​Polk County Judge Rafael Caso, legal leadership on the bench

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, December 27, 2024 

As the youngest and newest judge in Polk County’s Circuit Court, Rafael Caso, who was appointed to the bench in 2017, is part of a trio of judges for the county. These three comprise the judiciary level of law enforcement at the county courthouse. They have the responsibility to decide criminal, civil, family, and other types of legal conflicts, as well as to interpret and apply the state and federal constitutions and statutes. Their duties range from domestic disputes to guardianship cases. This profile is planned to be part of a compendium on county government that has been promised to school districts across the county as they begin to implement civics instruction as a requirement. 

Judge Rafael Caso has served as both a defense attorney in civil cases and as a prosecutor. He 
worked as an assistant attorney general with the Oregon Department of Justice and as a deputy district attorney in Josephine County. So, in this way, Caso appears uniquely qualified.

But he also seems comfortable showing a humorous side. When Trammart News passed on a question posed by a very young member of Central School District  –  Do you like the robe they make you wear, and does it get blessed? – Caso gamely answered: “I have never considered having my robes blessed.” 

He explained that he regards the robe a symbol, representing formality, decorum and seriousness and “masking the individual characteristics of the wearer” in the official process that takes place in the courtroom as a case is heard.   

Polk County District Attorney Aaron Felton called it a “privilege” to be in Caso’s courtroom. “He knows the law, and he knows the cases that come before him,” Felton said. “And if you do well in his courtroom, it is a real accomplishment because of the high standards he sets.” 

A graduate of Boise State University in 2003, with a degree in psychology, and the Florida Coastal School of Law in 2007, Caso had been a lawyer only for a decade when he was tapped to become a judge in Polk County. However, he had served as a judge – in neighboring Marion County. There he was a judge pro tempore, a position in which he performed the same duties as the regular judges when they weren’t available to do so. All judges in Oregon are elected but many, like Caso, began by being appointed by the governor when a judge who was serving vacated the office. 

Until college, Caso had never given the legal profession any thought, he said. One summer, one of his uncles invited him down to California to look at his law practice and see if “the law” was something he might be interested in pursuing. “I found the profession interesting, but terrifying – I had a fear of public speaking,” he said.

However, shortly after that trip to California, his older brother urged him to make a decision, to pick “any” trajectory for his professional life. “My brother has faced adversity and been a hero of mine for all of my adult life,” he said. “Not wanting to follow my brother in the medical field, I chose the law – and fell in love with it right away.”

In a fairly wide-ranging interview, Judge Caso answered questions about his educational background, his personal life – including the spit-lobbing llamas he helps raise – as well as answering some inquiries from youths that were provided to Trammart News in preparation for this interview. 

TN. I understand you grew up on a farm, and I know your colleague Judge Monte Campbell did, as well. So, is this good preparation for a career in law that leads to a judgeship? 

I think you learn the value of work ethic on a farm. There are things that have to be done; They cannot be put off. Time management becomes a priority – I had schoolwork and sports, but I also worked on both our family farm and the neighbor’s farm. 

TN. You said you grew up largely in Melba, Idaho, a tiny place even now. It doesn’t sound like an academic environment. 

Well, it was almost entirely agriculture. But my brother became a surgeon, and here I am, proof that the example set by my parents must have been a terrific influence. My father is from Spain and began his life here not knowing much English. They (my parents) both showed extraordinary strength and persistence in achieving the American Dream. Growing up, I remember fantasizing about being a rancher like my father, a firefighter, or a doctor. My father immigrated to the United States as a shepherd and worked his way up to foreman of a large ranch.

TN. It sounds like a pretty labor-intensive life. 

Yes, and I have the toughest dad. I believe both my parents were the strongest people I’ve ever known. They managed the ranch and then, when I was in the 2nd grade, my father suffered a disabling injury when a vehicle he was working on had a tire blow-out, right after he had started to work on it. I was about six years old at the time.  My father was permanently disabled, with a traumatic brain injury, in an accident on the ranch, and my parents needed to move off the ranch. From there, my parents built their own “retirement ranch” in Idaho. Virtually my entire childhood surrounded ranch-life.

TN. How did the family manage? 

Well, he (my father) recovered. Not really fully, but he compensated in other ways, physically. He kept going. They both did, and I saw how hard my mother and father worked, to carry on. My older brother and I learned a lot from seeing that endurance and resilience. 

TN. What else do you remember about growing up?

I remembered being loved. My family was not a family with money. We never went hungry, but both my parents worked hard to put a roof over our heads and food on the table. The table was a place where we came together as a family for meals, conversation, and fellowship. We had each other and nothing else mattered.

TN. Law school graduates generally can make more income in certain areas of law than they can on the bench, so why would you choose to be a judge with potentially less long-term earning power  – does it reflect your desire to live by a value system? 

Judges in Oregon, when adjusted for cost of living, are some of the lowest paid in the nation. My wife and I sat down and talked about what things were important to us when we made the decision for me to pursue a career in public service. 

We decided that regardless of the salary, my desire to give an honest and open hearing to the individuals appearing in court needed to be fulfilled. We have patterned our lives around that decision – we don’t drive new cars, have all the toys our friends have, or have the biggest or nicest house. 

As a civil servant, I can provide litigants a place where they can come air their disputes and hopefully obtain closure. In my specific circumstances, I suppose it does reflect my family’s desire to live modestly and provide an opportunity to the people that enter my courtroom. 

TN. Do you think your psychology degree – now a common major prior to law school application – helps you understand those in your courtroom, and those with whom you come in daily contact? Or were there other experiences from your background that help you navigate diverse personalities? 

I think both my diverse upbringing and my undergraduate degree help me in being open to all people appearing in my courtroom. Growing up, I worked as a farm hand, hoeing beans, topping corn, picking rock, digging ditches, etcetera. I grew up believing that we are all just people – regardless of someone’s skin color, gender, or even the amount of money in their possession. We all start from the same fundamental building block – humanity – but we all have a story that nobody else knows that shades how we interact with the world. 

TN. Is there a specific thought process or philosophy that you rely on when making decisions and rulings?  A way that you weigh evidence and law and ramifications? 

Yes. First and foremost, I remind myself that those who are in front of me are appearing on some of the worst days of their lives, so I always give them grace. From there, I look at the rules and filter all the facts through the rules. Sometimes this is difficult, since my personal beliefs can be contrary to the outcome of the case. When I run into this situation, I remind myself that the only fair way to decide a case is based on the rules and I put aside my personal beliefs and decide the case. 

Looking at the ramifications of a ruling is at times appropriate, for example if I am considering “what is in the best interests of a child” that is entirely a ramifications analysis. Other times, looking at the ramifications of my decision is inappropriate – for example, if a judge is acting as an activist and wanting to change the law or society and that trial judge is making a ruling in an effort to change the law or society, that is an inappropriate use of judicial position. As you know, we have a process by which laws are created and passed in different branches of government.

TN. Do you recall your most memorable trial (or issue of litigation that came before you) that you had to rule upon, and why is it your favorite?

I have heard memorable cases involving very diverse and colorful actors, but I do not have a specific favorite case. I have had a number of cases – predominantly through Drug Court, where the criminal defendant was able to earn sobriety and make positive changes in their lives that allowed for gainful employment, housing, and the return of their children. 

Through the participants’ hard work, the participant was able, with help, to remove themselves from the judicial system. That scenario is probably my favorite.

TN. Do you worry that you can make a bad decision?

Every day and in every case. This is by far the most stressful part of my job because people’s lives, freedom, reputation, and property are on the balancing scales each and every time a judge takes the bench. I believe that it is incumbent on a good magistrate to be prepared for every case that the judge hears. This includes being versed in the law, open to the specific facts of the case, observant to the arguments made in court and most importantly willing to put aside all preconceived ideas and rule only on the facts and arguments presented in the specific case we are hearing.

TN. Have you been a judge on any trial where a dog or animal is in trouble? This is another question that comes from one of the youths in the community…

I have served as a judge on animal abuse and neglect cases. The cases are often some of the harder cases for jurors to hear since many individuals hold animals in a special place in their hearts. It is important in these cases, and every case for that matter, that the judge can set aside their personal feelings and decide the case only on the facts.

TN. You still live on a farm, a small one, is that right? 

The house is on some land, but I don’t think you could call it a farm. We have llamas, chickens, rabbits, cats, and a dog. The animals are my wife’s passion, and she works with them more often than I.

TN. What do you mean?

Well, she hasn’t been spat on as often as I have. Llamas can do that when they are mad. I don’t think I made the llama mad – I think I was just in the way of the other animal  –  but I got the spit. I believe the llamas associate me with shearing time and vaccinations – so they in turn are not too keen on me.

TN. I think, for me, that would be a deterrent for future llama encounters.

I think there is learning to be gained from just about all experiences. And my children enjoy the llamas.

TN. Speaking of experience, I understand you and Judge Norman Hill, the presiding judge in Polk County, have been offering a short course for sharing your own experience and knowledge for lawyers-in-training during winter breaks at Willamette University?

Yes, we teach an intensive trial practice class during the winter break, and then a full semester course on civil and criminal trial procedure in the spring semester. We teach practical skills, what you might not get in class to that extent – giving immediate feedback on advocating for a client, selecting jurors. 

TN.  And you did that for high school students, too. Is that right? 

For a mock trial program at Grants Pass High School and then at West Salem High School. I did that for nine years. 

TN. Would you recommend this as an exercise or classroom assignment, in an abbreviated form perhaps, for schools trying to teach how courts work  –  as well as the importance of critical thinking?

Absolutely. Through my participation on a competitive trial team while in law school, I was able to hone many skills. 

For example, I was able to work on public speaking, a poker face, ability to react to esoteric arguments, etc. After I became a deputy district attorney down in Grants Pass, I coached the Grants Pass High School Mock Trial Team and later the West Salem High School Mock Trial Team. 

The students that participated in mock trial walked away with many of the same skills that participation on a competitive trial team granted me. The students got a feel for how our judicial system works and some of the limitations associated with the judicial system. They were able to pull aside the curtain and really look at the innerworkings of the judicial branch and how its parts fit together with the other branches of government.

Students who were in high school debate or interested in public speaking or just wanted to participate in the program signed up. It was a huge commitment for them. 

TN. And for you, too, I bet.

Well, it was gratifying for me. ▪

Holiday news: Santa's a local & chicken gizzard shortages

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

You might think Santa only arrives once a year and you might think that the most important tree this past December was the evergreen you bought to decorate and you might think that gizzards are the last chicken part anyone would buy to celebrate this holiday season. 

Well, think again if you live in Independence.

An official Santa Claus lives in north Independence, Garry the White Oak is about to celebrate an important milestone for the town and chicken gizzards kept selling out at Jimmy’Z, making them hard to purchase for those seeking this one-of-a-kind delicacy in Polk County. 

Yes, when traditional Christmas came to the city nicknamed Indy, there were special aspects to the celebration that only came to light after intensive, intrepid, indefatigable, investigative reporting. 

This involved a red-suited Mr. Claus sitting down to announce he was a neighbor after spotting Trammart News at a table in a coffee shop plus a meeting of the Parks Committee in which the emblematic tree named Garry was openly discussed and, also, by way of the mini-explosion of a whiny customer at Jimmy’Z, after learning gizzards had sold out – again! (Okay, that was due to the author of this article becoming visibly distressed after being beaten to the gizzards by early-morning buyers at Jimmy’Z and thank you kindly store employees for accurately predicting yours truly would eventually score some with enough persistence – which I did.) 

For anyone who doubts that Independence is Santa’s big scene, meet John Hanson (photo, upper right), a year-round resident with a thick white beard, a jolly laugh and the rosy cheeks of Good St. Nick. He is the founder of Santa’s Giving Project, which was able to give away Christmas dollars for buying groceries, thanks to donations from Willamette Valley Fiber/MINET and the owners of the Independence & Dallas Grocery Outlets.  

Hanson, who has been doing this for several years, said he places special emphasis on distributing to senior and veteran families. But his bookings with children keep him as busy as charity work. After a quick stop in a coffee shop, he had six more bookings. He also accommodates pet owners who want a photo op with their cat or dog.

However, he has had to replace his Santa suit due to over-excited canine deposits, so he is more careful handling animals – kids don’t put the same wear and tear on his special garb, he said. 

Although the Christmas tree lot in Central Plaza enjoyed sales of trees – Noble Fir was a top seller and apparently a favorite of Indies of Indy – a short drive away, a special tree representing an Independence milestone was getting ready to ring in the new year. At a point where the Luckiamute and Santiam Rivers join the Willamette River, is a very young Oregon White Oak tree that is the one millionth plant to be placed by the Luckiamute Watershed Council in the local watershed. 

It is thriving in the Luckiamute State Natural Area, more than four years after a crowd of supporters watched it being planted and clinked champagne glasses to commemorate the event. 

The Oregon White Oak is significant for several reasons: It is seen as a symbol of peace – it has been planted at the World Trade Center; It helps provide habitat for the western gray squirrel, which may seem abundant but is listed as threatened in Washington and possibly declining in Oregon; And it is a refuge for many birds, including juncos, goldfinches, nuthatches, wild turkeys, and woodpeckers, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

The tree was dubbed “Garry” due to its scientific name, Quercus garryana. 

Garry is protected by a fence encircling it since it’s still too small for those who periodically care for the land to easily detect, explained Kristen Larson, former executive director of the Luckiamute Watershed Council, who was queried about it at the last meeting of Independence Parks Board. 

Chicken gizzards flew off the food shelves at the counter of Jimmy’Z this year, and there is a good reason for that. They are delicious. 

If you don’t believe me, just consider this fact. They sold out by early afternoon. Customers stopping by for gas or other essentials cleaned out all hot stock of this “grinder” chicken part by 1 pm or so. Or maybe it was chicken-gizzard holiday hoarders. Those gizzards were goners by the time a certain chicken-gizzard aficionado showed up.

Finally, a trip into the store in wee hours of the morning clinched the delectable chicken part. And this attainment made the season a little bit more satisfying for the buyer in a chewy, chomping way … ▪

A Wartime Christmas Chronicle

​By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

There is great consolation in knowing happy endings that happen in historically tragic circumstances – and one was described and displayed at the Heritage Museum a few years ago. There were so many who served during World War I who didn’t come home … but one young man returned to Independence in a stunning twist of fate. 

This soldier’s story bears repeating. And, in the archives of both the museum and Trammart News, perhaps it will live on, reappearing again during a future holiday season.  Special thanks go to Heritage Museum Curator Amy Christensen.

In the fall of 1918, the parents of a World War I soldier from Independence who was listed as missing in action were preparing for the saddest holiday season of their lives. On Christmas eve, they instead got a great and surprising gift – their son walked through the door.

Armine Oliver Young had been seriously injured in a battle in France, and his family was notified that his whereabouts were unknown. Finally, in October, they received a letter from him that he was in a field hospital, recovering from a bullet wound to his arm. Shortly before the clock tolled for Christmas, Young strode into his house, giving his mother and father the city’s biggest shock of the season, which landed him on the front page of the Polk County Newspaper, The Enterprise, as well as other newspapers across the county.

The story of Armine O. Young is chronicled not only in the yellowed pages of an old newspaper, but among a set of display panels at the Independence Heritage Museum. Though not currently out for public view, the true tale of the soldier’s unexpected return was unearthed by Independence Heritage Museum Curator Amy Christensen.

“I came across a small newspaper clipping with Young's story,” Christensen explained. “I found it to be a lovely expression of the sorrows, as well as the unique rejoicement involved in being a military family,” she said, noting that her own family is one of those, as well. 

The story is a poignant example of a slice of life in Independence more than a century ago. “We aim to connect visitors to history through our local personal stories,” she said. Among some visitors to the museum when this exhibit was displayed years ago, the World War I story of Young and his return home became known as “the soldier’s Christmas story.” ▪ 

School board discussion on the failed bond and placing it again on the next November ballot

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
  
The $90 million school-bond defeat in the recent election may be an indication that a lot more intensive campaign of information should be waged – and not necessarily a sign that a smaller bond would find more support the next time around.

That seemed to be the consensus of a discussion among Central District School Board members at a work session Monday night. The tentative conclusion seemed to differ from that of the district’s Facilities Committee. 

School Board Vice President Susan Graham reported that the Facilities Committee – the group that helped spread the word this fall on the need for a bond – had recommended that a bond with a lower dollar amount might find more favor with voters, particularly if it was shown to place priority on addressing deferred maintenance.

In what she termed a “debriefing” from the Facilities Committee, which is comprised largely of community members, Graham noted support was voiced for a smaller bond that’s “very focused on the immediate needs” of infrastructure, ranging from playground refurbishment to interior building repairs. 

Graham added that the committee suggested a second, larger bond could be created for rebuilding Monmouth Elementary School, which would allow more time to educate voters about why there may be a need to completely replace the school.

Board members Peggy Clyne and Donn Wahl pointed out that the public might be confused by the concept of two different bonds, when one alone would cover the entire cost of what’s required. 

The safety risks at Monmouth Elementary School weren’t clear to many, observed Board Member Melanie Landon-Hays, who explained that the issue seemed to be “danced around” rather than plainly stated. “We were very polite,” she said.

“Obviously, we didn’t communicate effectively,” Wahl agreed.

If the bond is brought back nearly a year after its first, recent ballot, there would be a “bigger runway” of several months to prepare the community for another vote, Graham said.  

After the meeting, Polk County Commissioner Jeremy Gordon, who resides in Falls City, was asked in a separate interview whether he could identify the reason for success of the five-year local option in Falls City, the only place where a levy or bond was approved in Polk County this past November. It won a majority of the votes. 

Gordon stressed that it was a different kind of levy – one that provided extra activities and offerings in the schools, including additions for math, literacy and music. 

However, it did have a winning formula: community-wide support and parental involvement in the program and substantial family engagement before the ballots were even printed. “I cannot imagine not having it as an available resource,” Gordon said. ▪

Mental, physical strengths propel Panther runner

By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service

Ty Cirino defines “taking it easy” differently than how most of us define it.

Last month’s NXR Regional Championships in Idaho marked the end of the Central High junior’s cross country season and the beginning of a week-long break from running. Resting isn’t easy for someone who finds more comfort in perpetual motion.

Like a volcano about to erupt, Cirino was active while at rest. But instead of running 50 to 60 miles over seven days, per his more usual routine, he spent his down time climbing the rock wall at Western Oregon University, hiking and going on long bike rides.

“It’s definitely weird,” he said of the hiatus. “I wanted to run so bad. But I had to remember that it’s good to take a break, mentally and physically.”

Which doesn’t mean he has to like it.

“It’s really hard to go a week without running. That’s because I’ve been doing it for such a long time,” Cirino said. “To me, it’s just kind of how I keep myself mentally, I wouldn’t say happy, but it’s kind of my source of joy … I love it.”

With the break over, Cirino returns to his source of joy. The indoor track season starts soon. It is followed by spring track. It doesn’t matter if the Panther is running in circles or up and down hills, he is an elite talent.

Cirino is the school’s record-holder in an astounding six events: the 3,000 and 5,000 meters in cross country, the 800, 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 meters in track.

His list of accomplishments also includes multiple high finishes at state along with district titles in the 3,000 meters (both in track and cross country). In fact, Cirino is the two-time defending Mid-Willamette Conference champion in cross country.

It depends on the season as to which is his favorite.

“During cross country season, I feel like I like … the longer races. I like cross country because it’s half mental, half physical.,” he said. “But during track, it’s fun to run those faster times, in the 800 especially, when you’re running under two minutes.”

Small wonder track programs from the universities of Oregon, Portland, Tennessee and Michigan are among those in contact with him. He does not know yet where he will run collegiately since he’s still weighing options. No matter his choice, meeting academic requirements won’t be a problem. One of the advantages of having a 4.0 grade point average.

“It would be awesome to stay close to home, if I receive an offer that I think is reasonable,” he said. “But I have no problem going out of state. It would be a fun thing to experience.”

Physical Education teacher Eli Cirino is Ty’s coach and father. Eli’s been around talented athletes his entire career. He knows what separates the very good from the great.

“Ty is average height, lean and strong with a natural long, efficient stride,” Eli said. “But he is blessed with an incredible cardiorespiratory system.”

This combination helps explains why Ty excelled at other sports that require stamina, such as basketball and soccer. He played basketball for Central through his sophomore year.

But one real advantage is Ty’s mental and physical toughness. As strenuous as his workouts are, other runners do as much. What they often don’t do are the little things.

“After every workout, I do strides, and stretching, and baths (for recovery). It’s a lot of that kind of stuff,” Ty said. “When it comes to race time, it’s hard for anybody to really lock in for a race and be able to run your fastest. I feel like I’ve gotten better over the years at getting myself in a zone to compete at my fullest.”

Nor do other runners tolerate pain as well.

“Ty has a unique relationship with pain when it comes to running. He told me once that he got to a certain place on a course and ‘shut off the pain.’ His pain tolerance is one of his greatest gifts,” Eli Cirino said. “It is essential to his success and something that all elite distance runners have.”

Ty relied on this “gift” during the final mile at this year’s state cross country championship.

“I was in a weird spot when I just didn’t have anything to motivate me except for finishing. It was a real mental battle for the last mile, and I was hurting physically,” he said. “It took a lot of mental strength to be able to finish that race.”

That strength led him to a fourth-place finish.

Another truism about competitive running is that familiarity breeds confidence. It can also mitigate some of the pain.

“I’ll go out for a run, and 10 miles is still a long run. I don’t feel runs get shorter the more you run,” Cirino said. “It’s just, again, the mental aspect of it … So those 50-mile weeks, it’s definitely not a walk in the park. It’s still work. But you know you’ve done it so many times that you get to a point, and you know you’ve done it, so you just power through it.”

One wouldn’t realize the competitor that lurks within by watching Cirino run. He possesses a cloak of serenity that seems to wear every step. It’s an aura his father has noticed.

“Mentally, Ty is very competitive, but seems to maintain a calm, mindful approach, not allowing himself to get too excited with a win or down when he doesn’t,” Eli Cirino said.

That’s partly because effort is important to the runner. “You hear people say ... if you go out and race your hardest there’s nothing you can be mad about … That’s what I try to do every race, just draw and run as hard as I can,” Cirino said. “Obviously, there’s strategy to a race. But if I feel I put my best effort out there, if I feel I gave a good effort, then there’s nothing I can change. It’s just how it is that day.”

Which isn’t to say Ty is without lofty ambition. In fact, it’s the opposite.

“Fighting for first place (at state) is my goal. I know there are some fast guys out there. But 
my goal is to always be at the top,” he said. “To progress and get my times up there with the (fastest) guys.” ▪

Katie Schaub at Ovenbird Bakery gets a big thank you from master gardeners

When the Polk County Master Gardeners Association wanted to thank Katie Schaub, the owner-operator of Ovenbird Bakery, a thank-you card simply wasn’t enough. PCGMA member Lorena Elliott contacted Trammart News for a photo opportunity and a follow-up article on the woman she described as a maker of “amazing cupcakes”  and a remarkable community asset. In the article below, which was edited for brevity, Elliott wrote a poignant account of why PCMGA is so grateful to this local baker and her bakery. --AS


By Lorena Elliott 
Guest article for Trammart News Service

Many thanks to Katie Schaub. The Polk County Master Gardeners Association purchased delectable chocolate and carrot cupcakes for their annual graduation and award celebration with real flower décor on top of the buttercream frosting. 

It’s the third year the group has enjoyed the cupcakes as their dessert for the occasion -- and PCMGA plans to serve them next year, as well. 

Katie has over 30 years of baking experience, and she had made more than 200 wedding cakes.

The celebratory cupcakes were a special, much-appreciated part of the recent PCMGA event. The PCMGA, which has about 70 volunteer members, added a dozen more members this year with the recent graduation. The PCMGA is affiliated with the Oregon State University Extension Office; It serves the county with solid training in science-based, sustainable gardening and lifelong love of learning. 

In Independence, the PCMGA is responsible for the maintenance and propagation at Inspiration Garden at Mt. Fir Park. 

(Elliott is the lead volunteer for the Herb Area during the PCMGA’s annual plant sale at the Polk County Fairgrounds and she volunteers at the Extension Office Master Gardener Help Desk in Dallas. She is also the editor of  Polk Weed, Polk County Master Gardener Newsletter, which is published monthly.) ▪

Independence 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. ▪

A 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. ▪