “Parental, family involvement is key,” Ranstrom-Smith said. 

CSD, like other districts across the state, has been battling chronic absenteeism. However, the tide of absences seems to be turning. Last year, CSD's regular attenders were up five percent over the previous one – with substantial gains in attendance at Independence Elementary School and Central High School, said CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista. 

Kubista added that there has been good growth in both English language arts at the third grade level and in attendance. She made the observation at the last school board meeting.

Attendance went from 58 percent to 63 percent of students who are there regularly – defined as attending school 90 percent or more of the time. However, though a majority of white and Asian students are regular attenders, Hispanic-Latino students are lower in that metric, too. Only 58% are classified as achieving regular attendance. ▪​

When is sidewalk merchandise an intrusion? 

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

What’s the difference between a curbside landscape of plants-plus-sundries and a cluttered-up sidewalk? That’s what Kay Hales, proprietor of The Collection on Main, would like to know. “It’s hard to understand,” she said.

A recent letter from the City of Independence warned her that her “outdoor display and materials outside the business” are out of order, at least to some degree. 

Just outside the storefront at 278 S Main Street is eye-catching merchandise to help capture customers as they walk by and, across the walkway under a tree is a landscape of potted plants and garden art. 

What’s not to love? That was the reaction of another merchant, who said Hales dresses up the street in a way that brings color and character to the thoroughfare.

The city mandates a five-foot-wide path for “pedestrian travel,” a clearance that appears to be the case despite the merchandise. However, the letter also appears to point out the materials aren’t allowed at all in the public right-of-way, which Hales said she finds confusing; Also, no display can be left outdoors when the business isn’t open. Statuary by the tree is heavy and nearly impossible to repeatedly lug inside, she noted. 

City Planning Manager Fred Evander, who signed the letter, was questioned about the restrictions contained within it. He acknowledged that three business have been sent notices. Also, the notifications appear to be complaint-driven – the letter is titled “Responding to Citizen Concerns.” 

When told certain seasonal decorations also seem to be violating those same rules – a line-up of pumpkins had been placed outside the portal of one store for Thanksgiving, hand-crafted items were placed outside another for sale – Evander said he wasn’t sure when enforcement would begin, or whether it would be during the holiday period. 

Asked where the city regulation could be found, Trammart News was referred to the ordinance in subchapter 33 of the city code, “Mixed Use Pedestrian Friendly Zone and Downtown Overlay Zone.” 

However, on page 16 of that section, the text states that exterior displays are allowed for a week at a time, as long as they add “to the intrigue of the public realm without detracting from the overall character of the district by creating a cluttered environment.” A rack of sweaters is pictured, apparently to illustrate what a positive addition looks like. 

Businesses that were queried had no idea about the city standard, and Hales was urged to reach out to Evander – she has indicated she intends to do so. One downtown customer who had met with Evander for professional reasons a couple of years ago said he is confident a compromise can be reached. “Fred is very collaborative,” he said. ▪

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online, November 29, 2024]]>Fri, 29 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-november-29-2024Loggerhead seems to be continuing between re-elected county treasurer and county commissioners

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

Almost immediately after his recent re-election, Polk County Treasurer Steve Milligan announced tentative plans to file a contempt of court complaint against the county he is serving – asserting that he’s not being allowed to perform the duties of his office, in violation of a recent court ruling.

But the allegation is untrue, according to the county’s board of commissioners. “He is completely free to do his job,” said Craig Pope, the board chair, in answer to an inquiry about the exchange that took place between Milligan and the board this week.

Reading directly from a copy of the court record he had in his hand, Milligan told the commissioners that the county “must allow and facilitate the duly elected treasurer to discharge the powers, duties and prerogatives of the treasurer as required by the Oregon Constitution and statutes.”

Polk County employs a finance director and personnel with assigned roles for managing the county revenue, according to county documents.

The conflict appears to hinge on the interpretation of a state statute that describes – somewhat ambiguously, it seems – the responsibilities of county treasurers. The Oregon Constitution appears even less definitive. References center on generic descriptions of bookkeeping

The dispute arose this week during a meeting of the county commissioners, in which Milligan – who received a wide-margin vote returning him to the position – reminded commissioners that he’d also won a lawsuit against Polk County about the issue, shortly before the November election.

This past fall, a Yamhill County judge quashed an ordinance adopted by the county that required many of the county’s financial responsibilities to be permanently carried out by staff; A copy of the recent court decision indicates that the county doesn’t have the authority to enforce such an action.

“We are examining that,” said Commissioner Jeremy Gordon, who advised Milligan that there would be a “fresh start.”

Over the years, new legislation, rulemaking and litigation have impacted the governance of counties, including finance and accounting practices, according to the League of Oregon Counties. To stay abreast of the increasing complexity, professional financial administrators began partially fulfilling the domain of elected treasurers.

Some of the overlap has yet to be sorted out, according to past reports on the issue.

One of Milligan’s concerns also seems to be his office space. The treasurer’s office is apart from the financial-support staff, who are on an upper floor of the county courthouse. Milligan’s office is in the basement.

“I need access to the office upstairs,” Milligan said.

Pope told him that all records are digital and that his office has been equipped with the necessary technology. Milligan replied that even his keycard for the office couldn’t open the door, to which Pope responded that the code had probably expired due to lack of use. “We built a brand new office for you,” Pope said.

“This fight isn’t over,” Milligan said in a brief interview following the meeting. ▪

Martial arts is a way of life for this Indy man

By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service

To say Shawn Boyes is proficient in martial arts is an understatement. Not only is Boyes a third-degree black belt in Shao-Lin Kempo, he also owns Central Martial Arts in Independence, where he is its chief instructor.

Quite an accomplishment, especially for someone who had to overcome debilitating fear before he could even begin training.

“When I started this, I actually went to a Gold’s Gym, bought a membership and I was so afraid of people I wouldn’t walk in,” Boyes said. “Instead, I’d sit in the parking lot.”

But love for family helped get him out of his car and into a studio.

“When I found Shao-Lin Kempo, I was actually looking for something for my son who has ADHD,” he said. “But he didn’t want to do it by himself. So I started taking classes with him and found that I liked it.”

The pair studied in Lebanon under grandmaster Robert Pearlswig of the American Schools of Shao-Lin Kempo. Boyes was (and is) an enthusiastic student.

“I didn’t just look at the moves. I wanted to know more. It’s like, okay, how does this move work? Why does it work? What are we doing here? And as an orange belt, I was asking those questions. Questions more advanced people are usually asking,” Boyes said. “So, back when I was younger in the system, I was asking those tough questions. I think my grandmaster saw that.”

This inquisitiveness led Boyes to a nuts-and-bolts understanding of Shao-Lin Kempo.

“Lot of people don’t get into that. It’s like, there’s a punch. Come block the punch,” he said. “I’m like, what’s the angle? What’s the trajectory? What’s the speed? What am I going to do? Wait ’til the last moment? My mind’s always analyzing things like that.”

Pearlswig was so impressed that he made Boyes – a purple belt at the time – an offer that forced him to confront his fear.

“That’s why when grandmaster said he was going to make me a teacher, I looked at him kind of fuzzy. Like, okay, that’s not going to work,” Boyes said.

Until it did.

Shao-Lin Kempo “helped me get over my fear, for the most part, of being in front of people,” he added.

Boyes’ teaching career began while working on the railroad, his job at the time. Pulling double duty continued for a while.

“Once I got to black belt, I let my old job go and decided this was the way for me,” he said. “I really love teaching.”

Boyes also loves the quid pro quo relationship between student effort and student results.

“So, if you come in thinking of this as if it was a sport, like a once a week thing, that’s what you’re going to get out of it. That’s okay if that’s what you want,” Boyes said. “If you go into it and you put everything you have into it … well, it’s made me grow both mentally and physically. I’m at a place mentally where I never thought I’d ever be in my life. There’s always something to work on. But I’m a way different person than what I was when I started this.”

As for long-time student Abigail Rollins, what she wanted was an exercise routine that wasn’t boring or predictable.

“Way back, when I was in junior high school, I took a year or so of martial arts. I quit. And I always regretted it because I felt I should have stuck with it,” Rollins said.

Rollins teaches dental hygiene for Oregon Institute of Technology in Salem. One day 10-plus years ago she stopped in to talk to Boyes about Shao-Lin Kempo. She signed up and has been a student ever since.

“Shawn seemed very nice, personable,” she said of that first meeting.

He also eased concerns she had about her age. Rollins was in her mid-50s.

“Shawn said, ‘That’s okay. We take all-comers. Give it a try and see what you think’,” she said. “So I started there, and I really enjoyed that it works on your confidence, on your balance, and that you have to memorize things.”

There’s also a chance to move through the ranks. Rollins was a brown belt when Boyes pulled her aside.

“One day he said, well, I think you’re ready for the black belt test. And I said, oh, my god,” she said. “When he told me that he thought I was ready … I knew, I mean it was in the back of my mind. I had joined the black belt club where you pay a fee and then they stick with you until you get to black.”

Her path to black belt was personalized with age and physical dexterity taken into consideration.

“I’m not a 16-year-old or an 18-year-old who can fly through the air, kicking. I may never be able to fly, and I told him that when I got ready to take the test,” she said. “But that’s not the point, and I think that’s what's so good about it. The point is to do your best, and to encompass the whole art of it, and I really enjoy that.”

Rollins is an exception as far as demographics go, too. Of the 100 students enrolled, only about 20 are adults. Most of these are men. Central Martial Arts offers women-only classes, however. The school also prides itself on delivering quality instruction.

“This isn’t a cookie-cutter school. We really care about our students,” Boyes said. “Students really have to earn their ranks when they go through. We hold them accountable to what they do.”

Central Martial Arts is at 386 So. Main St. in Independence. Call Boyes at 503-837-0414 for more information.

Boyes purchased the business more than 10 years ago. He had about 30 students at that time. Enrollment has nearly tripled in the years since.

The studio is associated with American Schools of Shao-Lin Kempo. Grandmaster Pearlswig reportedly began his martial arts training in the early 1960’s. ▪

High school revisited, recalling a special kind of queen bee

By Anne Scheck
Opinion Essay on Leadership
Trammart News Service

Coming up is "Inclusive Schools Week," and if you've never heard of it, you're not alone. Neither had I. But for many years now, the first week in December has been set aside as a time to support school programs that honor differences. In this special period for encouraging inclusiveness, it seemed appropriate to dust off an essay from years ago. Some special individuals have an innate ability to ignore social barriers and sidestep inner circles -- and they show us how.
Meet Nanette. 

Queen Bees can be the center of a power-tripping cluster, administering eyerolls, dispensing judgments. Adulthood, it has been said, is like grown-up middle school, where the “in group” always gets to rule.

But life offers a few walloping lessons along the way to let us know that even a Miss Popularity on the pages of our yearbooks may not be so easy to pigeonhole – if they’re lucky enough not to drink that intoxicating nectar and succumb. If they are like Nanette.

I know this not just because I knew Nanette but also because, by now, I’ve known a few women a whole lot like her. In fact, I’d never have known Nanette to be anything but a classic queen bee except that she did two things which deeply affected my polar-opposite life from hers as an adolescent. She was unfailingly kind to me, and she was nuts about a boy who was a complete “Poindexter,” the name young females back then gave to awkward guys who were smart but seemingly charmless.

Chased by the star athletes and imitated by the cheerleaders, Nanette chose to date someone considered one of the biggest Poindexters in our youthful orbit. Also, she got a job in the kitchen of a local hospital where I worked as a teenager, along with a few others from our school. Nanette showed such leadership skill that she was put in charge of us. And for reasons I never understood, I seemed to be one of her favorites.

She was so naturally beautiful that a relatively high percentage of the male medical staff noticed her – often waiting till she took her place as a cafeteria server before they grabbed their trays to make their way down the line.

Her Poindexter boyfriend got into an engineering college near Boston, which seemed as far away as the planet Mars to me. But Nanette wanted to go to that city, too. And, since she had this classic queen bee background – modern two-story house, late-model cars – her parents presumably could afford it. Nanette looked at colleges in Boston, and she settled on one. It was a small women’s college in the heart of the city. I remember girls at my high school who snickered about her following a guy to Boston that none of them even would have dated. And going to an all-woman college! How fun could that be?

Raven-haired Nanette, with a smile as radiant as a movie star’s, who looked like she should be on a New York fashion runway, flew off to Boston, graduated from college, and married the Poindexter.

We lost touch, of course. I was told she became what’s now somewhat irreverently referred to as a suburban mom, raising a family somewhere in the Midwest or on the Eastern Seaboard or in Idaho.

When I took my own daughter hither-and-yon years ago to look at university campuses, some of those trips were torturous for us both. One snooty college in Pennsylvania made me sorry I ever dragged my daughter away from our hotel in Philadelphia; A highly regarded college in another part of the country was so homogenous it made my daughter think of an academic island, where she simply couldn’t see herself. I was about to give up when I thought of Nanette, and, on what seemed a whim to my entire family, we flew off to Boston to visit the college Nanette had chosen, so long ago.

We saw MIT from a boat on the Charles River, and I thought it must be where Poindexter went. He and Nanette, from the vantage point of a tour boat all those years later, now seemed so far ahead of the traditional curve of my past.

And I thought back to how Nanette looked during passing periods in the halls of my old high school, as if she belonged to a rare and elite group, those who win the genetic lottery in so many ways. But if she felt superior, as so many of these queen bees are portrayed in coming-of-age films, it only looked that way with Nanette. She made quite unexpected decisions. For example, she made no secret of the fact that she liked hanging out with me on those grimy work breaks.

My daughter received her university degree several years ago from Nanette’s alma mater. A famous celebrity spoke at the graduation. The sky over Boston was bright blue as Pomp & Circumstance played.

I thought of Nanette again. It must have been somewhat like Nanette’s graduation, the ending to her college years at the same institution. And, so, I decided to find Nanette.

I was going to write to her by email to tell her, “You may not remember me, but I remember you and your choices – and my daughter ended up going to same college you did, all those years ago.” But, as it turns out, I never got to send that message. Oh, it was easy to find out about Nanette. She’d kept the name I knew her by.

But she died many years ago, never reaching the late middle age that proved such a prosperous period in my life; Never knowing, as I do, the comfort of finally making it to the dubious label of senior citizen.

From her obituary, it sounds like she had cancer. Who knows what other curve balls life threw at her?

She probably never lost her perfect smile and impeccable fashion sense. But what she had in the highest quantity was a value system, long before the term came into wide use. She elevated the status of a Poindexter guy with unshakable affection and belief and she unfailingly said hello to me in school corridors when she was surrounded by her admiring acolytes, who appeared to regard me like discarded chewing gum.

It seemed remarkable at the time. Now it seems like a character trait with the scarcity of a rare earth metal.

Sometimes a life gets changed by unexpected encounters. In this case, it was a self-actualizing young woman who looked like a prom princess but who wasn’t afraid to have an out-of-step boyfriend or to share break time with a food-service co-worker, 10 rungs below her on the high-school hierarchy. What a discovery for two girls on the same wavelength, neither one quite what they appeared destined to be, and both on their way. ▪

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online, November 22, 2024]]>Fri, 22 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-november-22-2024EDITORIAL: City levy failure -- what happened? And why?

Dana Sharman is a local business owner, fine art photographer and 2024 candidate for City Council Seat #5. Sharman, who has a decade of  experience honing marketing strategies and engaging with diverse audiences through their photography business and online platforms,    agreed to use that expertise in outreach and audience connection to analyze and evaluate the  city's local levy campaign and lack of passage. --TN


By Dana Sharman
Guest Editorial, Trammart News Service, November 22, 2024 

The defeat of the Arts and Operations Levy, Measure 27-142, was a decisive moment – not just for the library, museum, and parks, but for the way our city approaches its responsibilities. For many, it seemed like a straightforward decision: vote yes to save services we love or vote no and risk losing them. 

But the reality was far more complicated, and voters, facing unclear promises and deep-seated frustrations, rejected the measure by a wide margin – losing with 2,563 no votes to 1,632 saying yes, of 4,195 total.  This was not a failure of the people to recognize the value of these services –  it was a rejection of a proposal that felt hastily crafted, poorly communicated, and strategically misaligned with the times.

At  its heart, the levy sought to raise $1.12 million annually, a number that closely matched the $1,096,942 cost of the library, museum, and parks combined. On paper, it seemed like a reasonable request, but the way the measure was framed exposed its underlying flaws. Rather than presenting a thoughtful, well-crafted solution, the city delivered it as an ultimatum: approve this or risk losing  everything. 

The proposal played to fear, not trust – pressuring voters rather than convincing them. From a marketing perspective, fear is a poor foundation for building public support, no matter how it is framed.

The levy also failed to account for the broader financial context. Our city’s general fund budget for the 24/25 fiscal year totals $7,519,201, encompassing everything from administration to janitorial services, yet  the library, museum and parks account for only about 15% of that total. While voters were told the levy was meant to save these services, in truth the funds would have flowed into the  general fund. From there, they could have been used to shore up other  priorities, according to the city’s own website – priorities voters were never explicitly asked to endorse. 

The  lack of any mechanism to restrict the levy’s funds to their stated purpose was a glaring omission, one that raised serious questions about transparency and accountability and fed into the broader sense of distrust of government being felt across the nation.

This  lack of clarity was further compounded by the city’s financial strategy; or lack thereof. The general fund began the fiscal year with reserves of $1,332,353, precisely the amount needed to cover this year’s budget shortfall. The proposal to raise $1.12  million annually through the levy might have alleviated some of that burden, but it did nothing to address the deeper issue: a structurally unbalanced budget. Even with the levy, the city would have remained on precarious financial footing, with no clear plan for sustainability. Voters saw this, and many rightly questioned why they were being asked to prop up a system that seemed broken from the  start.

These local frustrations were not happening in a vacuum. This year, voters across the state of Oregon sent a clear message: no more taxes without accountability. Measure 118, which sought to raise the corporate minimum tax for education, was defeated statewide, as were other major tax measures across the region. This reflected a broader national trend, as inflation and stagnant wages continue to erode trust in government spending. Families feeling the weight of rising costs are simply unwilling to hand over more of their hard-earned money without clear assurances that it would be used wisely.

In our city, the timing of the levy could not have been worse. On a ballot crowded with bond proposals, this measure became one voice among many competing for approval. This strategic miscalculation diluted its impact and left voters overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the financial asks. In this environment, it’s no wonder that they chose to say no to all of it.

But there is something deeper at play here, something beyond just dollars and cents. The failure of this levy is rooted in a lack of trust – a  trust that has been eroded over years of perceived mismanagement, opaque decision-making, and a failure to truly engage the community in meaningful dialogue. 

When voters see utility fees rise, when they hear plans to expand parks and police and water services without any plans to pay for them, when they feel their input is neither sought nor valued, they grow skeptical. And when they are then asked to approve a measure that lacks safeguards, specificity, and a long-term plan, they reject it; not out of spite, but out of principle.

This is not an indictment of the library, museum, or parks. These services are the heart of our community. The library alone serves more than 74,000 people a year, providing not just books but access to resources, education, and connection. The parks are places of joy and recreation, and the museum preserves our shared history. But these services deserve better than what this levy offered. They deserve a plan that is honest, transparent, and built on a foundation of trust.

The defeat of this measure is not a failure – it is an opportunity. It is a chance to learn from the mistakes of this proposal and approach the challenges ahead with greater clarity and purpose.

The path forward is clear. First, transparency must be a cornerstone of any future funding measures. If another levy is proposed, it must include explicit guarantees that funds will be used solely for their intended purpose. Special funds can and should be created to provide these assurances, ensuring that every dollar raised goes exactly where it is promised. If that was done here, it wasn’t publicly available information and further proves the point in the need  for transparency.

Second, timing matters. Future proposals must avoid the misstep of competing with other high-cost measures. They must stand alone, giving voters the time and space to fully consider their merits without distraction. And smaller, more targeted asks (such as  a levy focused solely on the library or parks) could resonate more effectively, allowing voters to prioritize the services they value most. Both these concerns were raised by members of the council this year, so  they have the knowledge and expertise to execute  this correctly in future plans.

But most importantly, we must rebuild trust. This requires more than just better proposals; it requires a fundamental shift in how the city engages with its residents. Leaders must listen to the concerns of the people they serve and work alongside them to craft  solutions that reflect shared values and priorities. When voters feel like partners in the process, they are far more likely to support the outcome.

The failure of this levy is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of a new chapter, one that demands we do better – by our services, by our city, and by each other. The library, museum, and parks are worth  fighting for, but they deserve a fight waged with integrity, transparency, and a commitment to long-term success. Let this be a moment we learn from our mistakes, and move forward together. ▪

EDITORIAL: Reasons offered for the recent school bond failure

Royal Johnson objected to the school bond on the basis of its cost and the lack of specific description. Along with several others, he mounted an informational campaign. As a former Monmouth city councilor and a member of the school district's budget committee, he is familiar with monetary issues affecting the public. He agreed to describe why he thought the recent school bond failed -- and by a wide margin.  --TN


By Royal Johnson
Guest Editorial, Trammart News Service

The Central School District bond proposal failed not because voters don’t care enough about kids to support a tax increase but because the tax increase was too high. Add that it didn’t specifically list the improvements to schools.

I don’t think it should come as a shock that the bond didn’t pass. 

The cost of the bond would have hit taxpayers with a significant increase – a really tough one for those on fixed incomes and families already struggling.

I always wonder how much the loss of public trust contributed to the no votes.

I don’t know how many residents were surprised to see the bond defeated, but it lost by quite a margin – more than 1,000 votes out of nearly 10,600. Now, that bears some real consideration because the district probably will come for another vote, possibly this May. 

My hope is that they would see a way to do things differently the next time around.

Before the ballots went out, I’d said the bond should be smaller in both scope and monetary amount, with definite goals, including that the revenue generated be applied to clearly identified infrastructure demands. I say “clearly identified” because I don’t think they ever were, except in general terms.

Fixing leaky roofs and other areas that need immediate attention for the comfortable, safe education of children is something that needs to be done.

But the bond was supposed to help build a new elementary school. Well, we never received much detail on that either. What kind of support would be expected when no one seems aware of where the school would actually be built or of the design plans for it?

Though the district stated that, if the tax bill passes, it would increase the cost by only 6 cents per 1,000 of assessed value over what property owners paid in 2023-2024, that was the year of the "tax surprise" that caused an unexpected tax increase to $3.70 per $1,000 assessed value. 
This year's tax bill was $1.88 per $1,000 assessed value because of the reduction imposed by the Central School District’s budget committee, which followed the public reaction a year ago. But that was only for this year.

Despite that, the district promoted the bond by saying it would be only 6 cents more. However, that was only because the tax rate increase was based on a historic high – not the amount this year or the amount paid in many previous years. So, it would be $3.75 per $1,000 assessed value. That is a lot of money. I don’t think people will want to pay that.

There are many young people who know this could increase their rents. There are older people, in the age range of 50 years or so, who have moved here and don’t have children in school. There are retired people who are trying to watch their dollars and spending.

The school district, the school board, and the school budget committee all would be wise to consider these groups. They are a big part of the local population. ▪


Good news for the community: a trolley, the wall, a sports field upgrade

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
  
Independence is the only Oregon city on the 2025 tour of the replica of the Vietnam War Memorial. The MI Trolley is on track for new revenue. Building begins for a special Central High School outdoor upgrade.


The MI Trolley is poised to receive much-needed money to keep it rolling. Continued financing for the trolley has been a worry as the New Year ticks closer. But, as 2024 comes to an end, funding for the cable-car lookalike buses is being recommended by Cherriots and the State Transportation Improvement Fund Advisory Board. 

At a public forum this past Monday night with state Sen. Deb Patterson and Rep. Paul Evans, Monmouth City Manager Rochelle Roaden shared her optimism that $1.1 million will be made available to cover the operational costs for the coming year. However, it’s not expected to be officially allocated until the Oregon Department of Transportation makes that announcement in March.

Independence and Monmouth are working on an intergovernmental agreement to set up a “Trolley Commission Board,” which will work to ensure  funding and operations for the MI Trolley into the future, said Sabra Jewell, communications director for Monmouth.

The City of Monmouth is the fiduciary for the trolley.  

Improvements in safety and function are only a few months away for Central High School’s turf and track. A community group, including families and coaches, proposed the plan this past spring. 

The committed band of volunteers collected information showing both the need for the refurbishment and the plausibility of cost-effective replacement. One of the organizers, Independence resident Shannon Ball, advocated for the undertaking at school board meetings, flanked by other parents. 

Tapping into money from a special capital-improvement fund, the school district has moved forward to replace these aging on-field facilities, according to a news release from Emily Mentzer, communications coordinator for the district. 

Eli Cirino, head coach for track and field at CHS, called the upgrade a high-impact project. He thanked everyone for getting it “off the ground,” and issued a special shout-out to Ball for her leadership.  

A three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is coming to Independence. The riverside city is the only place in Oregon that will host what’s now known as “The Wall That Heals,” along with a mobile Education Center about the wall and the war. 

Veterans of Polk County, particularly American Legion Post 33 and its commander Billy Whisenant, deserve high praise for their efforts to clinch a highly competitive spot on the memorial’s traveling itinerary, according to Craig Pope, chair of the Polk County Board of Commissioners. The group’s proposal was supported in a show of unanimous support by commissioners a few months ago.

At the county commission meeting, Polk County Veteran Services Officer Eric Enderle observed that Whisenant and others of AL Post 33 worked tirelessly to bring the memorial to Independence,

The wall will open in the Independence Sports Park, to the north of Riverview Park on Sept. 18, 2025 and close three days later as part of a tour to more than 30 cities across the nation. The wall lists the names of more than 58,000 men and women who died in service during the Vietnam War.

It’s going to be free of charge and arrives this coming September according to a news release by the City of Independence. ▪

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online, November 15, 2024]]>Fri, 15 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-november-15-2024Councilor Sarah Jobe receives Trammart News' "Golden Lark Award" for ensuring city debt transparency

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service


City Councilor Sarah Jobe was awarded Trammart News’ “Golden Lark Award” Tuesday for bringing to public light  a nearly $3.9 million loan that she and other councilors were asked to approve from 2017, for which no record of authorization could be provided or reason for the money to be taken from the General Fund and placed in Urban Renewal.

The Golden Lark Award is bestowed on individuals who have received a swell of public support for an action they have taken in civic service. Jobe, who didn’t seek re-election this year, was repeatedly mentioned during the recent city council campaign by residents who called her a loss to the city for her watchfulness over city finances.

In perhaps the most public display of that, Jobe refused to support a loan of unknown origin. “I don’t know what this $3.9 million was for,” Jobe told City Manager Kenna West nearly a year ago, before casting a “no” vote on a resolution transforming it into an official loan. City Councilor Dawn Roden also voted no on the proposal.

The sum was a transfer out of the General Fund to the Urban Renewal account eight years ago, explained Rob Moody, the city’s finance director.

A hunt for the past city council action approving this transfer-turned-loan had yielded nothing in the city records, which were searched by City Recorder Karin Johnson.

The new action was described as “housekeeping” by City Manager West, who explained it was done to create a current "trail” for the money. West explained that the finance department was short-staffed and unable to easily research the issue.

“Every time I’ve asked a question, I have been repeatedly been advised that the finance department is understaffed,” Jobe told West during the city council meeting in which the issue arose. “I feel questions are valid and should not be discouraged with this type of warning,” she added.

Jobe also expressed doubts about other financial aspects of the city. In a statement she read last December, she also cited a mistaken representation of city debt that attributed more than $18 million – half of the city debt – to Minet. After noticing the debt for the Independence Civic Center was missing from a previous, debt-listing document, Jobe asked that it be revised to include debt for the Independence Civic Center.

An error had been made – the debt owed by Minet was about $8.4 million – it eventually was corrected. The debt for the Civic Center – the building containing city hall, the police department and the event center – was then included, for about $10.8 million.

Prompted by Jobe’s impassioned plea to learn where the $3.9 million originated, Trammart News sought an answer. Assisted by Stanford University’s Big Local News program, the matching amount was found this past summer by researcher Jonas Pao. The debt was incurred for construction of the Independence Civic Center, according to the Urban Renewal Agency notes accompanying the basic financial statements in 2023.

Mayor John McArdle, City Council President Marilyn Morton and City Manager Kenna West, as well as communications director Emmanuel Goicochea, all have been asked to respond to this finding. None has replied thus far.

Trammart News has informed these city officials that the figure of $15 million as a cost for the Independence Civic Center will be used in future references – unless a clarifying reply is received from the mayor, the council president, the city manager or the communications director.

The Golden Lark Award is a cash award, with $500 evenly divided to a recipient and the charity of their choice. Jobe was given the award at the most recent Independence City Council meeting.

The Golden Lark Award was established by Trammart News in  2016. It has been given three times previously. The nomination process  is by popular support for actions taken by an individual that made a  significant difference in the lives of those in the community. Prior  recipients are Ed Propst, for positive transformation of band and  symphony musicality at Central High School; Karin Johnson, for remarkable and trusted service as city recorder for Independence; Megan  Watkins Smith, for providing outstanding leadership as a role model and cheer  coach at Central High School. 

(Note:  Sarah Jobe leaves the city council at the end of December. On Dec. 2,  the recent vote for three seats is scheduled to be certified by the Polk  County Clerk.) ▪

City asked to consider revising system development charges to make housing more affordable


By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

Less than a year after the Independence City Council approved building fees that were reported to be the highest in Oregon, a consulting firm hired by the city suggested that reducing them could help meet affordable housing goals.

The fees had been protested by local builders, including Dalke Construction, which stopped work on the Brandy Meadows subdivision. The Home Builders Association of Marion & Polk Counties called the increases “massive” and attributed their rise to the need for a new water treatment plant in order to draw water from the Willamette River.

City officials have acknowledged a need to raise revenue for the water-treatment facility. The land for it currently is in litigation as the result of an eminent-domain action by the city.

The option to lower the building fees was offered during a work session Tuesday on housing production strategies – an effort required by state rule to demonstrate how the city plans to promote the creation of housing to meet future needs.

Members of the city council and planning commission attended the session, which was held prior to the city council meeting on Tuesday.

A recent analysis of building within the city shows that housing construction all but shut down after Independence enacted building fees of about $54,000 per home unit. In contrast, those for Silverton are $24,000; for Dallas, about $20,000; and for Lebanon, just over $19,000.

Lowering these fees, which are called system development charges, appeared to be one of the highest-priority actions that could be undertaken to increase housing production, according to the consultant, Cascadia Partners of Portland.

“This is a plan to take a look at plans,” commented Mayor John McArdle, noting that there are several alternatives.

Two other potential strategies also were considered “high impact” by the consulting team.

One would utilize a multi-unit property tax exemption that would allow higher-rise buildings to forego city taxes or have them reduced for a number of years; The other recommendation called for declaring a new Urban Renewal Area that could possibly allow higher-density housing, less parking space requirements, smaller lots and more development of accessory dwelling units. 

A final report for helping the city reach the best housing production method is scheduled to be published in early 2025 for review and possible adoption. ▪

Planning for parks that don't follow the plans. An Editorial by Trammart News

By Anne Scheck, Trammart News Editorial
Trammart News Service


Last night, an open house on the Parks Master Plan was held to determine public preferences in the years ahead for green spaces and recreational sites.

It’s a wonderful way to receive residential input. But just how definite is it?

I’m asking myself this question due to a recent visit to Sunset Meadows Park, the linear park in Southwest Independence that for years was promised a nature-oriented playground so inclusive that children with mobility difficulties could use it. 

This past month, the neighborhood rightly seemed excited about completion of the new construction of it – a swing set, a slide, a climbing structure of logs. However, to me, the difference between what was planned and what eventually was built proved somewhat jarring.

Years ago, I’d attended an open house for residents who wanted to pitch in and select the play-area components for Sunset Meadows. That gathering was not unlike the one on the parks master plan last night. But the document that was produced based upon those early Sunset Meadows’ preferences was nothing like the result.

Sunset Meadows Park initially was planned to have a climbing net, a log crawl, stepping logs, a balance beam, a play canoe, a basalt crawl and a small swing set with an ADA-accessible swing. In short, the playground was designed to be accessible to all children, as a hub for families with a child that needed that kind of playground.

“There is a lot of support in the community to get this park and playground up and running as there are no other playgrounds or all-accessible playground equipment nearby,” was the observation in one of the city’s grant applications for developing the park.

Last year, at a meeting of the Independence Park Board, which is made up of community volunteers, Public Works Director Gerald Fisher was asked to share with that group the plans for Sunset Meadows Park going forward, plans that eventually were awarded to the only bidder for the project.

Fisher pointed out that the planning was well established, with the bidding process underway.

A news release about this special park can still be found on the city’s website, dated in 2022. 
“The city conducted a survey in 2019 that allowed the community to weigh in on the final designs of the park,” according to the statement.

In fact, I was on hand in 2019 when those residents met and made their wishes known.

Today, there is no ADA-accessible swing at Sunset Meadows Park and, just as some parents have noted, one section has a row of jagged rocks. Also missing is the canoe to help prompt recollection of the original land dwellers, Native Americans.

Asked to comment several times, City Communications Director Emmanuel Goicochea failed to respond to the comparison between the original plan and the current Sunset Meadows Park.

So, how much weight will residents have with the Parks Master Plan currently being offered for public comment? Time will tell. ▪

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online, November 8, 2024]]>Fri, 08 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-november-8-2024Concept for a community center questioned by Polk County Board of Commissioners

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service


The concept of a recreation center to serve as a community hub for Independence and Monmouth was presented to the Polk County Board of Commissioners by top administrators from Independence and the YMCA Tuesday – but questions immediately arose over the lack of a guarantee that the Independence pool would be replaced and whether existing services would be duplicated. 


“The pool is a big deal,” said Commission Chair Craig Pope, who stressed that the pool seemed to be listed only as an option. The other two commissioners – Jeremy Gordon and Lyle Mordhorst – expressed support while issuing similar notes of caution.


“I want to make sure this is strategic,” Gordon said, adding that duplication of services should be avoided. 


Recent history has shown that The GATE, for example, is successfully providing services for students, as well as venue space for luncheons and meetings, according to observers of the presentation. 


Mordhorst warned that, given the competition for non-profit dollars, funding will be a challenge. “There is only so much,” he pointed out. 


The presentation was given by Shawn Irvine, economic development director for the City of Independence, and Tim Sinatra, CEO of the Family YMCA of  Marion and Polk Counties. Both called the pool a priority; Both explained that, thus far, the grant-funded meetings have involved 50 partners and dozens of organizations, from the Community Services Consortium at the Henry Hill Building in Independence to the Salem-based Willamette Health Council. 


The “hub” could house facilities ranging from a gymnasium to a childcare center, with offerings for kids, teens and seniors. However, “at this point there are no plans at all,” Sinatra explained in a follow-up email to Trammart News. So far, it’s “just feedback from the community assessment strategy sessions.” 


The presentation was given on the same day that “no” votes began significantly outpacing affirmative ones on two closely watched community-service measures: a bond by Central School District for school infrastructure improvements and a levy to finance Independence’s parks, museum and library. Both proposals were defeated by relatively wide margins. 


Could that reaction mean a community center might suffer the same fate if voter-approved money is needed for the proposed hub’s operational costs? This question was asked on Wednesday of individuals ranging from those using services at the Polk County Courthouse to a customer of a coffee shop in downtown Monmouth by Trammart News. 


Responses seemed to show, among some, declining faith in public officials to apply tax money wisely. Several homeowners said they are so financially squeezed that they cannot afford a property tax increase – though both school repairs and library access were considered tax-worthy by some respondents.


Those who voted no on the Central School Bond cited an unexpected tax hike a year ago, for which then-school board chair, Donn Wahl, later apologized – then successfully pushed for retracting it. But, though the admission of the mistake was mentioned, one resident called the action a breach of trust that wasn’t easily forgotten. Similarly, Independence’s no vote on the levy seemed to have occurred for the same reason. 


For example, one resident alleged that the city used a “bait and switch” tactic on a recent project, Sunset Meadows Park, that made him suspicious of future efforts. “That park (playground) was supposed to be equipped for handicap access and look at it,” he said. (Trammart News will address changes to the original park plans in an editorial this coming week.) 


Others felt that combining the library and museum was done to garner monetary support for the museum along with the library – several said they would support a library levy only. And parks were seen as able to be maintained without the levy, despite reports by the public works director that they would be padlocked, shut down or allowed to go “feral.” 


In a statement released by Independence, the city acknowledged that now the town “faces important decisions about the future of these departments, which remain funded through 
June 30, 2025.” 


“City leadership will develop options for how to proceed. Our commitment now, as always, is to ensure we’ve thoroughly explored every option and make the decision as transparently as possible,” according to the news release. 


At Central School District, Communications Coordinator Emily Mentzer, provided this statement: "We're disappointed that the bond didn't pass and will work together with the community to figure out the next steps," said Susan Graham, vice chair of the Central School Board. "Our students and our community need safer schools with  appropriate spaces for learning and career and technical training. We  have work to do to figure out how we can get that done. We owe that to  our community."

(Disclosure: the author of this article is a member of the YMCA) ▪

A teacher chronicles the value of outdoor school and calls for enabling more schools to participate

By Nathan  Muti 
Guest Editorial


A small group of my fifth graders sit, heads bent, writing quickly as the guest teacher continues to talk about the digestive system of horses. A hand shoots into the air and a question is answered. The strong smells and swarm of flies don’t seem to be distracting anyone. We are witnessing some of the finest fifth grade learning, but we are not in the classroom. We are in the middle of a horse barn.


This is outdoor school.


A little farther down the gravel road surrounded on all sides by lush Oregon forest is another group of students learning about macroinvertebrates. No writing here. Instead, rubber boots and nets are in hand as students carefully wade through the stream searching for underwater organisms. I watch from the bridge above as a crowd gathers around a five-gallon bucket. Everyone waits as one student turns out the contents of their net and the crowd cranes to identify the moving bits. Off to the right, one student reaches out to another providing a stable arm as they both work their way back to the group. Not only are they learning to care for our environment, they are practicing to care for each other.


In another part of camp, another group of students is absorbed in a physics lesson. Potential and kinetic energy are on display in full force as bow strings are drawn and arrows whiz through the air. The smell of loam and fresh forest is made even more pungent by the slight precipitation falling around us. No rain reaches our heads as we are protected by a newly constructed shelter. Just one sign that this camp is doing well, thanks to the revenue from outdoor school groups like ours. Faces of intense concentration change quickly as an arrow sinks into the target down range. Another successful transfer of energy, another challenge completed.


Later on and a little farther down that gravel road, hoots and hollers can be heard coming from high up and off to the left. A zipping sound announces that a student has decided to jump from the wooden platform 60 feet in amongst the trees. Cheers and clapping erupt from the others waiting below as one of their friends comes flying across the meadow suspended from a strong wire cable. Many are still sitting in anticipation of their turn to conquer fears of traveling down the camp’s impressive zipline.


As I travel from one class to another, I keep smiling because more than just learning is taking place. Our students are growing. You see, this isn’t just a regular field trip. We are going to be here for the next three days. That means overnight. In cabins. Away from home. On this trip, all of our students will overcome a variety of challenges and have many new experiences.


Sometime later into the evening all 77 fifth graders, 43 adults, and a dozen or so camp staff are seated at tables, passing food around, eating, and sharing stories from a long day spent in the woods. The food is homemade and plentiful and the line to the salad bar is steady. I laugh loudly when I realize how many of the students sitting at my table have never had cornbread before. It’s made even funnier because our reading unit back at school is nearly all about corn. Just another delicious new experience here at outdoor school. The smiles, the stories, the laughs say it all: this is an amazing experience.


As proud as I am of our students and their growth at camp, I’m even more proud of us Oregonians because we made this outdoor school possible. Eight years ago, we voted Ballot Measure 99 into law which provided funding so that every Oregon student would have an opportunity for an outdoor learning experience. It’s not often when we can look back on the results of our voting and agree across the board that we did something right. Outdoor school is one of those things: We got this right.


I zip myself into my sleeping bag at night, knowing that for many of my students they still have one last challenge today: spending the night away from home. And for many this is the time when they grow the most. They are at that age when independence and self-reliance is an idea that will begin to grow, and the lessons they learn now will shape who they become in the future. After an exhausting day of exquisite experiences I rest easy knowing our students got what they needed to grow: engaging learning, good food, challenges, laughter, friendship, and a safe place to sleep. And as a teacher I can’t think of a sweeter day; cornbread included.


However, outdoor school isn’t so sweet for everyone. My school is the only one in our district that has the option of going overnight. Even with a powerhouse funding source independent from our district’s budget, dedicated and passionate teachers, and a large number of parents willing to chaperone, my teaching partners and I were constantly facing the threat of having to cancel outdoor school because of the restrictive supervision standards set by our district’s superintendent. These restrictions have only increased steadily over the last three years without explanation. With all the support and momentum offered by the community, the district leadership is quick to suggest canceling overnight outdoor school as a solution to this problem.


I am energized by this opportunity for our community, and choose to look towards the future and how we can expand the outdoor school experience. I dream of incorporating our high school students as counselors, creating an equitable cycle of outdoor school experiences for our community between elementary, high school, and chaperones. Schools will no longer be limited because of a lack of available parent chaperones, or be held to unsupported supervision standards. Outdoor school is just too good of a thing to keep to ourselves. ▪

Operation Green Light and stories to honor Veterans Day

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
    
The green glow of some government buildings for Operation Green Light this week – along with windows illuminated by a single green bulb – would certainly have met with favor by the first president of the United States, who was perhaps history’s finest soldier. 


George Washington loved green – a sign of growth throughout nature. In 1783, he told the Continental Congress that he was resigning his commission, to “take my leave” and return to Mt. Vernon. There, he had the dining room of his home painted in bright verdigris, a green hue that remains on the walls to this day. 


Although Operation Green Light, a nationwide action that ends on Veterans Day, relies on the same color, it doesn’t have anything to do with Washington’s preference for it. But, in keeping with America’s first commander-in-chief, an army general, it’s all about military service. 


Recently, recognition for military service was on display locally in other ways, too. A West Salem Navy veteran finally received the purple heart he earned in Vietnam; An Independence veteran donated coins made from a historic decommissioned ship; Members of American Legion Post 33 led an effort to bring The Wall, That Heals, a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to Independence – and now await the soon-to-be-announced outcome. 


A Purple Heart at long last. When Paul Duke’s sons learned several years ago that he had been wounded in Vietnam, they asked their dad to try to get the Purple Heart he never received. “I looked at the bureaucracy and thought ‘I am not up to this at all,’” he recalled. But, in 2018, he contacted Eric Enderle, Polk County’s veteran services officer, to see about it. 


The case did prove complicated. Duke was a hospital corpsman who was wounded during his service, along with three others. He took care of two of them – but he knew if he was evacuated as a casualty, he might never rejoin the Marine Corps Unit to which he attached. “And I really liked that unit,” he explained. 


After being discharged in 1966, Duke put the document identifying his war-related injury aside. For the past few years, Enderle has assisted him in navigating all the paperwork required, along with making the needed personnel contacts, and he finally was given the award. It was celebrated last week at the Polk County Board of Commissioners meeting. 


USS Independence coinage finds home here. When Vietnam Veteran Pat Henderson, who lives just outside Independence city limits, learned that the USS Independence, an aircraft carrier, was being dismantled in Texas after being towed from Washington State, he took advantage of an opportunity to buy pieces of it to donate to special places in town. 


Two coins made from the brass on the ship have already been bestowed. One went to the US Post Office, the other was given to the Independence Heritage Museum. And another one is destined for the Independence Library, Henderson said. 


The USS Independence, a Navy aircraft carrier commissioned in 1959, was taken out of active service in 1998, according to a historical description of it.  It reportedly played a major role in the Kennedy blockade during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.  And, of course, it is a namesake match of Henderson’s hometown. 


Working for remembrance while waiting. For decades, Independence residents Steve and Martha Russell have been placing flags at both Hilltop and Buena Vista cemeteries in remembrance of the veterans there. They are, by now, so familiar with the graves that they can easily spot those that go back to the Civil War. Both a Civil War surgeon and a Daughter of the American Revolution are buried at Buena Vista. Russell, an active member of AL Post 33, is hopeful that  this next year the pair will be able to visit a local, temporary site for The Wall That Heals. 


So does Billy Whisenant, the commander of Post AL 33, who has been a tireless advocate to bring it to town. Whisenant is known, in part, for sharing his writings about Vietnam – and poetry. “We fought, we died, we paid more than anyone should have to pay so you can stand in a free country and speak words that are popular to say” is an example. 


His way with words doesn’t end there. As Veterans Day approaches, he advises using phrases that include expressions of appreciation – not greetings wishing someone a good Veterans Day. “Thank you on this Veterans Day” or an acknowledgment that veterans are still preserving our freedoms on Veterans Day are two of his recommendations. 


Veteran Services Officer Enderle offered a suggestion, too. Operation Green Light has given out emerald-colored light bulbs, but they don’t need to have a onetime use. “This is the week leading up to Veterans Day but feel free to shine that light the rest of the year,” he said. 


What to say to a veteran on Veterans Day, Nov. 11? A helpful advisory is here: https://www.responsefully.com/home/what-to-say-instead-of-happy-veterans-day  ▪

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online November 1, 2024]]>Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-november-1-2024Vidal Pena's life-changing journey

By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service, November 1, 2024


Few Independence residents are more visible members of the community than Vidal Pena. The ultra volunteer is a long-time coach for Panther Kids Wrestling, and long-time emcee for the River’s Edge Concert Series.

Pena acts with Arts Integrated Ministry, drums with the Monmouth Christian Church’s musical ministry and dances with Dance & Fitness Studio of Monmouth.

In addition, he is a former Central School District board member and the 2023 Community Member of the Year, as selected by the Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce.

“One of the great things about getting that award is that my mom (Elena) got the same award in 1997,” Pena said of the chamber recognition. “So, we’re like the first two-generation family that has ever received it.”

Elena Pena is well respected for her work in immigration, specializing in helping those with papers get naturalized. She was parish secretary at St. Patrick’s Church for 25 years and founded the Community Fiesta, he added.

Raul Pena, his father, was reportedly the first Chicano student at the Oregon College of Education to make the Who’s Who list. Raul later worked at the Department of Human Services.

So helping others comes naturally to Pena; it’s part of his DNA. But helping himself proved to be a greater challenge. But once he found the key, he unlocked a life-altering change: It’s been more than two years since Pena last “took a sip of alcohol,” making this the longest stretch of continuous sobriety he’s known in some 40 years.

Not that he drank straight through four decades. There were stretches of sobriety. But they didn’t last. That changed when threatened with losing partner Brandy O’Bannon and other loved ones, coupled with his decision to place his fate in God’s hands.

“My relationships were definitely in jeopardy. Not just with Brandy, but with my son, my family,” Pena said. “But I can’t emphasize enough how putting my faith first has helped every other aspect of my life. That, and having a good woman at my side.”

God provided him with clarity.

“The big difference these last two years is just making sure that I’m taking care of me first by making sure to keep God first,” he added.

God also provided Pena with the strength to “end a lot of things I used to do that would open doors for me to get back into drinking. Going to certain places, talking to certain people. But the biggest thing was just believing I needed to fix myself before I could be of service to anybody else.”

O’Bannon and Pena have been together for seven years. Long enough for her to become well acquainted with the dark times.

“I’ve been present for every stage of Vidal’s recovery, from attending church with him, to attending Celebrate Recovery meetings, to visiting him in rehab and in the hospital, to being a part of family groups in outpatient therapies,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot about him and me, along the way.”

Pena was open about his alcoholism from the beginning of their relationship.

“Vidal has always been honest with me and everyone, about his past. So I knew that he had a history with alcohol from our first date,” she said. “I didn’t know in those early days how serious his addiction was and how … he was still actively battling a life-threatening substance abuse disorder.”

Pena never drank around O’Bannon.

“Vidal thought he could hide it from me, or from others, but it was always very apparent. I would know he was on a binge when he started making excuses about him being too busy to meet, or when he would quit answering texts and phone calls,” O’Bannon said.

Pena shares his story with others facing similar struggles, so they know recovery is possible.

“I’m straight up honest with where I have been,” he said. “Especially when I’m talking to people that I’m trying to help with their alcoholism. Letting them know that I don’t have all the answers. I’ve only been sober, 100 percent sober, a little over 2 1/2 years. But I give them ways that I’ve done it.”

The story Pena shares begins when he was 14.

“I was a freshman in high school the first time I got drunk. It was beer. I knew I liked beer the first time I tried it,” he said. “I drank with friends. There were parties. That’s what got me started on alcohol.”

Early on, others enjoyed being around him when he was drinking. He was, as they say, the life of the party.

“There was a time when it was fun for me to show up to places,” he said. “People loved it when I’d show up. It was like, here he comes, fun-time party bro.”

But then the fun times stopped.

“It reached a point where people regretted when I’d come, because it was just a matter of time before I passed out puking, or causing arguments because I’d want to drive somewhere and nobody would let me,” he said.

His friends had reason to worry. Pena lost his driver’s license following two alcohol-fueled accidents within six months of each other. His blood alcohol content topped out at .53 percent, or almost seven times the legal limit in Oregon, when tested at one accident site.

While in the hospital, “I remember doctors pointing me out like I was a zoo exhibit. Saying this guy’s liver is processing so much alcohol that he’s able to stand and function when other people would be dead,” Pena said. “My blood was more than 50 percent alcohol.”

Attempts were made to quit. Three times Pena entered rehabilitation programs. Three times his sobriety didn’t last following discharge.

“I got out of rehab (that first time) and didn’t drink for about a year and a half. Then I started drinking again. I thought I was cured because I went to rehab and I could, you know, control the drink. And I could control it. For one day. But the next day, I had to drink all day, and I had to drink the next day, and had to drink the next day,” he said.

“Then when I tried to sober up, I’d get really really sick, shakes and dry heaves. Detoxing was not fun.”

Only Pena’s inner circle knew of his inner demon.

“My parents, partner, son and a few close friends knew,” he said. “But I hid it from everybody else. Or I thought that I did. Some other people knew. People who had the same problem. They’re like, well, we haven’t seen you for a couple of weeks. We figured you weren’t doing well.”

Pena and Ed Propst, who teaches music at Central High, are longtime friends. They met in 2006, when Propst’s band played at Lenora’s Ghost in Independence. Pena was the bartender and host.

Despite their closeness, Propst was one of those unaware as to the extent of Pena’s drinking. Probst has seen Pena’s journey firsthand. His faith in his friend remained strong.

“I never gave up on Vidal….Through his friendship and example, myself and our mutual friends really cut back on alcohol and some of us stopped completely,” he added. “He just showed us what strength looked like….I am unbelievably proud of Vidal.”

By placing himself first, Pena is better positioned to help others.

“I can’t save the world. But I can change my world. And in that way, I can help influence other people to be better,” he added. “And, that in turn, will eventually change our part of the world."

(Got questions about addiction? Contact the hotline at 1-844-289-0879 for more information. Donations to Panther Kids Wrestling can be made online at https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/7108af3c-2586-429a-adae-07ccbd2cd078, or at Umpqua Bank in Independence, under account “PKW.” ) 

Former Independence City Manager David Clyne recommends creation of parks and recreation district

By David Clyne 

Guest Editorial

I have been asked to write an editorial regarding a topic near and dear to my heart; parks, trails and recreation. As I write this, the outcome of the City of Independence levy election remains uncertain, but it bears little on where I want to take this discussion.  For 8½ years, I served as City Manager for Independence until December 2018. This City, my home, was the capstone of a 40-year career and ultimately the most dynamic of all the 12 cities I served both in my active career and in retirement.

I was very proud of my role in helping to create a balanced city that provided great services, was an economic powerhouse, became an attractive destination community; and all within a lean budget that had a high-end growth potential from the quality development work we encouraged. As an attorney, I understood risk management and as a city manager, I understood what risks to assume.

One of the most important elements of the Independence story was our ability to create and maintain outdoor spaces for our community. We did that as a unique collaboration of our residents, our volunteers, our staff, our leadership, and the infusion of outside capital from both our public and private partners. The result of that collaboration was national recognition as an All America City award winner in 2014.

Fast forward five years to this instance and it becomes abundantly clear that the focus has changed. When before, the City balanced all its needs to assure everyone was focused on all the community needs, now the infrastructure and public safety have become the “essential” services and all else “non-essential.” 

From this sea change of financial management came today’s financial crisis. The City’s solution is the levy. Win or lose, it is clear that the City no longer will put these “non-essential” services alongside all else as “essential.” That is fine, but to me there must be a different approach if we are to provide meaningful quality of life opportunities to our residents, visitors, and the future generations that will be raised or come here. 

A great city needs great outdoor spaces. Imagine New York without Central Park, San Francisco without Golden Gate Park, Paris without the River Seine. The list is endless and each and every case, great cities are part and parcel of the best in the outdoors and greenways they have to offer. Not one great city takes pride in its great sewer plant or even its great police force.

Independence is in my opinion a great city because of its access to so much of the outdoors woven into the fabric of its urban landscape. That has to be of central importance but sadly it is no longer so.

So how do we rescue the parks, the walking spaces, the access to one of the great rivers of the West, the Willamette? How do we invigorate those spaces with a human presence that is designed to love and care for it through complementary recreational opportunities?

I think the time has come for both communities, Monmouth and Independence, to look at its green spaces as unique services that deserve their own unique attention and governance. I would ask that the leadership of both communities consider the possible creation of a park and recreation district whose sole mission would be the improvement, maintenance and activity generation of our respective parks and trails.

I would ask the peoples of Independence and Monmouth to approach your respective Councils and Councilors with this request to immediately fund a feasibility study of a two-city park and recreation district (similar to Central Schools and Polk Fire #1).

Who knows, if such a district were to be created, perhaps even the dream of a community wide recreation center and swimming facility would also be a possible reality. Only with the focus that a stand-alone park and recreation district can bring, can we rest assured that our green spaces will never again be deemed “non-essential.” ▪

A special place of historic significance -- Hilltop Cemetery

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, November 1, 2024


A hillcrest in Independence considered to have the most “pulchritudinous” view in Polk County is the final resting place for residents who are likely to have used that term. Pulchritude was a common word for beauty in the mid-1800s.

In 1849, land was set aside for a burial ground there – today’s Hilltop Cemetery, now a designated historic site in the Willamette Valley.

As the small ghosts, ghouls and monsters of yesterday’s Halloween put away their costumes and some in town get ready for the “Day of the Dead” this weekend, it seemed an appropriate time to examine one of the most scenic graveyards in Oregon – so picturesque, in fact, that it’s featured in state publications.

This cemetery includes the grave of Hugh McNary Waller, a circuit rider clergyman in the Willamette Valley in the 1840s who is said to have baptized 7,000 people; Members of the Suver family, who are credited with founding a settlement still identified as the Suver neighborhood in eastern Polk County; A centenarian named Willis Elliott who lived to be 101 years old. His life began in the late 1700s and ended in the early 1900s, making him regionally famous for having straddled three different centuries.

Hilltop Cemetery is historic for other reasons, as well. It sits near land that became the first pottery-production works in the Pacific Northwest, according to county archives. It is said to be regarded by the Kalapuyans, who once lived around it, as a place where earth touched the sky.

The area is believed to have been chosen for the same reason many cemeteries are placed on hills: better protection from flooding with natural drainage in wet weather. But, as the Native American observation suggests, it seems to offer spiritual solace due to the elevated location – the spread of daytime sky above and dark nights with a starry heaven.

Such points make “Hilltop” a typical cemetery name, as well as a commonly selected site in many places. For example, in both of Oregon’s neighboring West Coast states, there’s a Hilltop Cemetery in Elk Grove CA and two in the town of Hilltop WA.

Though Independence’s Hilltop Cemetery has an address that reflects the town and is technically in Polk County, it is an entirely separate entity – the cemetery has its own taxing district and board of directors, explained Polk County Administrator Greg Hansen.

On a recent day, numerous plots and gave sites were covered in flowers. “This is a place of many graves, and some are recent,” explained one woman who was clutching a spray of roses. She added that loss isn’t overcome by making visits but having a place to return provides some comfort amid grief.

Hilltop Cemetery has seen more than its share of mourners. In 1904, a newspaper of the time showed brisk sales of a bottled “consumption” remedy. It apparently wasn’t as successful as it claimed to be.

The leading cause of death was consumption – a catch-all term for tuberculosis and respiratory infections caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi – representing different forms of pneumonia, according to the U.S. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on the period.

When the Oregon Board of Health issued its first biennial report in 1905, typhoid fever and malaria – known as fever-and-ague – also were listed as health threats for the region.

Today, Hilltop Cemetery is also known for its days of military service recognition, when members of Independence’s American Legion Post 33 plant small flags at graves of deceased veterans and erect large ones along the roadway that bisects the cemetery.

Youth crews from Independence’s Community Services Consortium, an alternative educational program at the Central School District’s Henry Hawk Building, have conducted clean-up and scrub-down efforts to help keep the cemetery grounds pristine.

Around the time that Hilltop Cemetery was first established, the author Charles Dickens proclaimed life itself to be “ever so many partings welded together.” There is no record that he was referring to cemeteries when he issued that famous statement. However, the tombstones and grave markers at Hilltop Cemetery all seem to signal the same significance, despite the fact that the engraved dates on them often are from completely different eras. ▪

(Information was based on state, county and city records at the University of Oregon Scholars' Bank.)

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online October 25, 2024]]>Fri, 25 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-october-25-2024Some recent city actions incite questions and draw criticism from some

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

Unexpected backlash arose over three recently completed city projects and they appear to illustrate the divide between how city officials and the residents they serve sometimes see undertakings. In an editorial essay, Trammart News looks at each, chronicling the difference in perceptions that seem to have surfaced.

A park proves less than crowd-pleasing …
The long-anticipated wait for Sunset Meadows Park is over, and it’s been greeted with a less-than-enthusiastic response by several residents.

On a crisp fall day this week, a visit to the park revealed that some neighbors were glad to see the broad paved walkway but disheartened by the play equipment. Worries ranged from swings too big and too high for tykes to small boulders that seemed to invite trekking but were considered by some to be too spiky for kids.

The steps to the slide were singled out, too – they appeared to be made of polished rock. A concerned resident wondered why they’d have a surface likely to remain slick after rain. The slide has a stair-free path on the other side.

That concerned resident was Jonathan Jay, chair of the city’s parks board, who toured the park with Trammart News.

In fact, the parks board never saw the plans for Sunset Meadows Park, despite a request to examine the proposal at one of their meetings. However, the preferences for it were shared years ago at a public open house, which was held at Inspiration Garden.

At a parks board meeting, Jay had suggested trees be placed alongside benches, so shade could eventually be provided on hot summer days. So far, trees are absent at the bench locations near the playgrounds.

Asked about his impression of the way the parks board contributed to this effort and other projects, Jay acknowledged some disappointment. “I'd like the Parks Commission to have more input to the City Council,” he stated.

City Councilor Dawn Roden went further. She registered sympathy with residents about the design and structure of the play area – and frustration with the process. Initially, Roden had balked at the half-million-dollar-plus price tag for the improvements. She opposed the plan. Eventually, grants reduced the city’s portion by about $140,000.

Roden said she’s on a quest to determine the actual cost breakdown of the expenditures.

One change seems obvious. The nature play area, in a previous plan, featured logs of timber with netting; It’s now a circle of connected wood beams.

This week there’s an official ribbon-cutting for the park. Several residents said they are looking forward to it – and happy to have a prettier place where once only vacant land existed by the rear yards of houses between Maple and Chestnut streets.

A parking study gets a dubious reception …
A parking study approved Tuesday by the city council found the number of parking spaces downtown are adequate to meet the demand – causing high anxiety among several Main Street occupants. How high?

Three floors up – that’s how high.

The city’s relatively new vertical zoning plan is predicted to be put into use soon, which incentivizes development of upper floors in downtown buildings for conversion into residences. The concept would likely put even more pressure on parking, which several merchants still see as a problem – and now one that could worsen.

Asked at the city council meeting how soon the first vertical-housing proposal might happen, City Planning Manager Fred Evander was non-committal about a timeline. However, city sources said a proposal is pending.

The outcome of the parking study – that there are ample spaces downtown – came as no surprise to many. These study results were revealed at a work session months ago.

Options presented by Portland-based Toole Design for improving the parking experience by downtown patrons include way-finding signage that would make public parking lots more easily identifiable for drivers, as well as safety improvements on downtown streets that would make walking pedestrian-friendly.

Last spring, visitors to downtown locations were randomly asked whether lack of parking was a deterrent. Many said parking by the river or the post office to go to Main Street wasn’t a factor in good weather, but rain made nearby parking more desirable.

Ryan Marquardt, a land use and transportation planner with the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, was at Tuesday’s city council meeting. He pointed out that Oregonians are accustomed to rain, observing that it might not be as influential as suggested.

However, Mitch Teal, co-owner of Brew Coffee and Tap House with his wife Cathy, said customers need convenient parking. “It only takes a couple of times for a customer to come through town and not find a parking place to give up trying to come downtown,” Teal said.

A crosswalk study raises alabaster questions …
When a crosswalk study showed 642 crossings occurred between the Central High School campus and The Gate, the popular youth community center, several who were aware of the outcome were happy to know the white walkway was clocking so much use.

Who knew that little walkway was being utilized so much? After all, some students just seemed to dash across the street to The Gate once traffic allowed them to do so.

As it turns out, the statistics came from a count conducted on a completely different white crosswalk – one that also led across Monmouth Street to The Gate (or, more precisely, by AutoZone).

It was confusing to some: The newly painted crosswalk seemed to disappear as fast as a summer hailstorm. The vanishing crosswalk, along with two others, was part of a demonstration project in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The mystery was solved during a meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission last week, when it became clear the faded-white crossing that remained was actually an ODOT creation from years ago.

If a new crosswalk is installed, ODOT will require the white-marked crossing to have a “refuge island,” according to Independence Police Chief Robert Mason. A refuge island is a small section of pavement, often an oval shape, that sits at the center of a crosswalk.

When it was later pointed out to Mason that there’s no refuge island on the current white ODOT crosswalk, he said he’d noticed the same thing. “Ironic, isn’t it,” he commented during a break at this week’s city council meeting.

The aim of the data collected was to demonstrate how additional crossings could assist pedestrians. However, no one who was asked seems to know the fate of the current white crosswalk – that is, whether it’s destined to receive a refuge island, as ODOT apparently has mandated. ▪

School district misses out on urban renewal district property tax revenue

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

The Independence Urban Renewal District, the section that the city has carved out for redevelopment, produced well over a million dollars in taxes this past year – and $404,000 is attributed from the Central School District. But under a state program that allows cities to separate land for urban development, CSD will forego that amount.

“If it wasn’t for the Urban Renewal District that would go back to the schools,” confirmed Polk County Assessor Valerie Patoine. Urban Renewal Districts are formed by cities and used to improve the economic viability of specified areas. At their creation, the assessed value of the identified area is “frozen,” she explained.

The taxing districts, including CSD, continue to collect revenue from the frozen “base value” but all of the excess value – the change in value from redevelopment – is shifted back into the coffers of the Urban Renewal District.

For years, this special provision for keeping these taxes in urban renewal districts wasn’t seen as shortchanging school districts – school funding is derived through formulas that were thought to compensate for it. For example, a critically important component of school funding has long been considered to be state funding derived on a per-pupil basis, estimated to be about $11,000 per student, and potentially higher.

But the post-covid period caused a sea change, slashing the daily student population – chronic absenteeism began occurring, according to reports from across Oregon. “Low rates of attendance – high rates of absenteeism – reduced the number of pupils we get credited for,” said Emily Mentzer, communications director for CSD. That number, part of the formula used to compute “average daily membership,” impacts state allocations of money to the district.

Though no one from CSD has weighed in on urban renewal taxes going to Independence, a news release issued by Polk County showing this year’s tax information prompted some public discussion. Independence was listed as topping its neighboring cities with the highest tax revenue from urban renewal: $1,162,643.

In contrast, Dallas is collecting $336,093 from its urban renewal district; Monmouth, $958,542.

In general, the swath of Independence that comprises the Urban Renewal District might have provided ample students to help boost those per-pupil counts. However, the three apartment buildings – Riverplace, Osprey Point and Independence Landing in the riverfront zone – aren’t attracting many families with school-aged children, a finding first reported a few years ago that appears to persist, affirmed Mentzer at a CSD town hall meeting this week, which was held on the school bond proposed for the November ballot.

Because property tax is the single largest source of revenue for local governments, taxes that are returned to urban renewal districts – instead of schools – have come under strong criticism in some academic studies. There is a risk of failing to prioritize public school education in the midst of growth-driven planning, according to Professor Christine Wen, of Texas A & M and Greg LeRoy, executive director of Washington DC-based Good Jobs First, which promotes government accountability.

California, the first state to adopt redevelopment programs like the one in Oregon, later abandoned the concept. Though most states allow urban renewal districts to form in the same way that’s permissible in Oregon, several allow school districts to “opt out” of returning the tax money arising from the additional value of redevelopment, including Pennsylvania and Utah.

It’s unclear the degree to which school districts in Oregon are affected by foregone taxes in the urban development districts – the state has complex equations for determining school funding. The process is so complex, in fact, that an OPB article on it last year – “Oregon school funding is complicated. We try to break it down” – ran for more than 2,100 words to explain the process, compared with the usual word count of 500-800 words for a news report.

It remains to be seen how school funding will fare long-term now that the Student Success Act is underway, which created a new tax on business sales five years ago, ushering in another revenue stream for schools. And Gov. Tina Kotek has pledged to find ways to provide more school revenue in the near future. ▪

(The Independence communications director has declined comment on inquiries about the urban renewal district in the recent past, but a new effort will be undertaken to obtain current information – a $3.9 million debt was recently attributed to the urban renewal district. The amount of debt within the district now appears near the allowable limit.)

No sale of Melting Pot Candy, business to continue in Independence

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

Bonnie Andrews is getting a do-over at Melting Pot Candy that she didn’t want. However, this time around, the effort to open her downtown shop may be like her sought-after chocolate confections: smooth, sweet and charmingly familiar.

That’s because Andrews thought she was in the process of selling the store twice in recent years. Now she’s decided it’s time to dedicate herself to the business she loves.

So, she's starting again. Melting Pot Candy will be closed until early November. But when the doors open, the creations she's now regionally known for – the speckled and sparkling truffles, the old-fashioned chocolate-covered toffee – will return, as well.

Why is the shop shuttered? Andrews thought she had sold it to a new proprietor. A few thousand dollars of down payment changed hands, and Andrews was confident there was more to come.

Instead, the deal abruptly fell through, and she returned to find the place missing all of the product she had hand-crafted – along with many other items, too. "The refrigerator had been completely cleaned out," Andrews recalled.

The first time Andrews, who has been called a magician by fans of her baking skills, thought she’d sold Melting Pot Candy was when she took a young woman under her wing. After teaching her the art of candy and confection-making, the plan was to have her take over the operation.

But the woman lacked the needed support system. "You have got to have family support," Andrews said, pointing out that her son Preston serves as both cheerleader for her and a source of labor when needed. "She just didn't have that." Instead, the would-be new owner moved on.

The advice Andrews would give to entrepreneurs is simple to understand but hard to carry out. Be ready to live and breathe your business. If you think it is about being your own boss, think again. The customers are your boss, and you have got to meet their needs daily to succeed.

Andrews not only makes sure she has a wide selection in the store but a lot of choices for buyers at festivals, as well as filling routine orders from wineries like Willamette Valley Vineyards.

"I don't do this for the money," she said. "I do it for the joy."

Andrews always liked only one domestic pursuit: cooking. In a family that encouraged quilting and knitting, it was the stove and oven that always called to her. But was it really the preparation of food that she loved – or the result?

"I loved seeing people have something I made that they enjoyed," she explained. That tendency to create satisfying offerings for others' consumption never stopped. Six years ago, she became the town's chocolatier, with a shop full of sweetness ranging from hazelnut toffee made with dark chocolate to smoked sea salt caramel truffles.

For years, Andrews had worked as a supervisor in the administration of tribal gaming at a casino, but with money saved and feeling a deep need to answer her baking passion, she opened the store at C and Main streets.

That’s how the days of making truffles for neighbors during the holidays turned into a 72-hour week venture of keeping the display case full of hand-made chocolate truffles containing custom-designed ganaches and making sure bags of toffee were stocked on shelves.

The clientele who visit her storefront range in age from 25 to 75 years old. For some, it is a stop-by for a small indulgence; For others it’s to purchase a larger quantity, perhaps to provide a post-meal treat for dinner guests or for special gifts.

Meeting such a diverse demand takes more than energy – it is exhausting some weeks – but the real challenge now is the cost of her ingredients, she said.

For example, a bag of sugar that once cost $11 is now $20, forcing her to raise prices. "I struggle with that," she said. "I want to keep them as low as I can – this economy has been hard on all of us."

Andrews will continue doing it all, as she often does, completely by herself.

Good help is hard to find and relative costly, she said. The younger set likes to spend time on social media, with phones in hand, Andrews observed. "So it often just isn't worth it," she said. "It is something I know I can do, and though there is no easy way, I think I can do it for several more years." ▪

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online October 18, 2024]]>Fri, 18 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-october-18-2024PFAs -- "forever chemicals"-- detected in city water supply

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

In an unfortunate finding for Independence, the city is one of only a handful of 143 water systems tested in Oregon that’s been found to have potentially harmful contaminants known as PFAs, though the levels don’t exceed the state’s health advisory limits – so far.

That could change. This spring, the Environmental Protection Agency passed suggested limits for a cluster of PFAs, more formally known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, which have been commonly used in products ranging from stick-proof frying pans to rain-resistant hiking gear.

The data on PFAs within the state comes mainly from two agencies: The Oregon Health Authority, which has concluded there’s evidence that exposure to certain PFAs can lead to ill effects on human health; And the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which is keeping track of them as part of the DEQ’s Toxics Reduction Program.

Despite multiple attempts to receive answers to questions about Independence-linked PFAs – including whether the testing results had been discussed by the city's Public Works Department – no response was received from the city’s communications director, Emmanuel Goicochea.

However, Monica Amarelo, vice president for media relations at the Environmental Working Group, more widely known as EWG, confirmed that this means water treatment plants will need to update their filtration systems.

Independence is currently making plans to build a new water-treatment facility – one that it may share with Monmouth, under an intergovernmental agreement.

However, Independence’s proposed treatment facility appears to be stalled – there has been continuing litigation over the city’s attempt to acquire property south of town through
eminent domain.

The most recent water-quality report from Independence advises that “as water travels over the land or underground, it can pick up substances or contaminants such as microbes, inorganic and organic chemicals.”

Water systems will have three years to meet the new limits, according to EWG’s Amarelo, who added that “all states need to meet the new federal regulation for PFAs in drinking water.“

The EWG, a national nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, has been at the forefront of research on PFAs. In 2019, Tasha Stoiber PhD, senior scientist at EWG, gave a presentation on the topic for a webinar by The Endocrine Society, an international group of research scientists.

Noting that the chemicals have been studied for more than two decades, Stoiber pointed out that “PFAs have been moving into the spotlight recently.” Health effects have become associated with these “forever chemicals,” particularly the possible impact on the human immune system, which is believed to be “a sensitive target” for them.

However, it is “very early” in the process of gaining a full understanding of this family of chemicals, cautioned Todd Jarvis PhD, a local groundwater hydrologist who has decades of professional experience both in the field and in academics.

“There’s still a lot to learn,” he said. Along with advances in the science on these “emerging contaminants” there’s likely to be progress in mitigation, too, he observed. For example, even home-installed water filters with reverse osmosis capability are showing promise for removing PFAs.

Oregon is one of a dozen states that’s already adopted plans to establish guidance for measuring and reporting PFAs.

The move for the EPA’s proposed drinking-water standards for these “forever chemicals” is fully supported by the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators. “It’s a step in the right direction to provide national consistency for assessing and addressing PFAs in drinking water,” the association affirmed in a recent statement. ▪

Learning disruptions a worry in district schools

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service

Since the school year started this fall in Independence, student conflicts – hurled insults and other bullying tactics – have disrupted school corridors and some classroom instruction. But a recent incident at Talmadge Middle School shows how seriously the learning environment can be impacted by aggressive behavior.

Though accounts differ depending on who is describing the event, two students apparently dominated an entire class until police arrived.

A statement issued by the district office acknowledged that a school resource officer was needed to restore order and noted that no weapons were involved.

”Student safety and security has been maintained throughout the day and we again appreciate the partnership with our public safety partners,” according to the news release provided by Emily Mentzer, the district’s communications coordinator.

CSD seems to be having a tough time rebounding from what some parents call “the lost years,” a reference to the period in which schools shut down and switched to remote learning. Follow-up visits with parents and teachers indicate a lingering post-covid impact on schools – one that apparently is being seen throughout Oregon.

From a meeting of Portland city employees at the Oregon Convention Center who were queried during a break in the session to customers at local farmers’ markets and coffee shops on a busy Saturday downtown in Independence, school conflict and apathy is viewed as a problem that’s persisting – and likely to be caused by a combination of factors.

An examination of the various opinions, along with a snapshot look at state and national data, suggests that CSD is no different than many other Oregon school districts, with some notable exceptions. As one CSD teacher observed, the district has the most youth care centers, often referred to as “group homes,” per capita in the state.

And although the emotional strain on students from the pressure of social media and the inability to regain a sense of school community that disappeared in covid has been widely reported, Independence also differs as a distinctly “purple” town, in terms of political parties.
It’s a growing divide that has seeped into the school population as some families have become more entrenched in extreme partisan politics, according to some parents and teachers.

Has a loss of civility in some grown-ups trickled down? During last year’s Central High School graduation, an argument between attending adults broke out in the school parking lot – and a gun was pulled, though no shots were fired, according to the Independence Police report on
the issue.

The district also continues to struggle to get more students back for full days of instruction, according to results shared at recent CSD board meetings. However, student absenteeism is a severe problem statewide. “Attendance is a serious challenge for Oregon, as it is with other states,” according to this year’s report from Oregon’s Quality Education Commission.

Within the state, there’s also been a shift in offenses committed by juveniles 10 to 14, according to a report by Oregon’s Juvenile Justice Information System. Incidents in these younger teens increased nearly 9% in 2022 compared with pre-covid years; The numbers went the opposite direction for youths aged 15 to 17, which were roughly 23% lower in 2022 than in 2016. As one Independence Police Officer put it, apparently referring to more transgressing in the younger cohort: “Some kids just don’t seem to have coping skills.”

As CSD moves into 2025, Oregon schools seem stuck academically at the bottom of the pack nationally in post-pandemic recovery. Meanwhile both West Coast neighboring states – Washington and California – are faring much better, according to a large national study involving several universities, called “The Education Recovery Scorecard.” ▪

Beer consumption down, beer prices up

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

Who took today’s hops out of the hops capital of yesteryear? Draft and craft brews seem to have taken a nosedive in Independence, and blame has been pinned on factors ranging from tighter pocketbooks to filament-growing fungi.

On the same day that the proprietor of Brew Coffee & Tap House, Mitch Teal, explained that the price of kegs has increased in past months by double-digit percentages, customer Rich Graham lamented that the observation has led to some obvious cutbacks on consumption for meetups and gatherings.

“The price of beer has gone up, and particularly in restaurants, taverns and pubs,” Graham said.
This much is known: Sales of the hops-containing brew plummeted a few months after the new year, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Beer sales are down by nearly 30% since before the pandemic, according to figures listed by the Oregon Beverage Alliance.

Add to that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported a steady downward trend in the acres planted in hop vines over the past several years in the USDA’s area classified as “Willamette,” which includes Polk County.

Two months ago, Brewer Magazine, which covers the hop industry, weighed in with the prediction that the trend will continue in a downward cycle. “Next week, many of Oregon’s hop farmers will begin harvest but less was planted this year because of declining craft beer sales,” according to the publication.

Hops also require protection for myriad diseases. The most recent one mentioned as a pest that could be impacting the plant is a shift in disease threat. “Powdery mildew is no longer the forefront research concern as it is well managed in the Pacific Northwest overall,” according to an advisory from Oregon State University’s extension service.

But a filament-sprouting fungus, Fusarium canker, has surfaced as a risk for hops. However, the lead researcher on the fungus, Professor Cynthia Ocamb, said she’s dubious that the organism is having a big impact.

“In the big picture, I doubt that the Fusarium canker in hop is a major contributor to the rise in prices of hop harvests,” said OCamb, who studies plant pathology.

Instead, she suggested that labor costs and inflation could be taking a toll – an opinion also voiced by Craig Pope, a Polk County farmer and chair of the county’s’ board of commissioners.

“It is a real combination of factors,” he said. “I don’t see that changing.” Pope, who has been active in agricultural issues for many years, currently serves as chair of the Oregon State Weed Board, which examines and oversees state interests in noxious weed control  across the state.

Pope, along with the two other county commissioners, has supported OSU’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora – this year the board allocated $20,000 to the agricultural research facility. Pope noted that Polk County appears to be contributing more than its fair share when compared with other counties, such as Multnomah.

At a recent Chemeketa’s farm family dinner night, several attendees singled out Pope as a regional champion of agriculture. However, like the commissioner, they forecast the hop decline may persist or plateau, not return to pre-pandemic levels.

A few years ago, shortly before he died, local author and lawyer Scott McArthur published an essay on Independence and hops, observing that the history of the leafy plant and the riverside city went hand-in-hand. He ended it on an optimistic note. “The growth of boutique breweries has seen an increase in the demand for hops and an expansion of hop fields in the Willamette Valley in recent years,” McArthur wrote. ▪

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<![CDATA[Indy News Online, October 11, 2024]]>Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://trammartnews.com/current-indy-online-weekly-posts/indy-news-online-october-11-2024City council race becomes acrimonious, claims prove hard to substantiate

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
             
After incumbent City Councilor Dawn Roden posted a call for a campaign without “personal attacks” and “demeaning rhetoric” on her Facebook page, Roden’s opponent, Evan Sorce, accused her of campaign finance violations. 

Sorce, along with Kate Schwarzler, an Independence city councilor running unopposed for mayor, also implied that Trammart News was ignoring Roden’s infractions – assertions for which the news outlet could find no basis after searching the Oregon Secretary of State’s records.

The allegations were made after Roden showed an image of a post in which Sorce had stated that city council candidates should disclose their donations and expenditures – and posed the question: “Dawn Hedrick-Roden Independence City Council seat #3 what are you hiding?”

Sorce apparently was referencing complaint filings from a previous campaign; Roden countered that she had been found “innocent” of previous accusations taken to the state agency.

Sorce responded that “they just decided not to sanction you. There is a difference.” (An inquiry to the Secretary of State’s office by Trammart News failed to confirm a distinction between a lack of sanction and the word “innocent” from staff there.) 

Large signs that Roden called “leftovers” from a prior campaign appeared to be the point of dispute – Sorce stated they were likely to exceed campaign-spending limits. 

The same day that Trammart News was “tagged” with a flurry of comments for allegedly declining to pursue the claim against Roden, a large campaign sign for Roden along a roadway was found slashed in an incident confirmed by Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton.

The Roden-Sorce campaign appears to stand in stark contrast to one for a position on the county board of commissioners in May, when the seat held by County Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst was challenged by Monmouth City Councilor Roxanne Beltz. Both candidates seemed to focus on issues. “Not a bad word was spoken between us,” Mordhorst affirmed after he won re-election.

Both Sorce and Schwarzler received attention for their online comments, which appeared on Roden’s Facebook page. 

Schwarzler’s criticism of Trammart News drew support from two others aside from Sorce who, like Schwarzler, apparently felt that Roden escaped scrutiny for her alleged transgression while Schwarzler was singled out in recent reports showing she had unpaid property taxes and is under investigation by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for receiving city revenue for products related to her business.

In fact, Trammart News had followed another OGEC complaint about the same time as Schwarzler’s came to light, involving an Independence committee member. When that complaint ended in dismissal, it went unreported – to do so was seen as highlighting allegations that the ethics commission had determined didn’t occur. 

Similarly, property tax payments were examined for every Independence city councilor after the council voted to place a levy on the November ballot that would increase residents’ tax payments, if passed – Schwarzler was the only city councilor who showed unmet tax obligations.

Trammart News contacted Roden’s online commenters, including Schwarzler, in an attempt to obtain proof that Roden had skirted campaign laws when records searches showed no such outcome. 

In an encounter with Sorce during a break in a meeting at city hall, Sorce was asked how to pin down any negative result of the accusation. There were “multiple complaints” during the last election, he said. 

Schwarzler, in an email, offered no substantiation, but observed: “You seem adept at finding information when you need to, so I'm sure you'll be able to find this, as well.”

The search by Trammart News did turn up a reprimand by OGEC when Roden was late in filing a statement of economic interest in 2019, which is required of all public office holders. “The late filing was when I was on the historic commission, not as a city council member,” Roden said. 

Trammart News also contacted Mike Rhodes, who had filed the complaint regarding Schwarzler with OGEC, which led to the vote to investigate her actions. He was informed of the online campaign commentary, as well. Rhodes reiterated his reasons for seeking answers about awards of money from the city to Schwarzler. 

Even though a large portion of the thousands of dollars Schwarzler received was grant funding, “discovering she was receiving payments from the city while on city council (and) voting to approve the budget without disclosing the benefit she was receiving, I felt was unethical,” Rhodes said. “So, I asked the state to look into it.” 

Trammart News has done the same pertaining to campaign expenditures by Dawn Roden but, so far, no significant findings have surfaced. 

(Disclosure: Anne Scheck, publisher of Trammart News, previously was a tenant of Indy Commons, owned by Kate Schwarzler. Note: Editorials for the publication(s) are always welcome but should be issue-oriented rather than personality-driven. Guidelines  are available on request and  are posted on this website.) ▪

(Update: After initial publication of this story, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission  confirmed that Roden had a late filing penalty of $30  for her 2019 Statement of Economic Interest. The Commission voted to approve a waiver of that  penalty and issue her a Letter 
of Education.)   

Latest Central School District interventions to improve test scores appear promising

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service     
  
Two different interventions that have been implemented over the last few years by the Central School District appear to be showing the hoped-for increases in learning outcomes at the third-grade level, following a long period of attempts to stem losses in this group of elementary school students.

It’s an important cohort because it is the first year of formal statewide testing for them, noted Superintendent Jennifer Kubista. CSD does lag behind state averages, including the third-grade group – but they are keeping pace with past results, according to data presented to the CSD school board meeting Monday night. 

Two approaches seem to be showing desired success: The first is an expanded opportunity for district-wide summer school programs, which is preventing what’s become known as the “summer slide,” defined as “a regression” that almost inevitably occurs over summer break in some children; The second is what CSD administrators call the “universal screener,” a somewhat confusing term for some parents that means their children are “tested and targeted” through examinations that pinpoint problem areas, according to one of the third-grade teachers.

The testing identifies weaknesses among students, highlighting their need for educational attention in those areas. This individualized approach helps teachers, teachers’ aides and special instructional personnel to “zero in” with the specific focus needed, more commonly known in academic terms as “intervention.”

In the past year, the district met its strategic goals for the third grade, with upticks of 3% to 5%, despite being without the preferred support materials for a new math curriculum. Another influential factor may be tied to attendance – it is highest in the elementary schools. However, attendance appears to be flat or decreased at the secondary levels. “We are going to continue to dig into that,” Kubista said, adding that family contact for parents whose students miss school is now a priority.

At the third-grade level, results are consistent, according to state results of the past three years. The jumps that counter the “summer slide” illustrate continued growth, and are being demonstrated on state assessment tests, as well. “There is no summer slide,” said Kubista. “That is a big win.” ▪

Highway 22 zone of stench is worse than ever, according to motorist
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service      


The autumnal equinox usually brings changing leaf colors and puffy clouds along a tree-studded stretch of Highway 22 between the turn-off for Independence and the exit for Monmouth – but now that section of roadway is becoming known for an unavoidable stench.

Dubbed “the big stink” by some commuters, it has gotten so pungent that breath-holding was jokingly suggested for drivers who need to use the thoroughfare to get to the Polk County Courthouse. At the most recent meeting of the Polk County Board of Commissioners there, resident Bill Farr showed up with concerns about how the stinky air is going to be addressed.

The answer: the emissions currently are allowed by a Confined Animal Feeding Operation  permit, under the Oregon Department of Agriculture, according to Commission Chair Craig Pope. “I checked,” Pope said, in a brief statement prior to the meeting.

“I am concerned about the smell,” Farr told Trammart News. “It is hurting my quality of life. I cannot even sit on my patio anymore.” Farr said he lives just less than a mile from the spot where the smell seems to be originating – and it has meant staying indoors on beautiful fall days.

During the meeting by the board of commissioners, Tina Andersen, manager of the Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center, told commissioners that she believes business for the fairgrounds is being jeopardized by the odor. One client, for example, recently stopped by to double-check the rental space before a scheduled activity occurred. A cancellation resulted because “they wanted me to guarantee the smell wouldn’t be there,” Andersen said, adding that she couldn’t make that promise.

Strong odors are often associated with dairy cow operations, but the Rickreall Dairy herd  no longer occupies the site that’s been identified by some as the source of the smell. A daytime trip to the facility by Trammart News showed only empty facilities and vacant barns. But a combination of rotten eggs and aging manure permeated the air.

Explanations at the Polk County courthouse for the strong smell ranged from a theory that periodic rainfall, combined with sun-baking days, worsens the stench or, in another  hypothesis, that land left unattended with waste products gives rise to new and odiferous bacterial growth. The Rickreall Dairy closed more than a year ago, along with a few others like it in the state that had struggled to stay in business but were sold and shuttered over the past few years.

The land is being acquired by a new owner for a rubbish transfer station tentatively named, Rehub Polk; The provisions and permits for its operation are scheduled to take place in 2025, according to public information provided at the City of Dallas' website in preparation for the change in land use.

An inquiry to the DEQ about the permit status of the property is scheduled to be addressed next week, according to a response from the DEQ yesterday. ▪

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