Good news. Bad News. Police get federal grant for new officer but need to forfeit it for 2024.
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 9, 2024
The good news is that Independence was awarded $125,000 in federal funds to hire a new police officer. The bad news is that the city may not have enough money to take advantage of the grant for expanding the force.
There’s good news and bad about the arrest statistics, too. This past year adult arrests dropped significantly, to 242, but the bad news is that juvenile crimes “increased sharply” to 176. The first announcement came from City Manager Kenna West at the last city council meeting. The second one was made by Independence Police Chief Robert Mason on a video released by the city – a video that also included the news that Mason will retire in December.
The police force, currently staffed at 2018 levels, has 15 full-time officers. This year, the city received a COPS grant – for Community Oriented Police Services from the U.S Department of Justice – but the award is aimed at establishing a three-year position. That pencils out to only $42,000 a year for the IPD, where wages and benefits for an entry-level officer are $100,000, West said. “The general fund is in shortfall,” she explained.
So, one option is to wait until 2025 to try to instate the new officer’s spot, with the intent that money will be found. If the funding cannot be obtained, the city needs the right “to walk away from this grant” in a worst-case scenario, West said. As a result, the city council passed a resolution for West to retain that flexibility for the COPS grant.
In his video address, Mason said property crimes were the leading cause for adult arrests in 2022-23. For juveniles, the reasons were more varied: 39 were runaways; 33 were property crimes; 31 were personal violations. In all, there were 9,100 events recorded last year that required police time, with 2,000 investigations and 418 arrests. ▪
CHS's graduation rate is substantially down from previous year and absenteeism to be tackled
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 9, 2024
Graduation rates at Central High School declined by 6% last year – including among students who took an extra year to get that diploma, which means “we have to do something to get those students in the classroom” routinely and regularly, according to CHS Principal Dale Pedersen.
In his first address to the Central School District board since taking the job officially after serving a year as the school’s interim principal, Pedersen shared figures that showed the graduation rate for all students went down this past spring, from 82% in 2022 to 76% in 2023, and, during the same period, from 91% to 85% for the five-year graduating – students who take an extra year.
In a brief interview after he spoke to the board, Pedersen said he feels the key is reducing absenteeism – more students need to be regular attenders.
A regular attender is a student who has been present over 90% of school days per year. Shortly before Pedersen was named permanent principal, Brian Flannery, director of student growth and achievement, reported that the “regular attender” rate last year was lower than the state average by 8%.
“This did, most definitely, impact Central School District graduation rate,” he stated. Even so, the graduation rate was higher than the state average by 1%. “Some of the difference between our results and the state may be explained by targeted interventions and credit recovery programs – such as summer school – that helped chronically absent students catch up,” he explained at the time.
On the whole though, the state and CSD 13J performed similarly on these two measures, Flannery pointed out.
Pedersen also stressed that certain programs are causing more school commitment by some at-risk students, ranging from career and technical education – there are currently five areas, including agriculture and business – to connection with graduation “coaches,” school personnel who work closely with students who seem to be getting off-track.
Pedersen said there are other measures likely to be discussed, as well. “I’m really not ready to talk about them yet,” he said, adding that he has some ideas that he is currently exploring.
One outcome of adding nursing staff, which was added with some of the funds available during covid, has made a statistically significant difference.
Among two cohorts of several hundred students, a visit to the nurse significantly increased the likelihood that a student would be returned to class. In one group of 693, 89% of students who were seen by a nurse remained at school compared with 74% who visited office staff and, in another cohort of 343, it was 84% versus 54%. ▪
IN ACTUALITY: A look at a local recall effort.
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 9, 2024
IN ACTUALITY:
An Editorial Column to Assist Public Knowledge and Discourse on Recent Events
WHO: A group of residents from Polk County – largely from Dallas, including former Dallas City Councilor Micky Garus – have announced plans for a recall effort of county commissioners.
WHAT: The two county commissioners initially targeted were Lyle Mordhorst and Jeremy Gordon, over the way homelessness in the county has been addressed. A state mandate to mitigate regional homelessness was issued in the form of three executive orders by Gov. Tina Kotek, immediately after taking office. Kotek declared the issue an emergency, releasing millions of funds for use by government agencies and directing them to make homelessness a priority. Garus contends a shelter for the homeless that’s proposed in Dallas will increase their numbers 83% and asserts that there are only 31 unhoused people currently in the city limits.
WHERE: Garus recently gave public testimony at a meeting of the Polk County Board of Commissioners, criticizing their actions. Garus, who became known for comments about Muslims and transgender individuals while on the Dallas City Council, was unsuccessful in his attempt to become a county commissioner himself when he failed to unseat Commissioner Craig Pope in the last election.
WHEN: Garus’ comments, as well as testimony of other residents, was given Jan. 31 in the boardroom of the Polk County Courthouse.
WHY: Activism against homeless shelters seems to have arisen after plans – abandoned following a sustained public outcry – were announced to put a facility at a church in Monmouth.
HOW: The recall effort appears to have been launched on social media. Questions about its chances have been asked by those who saw it show up in posts.
DISCUSSION: Academic investigations into recall efforts show what Trammart News is dubbing the “Gray Davis Effect,” based on studies ranging from a master’s thesis at Marquette University about the recall years ago of California Gov. Gray Davis to several attempts for recall of officeholders at local levels in other states. In general, recall efforts seem to require widespread and deep public disenchantment with the actions of one or more elected officials.
To some extent, the record of successful recalls seems to suggest that losing touch with constituents – becoming over-conscious and over-confident of position and power – precedes a “tipping point” in which an act or display of authority alienates a large portion of voters, and the collective effect leads to an ouster from public office.
If this holds true as a prediction for recall, none of the current county commissioners appear to meet that criterion. All have followed state dictums, even when in disagreement with them, according to coverage by Trammart News going back several years, to the pre-pandemic period.
It is true that many residents were furious about the homeless proposal for Monmouth and the way it originally surfaced, but it appears to be a passing sentiment – the first concept was withdrawn amid public protest, which caused some residents to become more equivocating, according to recent and informal commentary obtained by Trammart News. Some have expressed hope that it was a lesson-learning time for the commission. Also, now there seems to be greater awareness that the state is mandating programs to address homelessness, requiring commissioners to seek regional solutions.
There have been successful recalls in the Willamette Valley, most notably involving the Central School District board about a dozen years ago, and the situation also appeared to have a “Gray Davis Effect.” A series of board decisions proved somewhat unpopular but the apparent incentive for recall seemed to be the alleged lofty, long-term disregard of constituent views, which appeared to mobilize both teachers and parents at the time.
In the opinion of Trammart News, the “Gray Davis Effect” can impact re-elections, as well as recall efforts. Trammart News, a fan of the moderation often demonstrated by former US Rep. Kurt Schrader, pronounced him to lunch companions a few years ago as having developed the “Gray Davis Effect” – and if so, seemingly oblivious about it. The observation was made following Schrader’s presentation to a local organization. Whether the “Gray Davis Effect” was responsible in part for Schrader's loss in 2022 is extremely debatable, and to suggest otherwise would be unfounded speculation.
(NOTE: Another objection by recall petitioners focuses on the role of the elected county treasurer, which is the subject of ongoing litigation, so it won’t be addressed by Trammart News until a court-approved decision is reached.) ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 9, 2024
The good news is that Independence was awarded $125,000 in federal funds to hire a new police officer. The bad news is that the city may not have enough money to take advantage of the grant for expanding the force.
There’s good news and bad about the arrest statistics, too. This past year adult arrests dropped significantly, to 242, but the bad news is that juvenile crimes “increased sharply” to 176. The first announcement came from City Manager Kenna West at the last city council meeting. The second one was made by Independence Police Chief Robert Mason on a video released by the city – a video that also included the news that Mason will retire in December.
The police force, currently staffed at 2018 levels, has 15 full-time officers. This year, the city received a COPS grant – for Community Oriented Police Services from the U.S Department of Justice – but the award is aimed at establishing a three-year position. That pencils out to only $42,000 a year for the IPD, where wages and benefits for an entry-level officer are $100,000, West said. “The general fund is in shortfall,” she explained.
So, one option is to wait until 2025 to try to instate the new officer’s spot, with the intent that money will be found. If the funding cannot be obtained, the city needs the right “to walk away from this grant” in a worst-case scenario, West said. As a result, the city council passed a resolution for West to retain that flexibility for the COPS grant.
In his video address, Mason said property crimes were the leading cause for adult arrests in 2022-23. For juveniles, the reasons were more varied: 39 were runaways; 33 were property crimes; 31 were personal violations. In all, there were 9,100 events recorded last year that required police time, with 2,000 investigations and 418 arrests. ▪
CHS's graduation rate is substantially down from previous year and absenteeism to be tackled
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 9, 2024
Graduation rates at Central High School declined by 6% last year – including among students who took an extra year to get that diploma, which means “we have to do something to get those students in the classroom” routinely and regularly, according to CHS Principal Dale Pedersen.
In his first address to the Central School District board since taking the job officially after serving a year as the school’s interim principal, Pedersen shared figures that showed the graduation rate for all students went down this past spring, from 82% in 2022 to 76% in 2023, and, during the same period, from 91% to 85% for the five-year graduating – students who take an extra year.
In a brief interview after he spoke to the board, Pedersen said he feels the key is reducing absenteeism – more students need to be regular attenders.
A regular attender is a student who has been present over 90% of school days per year. Shortly before Pedersen was named permanent principal, Brian Flannery, director of student growth and achievement, reported that the “regular attender” rate last year was lower than the state average by 8%.
“This did, most definitely, impact Central School District graduation rate,” he stated. Even so, the graduation rate was higher than the state average by 1%. “Some of the difference between our results and the state may be explained by targeted interventions and credit recovery programs – such as summer school – that helped chronically absent students catch up,” he explained at the time.
On the whole though, the state and CSD 13J performed similarly on these two measures, Flannery pointed out.
Pedersen also stressed that certain programs are causing more school commitment by some at-risk students, ranging from career and technical education – there are currently five areas, including agriculture and business – to connection with graduation “coaches,” school personnel who work closely with students who seem to be getting off-track.
Pedersen said there are other measures likely to be discussed, as well. “I’m really not ready to talk about them yet,” he said, adding that he has some ideas that he is currently exploring.
One outcome of adding nursing staff, which was added with some of the funds available during covid, has made a statistically significant difference.
Among two cohorts of several hundred students, a visit to the nurse significantly increased the likelihood that a student would be returned to class. In one group of 693, 89% of students who were seen by a nurse remained at school compared with 74% who visited office staff and, in another cohort of 343, it was 84% versus 54%. ▪
IN ACTUALITY: A look at a local recall effort.
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 9, 2024
IN ACTUALITY:
An Editorial Column to Assist Public Knowledge and Discourse on Recent Events
WHO: A group of residents from Polk County – largely from Dallas, including former Dallas City Councilor Micky Garus – have announced plans for a recall effort of county commissioners.
WHAT: The two county commissioners initially targeted were Lyle Mordhorst and Jeremy Gordon, over the way homelessness in the county has been addressed. A state mandate to mitigate regional homelessness was issued in the form of three executive orders by Gov. Tina Kotek, immediately after taking office. Kotek declared the issue an emergency, releasing millions of funds for use by government agencies and directing them to make homelessness a priority. Garus contends a shelter for the homeless that’s proposed in Dallas will increase their numbers 83% and asserts that there are only 31 unhoused people currently in the city limits.
WHERE: Garus recently gave public testimony at a meeting of the Polk County Board of Commissioners, criticizing their actions. Garus, who became known for comments about Muslims and transgender individuals while on the Dallas City Council, was unsuccessful in his attempt to become a county commissioner himself when he failed to unseat Commissioner Craig Pope in the last election.
WHEN: Garus’ comments, as well as testimony of other residents, was given Jan. 31 in the boardroom of the Polk County Courthouse.
WHY: Activism against homeless shelters seems to have arisen after plans – abandoned following a sustained public outcry – were announced to put a facility at a church in Monmouth.
HOW: The recall effort appears to have been launched on social media. Questions about its chances have been asked by those who saw it show up in posts.
DISCUSSION: Academic investigations into recall efforts show what Trammart News is dubbing the “Gray Davis Effect,” based on studies ranging from a master’s thesis at Marquette University about the recall years ago of California Gov. Gray Davis to several attempts for recall of officeholders at local levels in other states. In general, recall efforts seem to require widespread and deep public disenchantment with the actions of one or more elected officials.
To some extent, the record of successful recalls seems to suggest that losing touch with constituents – becoming over-conscious and over-confident of position and power – precedes a “tipping point” in which an act or display of authority alienates a large portion of voters, and the collective effect leads to an ouster from public office.
If this holds true as a prediction for recall, none of the current county commissioners appear to meet that criterion. All have followed state dictums, even when in disagreement with them, according to coverage by Trammart News going back several years, to the pre-pandemic period.
It is true that many residents were furious about the homeless proposal for Monmouth and the way it originally surfaced, but it appears to be a passing sentiment – the first concept was withdrawn amid public protest, which caused some residents to become more equivocating, according to recent and informal commentary obtained by Trammart News. Some have expressed hope that it was a lesson-learning time for the commission. Also, now there seems to be greater awareness that the state is mandating programs to address homelessness, requiring commissioners to seek regional solutions.
There have been successful recalls in the Willamette Valley, most notably involving the Central School District board about a dozen years ago, and the situation also appeared to have a “Gray Davis Effect.” A series of board decisions proved somewhat unpopular but the apparent incentive for recall seemed to be the alleged lofty, long-term disregard of constituent views, which appeared to mobilize both teachers and parents at the time.
In the opinion of Trammart News, the “Gray Davis Effect” can impact re-elections, as well as recall efforts. Trammart News, a fan of the moderation often demonstrated by former US Rep. Kurt Schrader, pronounced him to lunch companions a few years ago as having developed the “Gray Davis Effect” – and if so, seemingly oblivious about it. The observation was made following Schrader’s presentation to a local organization. Whether the “Gray Davis Effect” was responsible in part for Schrader's loss in 2022 is extremely debatable, and to suggest otherwise would be unfounded speculation.
(NOTE: Another objection by recall petitioners focuses on the role of the elected county treasurer, which is the subject of ongoing litigation, so it won’t be addressed by Trammart News until a court-approved decision is reached.) ▪
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