Where the sidewalk ends in Brandy Meadows, builders say development will, too--due to high fees
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 8, 2024
Builders in the southwest section of Independence – the site of the city’s newest subdivision, Brandy Meadows – have announced plans to abandon future construction there, citing development fees that have increased to more than $50,000.
A resolution unanimously passed at the last city council meeting hikes system development charges for water from $3,307 per home to $22,567, an addition that now makes total building fees so expensive it effectively shuts down the 226-lot project by Allied Development of Scottsdale Arizona, according to representatives of the company.
“It will kill this deal,” said David Hill, senior vice president at Allied. “Developers will not build in your community because the SDC rates will be cost-prohibitive,” added Mike Connors, Allied’s attorney. Both men joined the meeting remotely and requested a 90-day period before the vote finalized the proposal, though no extension was offered.
Citing a need to keep the cost burden for needed infrastructure away from the billings of residential rate payors, the city council approved the increase. The approval comes in the wake of plans for a new water treatment plant – a $10 million loan from the state already has been secured to finance its design package.
After the meeting, a builder identified as one of the most trusted names in construction across the Willamette Valley, said he will also call a halt to his work in completing the remainder of the Brandy Meadows subdivision. “It just doesn’t pencil out” with the adoption of the new SDCs, said Larry Dalke of Salem-based Dalke Construction.
Dalke was described by business colleagues as an industry leader for his fair-minded business practices and high-quality homes, including longtime Independence resident David Setniker, who owns a large portion of land in Brandy Meadows.
At the city council meeting, Setniker warned: “They are going to walk and you are not going to have anything.” He also offered potential well locations on his own land to help meet the pressing demand for water by the city.
Despite warnings by Connors, Allied’s lawyer, that the high SDCs could cause state officials to perceive Independence as failing to meet housing affordability standards – possibly jeopardizing millions of infrastructure dollars in prospective state allocations – Independence City Manager Kenna West called the potential funding from SB 1537 “a drop in the bucket.”
“The fact that they have $200 million on infrastructure funding is a drop in the bucket,” West said, in an apparent push for passage of the new SDCs.
A few weeks ago, Mike Erdmann, chief executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Marion & Polk Counties, met with city staff to address some of the objections about the SDCs, a meeting that resulted in lowering them by about $2,000. Asked why not all builders said they are leaving Independence, Erdmann said that any builder who has already purchased lots really has no choice. “They already have a sizable financial investment they can’t walk away from,” he explained.
“What I do believe will happen, though, is that developers won’t move forward with creating future residential lots as they’ll have tremendous difficulty finding buyers for those lots,” he explained.
Mark Bybee, of Bybee & Associates, told councilors he is now building in Dallas OR and doesn’t plan to continue in Independence. “We just cannot sustain it (here),” he said. ▪
Central School District announces recovery is underway from the recent cyberattack but slow-goingBy Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 8, 2024
As Central School District works to resume all online functions after a recent cyberattack, teachers and students will be “learning like it’s 1985” – and some of them have been dressing for that era, too, said CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista.
Neon clothing, big hair and other four-decade-old fashion trends have been adopted by some school staff, faculty and students as part of the adjustment to what Kubista called a new “pen and paper” time until Wi-Fi is fully restored.
Some of the perpetrators – from a group known as Lockbit – have been apprehended. Thanks, in part, to forensics experts provided by the school district’s insurance – as well as help from various local agencies – the process is now underway “to safely rebuild and restore our entire network and system,” Kubista said.
No ransom was paid and the only immediate cost to the district is payment of the deductible for the insurance policy. “We are really in a good position,” Kubista said, adding that there is an intense effort to get all desktop computers, including the software for PowerSchool, completely back up and running. Certain student information systems – Google, website and email – were relatively unaffected, she noted.
The Lockbit cybercriminals, as they are sometimes called, have been targets of the US Justice Department in recent years, resulting in multiple arrests of the hackers, often described as “Russian Nationals” in news accounts.
Over the past several weeks, the organization – considered one of the most prolific ransomware attackers in the world – was dealt a crushing blow through detection and suppression of its network operations by federal and international authorities, including the FBI. CSD’s system was one of its latest victims.
Kubista thanked the “community partners” who helped during the crisis. They include Independence Police Chief Robert Mason; Jason Kistler, the IT director for the City of Independence; PJ Armstrong, general manager of MINET, which delivered “hotspots” to some school areas; Evan Sorce of Western Oregon University – WOU delivered internet service to teachers in buildings, as well as providing printing services; And Willamette ESD, which took on some of the functions ordinarily performed by CSD staff.
The investigation is continuing, Kubista said. If it is found that information was compromised during the attack, those who may be affected will be notified “consistent with relevant laws,” she said. ▪
County probation officers are teaming up with behavioral health staff to meet the needs of offendersBy Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 8, 2024
County corrections staff and behavioral health specialists have teamed up to offer a voluntary program they hope will help reshape the lives of individuals on parole and probation who are battling mental illness.
In a presentation to the Polk County Board of Commissioners this past Tuesday, the aim of the program was explained: To reduce the level of repeat offenses for parolees or those on probation by meeting their mental health needs. “The hope is to find improvement” in both the lives of the participants and in guarding public safety, said Alba Garcia, health services supervisor for Polk County Behavioral Health.
Called FACT, an acronym for “Forensic Assertive Community Treatment,” the program has been providing services to approximately 35 clients since its inception in April 2021. An estimated 40% of those who are jailed are impacted by mental health issues, observed Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton, when asked about the percentage of those taken into custody who have mental health disorders.
Those in the FACT program struggle mentally and emotionally in ways both big and small, said Jim Rydzewski, probation officer for Polk County Community Corrections. One example is a woman who appears to have schizophrenia – but denies it.
In and out of the criminal justice system, she just wasn’t able to respond appropriately in fairly typical circumstances, acting disruptively and seeing “the world as being against her,” he said. She was homeless and in need of intervention.
Thanks to FACT, she’s now housed and complying with medication; Her day-to-day functioning has improved to the point that see seems ready for the next step, which may be employment, he said.
Both Garcia and Rydzewski observed that FACT helps build relationships, a result that seems to translate into greater engagement – and commitment – among staff with members of this at-risk group. Access to the program is limited to the individual's time they are being supervised by the Polk County Criminal Court system.
“As individuals meet the milestones of improvement and adequate life management, such as self-care and medication compliance, their involvement and contacts with the program decrease based on their individual needs,” explained Jodi Merritt, director of Polk County Community Corrections Community Service Programs Juvenile Department.
“Success is relative and different for every participant and is based on each participant’s individual challenges and mental health needs,” Merritt added.
Upon successful completion of supervision, FACT participants may have the opportunity to participate in a similar county program, even when they are no longer “justice-involved,” she said.
The FACT program relies on appropriate funding levels and staff to be provided at full capacity, according to county officials. However, it is likely to remain available for the foreseeable future, they confirmed. ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 8, 2024
Builders in the southwest section of Independence – the site of the city’s newest subdivision, Brandy Meadows – have announced plans to abandon future construction there, citing development fees that have increased to more than $50,000.
A resolution unanimously passed at the last city council meeting hikes system development charges for water from $3,307 per home to $22,567, an addition that now makes total building fees so expensive it effectively shuts down the 226-lot project by Allied Development of Scottsdale Arizona, according to representatives of the company.
“It will kill this deal,” said David Hill, senior vice president at Allied. “Developers will not build in your community because the SDC rates will be cost-prohibitive,” added Mike Connors, Allied’s attorney. Both men joined the meeting remotely and requested a 90-day period before the vote finalized the proposal, though no extension was offered.
Citing a need to keep the cost burden for needed infrastructure away from the billings of residential rate payors, the city council approved the increase. The approval comes in the wake of plans for a new water treatment plant – a $10 million loan from the state already has been secured to finance its design package.
After the meeting, a builder identified as one of the most trusted names in construction across the Willamette Valley, said he will also call a halt to his work in completing the remainder of the Brandy Meadows subdivision. “It just doesn’t pencil out” with the adoption of the new SDCs, said Larry Dalke of Salem-based Dalke Construction.
Dalke was described by business colleagues as an industry leader for his fair-minded business practices and high-quality homes, including longtime Independence resident David Setniker, who owns a large portion of land in Brandy Meadows.
At the city council meeting, Setniker warned: “They are going to walk and you are not going to have anything.” He also offered potential well locations on his own land to help meet the pressing demand for water by the city.
Despite warnings by Connors, Allied’s lawyer, that the high SDCs could cause state officials to perceive Independence as failing to meet housing affordability standards – possibly jeopardizing millions of infrastructure dollars in prospective state allocations – Independence City Manager Kenna West called the potential funding from SB 1537 “a drop in the bucket.”
“The fact that they have $200 million on infrastructure funding is a drop in the bucket,” West said, in an apparent push for passage of the new SDCs.
A few weeks ago, Mike Erdmann, chief executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Marion & Polk Counties, met with city staff to address some of the objections about the SDCs, a meeting that resulted in lowering them by about $2,000. Asked why not all builders said they are leaving Independence, Erdmann said that any builder who has already purchased lots really has no choice. “They already have a sizable financial investment they can’t walk away from,” he explained.
“What I do believe will happen, though, is that developers won’t move forward with creating future residential lots as they’ll have tremendous difficulty finding buyers for those lots,” he explained.
Mark Bybee, of Bybee & Associates, told councilors he is now building in Dallas OR and doesn’t plan to continue in Independence. “We just cannot sustain it (here),” he said. ▪
Central School District announces recovery is underway from the recent cyberattack but slow-goingBy Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 8, 2024
As Central School District works to resume all online functions after a recent cyberattack, teachers and students will be “learning like it’s 1985” – and some of them have been dressing for that era, too, said CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista.
Neon clothing, big hair and other four-decade-old fashion trends have been adopted by some school staff, faculty and students as part of the adjustment to what Kubista called a new “pen and paper” time until Wi-Fi is fully restored.
Some of the perpetrators – from a group known as Lockbit – have been apprehended. Thanks, in part, to forensics experts provided by the school district’s insurance – as well as help from various local agencies – the process is now underway “to safely rebuild and restore our entire network and system,” Kubista said.
No ransom was paid and the only immediate cost to the district is payment of the deductible for the insurance policy. “We are really in a good position,” Kubista said, adding that there is an intense effort to get all desktop computers, including the software for PowerSchool, completely back up and running. Certain student information systems – Google, website and email – were relatively unaffected, she noted.
The Lockbit cybercriminals, as they are sometimes called, have been targets of the US Justice Department in recent years, resulting in multiple arrests of the hackers, often described as “Russian Nationals” in news accounts.
Over the past several weeks, the organization – considered one of the most prolific ransomware attackers in the world – was dealt a crushing blow through detection and suppression of its network operations by federal and international authorities, including the FBI. CSD’s system was one of its latest victims.
Kubista thanked the “community partners” who helped during the crisis. They include Independence Police Chief Robert Mason; Jason Kistler, the IT director for the City of Independence; PJ Armstrong, general manager of MINET, which delivered “hotspots” to some school areas; Evan Sorce of Western Oregon University – WOU delivered internet service to teachers in buildings, as well as providing printing services; And Willamette ESD, which took on some of the functions ordinarily performed by CSD staff.
The investigation is continuing, Kubista said. If it is found that information was compromised during the attack, those who may be affected will be notified “consistent with relevant laws,” she said. ▪
County probation officers are teaming up with behavioral health staff to meet the needs of offendersBy Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, March 8, 2024
County corrections staff and behavioral health specialists have teamed up to offer a voluntary program they hope will help reshape the lives of individuals on parole and probation who are battling mental illness.
In a presentation to the Polk County Board of Commissioners this past Tuesday, the aim of the program was explained: To reduce the level of repeat offenses for parolees or those on probation by meeting their mental health needs. “The hope is to find improvement” in both the lives of the participants and in guarding public safety, said Alba Garcia, health services supervisor for Polk County Behavioral Health.
Called FACT, an acronym for “Forensic Assertive Community Treatment,” the program has been providing services to approximately 35 clients since its inception in April 2021. An estimated 40% of those who are jailed are impacted by mental health issues, observed Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton, when asked about the percentage of those taken into custody who have mental health disorders.
Those in the FACT program struggle mentally and emotionally in ways both big and small, said Jim Rydzewski, probation officer for Polk County Community Corrections. One example is a woman who appears to have schizophrenia – but denies it.
In and out of the criminal justice system, she just wasn’t able to respond appropriately in fairly typical circumstances, acting disruptively and seeing “the world as being against her,” he said. She was homeless and in need of intervention.
Thanks to FACT, she’s now housed and complying with medication; Her day-to-day functioning has improved to the point that see seems ready for the next step, which may be employment, he said.
Both Garcia and Rydzewski observed that FACT helps build relationships, a result that seems to translate into greater engagement – and commitment – among staff with members of this at-risk group. Access to the program is limited to the individual's time they are being supervised by the Polk County Criminal Court system.
“As individuals meet the milestones of improvement and adequate life management, such as self-care and medication compliance, their involvement and contacts with the program decrease based on their individual needs,” explained Jodi Merritt, director of Polk County Community Corrections Community Service Programs Juvenile Department.
“Success is relative and different for every participant and is based on each participant’s individual challenges and mental health needs,” Merritt added.
Upon successful completion of supervision, FACT participants may have the opportunity to participate in a similar county program, even when they are no longer “justice-involved,” she said.
The FACT program relies on appropriate funding levels and staff to be provided at full capacity, according to county officials. However, it is likely to remain available for the foreseeable future, they confirmed. ▪
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