Editorial Analysis: Budget outcome: The good, the bad, the not-very-pretty
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 23, 2025
The way city life unfolds in Independence over the next fiscal year may be more impacted by the town’s budget than any time in recent history. City Hall is expected be closed on Fridays, except for the police department. The library will be open only four days a week. The museum building will go up for sale.
Trammart News composed an editorial analysis of what happened in the past several weeks, as the city budget committee – made up equally of citizens and city councilors – pored over ways to save money during this financially precarious period, when a shortfall of $776,000 loomed over proceedings.
There were surprises: a sudden fund transfer to shore up the entire use of the contingency fund for the shortfall; the cancellation of all money typically set aside for the next Fourth of July, the 2026 festivities; the news that tax revenue from urban renewal projects is falling far short of expectations.
The Trammart News budget analysis is presented in two parts: The likely effect on resident services and the likely effect on the downtown district – from the perspective of “The Good, The Bad and the Not-Very-Pretty (NVP). “
RESIDENT SERVICES
The Good. In a move initially forwarded by Heritage Museum Curator Amy Christensen and Library Director Patrick Bodily, the museum and the library will combine, with some exhibits being displayed at the library and others at other city spaces, such as the Independence Civic Center.
Recently, at an event at Central High School, a pop-up was staged along with the film “The Oregon Story: Agricultural Workers.”
This kind of activity is the wave of the future for outreach by museums, according to “MuseumNext,” a conference series that explores museum trends across the country. And combining a city library with the local museum maximizes community services for small towns, according to the Urban Libraries Council, a think tank of American public library systems.
The Bad. There is no apparent explanation for how money would be saved by having a four-day work week at City Hall. Though some cities have instituted this plan, those that have seem to have followed two paths: longer hours for city employees or trimming salaries for the weekly furlough day. Repeated inquiries about how the cost savings would be achieved went unanswered by the city communications director, Emmanuel Goicochea. He hasn’t responded to media requests by Trammart News for more than a year.
Goicochea’s elimination from the staff was one of many ideas put forward by City Councilor Dawn Roden, in her suggestions for budget trimming. After the meeting, she explained that “this may be a time when we don’t have a communications manager and we leave the department heads to do that job again.”
Unnecessary spending should be avoided, according to Roden. However, there should be more for the police department, which requires a funding adjustment. “We have to look at everything in order to make sure that basic safety and infrastructure needs are met first,” she said.
The property sale of the museum may take some time to accomplish. And the planned sale of a city park? That may come with complications, according to an article on municipal property sales in the Yale Law and Policy Review, which was published in 2024. Both city park and city-owned building sales are allowed under ORS 221.725 of Oregon law, but there are legal hoops that could require rezoning – and the city already has three unsold lots ready for development as part of the property it acquired years ago for Independence Landing, by the Willamette River.
The commercial real estate market has been slowing down, so any sale could take time, according to a 2025 market forecast by the National Association of Realtors.
Income in the state is lower than previously predicted and so is population growth, which is expected to rise only a half-percent annually, according to the Oregon Economic and Revenue forecast issued this month by the Department of Administrative Services.
Open space by Polk Street and Hoffman Road that was donated years ago by Boise Cascade is being proposed as a site for sale – but it was deemed ineligible for development only a few years ago due to deed restrictions. Ironically, at that time, it was removed for sale consideration by former City Manager Tom Pessemier, who told Trammart News that the money from the land sale would have been used to buy the museum building – the same museum building now being sold.
NVP. The municipal pool, which was closed down soon after City Manager Kenna West’s arrival, appears permanently gone. The park land where it sits on 5th and I streets is being considered for part of a city sale. Though a community center was suggested for the site, a presentation for that possibility by the YMCA director and the Independence economic development director was received with skepticism by the Polk County Board of Commissioners several months ago, in part because it failed to definitively make the pool a priority. An inquiry this week by Trammart News on the project with a county official indicates there has been no movement since then and the project is now regarded as out of reach.
Erin McIntosh, a resident who has been a tireless advocate of the municipal pool and who testified publicly to that effect at the budget committee, said she will continue to champion the outdoor pool project “as we navigate the existing budget realities.” McIntosh, a member of the city parks board, observed that the pool is “alive and well in the parks master plan process.” She expects an open house to be held in mid-June and urged attendance.
DOWNTOWN DISTRICT
The Good. Cancellation of all funding for the 2026 Fourth of July Fireworks and downtown venue by the budget committee caused merchants and some residents to spring into action, connecting with one another informally almost as soon as the announcement was made. The result is a vigorous response to an ad hoc committee formed by the city council in the wake of public reaction. The parade, which is done by the city’s Rotary Club, won’t be affected – but a scaled-down version of “Independence Days” by some who want to participate on the committee already is being strongly recommended.
The Bad. Outreach about the loss of funding for the Fourth of July fireworks was considered near non-existent by many of those whose downtown businesses count on the extra tourism. Mitch Teal, co-owner of Brew Coffee & Taphouse, testified to the budget committee a smaller version of it is feasible – but the coffers stayed empty.
City Manager Kenna West read a list of cities that depend on non-profit groups to hold Fourth of July events. However, in neighboring Salem the holiday celebration is financed through the taxation on lodging – and that tax revenue in Independence is now being used other ways.
NVP. At times, the discussions took a turn that involved the downtown and Main Street – with questionable results. When money from the economic development fund was re-allocated, the mayor, Kate Schwarzler, said she wanted to “sound the alarm bells” that some buildings were showing signs of possibly needed funds. As one example, she cited “the building that I am in.”
Schwarzler was asked by City Councilor Roden if she was going to declare a conflict-of-interest for doing so, apparently while a financial discussion was underway. Schwarzler said “no.”
Though a committee member interjected that it wasn’t the business but the building to which the mayor referred, Schwarzler may have crossed an ethical line. “Okay, she doesn’t gain from the real estate ownership,” said one observer of the meeting. “But she does gain from her business having a pleasing appearance.”
Under state rules, a conflict of interest arises when an official action by the public official could or would result in a financial benefit or detriment to the public official – and the dividing line makes no such distinction between property and the business it houses.
At a later time, Councilor Marilyn Morton said she hoped it would be suggested that the Ovenbird Bakery get a façade grant because the awning is “sustained by bird poop.”
Asked to respond to this assertion, the building’s owner, Susan Graham, responded: "The vast majority of the debris on the awning is from the type of tree that is planted directly in front of the building.” Trammart News visited the site and concluded that the tree is leaching onto the awning, and the tree itself appears to be city owned.▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 23, 2025
The way city life unfolds in Independence over the next fiscal year may be more impacted by the town’s budget than any time in recent history. City Hall is expected be closed on Fridays, except for the police department. The library will be open only four days a week. The museum building will go up for sale.
Trammart News composed an editorial analysis of what happened in the past several weeks, as the city budget committee – made up equally of citizens and city councilors – pored over ways to save money during this financially precarious period, when a shortfall of $776,000 loomed over proceedings.
There were surprises: a sudden fund transfer to shore up the entire use of the contingency fund for the shortfall; the cancellation of all money typically set aside for the next Fourth of July, the 2026 festivities; the news that tax revenue from urban renewal projects is falling far short of expectations.
The Trammart News budget analysis is presented in two parts: The likely effect on resident services and the likely effect on the downtown district – from the perspective of “The Good, The Bad and the Not-Very-Pretty (NVP). “
RESIDENT SERVICES
The Good. In a move initially forwarded by Heritage Museum Curator Amy Christensen and Library Director Patrick Bodily, the museum and the library will combine, with some exhibits being displayed at the library and others at other city spaces, such as the Independence Civic Center.
Recently, at an event at Central High School, a pop-up was staged along with the film “The Oregon Story: Agricultural Workers.”
This kind of activity is the wave of the future for outreach by museums, according to “MuseumNext,” a conference series that explores museum trends across the country. And combining a city library with the local museum maximizes community services for small towns, according to the Urban Libraries Council, a think tank of American public library systems.
The Bad. There is no apparent explanation for how money would be saved by having a four-day work week at City Hall. Though some cities have instituted this plan, those that have seem to have followed two paths: longer hours for city employees or trimming salaries for the weekly furlough day. Repeated inquiries about how the cost savings would be achieved went unanswered by the city communications director, Emmanuel Goicochea. He hasn’t responded to media requests by Trammart News for more than a year.
Goicochea’s elimination from the staff was one of many ideas put forward by City Councilor Dawn Roden, in her suggestions for budget trimming. After the meeting, she explained that “this may be a time when we don’t have a communications manager and we leave the department heads to do that job again.”
Unnecessary spending should be avoided, according to Roden. However, there should be more for the police department, which requires a funding adjustment. “We have to look at everything in order to make sure that basic safety and infrastructure needs are met first,” she said.
The property sale of the museum may take some time to accomplish. And the planned sale of a city park? That may come with complications, according to an article on municipal property sales in the Yale Law and Policy Review, which was published in 2024. Both city park and city-owned building sales are allowed under ORS 221.725 of Oregon law, but there are legal hoops that could require rezoning – and the city already has three unsold lots ready for development as part of the property it acquired years ago for Independence Landing, by the Willamette River.
The commercial real estate market has been slowing down, so any sale could take time, according to a 2025 market forecast by the National Association of Realtors.
Income in the state is lower than previously predicted and so is population growth, which is expected to rise only a half-percent annually, according to the Oregon Economic and Revenue forecast issued this month by the Department of Administrative Services.
Open space by Polk Street and Hoffman Road that was donated years ago by Boise Cascade is being proposed as a site for sale – but it was deemed ineligible for development only a few years ago due to deed restrictions. Ironically, at that time, it was removed for sale consideration by former City Manager Tom Pessemier, who told Trammart News that the money from the land sale would have been used to buy the museum building – the same museum building now being sold.
NVP. The municipal pool, which was closed down soon after City Manager Kenna West’s arrival, appears permanently gone. The park land where it sits on 5th and I streets is being considered for part of a city sale. Though a community center was suggested for the site, a presentation for that possibility by the YMCA director and the Independence economic development director was received with skepticism by the Polk County Board of Commissioners several months ago, in part because it failed to definitively make the pool a priority. An inquiry this week by Trammart News on the project with a county official indicates there has been no movement since then and the project is now regarded as out of reach.
Erin McIntosh, a resident who has been a tireless advocate of the municipal pool and who testified publicly to that effect at the budget committee, said she will continue to champion the outdoor pool project “as we navigate the existing budget realities.” McIntosh, a member of the city parks board, observed that the pool is “alive and well in the parks master plan process.” She expects an open house to be held in mid-June and urged attendance.
DOWNTOWN DISTRICT
The Good. Cancellation of all funding for the 2026 Fourth of July Fireworks and downtown venue by the budget committee caused merchants and some residents to spring into action, connecting with one another informally almost as soon as the announcement was made. The result is a vigorous response to an ad hoc committee formed by the city council in the wake of public reaction. The parade, which is done by the city’s Rotary Club, won’t be affected – but a scaled-down version of “Independence Days” by some who want to participate on the committee already is being strongly recommended.
The Bad. Outreach about the loss of funding for the Fourth of July fireworks was considered near non-existent by many of those whose downtown businesses count on the extra tourism. Mitch Teal, co-owner of Brew Coffee & Taphouse, testified to the budget committee a smaller version of it is feasible – but the coffers stayed empty.
City Manager Kenna West read a list of cities that depend on non-profit groups to hold Fourth of July events. However, in neighboring Salem the holiday celebration is financed through the taxation on lodging – and that tax revenue in Independence is now being used other ways.
NVP. At times, the discussions took a turn that involved the downtown and Main Street – with questionable results. When money from the economic development fund was re-allocated, the mayor, Kate Schwarzler, said she wanted to “sound the alarm bells” that some buildings were showing signs of possibly needed funds. As one example, she cited “the building that I am in.”
Schwarzler was asked by City Councilor Roden if she was going to declare a conflict-of-interest for doing so, apparently while a financial discussion was underway. Schwarzler said “no.”
Though a committee member interjected that it wasn’t the business but the building to which the mayor referred, Schwarzler may have crossed an ethical line. “Okay, she doesn’t gain from the real estate ownership,” said one observer of the meeting. “But she does gain from her business having a pleasing appearance.”
Under state rules, a conflict of interest arises when an official action by the public official could or would result in a financial benefit or detriment to the public official – and the dividing line makes no such distinction between property and the business it houses.
At a later time, Councilor Marilyn Morton said she hoped it would be suggested that the Ovenbird Bakery get a façade grant because the awning is “sustained by bird poop.”
Asked to respond to this assertion, the building’s owner, Susan Graham, responded: "The vast majority of the debris on the awning is from the type of tree that is planted directly in front of the building.” Trammart News visited the site and concluded that the tree is leaching onto the awning, and the tree itself appears to be city owned.▪
From school bus driving to gliders and jets, pilot Marici Reid’s career is up in the air
By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service, May 23, 2025
Follow the birds.
That’s what Marici Reid did when piloting her glider high above Northern California.
“It was a 4-hour glider flight … by Mount Shasta. Just flew all over the valley,” Reid said. “We were in the middle of nowhere and the lift was dying. We had to pick a place to land, so we followed a golden eagle for probably an hour and a half, to get to the (local) airport. It really was a cool flight.”
There’s a practical reason for hanging with birds.
“You fly with birds because they kind of don’t mind you being there,” Reid said. “We also chase birds because they know where the lift is. They don’t want to work. They’re lazy. So if you see birds, that’s lift.”
Golden eagles, however, are an exception. They can be downright antisocial when it comes to sharing their airspace.
“Golden eagles are one of the touchiest birds. But they’ll fly with you for a bit. They’re doing a lot of little head checks while you’re flying with them. And then they’ll tip their wings and it’s like, okay, I’m out of here,” she explained. “Then you have to figure out where they went so you can chase them.”
Gliding isn’t just for nature lovers and birdwatchers. It’s also for purists.
“You just feel everything in a glider because of the design of the wing. So you can feel the little bumps. There’s lift. It’s very moment to moment, and it’s very quiet,” she said. “We don’t wear headsets. You don’t need them. We just talk.”
Flying gliders is best suited for those with no particular place to go.
Flight plans are not filed because they’re not needed. Most trips begin and end at the same airport.
“Generally, you’re not going anywhere. You’re just enjoying the flight. Though people have flown cross country in a glider, that's a series of trips, not one long trip,” she said. “In an airplane, you’re, like, in a straight line. It’s very goal oriented.”
Reid is your go-to source when comparing gliders to planes. She knows a little something about long trips, too. That’s because her day job is piloting 747s for Kalitta Airlines. Company owner Connie Kalitta is a nationally known former drag racer.
Before Reid gained her commercial airlines pilot’s license, she spent 10 years driving a bus for the Central School District. The decision to leave her students and co-workers was not an easy one.
“I was a bus driver, and I loved it,” she said. “I never wanted to leave.”
But she did leave, she said, due to the poor working relationship between the district office and its employees. This was in 2019.
Conditions at the bus barn were “just unpleasant. So I thought, I have other skills. I can do something else. I’ve been flying since I was 16,” she said. “It’s not like I was a bus driver and then, all of a sudden, I wanted to (fly), and then I just did it. That’s not how it went down.”
Reid continued to drive buses while pursuing her pilot’s license.
“I studied in-between shifts. In between split-shifts. Weekends. After work,” she said. “Every time you get a new rating, you’re tested right? You have to do the books. You have to take the test. You go in an airplane with an examiner, and they’ll test you.”
Reid required certification for each of the seven levels she eventually mastered.
“Planes that I fly here tend to be the smallest of the small planes, the Piper Cubs. You know, 65 horsepower,” she said.
That all changed when she was hired as a commercial pilot by Skywest Airlines, her first job in her new field. Assignments occasionally took her cross country. Generally, though, she flew regional routes, with up to 78 passengers on board.
“It was usually Portland to Seattle, or Seattle to Spokane. I saw a lot of Seattle. I never need to see Seattle again,” she said with a laugh. “But from that jet to the 747, it’s a huge jump. I think that one was harder than from the little planes to the little jet.”
Reid no longer flies passengers. Instead, she flies cargo for Kalitta Charters. Some of her past deliveries were for the military.
“It’s been all equipment. I’ve taken a bunch of bombs … to Poland for Ukraine," she said of her military drops. "But lately I’m flying regular freight, like for DHL and UPS. ”
Reid was born in Japan and has flown internationally since she was young. The family made several trans-Pacific flights when moving to the states.
“When I was a little kid, before I can even remember, I was obsessed with airplanes,” she said. “I had these crayon drawings from when I was little that are jets. They’re kind of scrawly, But I’ve always loved airplanes.”
Her family eventually settled in Lake Tahoe, California. As a teen, she joined the Civil Air Patrol cadets program out of the nearby Truckee airport. She described the program as ROTC-light for kids.
“They had this wonderful squadron…. We did search and rescue, and a lot of practical hands-on stuff,” she said. “I had probably the best possible experience because they funded my solo in a glider.”
The squadron sent Reid to the national encampment in Missouri, which is where she learned to fly.
Marici and husband Robin have lived at the Independence airpark since 2009. Robin is a retired airplane mechanic and airline pilot. The couple’s two sons are also airplane mechanics.
Marici owns and operates the gas station that’s next to Robin’s hangar.
“We also have the Independence Glider Club out there,” she said. “I’m the instructor.” ▪
By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service, May 23, 2025
Follow the birds.
That’s what Marici Reid did when piloting her glider high above Northern California.
“It was a 4-hour glider flight … by Mount Shasta. Just flew all over the valley,” Reid said. “We were in the middle of nowhere and the lift was dying. We had to pick a place to land, so we followed a golden eagle for probably an hour and a half, to get to the (local) airport. It really was a cool flight.”
There’s a practical reason for hanging with birds.
“You fly with birds because they kind of don’t mind you being there,” Reid said. “We also chase birds because they know where the lift is. They don’t want to work. They’re lazy. So if you see birds, that’s lift.”
Golden eagles, however, are an exception. They can be downright antisocial when it comes to sharing their airspace.
“Golden eagles are one of the touchiest birds. But they’ll fly with you for a bit. They’re doing a lot of little head checks while you’re flying with them. And then they’ll tip their wings and it’s like, okay, I’m out of here,” she explained. “Then you have to figure out where they went so you can chase them.”
Gliding isn’t just for nature lovers and birdwatchers. It’s also for purists.
“You just feel everything in a glider because of the design of the wing. So you can feel the little bumps. There’s lift. It’s very moment to moment, and it’s very quiet,” she said. “We don’t wear headsets. You don’t need them. We just talk.”
Flying gliders is best suited for those with no particular place to go.
Flight plans are not filed because they’re not needed. Most trips begin and end at the same airport.
“Generally, you’re not going anywhere. You’re just enjoying the flight. Though people have flown cross country in a glider, that's a series of trips, not one long trip,” she said. “In an airplane, you’re, like, in a straight line. It’s very goal oriented.”
Reid is your go-to source when comparing gliders to planes. She knows a little something about long trips, too. That’s because her day job is piloting 747s for Kalitta Airlines. Company owner Connie Kalitta is a nationally known former drag racer.
Before Reid gained her commercial airlines pilot’s license, she spent 10 years driving a bus for the Central School District. The decision to leave her students and co-workers was not an easy one.
“I was a bus driver, and I loved it,” she said. “I never wanted to leave.”
But she did leave, she said, due to the poor working relationship between the district office and its employees. This was in 2019.
Conditions at the bus barn were “just unpleasant. So I thought, I have other skills. I can do something else. I’ve been flying since I was 16,” she said. “It’s not like I was a bus driver and then, all of a sudden, I wanted to (fly), and then I just did it. That’s not how it went down.”
Reid continued to drive buses while pursuing her pilot’s license.
“I studied in-between shifts. In between split-shifts. Weekends. After work,” she said. “Every time you get a new rating, you’re tested right? You have to do the books. You have to take the test. You go in an airplane with an examiner, and they’ll test you.”
Reid required certification for each of the seven levels she eventually mastered.
“Planes that I fly here tend to be the smallest of the small planes, the Piper Cubs. You know, 65 horsepower,” she said.
That all changed when she was hired as a commercial pilot by Skywest Airlines, her first job in her new field. Assignments occasionally took her cross country. Generally, though, she flew regional routes, with up to 78 passengers on board.
“It was usually Portland to Seattle, or Seattle to Spokane. I saw a lot of Seattle. I never need to see Seattle again,” she said with a laugh. “But from that jet to the 747, it’s a huge jump. I think that one was harder than from the little planes to the little jet.”
Reid no longer flies passengers. Instead, she flies cargo for Kalitta Charters. Some of her past deliveries were for the military.
“It’s been all equipment. I’ve taken a bunch of bombs … to Poland for Ukraine," she said of her military drops. "But lately I’m flying regular freight, like for DHL and UPS. ”
Reid was born in Japan and has flown internationally since she was young. The family made several trans-Pacific flights when moving to the states.
“When I was a little kid, before I can even remember, I was obsessed with airplanes,” she said. “I had these crayon drawings from when I was little that are jets. They’re kind of scrawly, But I’ve always loved airplanes.”
Her family eventually settled in Lake Tahoe, California. As a teen, she joined the Civil Air Patrol cadets program out of the nearby Truckee airport. She described the program as ROTC-light for kids.
“They had this wonderful squadron…. We did search and rescue, and a lot of practical hands-on stuff,” she said. “I had probably the best possible experience because they funded my solo in a glider.”
The squadron sent Reid to the national encampment in Missouri, which is where she learned to fly.
Marici and husband Robin have lived at the Independence airpark since 2009. Robin is a retired airplane mechanic and airline pilot. The couple’s two sons are also airplane mechanics.
Marici owns and operates the gas station that’s next to Robin’s hangar.
“We also have the Independence Glider Club out there,” she said. “I’m the instructor.” ▪
The story of a familiar face in Independence -- a dog-- battling terminal illness
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 23, 2025
If you live in Independence and are ever on any street but your own, you probably know a large and friendly dog that looks more like a cartoon character than a canine. In fact, he resembles the costume-wearing star of an old Disney movie, “The Shaggy Dog,” except that he’s covered in his own weatherproof coat of black hair.
He’s the real thing. And now he is battling a very real disease, cancer.
Although considered something of a town mascot, few can actually identify him except by description. He’s been likened to a baby buffalo, and it's easy to see why. And, like a prairie bison, he seems nonchalant in his surroundings.
He's a member of the breed of Bouvier des Flandes and he’s called Baggins. Like his namesake hobbit in “Lord of the Rings,” he is curious and adventuresome. His owner, Bob, is seen daily leading Baggins all over town – or is it the other way around? They are the “Double-B” guys, making frequent stops at Ovenbird Bakery where both are cookie-loving customers.
Baggins was identified with lymphoma after Bob noticed he was slowing down this past January, at about eight years of age.
At Liberty Animal Hospital in Salem, a panel of tests showed Baggins had several blood components at less-than-normal levels. The treatment was chemotherapy, which worked better than expected, returning most of Baggin's blood tests mostly back to normal.
How long will the cancer-fighting journey last? That remains unknown, but Baggins is still the howler who chimes in along with the train horn when it passes through town, still the dog who tugs on his leash after Bob takes a little bit too long in a conversation along Indy’s river walk.
May is the National Pet Month, and the “Double-B” partners seemed like an ideal pick to show the difference both have made in each other’s lives.
Bob and Baggins have grown older together, with a camaraderie that has meant lots of mutual exercise and shared enjoyment during TV-watching times. A Baggins favorite: “The Call of the Wild,” starring Harrison Ford.
Bob got Baggins after a 40-year gap in canine ownership. As a youth, he and his brother had a "big hairy dog" that he loved.
But, after college, Bob married and, during those child-rearing years, never had another dog. Then, at the age of 70, living alone, he decided he wanted a dog like the one he’d known in boyhood.
It wasn't easy. Bouvier des Flandes dogs are gentle giants – easily adjusting well to home and hearth -- But they're uncommon. Their numbers are notoriously low. The population dwindled after World War II – to fewer than an estimated two dozen in North America. Today, only about 100 are registered domestically with the American Kennel Club.
Aside from their relative rarity, there was another barrier: Bob, at 70 by that time, was seen as possibly too old for a dog like Bouvier des Flandes.
Undeterred, he adopted Baggins without hesitation. But then he wondered if the skeptical cluster of breeders he had contacted could be right.
Baggins proved a happy camper, but he jumped and played like any puppy. By six months, he could topple furniture without even trying – he seemed no match for a mere human.
So, when Bob discovered a couple in Mt. Angel walking alongside a very docile Bouvier, he didn't hesitate to ask how they managed to achieve such obedience. The answer? A collar made of chain instead of cloth or leather, which apparently feels more natural to these dogs, who spent centuries pulling carts.
"It's something that seems to be instinctual," Bob said.
Baggins is one of a kind in more ways than one. The breed is often associated with farms, due to their penchant for work. They originated in Belgium, where they proved adept at dairy-related tasks like managing groups of cows, pulling hay bales and guarding gates and pastures.
However, Bouvier des Flandes are so even-tempered and so loyal, they can settle in almost anywhere as family overseer. For these qualities, they are a frequent choice for treating victims of PTSD – content to offer non-stop companionship.
In his own back yard, Baggins has learned to pull weeds and serves as "fence sentinel." Though social and friendly with other dogs, Baggins feels a strong need to herd them.
As Baggins battles cancer, it's likely that Bob's age actually offers some benefits – that flies in the face of the age-linked liability that once was suspected.
Baggins requires nine medications per day, each delivered at special times. He also requires frequent, though shorter, walks through town. And trips to the vet take time, as well. "It seems like an advantage to be retired," Bob noted, prior to taking him on one of their many walks recently.
“Well, when this time of year he just wants to be outside most of the time,” Bob explained, as a few warning droplets of water sprinkled down from the sky. Baggins seems to be a true Oregonian, even enjoying walks in the rain. ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 23, 2025
If you live in Independence and are ever on any street but your own, you probably know a large and friendly dog that looks more like a cartoon character than a canine. In fact, he resembles the costume-wearing star of an old Disney movie, “The Shaggy Dog,” except that he’s covered in his own weatherproof coat of black hair.
He’s the real thing. And now he is battling a very real disease, cancer.
Although considered something of a town mascot, few can actually identify him except by description. He’s been likened to a baby buffalo, and it's easy to see why. And, like a prairie bison, he seems nonchalant in his surroundings.
He's a member of the breed of Bouvier des Flandes and he’s called Baggins. Like his namesake hobbit in “Lord of the Rings,” he is curious and adventuresome. His owner, Bob, is seen daily leading Baggins all over town – or is it the other way around? They are the “Double-B” guys, making frequent stops at Ovenbird Bakery where both are cookie-loving customers.
Baggins was identified with lymphoma after Bob noticed he was slowing down this past January, at about eight years of age.
At Liberty Animal Hospital in Salem, a panel of tests showed Baggins had several blood components at less-than-normal levels. The treatment was chemotherapy, which worked better than expected, returning most of Baggin's blood tests mostly back to normal.
How long will the cancer-fighting journey last? That remains unknown, but Baggins is still the howler who chimes in along with the train horn when it passes through town, still the dog who tugs on his leash after Bob takes a little bit too long in a conversation along Indy’s river walk.
May is the National Pet Month, and the “Double-B” partners seemed like an ideal pick to show the difference both have made in each other’s lives.
Bob and Baggins have grown older together, with a camaraderie that has meant lots of mutual exercise and shared enjoyment during TV-watching times. A Baggins favorite: “The Call of the Wild,” starring Harrison Ford.
Bob got Baggins after a 40-year gap in canine ownership. As a youth, he and his brother had a "big hairy dog" that he loved.
But, after college, Bob married and, during those child-rearing years, never had another dog. Then, at the age of 70, living alone, he decided he wanted a dog like the one he’d known in boyhood.
It wasn't easy. Bouvier des Flandes dogs are gentle giants – easily adjusting well to home and hearth -- But they're uncommon. Their numbers are notoriously low. The population dwindled after World War II – to fewer than an estimated two dozen in North America. Today, only about 100 are registered domestically with the American Kennel Club.
Aside from their relative rarity, there was another barrier: Bob, at 70 by that time, was seen as possibly too old for a dog like Bouvier des Flandes.
Undeterred, he adopted Baggins without hesitation. But then he wondered if the skeptical cluster of breeders he had contacted could be right.
Baggins proved a happy camper, but he jumped and played like any puppy. By six months, he could topple furniture without even trying – he seemed no match for a mere human.
So, when Bob discovered a couple in Mt. Angel walking alongside a very docile Bouvier, he didn't hesitate to ask how they managed to achieve such obedience. The answer? A collar made of chain instead of cloth or leather, which apparently feels more natural to these dogs, who spent centuries pulling carts.
"It's something that seems to be instinctual," Bob said.
Baggins is one of a kind in more ways than one. The breed is often associated with farms, due to their penchant for work. They originated in Belgium, where they proved adept at dairy-related tasks like managing groups of cows, pulling hay bales and guarding gates and pastures.
However, Bouvier des Flandes are so even-tempered and so loyal, they can settle in almost anywhere as family overseer. For these qualities, they are a frequent choice for treating victims of PTSD – content to offer non-stop companionship.
In his own back yard, Baggins has learned to pull weeds and serves as "fence sentinel." Though social and friendly with other dogs, Baggins feels a strong need to herd them.
As Baggins battles cancer, it's likely that Bob's age actually offers some benefits – that flies in the face of the age-linked liability that once was suspected.
Baggins requires nine medications per day, each delivered at special times. He also requires frequent, though shorter, walks through town. And trips to the vet take time, as well. "It seems like an advantage to be retired," Bob noted, prior to taking him on one of their many walks recently.
“Well, when this time of year he just wants to be outside most of the time,” Bob explained, as a few warning droplets of water sprinkled down from the sky. Baggins seems to be a true Oregonian, even enjoying walks in the rain. ▪
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