Severe action needed for new budget, including rate hike and voter-approved levy
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 19, 2024
Independence is headed for a risky financial future unless it implements deep cuts and a $27 hike in utility billing along with a voter-approved levy to fund the library, the Heritage Museum and the municipal parks. That’s the message in the proposed city budget, which was released this week to the committee tasked with evaluating it.
“The effects of a failure to act are immediate and catastrophic,” was one of the conclusions in the 95-page document, which was made public Wednesday, shortly after the Independence Budget Committee convened for the first time this year.
Though subject to change by the committee over the course of the next few weeks – the committee meets again Monday night – the city’s overall financial position was deemed unstable. “A decision must be made to either create additional revenue sources or significantly reduce services including closing non-essential departments to bring the city’s finances back from the precipice,” according to the opening summary, a statement that was signed by the city’s finance director, Rob Moody.
The initial meeting centered on instruction for committee members, to help them move smoothly through the budget process.
Last year, at the conclusion of the budget session, three members voted against recommending this past year’s budget to the city council. At that time, the city manager, Kenna West, said a “best practice” approach was being instituted, one that abandoned budgeting methods relied upon in previous years; The position of city engagement coordinator was eliminated, and a decision was made to close the library on Saturdays.
This year, more budget-carving is essential, Moody said, noting that there are two main options used by municipalities under such monetary strain: One is to simply cut all departments and programs by a certain percentage, the other is taking a “more surgical” strategy, he said, suggesting that he favors the latter. However, much of the decision-making now rests with the budget committee.
SIDEBAR: An editorial analysis of why transparency seems to be taking a hit as the budget arrives
In kicking off a training session Wednesday night, attorney Robin Klein, assistant general counsel for the League of Oregon Cities, informed budget committee members about their role, including the legal rules regarding their participation.
But one word seemed to be repeated over and again: transparency – the need for it, with a reminder that “these are tax dollars” being allocated for city services, Klein said.
The need for open government was repeatedly highlighted by LOC lawyer Klein, who led the first part of the initial budget meeting. The admonition arrived during a week when transparency was being questioned – both by certain public officials and residents alike.
At the recent city council meeting, an add-on item to support the work being done in the prevention of homelessness by Church at the Park ignited debate among Independence city councilors – and not only because homeless sheltering is seen as a “hot potato” issue. A letter voicing support, which councilors were asked to approve, had been placed on the agenda minutes before the meeting. Objections to such a sudden introduction seemed not to matter to a majority of the councilors – four of them voted yes.
However, Trammart News received multiple responses from residents who felt left out of the process – one called it an example of hidden ramrodding. Paul Sieber, a Monmouth resident who attended the meeting, was asked his opinion – and he made a more nuanced observation.
“There was no opportunity for public input,” he said. Asked why he attended a meeting in Independence, a place he doesn’t live, he quipped: “Well, there was nothing good on television.”
A second meeting-related incident this past week seemed to signify doubts about city openness, as well. Skepticism arose at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting. The question: Would some city regulations, such as system development charges, be enforced on developers under a proposal the HPC was asked to consider, which would allow new homes to be built on lots with existing houses?
At their April meeting, HPC Chair Jennifer Flores, noting that parts of the city’s water-sewer system are in need of repair, wondered if development fees could be counted on, and cited the construction of Independence Landing several years ago. “It didn’t happen before,” Flores said, adding “it makes me really cautious.”
About seven years ago, the city entered into an agreement with the developer for Independence Landing, Tokola Properties, to provide “financial assistance” of about $2 million, to pay for the estimated costs for building permits and system development charges for the project. The waiver, which a past city administrator described as a loan to the developer, came to light after a budget committee member at the time, Gary Van Horn, requested a copy of the disposition and development agreement with Tokola.
The third instance this past week seems related to the sudden warm weather after a cold snap, which had led to what appears to be a Willamette Valley Inversion, a time when foul odors are likeliest to arrive around the city’s sewage lagoons. However, this week neighbors nixed the idea of smelly air as a problem. “It doesn’t usually stink unless it goes really cold to really hot,” said Ashley Rice, who lives nearby, who agreed with her neighbor that it happens too few times annually to be considered a true nuisance.
Still, some remained confused about when the project to renovate the lagoons will be done. In a widely broadcast video on the lagoon biosolid removal, Public Works Director Gerald Fisher states: “When we get the project completely finished, the plant will be set up to handle all the flows for the next 20 years of both population growth and commercial and industrial growth.” However, so far there is no estimated time of when that will be.
Several inquiries to the city’s communication coordinator, Emmanuel Goicochea, failed to receive a response to this question: Do you as a city representative have any response to the concern expressed by some residents of allegations transparency is lower than desired in some public-meeting situations? ▪
Talmadge science students capture little creek creatures in Dave Beatley’s class
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 19, 2024
They’re often tiny, sometimes crawly, occasionally slimy and they come in a wide variety when the water where they live is healthy.
They are the macroinvertebrates of Ash Creek, and Teacher Dave Beatley and his sixth-grade class have been catching and counting them to help track their numbers over time, to assist with ongoing state-wide research.
For years, Beatley has been utilizing Ash Creek, which flows right by Talmadge Middle School, for science teaching purposes. He is the recipient of local grants from the Ash Creek Water Control District and the Monmouth-Independence Community Foundation. “We've also received a lot of support through grants from the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society to do stream work,” Beatley said.
Talmadge Middle School is part of the "StreamWebs Stewardship Network," an online platform that has been set up by Oregon State University, along with a few other partners, to receive data that's recorded on the creeks and waterways of the Willamette Valley. This past March, the class at Talmadge submitted counts that included juvenile flies, snails and beetles.
But the insect that the students found in greatest quantities were caddisflies – a class favorite. The larvae, which look like mini caterpillars, build encasements from material they find, often pine needles, and can resemble moving debris when wriggling through water. One that was relocated to the classroom aquarium – now named Jeremy – built a shell-like enclosure from aquarium rock. As Jeremy lurches along the bottom of the aquarium, he looks like a tiny mobile rock pile.
Besides adding to the stream studies on the network – where students submit the findings – another priority is to familiarize them with taxonomy, the physical ways to distinguish animals and plants, Beatley said. "We keep it simple," he added. The students contrast and compare aspects of macroinvertebrates – like damselfly larvae and aquatic worms – in water samples
they take from Ash Creek, by using magnifying scopes to see the little bugs' appearance in more detail.
Previously, Beatley's young scientists built bird-nesting boxes and placed them along Ash Creek and, though they hoped to see wood ducks in them, swallows and sparrows showed up in significant numbers, and became occupants in some of the smaller birdhouses. Then, the Luckiamute Watershed Council undertook a project to clear the blackberry bushes and restore native vegetation. Their return of native plants created a blaze of color in some spots.
Now, Yellow Monkeyflower and the purple blossoms of Lupine and Camas are flourishing along the creek, creating pollen for reproduction – pollen that meant Beatley was fighting both an allergy reaction and dense brush as he walked. The lush vegetation helps keep the soil intact, he explained. The blackberries, which are invasive, may look like pretty fruit-bearing bushes but "they choke out everything," he said. Now, "most of the native plants are doing really well," he said.
This past year, part of the focus was on pollinators – and the students made nesting boxes for them, too. But the 6th-graders, as well as Beatley, were puzzled about why the Mason Bees utilized only some of the paper tubes placed in them. It turned out that soda straws made of paper and of a certain size suited the bees just fine – but they were disinterested in any that deviated from these specifications. Like so much in science, this wasn't the learning intent, but it provided a biology lesson, Beatley affirmed.
"The goal is to have respect for nature," Beatley said. Some members of the class immediately enjoy getting outside to tackle science projects; Others are more reluctant to explore the leafy creek-side site. Initially, "I think some may worry about getting too close to nature," he said. But learning to like the outdoors is great for kids, he stressed – it gets them off computer screens and into the natural environment. In terms of growing brain power, "the connections you make here are different," he said.
A lot of the science takes place inside the walls of the classroom, Beatley said. But, even then, it is "very hands-on." Most students are engaged by that kind of learning, he explained. Chemical reactions of gases, for example, are well liked – identifiable by the properties they exhibit. Acetylene has a bright orange flame. Hydrogen lacks a flame but makes a pop like a flying cork. Sulfur gives off an instantly recognizable odor: rotten eggs. There is no demonstration for methane, which is human gas. "I tell them cows make a lot of it," Beatley said. (Disclosure: Trammart News plans to purchase and donate a pair of binoculars to the class)▪
A committee forms to educate the public about poor condition in some schools
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 19, 2024
A facilities committee to help raise public awareness about the deteriorating parts of some Central School District buildings, including a decrepit boiler room, will meet twice a month to design an educational campaign to launch in the near future, according to Emily Mentzer, CSD’s communications coordinator.
The committee, comprised of about a dozen members, met for the first time in mid-April. The inaugural task was to create a flyer, which can be handed out and posted.
However, committee member David Clyne said he wanted more information than the draft of the handout so far seems to include – a proposed solution. “I am not sure what my mission is,” he said.
The aim is to inform residents about the problem, not to promote a possible bond – yet. “But it feels like the decision is being made,” observed Clyne.
If so, asking voters to pass a bond promises to be a tough challenge – there may be a similar proposal on the horizon, as well. If the Independence budget is adopted as it was presented this week, a call for a city levy is in the works for a future ballot.
In a past survey of the CSD community, a large percentage were unaware of the facility needs of the schools, Mentzer pointed out. About 20% thought the facilities were suitable; 33% didn’t know a problem with them existed.
Targeting that segment will help, she said.
Vidal Pena, a former school board member, suggested that none of the signage, posters or flyers use a picture of the CSD building. Instead, it should be the school buildings, he advised. School board member Susan Graham, who is also serving on the facilities committee, agreed that “this is the message we want to convey,” that the aging infrastructure is affecting the students' educational experience.
The issue arose as the district prepares for the loss of federal stimulus funds, known as Elementary and Secondary School Relief, which was awarded to schools under what was known as the “CARES” legislation, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in March 2020. ESSER funds are being phased out, according to the US Department of Education.
CARES Act ESSER funds helped school districts address the impact of the pandemic, including reopening – a time when many students were found to be woefully behind.
As the district plans a future without ESSER, post-covid changes continue to affect other sources of revenue: Absentee rates jumped, and they have had a serious impact – schools receive money based on daily attendance rates, and that has significantly dropped. Additionally, the district’s expected growth in enrollment for the 2023-24 school year showed a downturn of 100 students instead, according to figures released by CSD.
A report to the school board in early April by Superintendent Jennifer Kubista indicated there is no money for the necessary infrastructure repairs. ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 19, 2024
Independence is headed for a risky financial future unless it implements deep cuts and a $27 hike in utility billing along with a voter-approved levy to fund the library, the Heritage Museum and the municipal parks. That’s the message in the proposed city budget, which was released this week to the committee tasked with evaluating it.
“The effects of a failure to act are immediate and catastrophic,” was one of the conclusions in the 95-page document, which was made public Wednesday, shortly after the Independence Budget Committee convened for the first time this year.
Though subject to change by the committee over the course of the next few weeks – the committee meets again Monday night – the city’s overall financial position was deemed unstable. “A decision must be made to either create additional revenue sources or significantly reduce services including closing non-essential departments to bring the city’s finances back from the precipice,” according to the opening summary, a statement that was signed by the city’s finance director, Rob Moody.
The initial meeting centered on instruction for committee members, to help them move smoothly through the budget process.
Last year, at the conclusion of the budget session, three members voted against recommending this past year’s budget to the city council. At that time, the city manager, Kenna West, said a “best practice” approach was being instituted, one that abandoned budgeting methods relied upon in previous years; The position of city engagement coordinator was eliminated, and a decision was made to close the library on Saturdays.
This year, more budget-carving is essential, Moody said, noting that there are two main options used by municipalities under such monetary strain: One is to simply cut all departments and programs by a certain percentage, the other is taking a “more surgical” strategy, he said, suggesting that he favors the latter. However, much of the decision-making now rests with the budget committee.
SIDEBAR: An editorial analysis of why transparency seems to be taking a hit as the budget arrives
In kicking off a training session Wednesday night, attorney Robin Klein, assistant general counsel for the League of Oregon Cities, informed budget committee members about their role, including the legal rules regarding their participation.
But one word seemed to be repeated over and again: transparency – the need for it, with a reminder that “these are tax dollars” being allocated for city services, Klein said.
The need for open government was repeatedly highlighted by LOC lawyer Klein, who led the first part of the initial budget meeting. The admonition arrived during a week when transparency was being questioned – both by certain public officials and residents alike.
At the recent city council meeting, an add-on item to support the work being done in the prevention of homelessness by Church at the Park ignited debate among Independence city councilors – and not only because homeless sheltering is seen as a “hot potato” issue. A letter voicing support, which councilors were asked to approve, had been placed on the agenda minutes before the meeting. Objections to such a sudden introduction seemed not to matter to a majority of the councilors – four of them voted yes.
However, Trammart News received multiple responses from residents who felt left out of the process – one called it an example of hidden ramrodding. Paul Sieber, a Monmouth resident who attended the meeting, was asked his opinion – and he made a more nuanced observation.
“There was no opportunity for public input,” he said. Asked why he attended a meeting in Independence, a place he doesn’t live, he quipped: “Well, there was nothing good on television.”
A second meeting-related incident this past week seemed to signify doubts about city openness, as well. Skepticism arose at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting. The question: Would some city regulations, such as system development charges, be enforced on developers under a proposal the HPC was asked to consider, which would allow new homes to be built on lots with existing houses?
At their April meeting, HPC Chair Jennifer Flores, noting that parts of the city’s water-sewer system are in need of repair, wondered if development fees could be counted on, and cited the construction of Independence Landing several years ago. “It didn’t happen before,” Flores said, adding “it makes me really cautious.”
About seven years ago, the city entered into an agreement with the developer for Independence Landing, Tokola Properties, to provide “financial assistance” of about $2 million, to pay for the estimated costs for building permits and system development charges for the project. The waiver, which a past city administrator described as a loan to the developer, came to light after a budget committee member at the time, Gary Van Horn, requested a copy of the disposition and development agreement with Tokola.
The third instance this past week seems related to the sudden warm weather after a cold snap, which had led to what appears to be a Willamette Valley Inversion, a time when foul odors are likeliest to arrive around the city’s sewage lagoons. However, this week neighbors nixed the idea of smelly air as a problem. “It doesn’t usually stink unless it goes really cold to really hot,” said Ashley Rice, who lives nearby, who agreed with her neighbor that it happens too few times annually to be considered a true nuisance.
Still, some remained confused about when the project to renovate the lagoons will be done. In a widely broadcast video on the lagoon biosolid removal, Public Works Director Gerald Fisher states: “When we get the project completely finished, the plant will be set up to handle all the flows for the next 20 years of both population growth and commercial and industrial growth.” However, so far there is no estimated time of when that will be.
Several inquiries to the city’s communication coordinator, Emmanuel Goicochea, failed to receive a response to this question: Do you as a city representative have any response to the concern expressed by some residents of allegations transparency is lower than desired in some public-meeting situations? ▪
Talmadge science students capture little creek creatures in Dave Beatley’s class
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 19, 2024
They’re often tiny, sometimes crawly, occasionally slimy and they come in a wide variety when the water where they live is healthy.
They are the macroinvertebrates of Ash Creek, and Teacher Dave Beatley and his sixth-grade class have been catching and counting them to help track their numbers over time, to assist with ongoing state-wide research.
For years, Beatley has been utilizing Ash Creek, which flows right by Talmadge Middle School, for science teaching purposes. He is the recipient of local grants from the Ash Creek Water Control District and the Monmouth-Independence Community Foundation. “We've also received a lot of support through grants from the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society to do stream work,” Beatley said.
Talmadge Middle School is part of the "StreamWebs Stewardship Network," an online platform that has been set up by Oregon State University, along with a few other partners, to receive data that's recorded on the creeks and waterways of the Willamette Valley. This past March, the class at Talmadge submitted counts that included juvenile flies, snails and beetles.
But the insect that the students found in greatest quantities were caddisflies – a class favorite. The larvae, which look like mini caterpillars, build encasements from material they find, often pine needles, and can resemble moving debris when wriggling through water. One that was relocated to the classroom aquarium – now named Jeremy – built a shell-like enclosure from aquarium rock. As Jeremy lurches along the bottom of the aquarium, he looks like a tiny mobile rock pile.
Besides adding to the stream studies on the network – where students submit the findings – another priority is to familiarize them with taxonomy, the physical ways to distinguish animals and plants, Beatley said. "We keep it simple," he added. The students contrast and compare aspects of macroinvertebrates – like damselfly larvae and aquatic worms – in water samples
they take from Ash Creek, by using magnifying scopes to see the little bugs' appearance in more detail.
Previously, Beatley's young scientists built bird-nesting boxes and placed them along Ash Creek and, though they hoped to see wood ducks in them, swallows and sparrows showed up in significant numbers, and became occupants in some of the smaller birdhouses. Then, the Luckiamute Watershed Council undertook a project to clear the blackberry bushes and restore native vegetation. Their return of native plants created a blaze of color in some spots.
Now, Yellow Monkeyflower and the purple blossoms of Lupine and Camas are flourishing along the creek, creating pollen for reproduction – pollen that meant Beatley was fighting both an allergy reaction and dense brush as he walked. The lush vegetation helps keep the soil intact, he explained. The blackberries, which are invasive, may look like pretty fruit-bearing bushes but "they choke out everything," he said. Now, "most of the native plants are doing really well," he said.
This past year, part of the focus was on pollinators – and the students made nesting boxes for them, too. But the 6th-graders, as well as Beatley, were puzzled about why the Mason Bees utilized only some of the paper tubes placed in them. It turned out that soda straws made of paper and of a certain size suited the bees just fine – but they were disinterested in any that deviated from these specifications. Like so much in science, this wasn't the learning intent, but it provided a biology lesson, Beatley affirmed.
"The goal is to have respect for nature," Beatley said. Some members of the class immediately enjoy getting outside to tackle science projects; Others are more reluctant to explore the leafy creek-side site. Initially, "I think some may worry about getting too close to nature," he said. But learning to like the outdoors is great for kids, he stressed – it gets them off computer screens and into the natural environment. In terms of growing brain power, "the connections you make here are different," he said.
A lot of the science takes place inside the walls of the classroom, Beatley said. But, even then, it is "very hands-on." Most students are engaged by that kind of learning, he explained. Chemical reactions of gases, for example, are well liked – identifiable by the properties they exhibit. Acetylene has a bright orange flame. Hydrogen lacks a flame but makes a pop like a flying cork. Sulfur gives off an instantly recognizable odor: rotten eggs. There is no demonstration for methane, which is human gas. "I tell them cows make a lot of it," Beatley said. (Disclosure: Trammart News plans to purchase and donate a pair of binoculars to the class)▪
A committee forms to educate the public about poor condition in some schools
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 19, 2024
A facilities committee to help raise public awareness about the deteriorating parts of some Central School District buildings, including a decrepit boiler room, will meet twice a month to design an educational campaign to launch in the near future, according to Emily Mentzer, CSD’s communications coordinator.
The committee, comprised of about a dozen members, met for the first time in mid-April. The inaugural task was to create a flyer, which can be handed out and posted.
However, committee member David Clyne said he wanted more information than the draft of the handout so far seems to include – a proposed solution. “I am not sure what my mission is,” he said.
The aim is to inform residents about the problem, not to promote a possible bond – yet. “But it feels like the decision is being made,” observed Clyne.
If so, asking voters to pass a bond promises to be a tough challenge – there may be a similar proposal on the horizon, as well. If the Independence budget is adopted as it was presented this week, a call for a city levy is in the works for a future ballot.
In a past survey of the CSD community, a large percentage were unaware of the facility needs of the schools, Mentzer pointed out. About 20% thought the facilities were suitable; 33% didn’t know a problem with them existed.
Targeting that segment will help, she said.
Vidal Pena, a former school board member, suggested that none of the signage, posters or flyers use a picture of the CSD building. Instead, it should be the school buildings, he advised. School board member Susan Graham, who is also serving on the facilities committee, agreed that “this is the message we want to convey,” that the aging infrastructure is affecting the students' educational experience.
The issue arose as the district prepares for the loss of federal stimulus funds, known as Elementary and Secondary School Relief, which was awarded to schools under what was known as the “CARES” legislation, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in March 2020. ESSER funds are being phased out, according to the US Department of Education.
CARES Act ESSER funds helped school districts address the impact of the pandemic, including reopening – a time when many students were found to be woefully behind.
As the district plans a future without ESSER, post-covid changes continue to affect other sources of revenue: Absentee rates jumped, and they have had a serious impact – schools receive money based on daily attendance rates, and that has significantly dropped. Additionally, the district’s expected growth in enrollment for the 2023-24 school year showed a downturn of 100 students instead, according to figures released by CSD.
A report to the school board in early April by Superintendent Jennifer Kubista indicated there is no money for the necessary infrastructure repairs. ▪
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