Police Chief Robert Mason shares crime statistics that show an upward trend in youth offenses
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Dec. 1, 2023

An increase in the number of juvenile offenses is a cause for local concern, though strategies to lessen the impact in certain neighborhoods has proven successful over the past year, Independence Police Chief Robert Mason reported at the mid-November city council meeting.

The final crime count involving young offenders isn’t yet available since the end of 2023 hasn’t yet been fully reached. “But I will say those numbers are trending up,” said Mason, who described efforts to address the problem as a “struggle.” The situation “really made some neighborhoods feel unsafe,” he said.

By placing more-intense police focus on areas in which more fights and drug use were reported among youth, such incidents have significantly declined, he noted. Some of the perpetrators have relocated, he said.

Mason offered no potential explanation for what he described as an upward trend, but it coincides with reports from the Central School District that absentee rates of CSD students are higher than the state average, prompting school officials to begin new approaches to combat the findings. This past week, the Oregon Department of Education released a report that included discipline events for the 2022-23 school year -- nearly nine percent of Oregon students had to undergo such measures, constituting another troubling trend.

Both juvenile delinquency and school discipline occur more often in economically disadvantaged groups, according to both the ODE report and the National Center for Health Research. The latter organization hasn’t linked poverty to such youth-related incidents in less populated cities, but in small towns housing and family instability are known to be associated with more crime in adolescents and young adults.

Historically, Oregon has had a relatively high Property Crime Index in its youth population, a reference to a nationally-used number that reflects burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. ▪
 
Polk County Fair officials report unprecedented participation by 4H and FFA youth at the county fair
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Dec. 1, 2023

This year’s 4-H and FFA entrants to the Polk County Fair helped make it the biggest success in years -- the youth livestock auction raised nearly $596,000 in revenue – and the efforts of these young participants appear to be rivaling the rodeo as a draw for fairgoers.

As Polk County Fair Manager Tina Andersen put it: “These kids rock!”
Do they ever. The 4-H groups came within a hog’s tail of completely doubling their exhibits compared with last year.

At a recent meeting of the Polk County Board of Commissioners in Dallas, Andersen and Fair Board chair Tim Ray reported that the two groups – FFA and 4-H – were responsible for helping make the fair bigger and better than the one in 2022 – there was an increase of 11.5% over the last one.

FFA had 116 exhibitors, a 23% increase, as well as 202 exhibits, an uptick of 1%; 4-H had 234 exhibitors, up 31.5%, along with 2,206 exhibits, which translates to a whopping increase of 90%.
The youth auction played a starring role: there were 212 animals, up 14% from 2022. All those hand-raised goats, sheep and other animals resulted in a jump of overall revenue at the auction, by 16.5% with a total that reached $595,779.

Outside the meeting, Andersen and Ray confirmed that many of the teen contributions were from Central High School, which has an expanded greenhouse and a thriving student agricultural community.

Costs for participation by 4H, FFA and open-class youth were covered by donations from the Polk County Farm Bureau, according to a list of donors to the Polk County Fair. ▪
 
All over town, residents and the city are lighting up the town with illuminated holiday decorations
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Dec. 1, 2023

From a home-based light show on Williams Drive that becomes a popular cruising destination this time of year to a tree along Highway 51 all dressed up for holiday cheer, it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Independence.

When darkness descends, a drive-by to some parts of town this time of year is making spirits bright.

For anyone who wants to see holiday scenes ablaze in color and light, the front yard of 1365 Williams Drive, where the Aldrich family puts on a display that can only be called an extravaganza, is a good place to start. The show starts Saturday, Dec. 2, beginning at sundown, and continues nightly.

Not far away, on Gun Club Road, is the unofficial city Christmas tree. On the west side of the street about a block from the intersection with Hoffman Road, one of the town’s tallest evergreens is festooned with multi-colored lights. It is not only a sight to see, but hard to miss.
A tree that looks like it could be a twin is along the west side of Highway 51 near Marker 3. Both big trees have been made available for viewing by families that decorated them all the way up to the top of their gigantic branches.

In Riverview Park, the Glow Walk is not to be missed. Stroll under an archway with winking-blinking lights and take in the illuminations on king-sized Christmas ornaments.
These spots are surefire bets to awaken your inner ho-ho-ho. And keep an eye out for Santa and Rudolph, who are all lit up and temporarily occupying the yards of many houses this year, as Indies of Indy offer a highly visual and luminous way to offer season’s greetings. ▪

 
Sunset Meadows Park gets name nominations and a lot more from Parks and Rec Board
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

The Independence Parks and Recreation Board is proving itself to be a squeaky wheel for residents. This small band of volunteers, which this past year has had several city-imposed meeting cancellations, continues to ask questions aimed at keeping some issues – from the municipal pool to park landscaping – at the forefront.

Last Thursday, the members, who all are volunteers, voted to recommend names for a park that so far has been known as “Sunset Meadows.” To the surprise of no one on the board, the top choice in a citizen survey for an official name was “Sunset Meadows,” with 23 votes.

However, board members put their own stamp on the name, by adding its Spanish translation as part of the recommendation: “Prados al Atardecer.” The other two potential name suggestions, which got far fewer votes, were Kalapuya Meadows and Camino de Inspiracion, or Park of Inspiration. All three names will go to the city council, which will select the name and make it official.

If that seems like a fairly routine matter, an analysis of the board’s action of the past year by Trammart News shows the members pushed for progress in areas ranging from a decision on the shuttered municipal pool, which City Manager Kenna West and City Public Works Director Gerald Fisher say requires inclusion in a new parks master plan in order to be reinstated. The pool was closed after being found in disrepair this past summer.

Pressed at the last meeting about when demolition of the pool house will take place – it was scheduled for this fall – Fisher explained that he has 22 “active” public works projects in the pipeline so the pool house tear-down will likely be put over till early 2024. “I am trying to juggle flaming chainsaws,” he said.

Also at the recent meeting, Board Member Maria Blanco reminded Fisher the board needs to approve minutes, to keep the archive up-to-date – they were missing from the agenda packet. Board Chair Jonathan Jay inquired how soon the long-awaited vegetation at Sunset Meadows Park will be planted – a gathering of local dignitaries was held more than a year ago to celebrate the installation of trees, but so far only the ceremonial dedication tree has been planted. When Fisher responded that it could be next fall, Jay observed: “It’s a little disappointing it will be another calendar year.”

Outside the meeting, member Jasper Smith was told the board was called “the mouse that roars” by one resident buoyed by the way the committee apparently is striving to keep the city on track with movement toward promised projects. Smith said the phrase was likely directed at Erin McIntosh, who has been an advocate for the municipal pool. “I think we are mice, I will say that,” Smith said. ▪
 
Tougher election navigations may lie ahead for new County Clerk Kim Williams
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

When Kim Williams became Polk County Clerk after nearly two decades of serving under Valerie Unger in that office, she knew she not only had big shoes to fill but a political landscape that threatens to make the professional path far more difficult.

At a Salem City Club meeting in mid-November, Williams reflected on her time in the office under Unger, and the changes she witnessed as a result of a growing political climate in which the voting process increasingly was questioned.

“The biggest threat to our office is misinformation,” Williams told members of the Salem City Club at their most recent meeting. It was her first time speaking to a group in an official capacity since she took office in October.

Williams has been serving in the Polk County Clerk’s Office since 2004 and considered former Polk County Clerk Val Unger, who preceded her, to be among the finest ever to occupy the office. “She was an amazing boss,” Williams said.

But in recent years, social media in the county -- online chat rooms, internet postings -- began suggesting election-related conspiracies, apparently in response to the state’s motor-voter registration. The seven-year-old law enables those who obtain or renew driver licenses to automatically be registered to vote. Prior to the law’s passage, an extra step was required. One effect of the motor-voter law was that, just by completing that task at the Department of Motor Vehicles, users were registered as “non-affiliated” unless they filled out a card designating a political party. As the number of non-affiliates swelled, some in the county became critical of the process.

By the time the last election rolled around, Unger ‘s position was becoming a far more frequent recipient of disparaging comments. So, following that election, she chose to retire, even though she hadn’t yet reached her 60th birthday. As the target of unfounded mistrust. “she just couldn’t take it anymore,” Williams said.

It was unprecedented for the Polk County Clerk’s Office – one of the smallest offices in the state – to receive such public attention, including far more public record requests, Williams noted. However, providing answers to all inquiries adds positive visibility to her office, she said, adding that she already is trying to promote transparency by inviting people to call or come in with questions.

Polk County Commissioner Craig Pope, who has served on the Polk County Board of Commissioners longer than either of his colleagues, said he has known Williams for years. “I have complete confidence in Kim Williams, and she was trained by the best,” Pope said. ▪
 
A Christmas story for the ages: soldier’s unexpected return to Independence more than a century ago
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

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

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

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

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

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

City Parking Study Shows Low Survey Results So Far But Residents Weigh In

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Nov. 17, 2023

A city plan to identify parking needs in and around downtown has drawn a disappointing response rate so far to the survey but the study has a few preliminary conclusions, according to results presented at an open house Tuesday.

The precise number of those who participated in the survey was unavailable, according to consultants with the company that performed it, Portland-based Toole Design. A report with final numbers should be available online in the coming weeks, said Kerry Aszklar, the urban planner on the project.

At a planning commission meeting in September, City Planning Manager Fred Evander described the number of surveys the city received at that time – about 160 – as lower than expected, and fewer than city staff had hoped. “Our goal was higher than that, of course,” he told the planning commission. “We have done a lot of things to boost that number and it has not gone up.”

Inquiries to the city’s communications coordinator, Emmanuel Goicochea, for an update on the number of participants to the survey went unanswered after the open house on the issue.

Despite a video to encourage survey participation, targeted social media and flyers distributed at various locations, “at some point you have got to respect people’s prerogative not to participate,” Evander said. The response number by Evander is the one to use until the final report is posted, said Gwen Eckelman, an engineer with Toole Design who attended the open house.

Evander noted that the survey contains “good information,” and it was detailed and “beefy.” Among the results so far, the survey shows that most trips downtown are by car, and only 19% of those who answered the survey say they have a “hard or very hard” time locating a parking spot, with nearly 48% identifying it as a “mixed bag” and about a third reporting an “easy or very easy” time finding a place to park. Several residents weighed in on the issue, with one suggesting that short-term parking by Ovenbird Bakery and Coffee Brew and Taphouse is one good option, so that fast carry-out pickups could be made.

Other ideas included issuing parking passes for those who live in downtown apartments so that they could post them on dashboards as indicators of residency. Several who use downtown say there aren’t enough delegated spots for apartment dwellers, forcing many to use street parking. The parking study was undertaken after merchants reported that there was a shortage of parking downtown during some times of day, which seemed to affect customers. ▪

 
When is an apology is greater than the sum of its parts? When the school board chair issues one.
 
An Editorial By Anne Scheck, reporter and publisher of Trammart News, Nov. 17, 2023


I remember the black-and-white television set, and I remember adults – mostly men – hovering around it. That's all I recall of this event, other than the hushed silence broken by a comment delivered with stunning surprise, perhaps shock. “The President took responsibility for the Bay of Pigs,” came the words in the deep baritone of our neighbor, as heads around the room nodded.

I was only seven years old at the time, and immediately pictured the “bay of pigs” as a hog farm in my home state of Kansas. I knew who the president was. He went by the initials JFK, and no grown-up I knew -- except for a Catholic couple up the street -- had voted for him. Yet here were all these tall people, awestruck with approval, issuing praise.

Their response froze the moment in my memory. Later, when friends apologized to me, I always took note of their words. Though well-intentioned and sincere, and very much appreciated by me, many folks give lackluster apologies compared with our 35th president, if they give them at all.

They’re sorry, of course, but they’re under stress. They have a sick family member and home life has been hard or a terrible boss has made the job miserable, and they are just a wreck, you see.
I’ve heard very little self-blame, which is hard for me, too. I always want to explain why I did what I did, while skipping mention of what a total bonehead thing it was to do. Which brings me to a recent and revealing pronouncement by CSD 13J’s School Board Chair, Donn Wahl. An action taken by CSD 13J, in his view, required no excuse-deflecting monologue. He said he was sorry.

“This was a sound financial decision that was poorly communicated and poorly implemented, and we’ll take ownership for that,” he said. In the future such financial decisions will be “reviewed more closely and communicated more widely,” Wahl added. When Central School District 13J approved a plan to pay ahead on its bond debt this past summer, there was a miscalculation on the burden to local property taxpayers.

Some saw their tax bill climb several hundred dollars. CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista apologized, too. But she gets paid in six figures and attributed it to a math mistake, which may be entirely understandable to anyone like me who struggled with college algebra but wasn’t perceived as etiologically sound to some.

Wahl, a volunteer on a board that gets more headaches than deep-sea divers, did several things in his apology that stand out: he confessed it was poorly communicated, which pretty much everyone who collared me about this issue had said; he identified it as poorly implemented, which I’d seen by the deer-in-the-headlights reaction of several people on fixed incomes.

And then Wahl promised to do better, with news on such moves “communicated more widely.”

That should be good for everyone. All the public communications coordinators in the Monmouth-Independence area are paid with tax dollars, from the cities to the schools. There are no better recipients of fact-based announcements, in my view, than the people who pay those taxes. I would run out of fingers fairly quickly trying to count the times in Independence that citizens have complained they get public relations videos instead of up-to-date information. Yet there is a hunger for such material or else I’d get a lot more doors slammed in my face delivering The Independent.

CSD 13J Board Chair Donn Wahl did something remarkable, and in a routine way, which bestowed it with even more glow. He admitted errors were made in the execution of a sound financial plan, and he pledged to improve the messaging the next time around. He wasn’t defensive. He didn’t talk about the hard job of board volunteerism or the ingratitude of some critics or the fact that he is only a guy who placed in trust in others’ expertise and got burned by it. When small town life delivers heroes, they often arrive this way, I think. There is no ceremony of recognition. Nobody stands and applauds.

If you are lucky, and do the right thing, you are often the only one you think may be aware of that. But if Board Chair Wahl presumes that no one fully noticed a few sentences in which he expressed regret and remorse, he is wrong.

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you. I was privy to it all, from my seat at the back of the room. We should all be saying thank you, too. It is a rare event when an unvarnished apology comes our way. ▪
 
A story to get your goat: How a plush toy from the local museum sparked a hunt for accurate animal

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Nov. 17, 2023

Our story begins not on a dark and stormy night, but a sunny, rain-free afternoon.
The Independence Library had publicized an animal sleepover, where kids brought in their favorite teddy bears or dinosaurs or bunny rabbits or other companion toys to spend the night among the stacks of books. A clever idea -- and such a nice one for children, right?

So, Trammart News brought a plush toy in, as well. It was a goat purchased at the Independence Heritage Museum, which is a fairly frequent shopping stop for the news outlet’s owner. Details of what happened next are blurry. One of the children in the library at the time apparently questioned the accuracy of the goat’s identification on the sales tag. Recall of the moment is imprecise because Trammart News, which is run by a rather inquisitive type, spent a fair amount of time engaged in conversation with the children’s librarian, Miss Jo. It wasn’t until months later, on the heels of some local 4H events, that it seemed time to research the precise breed of the museum goat.

As the young and observant library patron pointed out, there may be a reason to question that ID tag on it. For one thing, the continent of Africa is misspelled, at least by American grammatical standards. For another, the goat’s origin is described as Cameroon, a place of Nubian goats, Nigerian dwarf goats and pygmy goats. The museum goat's tag reads “Patrick, the Pygmy Goat.”

However, male pygmy goats have beards, and Patrick looks pretty clean-shaven, so to speak. What to do? Solution: Consult some Polk County goat experts. A trip to the Oregon State University Extension Office in nearby Dallas turned up some information. Patrick looks like a Toggenburg goat, an alpine breed that's a favorite among the Swiss. They're sturdy, with ears and legs like Patrick's -- and similar markings, too, said  Hayley White, agricultural program coordinator for Polk and Marion Counties. Also, some Polk County goat farmers weighed in.

The consensus appeared to be that the toy goat represents a possible mix of good goat genes. "Looks like a pretty generic goat, could be Nigerian dwarf by the coloring and erect ears. But I'm sure it could just be a mixed goat as well," noted Holly Morag of Groovy Goats Farm. “He does resemble a Nigerian,” agreed Erik Frizelle, whose wife, Tracey, has a goat that looks like a sibling of Patrick’s. The difference is that a Nigerian Dwarf goat resembles a small dairy goat, while a Pygmy goat is one with a broader build, which Patrick seems to possess, according to the Frizelles.

In fact, some “Cameroon Goats,” as they are sometimes called, are known to be a hardy combination of the best DNA. Along Main Street, in downtown Independence, there was wide agreement that Patrick didn’t fit any stereotype -- except one known to buyers of cuddlesome toys everywhere, as “really cute.”

“This is obviously a Billy goat,” pronounced Madeline Blasko, apparently alluding to Patrick’s horns. Also, by scratching under Patrick’s jaw, a slightly hairy stubble appears. Could it be the trademark beard of a pygmy goat?

No kidding around; a tiny beard does seem to be there, and that’s the rub of good journalism -- taking things on the chin! (All puns in this last sentence are totally intentional.) ▪

A five-year anniversary for a group called WIM that is changing lives in Independence and Monmouth
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Nov. 10, 2023

From a handful of women only a few years ago to a group that now numbers over 2,000, the Women of Independence and Monmouth is proving a village of friends can be formed by building a single bridge. In this case, a Facebook group with no entry requirements other than the desire to meet new people and make new friends.

Just ask Trisha Buck, the Facebook group’s administrator. She’s surprised how much and how quickly WIM grew -- by the hundreds from a single posting when a woman who confessed, only a few years ago, to wanting to make some friends.

The “WIMMERs” as they call themselves, recently celebrated a five-year anniversary at Valkyrie Wine Tavern in downtown Independence. Asked about the happy, noisy crowd that showed up for the celebration, Buck searched for the underlying reason that so many have flocked to the group. For one, there is really no barrier at all for joining; for another, the goal is to meet people and have fun, with no strings attached, according to some of those who attended.

Shirley Hutchison citied her reason: “WIM is the only FB group I’m in where you can have friends and activities in person, not just the internet. I know too many women who live alone and need to get out of the house. WIM lets them do that in a friendly, safe, supportive environment.” Norma Soffa said she joined after seeing a group of women at a local establishment “having a great time.” After striking up a conversation with the group, Soffa decided it was a place for her, too. Kat Garcia agrees. “The women I’ve met through WIM have become such good and true friends,” Garcia added.

The Facebook group functions without many rules, but there has been no trolling, no hate speech and no extremism, which seem to be otherwise common online, Buck said. “Maybe it works because we are literally IRL -- in real life –neighbors,” Buck suggested. Actually, “I don’t know why it works,” Buck said.

Some members offered their own explanations. Tina Thompson, an Independence resident who formed a successful walking group for WIMMERS, noted that she found herself without many friends after a year of living in Independence.

Once she began participating in “WIM Trivia Night,” at Parallel 45, that changed. “I decided to start the ‘WIM Weekly Walking Group’ as a way to meet other women in the area and make new friends while enjoying the outdoors and getting to know the neighborhoods of Indy and Monmouth,” Thompson recalled. “Without WIM, I would have never met so many amazing women and helped to bring so many of them together with my walking group,” she said.
Thompson is now planning to move to the Oregon coast, but she expects the walking group to keep going after her departure, thanks to its popularity – and widespread appreciation. As WIMMER Lacey Harris observed, “I started walking and have met some amazing ladies since. Thank you, WIM!!"

Reflecting back on when she was asked to take over the group -- after the woman who first posted the notice and got WIM going relocated to another town -- Buck said her reaction was “Oh, there are so many people that would be better at this than me.” Now that the group is more than 2,000 members strong, Buck still credits others for its success. However, she confesses that it answers the lifelong need she’s had to consider herself a “helper” of others. (Disclosure Trammart News’ owner. Anne Scheck, is a supporter of all things WIM.) ▪
 
Central School District to take new approaches for low student attendance with “Walking buses”
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Nov. 10, 2023

Absentee rates in Central School District schools that are below the state average and represent over 40% of students are prompting district administrators to look for new approaches to the problem, CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista said during a recent visit to Ash Creek Elementary School.

“It’s better than it was,” Kubista said, noting that the figures were even worse last year. However, with “regular attenders” for CSD at only 58%, compared with the state average of 62%, the challenge of school absences continues to be a looming problem, she said.

Different strategies are being explored, from a “walking bus” in which children who don’t qualify for transportation by school bus are picked up at their doorstep by an adult or group of adults. The challenge is waiting for the state to finalize an okay on this plan.

“As for the walking school buses, we do not know if it can be volunteer driven yet because we don't have the rules yet. We are hoping for the state to release the rules and guidelines by January,” said Emily Mentzer, communications coordinator for the district.

The National Center for Safe Routes to School, an advocacy group for safe travel to and from educational facilities, endorses walking school buses for the reasons that CSD officials have described. However, the center recommends them for other reasons, too. Studies show that fewer children are walking and biking to school, and more children are at risk of becoming overweight.

The walking school bus is defined by the “Safe Routes Center,” as the center is sometimes called, as “a group of children who walk to school with one or more adults and it can be as informal as two families taking turns walking their children to school or as structured as a route with meeting points, a timetable and a regularly rotated schedule of trained volunteers.” The center also supports a variation on the “walking school bus,” such as a “bicycle train,” in which adults supervise children riding their bikes to school.

However, the “walking school bus” is only one of the strategies the district plans to undertake, Kubista said. Another is an emphasis on family engagement, which is proposed as a means to strengthen the connection between home and school. Providing what parents, guardians and caregivers may need to get kids on a regular schedule – same bed time, same morning routine – can be helpful. Information and outreach of ways to do this hopefully will prove beneficial, Kubista said.

She emphasized that about 60% of the students are at the poverty line or below, so making contact any way possible may help boost attendance.

However, national studies on the drop in attendance – a cross-country trend that shows no signs of significantly abating – also pin part of the blame on declines in student mental health. The National Center for Health Statistics has reported that a most public schools are seeing an increase in mental health issues, and a majority of them have tracked an increase in the percentage of students seeking help in mental-health services. An even higher number of teachers and staff members have expressed concern about the issue, which also interferes with school participation – and attendance.

When the numbers of regular school attenders plummet, district finances take a hit because schools are reimbursed for the days that students are present. However, the cuts go deeper than dollars to some in the school system: it means extra work and disruption for teachers, who are then tasked with helping non-attenders catch up or maintain meeting assignments.

Some teachers-in-training at Western Oregon University, who say they have seen this attendance shift since the days of off-site learning in covid, are concerned. Maddie Lehrer, who got her undergraduate in social studies from WOU, called low attendance in schools “pretty worrisome.” As she works toward completion of her master’s degree in education, she wants to impart that knowledge of subject matter through high school teaching.
Having to deal with matters that take away from actual instruction would be a challenge, she said. “I hope by the time I get there, things will be getting back in the right groove,” Lehrer said. ▪
 
A cat cafe for Indy: A feline rescue operation is underway on Main Street inside a new store
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Nov. 10, 2023

Emily Samuelian, a fairly recent graduate of Western Oregon University, wanted to stay in the area and has a penchant for two things: cats and kittens, along with selling unusual gift products. So she combined her passion for both, and opened “The Little Pumpkin Cat Café” at 226 Main Street, Suite G, in downtown Independence.

The store, which features special tea and coffee, is open from 11 am to 6 pm Wednesday through Saturday, and on Sundays from 11 am to 4 pm, in the back corner of the Little Mall on Main. From specialty teas to hand-made jewelry, the eclectic store is a cozy addition to the cluster of shops in this downtown arcade. Samuelian began her business at the Independence Farmers’ Market in the Umpqua Bank Parking lot, then moved to her new location several weeks ago. Her goal is to get cats in need of a home placed in one; currently she has a gray tabby kitten and a young Siamese romping and sleeping in the adjoining cat room.

A big gray male who is old and blind has become a permanent resident, Samuelian said.
The idea of a cat café isn’t new. Entrepreneurs in several towns, including Eugene and Portland, have attempted them. However, the challenge of finding and maintaining a location for a food-related business that is subject to added regulations for animal care appears to make these unique coffee-and-tea spots hard to sustain. Samuelian offers craft classes by sign-up, and her door is open for anyone who wants to “hang out with cats,” as she puts it. ▪

Independence residents call for more accountability after property tax increase

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service , Nov. 3, 2023

“Get real.”

That was the reaction of Al Cleveland, longtime resident of Independence, when he opened his property tax bill last week. It had increased more than eight percent compared with last year’s statement.

Cleveland is far from alone. Like many others across town, he’s concerned. He said he’d like to see the agencies his tax bill supports learn to live within their means -- higher taxes make it harder for those who pay them to do that.

From a hangar at the Independence State Airport where local airpark homeowners gather for coffee many mornings to the tables at the Ovenbird Bakery on Main Street, the recent talk of the town has been this year’s tax bill.

“It was an overall tax increase of approximately $800,” commented Jerry Pryce, who lives in north Independence. “The property assessment was up three percent, but the educational portion boosted the bulk of the tax bill,” he pointed out.

Pryce is correct about the underlying reason that many saw their taxes rise – a fact uncovered by his neighbor Andy Duncan. Duncan, who made a trip to the Polk County Courthouse to get a jump on his tax bill this year, was stunned to see that – due to educational assessments – it had leapt higher than he’d ever seen it.

The charges are assigned at a rate per $1,000 of assessed home value. There’s about $1.30 in a new addition on the school-bond payment; a public-safety levy to fund upgrades in Polk Fire District No. 1 has been passed by voters, but the increase won't take effect until next year. Duncan reported his findings by email to fellow residents – and the news traveled swiftly. At the Ovenbird Bakery, reactions ranged from shoulder shrugs of resignation to expressions of distress, which seemed consistent with the view in other parts of Independence.

Vincent Homer, who stopped in at the EAA Hangar last week -- a popular spot for local aviation enthusiasts -- was dismayed about the “biggest chunk,” which he attributed to school bonds. If the taxpayers are going to pay more for schools on their property taxes, they deserve to see better results in their educational system, he asserted.

If that sounds like the kind of complaint that could be expected during tax season, it seems to have a broader implication this year: another bond to pay for upgrades at schools in Central School District 13J is being considered, with a possible campaign launch in the next several months. And, in Independence, bonds repeatedly have been mentioned as a potential revenue source during city council sessions -- City Manager Kenna West referenced a list of 21 public works projects at the last meeting.

Over lunch at The Grain Station, Nan Willis, a former public-school principal, said the idea of any new bond is unlikely to be met with much support, given the current economic climate. “I can tell you I would pound the pavement myself against any that would impact my tax bill,” she said.

Multiple attempts seeking a response from Independence city administration to the current tax situation have gone unanswered by the communications coordinator for Independence, Emmanuel Goicochea. In the past, Goicochea has stated his role determines which press inquiries receive comment.

However, communications personnel at both CSD 13J and the City of Monmouth have issued responses – and both are providing public outreach.

The school district had been getting calls, confirmed Emily Mentzer, communications coordinator for Central School District 13J, which serves both Monmouth and Independence. “I hope this helps let people know why they are seeing an increase,” she said.

There are two “line items” on property tax bills, she explained -- Central School District 13J and CSD 13J bonds. The first item is the part local property taxpayers contribute to cover expenses in classrooms and support services, which makes up less than 20% of the district’s general operating budget. That rate is the same every year, “so increases are due to changes in assessed property value by the county,” Mentzer said.

The second item is to pay off bond debt that was incurred when the community voted to make large investments, like seismic improvements at buildings, as well as by building Ash Creek Elementary School, and adding the sixth-grade wing at Talmadge Middle School.

This year, some of the debt from the bonds that built Ash Creek Elementary and the remodel of Talmadge Middle School’s sixth grade wing increased the levy amount on property taxpayers in the district for the 2023-2024 year.

“This strategy will reduce interest payments and decrease the overall obligation of the district in future years,” she said. “This is not unlike reducing your interest by paying down the principal on a car or home loan,” Mentzer said.

Payments on the 2008 bond that resulted in a complete remodel and addition at Central High School have been paused but will resume in 2028, she added. That bond is scheduled to be paid off in 2038.

In Monmouth, a special message, often referred to as the “Mayor’s Note,” which is included in utility bills, will address property taxes, said Sabra Jewell, the city’s communications coordinator. Also, Mayor Cec Koontz, along with Monmouth Finance Director Susie Marston, is holding a “coffee chat” for residents in early November to talk about the issue. It is scheduled for Nov. 9 at 9 am at the Monmouth Community Senior Center.

In Independence, some residents have expressed appreciation for Duncan’s outspoken analysis of taxation. Independence has a tax rate of 19.1332 -- the highest in Polk County, exceeding that of neighboring Monmouth’s at 18.2184. The tax rate represents a number that reflects the amount of taxing districts. Independence has one more than Monmouth does, affirmed Polk County Tax Assessor Valerie Patoine.

In fact, Independence also has the highest “ad valorem” tax of any city in Polk County, excluding the West Salem area. The ad valorem tax rate, 4.5897, was set years ago and is the permanent rate for Independence’s taxing district. Monmouth's ad valorem is 3.6107.

Additionally, of the three dozen counties in Oregon, Polk County is among the top 10 in terms of homeowner taxation, according to an analysis five years ago by the Oregonian. And that status seems unlikely to change. Oregon has undergone tax reforms that limit the amount taxpayers can be required to pay.

Measure 50 tied tax bills to 1995 property values, capping those increases to three percent a year.Measure 50, passed in 1997, cut taxes and established permanent tax rates, like the “ad valorem” for cities. The limits have succeeded in curbing taxes, but reportedly have made it more difficult to raise revenue for cities, which often turn to bond levies. (Trammart News & Publishing is solely responsible for the content provided.) ▪
 
Gophers in the north part of Independence are an annual pest every fall
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service , Nov. 3, 2023

The nature changes of autumn have brought more than the crimson and gold leaf colors. This year, mounds of dirt like little volcanoes all around the Independence Airpark show that a gopher population continues to grow north of town.

No one knows what the precise numbers are, but resident Lynn McDonald has been the go-to gopher guy for the airpark for the past 25 years. After the young are born, usually in spring and early summer, they are kicked out of the nest to go find new homes. Because the airpark community has acres of land around taxiways, they have made the underground territory their habitat, he said.

Walkers at the airpark who may need to cross unpaved areas keep on the lookout for them. The trademark tiny hills show where they have been at work, one explained, noting that they are almost never seen. Considered a potential trip-and-fall hazard, the tunnels also can weaken the ground.

Unlike nutria, the brown rodents often seen by creek beds, gophers really dislike water so pouring some down their hole can make them move, explained Ed Matteo, a longtime member of the Ash Creek Water Control District who has been trapping nutria for years.
For years, the “gopher problem” has appeared on the agenda of meetings of the Independence Airpark Homeowners Association. So far, a severe eradication effort hasn’t been seen as necessary. One theory is that, by the time a wet winter passes, the rain has proven to be a natural population control.

“This new life is very challenging for young gophers,” observed wildlife biologist Kim Flotlin, in a report describing the situation for the animals in the Pacific Northwest. Flotlin, who works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, noted that the “decisions, skills and sheer luck” of the young venturing out oo their own every fall can mean “the difference between life and death.” So far, gopher numbers seem to diminish in the terrain at the airpark by the time February rolls around.
But they can do real devastation to gardens and vegetation, said McDonald, observing they like bulbs and roots. “Plus, you really have to look out for those mounds when you mow the yard if you don’t know they’re there.” ▪
 
 
Can Kids Be Banned Forever from the Movies?
 
IN ACTUALITY

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service , Nov. 3, 2023

An editorial column to assist public knowledge and discourse on recent events.

WHO: A group of youth who attended a showing of the newest “Exorcist” film, a sequel to the original, at the Independence Cinema.

WHAT: They appeared to be without an adult. Explanations between the involved parties vary, but this much is not in dispute: The youth were asked to leave the showing.

WHERE: An exchange of words apparently took place on site.

WHEN: A recent Tuesday, at the discount matinee.

WHY: It is alleged by the theater manager that there was no parent or adult with the youth for the actual movie, a violation of policy.

HOW: The disagreement developed apparently over several factors: One was that an adult did return to the movie theater, after running an errand; the other is that a request was denied for money to be returned since there would be no viewing of the movie. An argument allegedly ensued between the parties.

In following up, Trammart News spoke to both the adult involved, Kelcie Patrick, who said she was upset by the treatment she received, and the manager of the theater, Chance Prudhomme.
The incident involved a conflict with a movie theater that is like many across the country that has been reported as on the increase -- and in some places, incurring community backlash.
In response to an inquiry by Trammart News, Prestige Theatres issued a statement saying they were adhering to regulations by the Motion Picture Association. "We have taken our commitment to following MPA regulations very seriously," the statement said.

The specific issue of unaccompanied minors attending R-rated movies is clear, according to MPA rules: Children under 17 are not allowed to watch R-rated movies without a parent or adult guardian present.

One unanswered question is whether the youths are permanently banned, which can occur under some circumstances. However, a substantial number of entertainment venues in local situations reportedly choose not to take this action, in order to preserve a good customer relationship with the community. ▪

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Dan Farnworth, a longtime guardian of Ash Creek takes a look back
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

Since the early days of the pandemic, during the first week of every month, a group of people committed to the well-being of Ash Creek -- sometimes referred to as the stewards of the city’s signature waterway -- have been convening in the early morning on Zoom instead of the coffee-imbibing, in-person meetings they once held. They’re all members of the Ash Creek Water Control District, volunteers who appear to be the least known elected officials in Polk County. At their helm, until recently, has been Dan Farnworth, who saw the group through covid and stepped down this year as chair, replaced by Mancil Russell.

As a creekside resident with a back yard where deer and raccoons regularly roam, Farnworth’s love of nature helped carry him through some challenging times for the district. While the nation plowed through the period of the coronavirus, Farnworth and the ACWCD faced threats to Ash Creek, from heavy rains that abolished part of the embankment in Riverview Park to grumblings of some members of the public, who objected to their blackberry eradication efforts on the grounds that the fruit makes good eating. Farnworth graciously agreed to sit down with Trammart News for a look back on the ACWCD’s recent history.

TRAMMART NEWS: Somebody told me years ago the acronym ACWCD sounds like a society of electrical engineers. Can you explain its function? I like to think its visibility as "stewards of the creek" has been raised since that time.

FARNWORTH: The ACWCD works to improve and maintain the flow of the Ash Creek Channel, with an emphasis on reducing flooding and flood damage.

TRAMMART NEWS: Can the creek really be considered the local waterway of Independence?

FARNWORTH: The North and South fork of Ash Creek meets around Pioneer Park. But Ash Creek actually flows from the hills south of Dallas – the north and south forks join to become the main stem, flowing all the way to the Willamette River in Independence.

TRAMMART NEWS: I know the board works hard to oversee the creek. Your meetings are so focused on that. Recently, drone footage of parts of the creek was undertaken, in conjunction with a research team from Western Oregon University. How did that go, from your perspective?

FARNWORTH: The aerial mapping was the first project of its kind for the district, and you could call it experimental. We wanted to see how well it would work. The method shows promise. In the past, generally, to be able to determine how areas were doing generally around the creek, crews would go out on foot, and the rough terrain can be a barrier. So can the property owners, who often have to give us permission to go on their land.

TRAMMART NEWS: So did drones solve those problems?

FARNWORTH: The method showed promise. It seemed an improvement in some ways, as it could scan a greater area and avoided the topographic barriers such as heavy brush that prevented tracking and landowners that wouldn’t give their permission. However, tree cover obscured a substantial amount of the in-air ground footage.

TRAMMART NEWS: It seems like such an environmentally friendly mission that you and the board 
undertake ...

FARNWORTH: Well, it isn't always the easiest. The ACWCD doesn’t have much money and almost no power. Yet the state keeps imposing new policies and the District must meet the same standards as bigger districts, all of which requires evaluation and paperwork. Answering the needs of bureaucracy can take
a toll ...

TRAMMART NEWS: Is that why you have unfilled vacancies on your board now?

FARNWORTH: The ACWCD board was comprised mostly of longtime members who felt they had spent enough time in district service. And the district hasn’t been widely known in spite of over 70 years of existence. Add to that that board members must own property in the district and it becomes a challenge to keep the board at a full complement of people. It is still missing two or three members.

TRAMMART NEWS: I do think people in town know the board makes a significant difference, even if 
board members may feel little recognition. I believe you and the Luckiamute Watershed Council are better known than you may know.

FARNWORTH: The Luckiamute Watershed Council, which is also based in Independence, has been a great partner. I cannot say enough great things about how the LWC, which really looks after the watershed that 
we all need

TRAMMART NEWS: I know you think that their outreach --field trips and educational events – have really helped the public learn about the importance of Ash Creek.

FARNWORTH: I know how old-fashioned this may sound, but it is so good to see everyone learn about nature, and not just by videos on their phones or computers. When Kristen Larson, who is the executive director at LWC, came on board several years ago she brought great changes. There has been so much public outreach. She also is just masterful at getting grants. Also, the addition of Suzanne Teller, who has organized a lot of the activities that have brought greater awareness of the watershed, including those around Ash Creek.

TRAMMART NEWS: It is so interesting to me that both groups -- ACWCD and LWC -- are really science-based, with a lot of ongoing technical study that may be hard for some to understand ... stream beds, riparian growth ... but the outreach efforts seem to be successful at informing the public of some of that work.

FARNWORTH: Well, our board members are part of the community, for one thing. When you have community members step forward to be on a board, they have neighbors and acquaintances and word spreads that way. In our case, the ACWCD's partnership with the schools – ACWCD has given grants to teachers -- have helped youth learn about Ash Creek, too, particularly at Talmadge Middle School, where the creek runs right by.

TRAMMART NEWS: Can you give an example?
FARNWORTH: One science teacher, Dave Beatley, has overseen the building of waterfowl nesting boxes along it by students in his class. A few years ago, Talmadge students also studied the creek and they made different art pieces about it. I feel like those grants from the district have helped to educate members of a new generation about the creek, maybe making them really aware of the biology and essential aspects of the creek.

TRAMMART NEWS: Some potential snafus lie ahead, right? There are always “blackberry disagreements” – some see blackberries as wonderful wild berries that can be harvested and make good eating. Others know they choke out helpful vegetation to the creek.

FARNWORTH: Yes, the public is divided at times, and needs more good information about invasive plant species.

TRAMMART NEWS: In addition to blackberry invasions along the creek, I know ACWCD is concerned with Reed Canary Grass, too. I don't think people necessarily make the connection between creek bank stability and soil erosion that can occur and lead to collapse without careful monitoring and eradication of invasive plants.

FARNWORTH: It isn't just the soil. If trees get squeezed out, the water below them in summer doesn't stay as cool. Some fish depend on this to stay healthy. When water gets too hot, without pools of lower temperature, fish can have a hard time. I worry about the Emerald Ash Creek Borer for that reason. It has been found here in Oregon. There are so many Ash trees along the creek, with shade that cools the creek in summer and shades out blackberries and reed canary grass -- and providing a root system that helps, too. We cannot afford to lose those trees.

TRAMMART NEWS: Well, Mother Nature can wreak havoc, too, as I see every time I walk in Riverview Park and cross the Ash Creek bridge.

FARNWORTH: Yes. The creek was scoured out near the confluence in Riveriview Park, and now the sidewalk by it will have to be moved. That’s a project for the future, though, and will involve the city.

TRAMMART NEWS: I know you will be missed at the helm of the ACWCD. You were considered such a steady and effective presence.

FARNWORTH: Well, thank you. But it is someone else's turn. I will still be around. I want to lend support. If you look around, one thing about our community -- and Oregon -- is that there is so much here, in nature. We are surrounded by it, like grass for kids to walk on and not just pavement. It all takes water, and we need to protect it. ▪
 
 
 
Beloved Falls City restaurant Boondocks goes on sale, link to Valley of the Giants
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

If the Valley of the Giants has a gateway, the celebrated Boondocks restaurant in Falls City is the way people beat a path to it. Now the regionally revered tavern-eatery is for sale.

Will the food be as good in the future? Will the atmosphere stay as warm and welcoming? And will Boondocks remain the meet-up place for field trips to the “VOG,” as the locals call the 51-acre old growth forest that is home to many of the tallest Douglas Firs in the Pacific Northwest.

Last Friday night, the bar was full and so was the restaurant. Co-owner Laura Britton, who was serving tables, said she was aware the news hit some patrons with the impact of a falling timber. For many in Falls City it’s a “second home and the heart of this city,” as one local put it. For others, it is a special destination.

“I come here about once a month,” said Curt Cowley, an Independence resident who made the trip of about a dozen miles with his wife Kim and another couple, to partake of “steak night.”

The establishment is inevitably linked by out-of-towners to the famous forest, Valley of the Giants, about 30 miles away. Feld trips to VOG often start at Boondocks – guided tours for drivers who caravan behind a lead vehicle over long, winding gravel roads that have confused many motorists who try it on their own.

The VOG is owned and managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and when BLM Field Manager Matt Betenson made a courtesy call to the Polk County Board of Commissioners, recently, he was queried about it. Board Chair Jeremy Gordon, who lives in Falls City, suggested it should be improved to accommodate visits.

“It is easy to get lost driving around,” Gordon explained later. “Take a wrong turn and that can happen pretty suddenly.” Asked about news of the sale of Boondocks, Gordon recommended taking a wait-and-see approach because such “a great place” is bound to find a buyer. ▪
 

Traffic Safety………..
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

A multi-damaging mystery and some rule-breaking history were both discussed at the Independence Traffic Safety Commission meeting last week, along with the topic of speeding cars.

There have been more than a dozen reports of damaged vehicles across town since the last TSC meeting, but the reason remains a bit of a mystery, confirmed Sgt. Lyle Gilbert of the Independence Police Department, who presided at the meeting. IPD Chief Robert Mason, who usually has that role, was absent.

Several parked cars, typically at apartment complexes, have been struck by other vehicles. Even though such incidents appear to have ticked up, it’s largely unknown who is responsible. Where parking is tight, a banged door or dented fender can occur and, when it involves no one at the scene but the perpetrator, it may easily escape immediate detection, Gilbert noted.

In almost all cases, there are no suspects or leads, according to police logs. Such scrapes and collisions can happen other places with the driver unaware until exiting or entering the car later, Gilbert pointed out.
Though usually not seen as hit-and-run incidents, that is technically what they are – most people know when they have hit a parked car, and leaving a note on the windshield or trying to find the owner wasn’t an action taken in very many of these instances. So, except for evidence of damage, “all we can do is document what they told us,” Gilbert said.

Some commissioners expressed concern that this may indicate a cultural shift, a growing public reluctance to “do the right thing,” as one member put it.

Gilbert observed that seat belt use has dropped by about 10%, a trend that has prompted him to give tickets for that lapse on his way to work. Recently, he gave out nine citations before he arrived at the IPD, he recalled.

This non-utilization is particularly evident at Central High School. Spotting beltless teen drivers, “I’ve rolled down my window to say, ‘put on your seat belt,’” he said.

History has shown that when there’s lower enforcement due to staff shortages, there’s less adherence to traffic laws, he said. Two more traffic officers are set to join the IPD soon, Gilbert added. Until then, a lot of law enforcement time is taken up with answering calls, he said.

Several members of the traffic commission said they were reassured by the news. Speed limits seem to have been exceeded more, too, commented Committee Member Ricardo Rivera. Even in downtown neighborhoods, like Third Street, “they go speeding by at 45 miles an hour,” he said.

“When you don’t have as many police officers, people take more chances,” Gilbert said. ▪

A prominent unfinished building in downtown Indy hits the market again
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Oct. 17, 2023

The Independence structure known officially as Station 203 on the corner of Second and Monmouth streets – sometimes called “Stonehenge” by locals due to its incomplete appearance – has been listed for sale by Salem-based Tradition Real Estate Partners.

Nearly two decades have passed since the building’s inception, when concrete footings were first poured for a planned commercial-residential complex. The “as-is” listing, at a price of about $2.9 million, indicates an appraised value of $9.64 million from an evaluation conducted last October.

"We are currently assisting in putting together a development agreement with a national firm for completion,” said Aaron Young, who co-owns the property with his wife, Amy. “To help aid in those negotiations, a decision was made to market the property publicly to help determine a baseline value," he added. Three years ago, the Youngs unveiled plans to transform the multi-level building into a mixed-use development of offices and condominiums.

A mock-up, which portrays the project as it’s envisioned, remains attached to the fencing around the site. Some residents have continued to refer to the cement-and-metal structure as “Stonehenge.” The original 57,000-foot plans included state-of-the-art environmental technology, including sustainable features such as solar power and water recycling. The property has now changed hands several times, with the Youngs as the most recent owners. “We hope to have an announcement coming in the next several months,” Young
 
 
 
Local burglaries prompt concern by merchants over brazen crimes
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Oct. 20, 2023

Are the same kind of brazen burglaries that are driving stores from major Oregon cities beginning to impact retail businesses in Independence? That's one interpretation of several incidents over the past few months that occurred along the city's Main Street. Recently, smash-and-grab crimes occurred at two locations.

Burglars broke into two locked establishments, Glass Roots and A1 Market, after hours and confidently packed up merchandise. Though unrelated to an Umpqua Bank robber this past summer, in the 300 block of Main Street, some merchants see the robbery there as the seeming signal of the start of a new kind of criminal conduct, in which the fear of getting caught isn’t apparent. In one recently recounted shoplifting incident, stock was removed from shelves and the visitor simply exited. Eyewitnesses to these events said the way they’re being committed -- described as being undertaken almost casually -- is worrisome. For example, the bank-robbery suspect, who left with an undisclosed amount of money, was observed “loping” away from the scene by a worker in the area, according to an interview at the time.

In the two recent break-ins, the owner of A1 Market, Mohinder Kumar, watched a pair of robbers calmly check for passing traffic on security-camera footage, then methodically pound the door with a hammer. Koryn Lambert, the owner of Glass Roots, which was hit a few blocks away, was reported as saying the two men entered her store with the same technique and were “literally staring" into the camera when she viewed the video.

Attempts to collect further information on these from the Independence Police Department, including police reports, was denied by the IPD, which cited Oregon statute that states public records are “conditionally exempt” from disclosure during ongoing investigations. ▪
 

City property taxes increase, Independence has highest tax rate in Polk County

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Oct. 20, 2023

When Independence resident Andy Duncan made a special trip to the Polk County courthouse to determine the taxes on his home this year, the shock was nearly immediate. He got a tax hike of more than 8.5%. compared with last year’s. “How can it be this much?” Duncan said he asked himself, before carefully reviewing his bill. The answer: a Polk County public safety bond passed, and school bond payments were higher than he anticipated, and the list of tax obligations was longer than he expected.

Duncan said he expected some increases, due to increases in the value of assessed property by the county, which is how home-property taxes are determined. But the payments for the school bond are higher, too. Duncan correctly spotted an increase -- of about $1.30, confirmed Emily Mentzer, communications coordinator for Central School District 13J.

That uptick was due to building improvements at Ash Creek Elementary School and adding the sixth-grade wing at Talmadge Middle School, she explained.

“Each year, the Central School District’s volunteer budget committee, made up of local citizens, has to approve the payment of debt service on bonds as one of its actions,” Mentzer explained. This year, when the committee approved the bond payments, they chose to pay off some of the debt from the bonds that built the improvements, which increased the levy amount on property taxpayers in the district for the 2023-2024 year.

Additionally, the Independence tax rate, 19.1332, is the highest in Polk County – it exceeds that of Monmouth’s 18.2184; the figures represent a number that reflects the amount of taxing districts. Independence has one more of those than Monmouth does, confirmed Valerie Patoine, Polk County’ tax assessor.

Independence also has the highest “ad valorem” tax of any city in Polk County, excluding the West Salem area. The ad valorem tax rate, 4.5897, was set years ago and is the permanent rate for Independence’s taxing district; due to the tax’s annual passage, the percentage of dollars needed for individual tax payments ticks up with time. Monmouth's ad valorem is 3.6107. Dallas' ad valorem is 4.1954.

Duncan said he doesn’t consider himself a tax sleuth for uncovering the reason behind the tax bill that gave him sticker shock. “It is hard to miss how much it increased,” he said. “I think it may surprise people.” ▪
 

Independence city councilors hike development fees over objections from builders

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Oct. 20, 2023

In approving a substantial fee hike that the city will charge developers to build houses – now exceeding $32,000 per single-family home – one city councilor characterized her yes vote as the only choice for “the pickle that we are in.”

During a discussion on raising the system development charges for developers, which now have ticked up by more than $3,000, City Councilor Dawn Roden said that any of the other alternatives for meeting the current infrastructure demand would place a financial burden on residents.

“And we have to be able to look out for the people in our community,” she said.

At issue is the subdivision Brandy Meadows, in the southwest part of Independence, where scores of houses have been built. However, 720 units are scheduled for the site by the time the last phase is finished, according to Harvey Cummings, a construction specialist who was involved with the start-up of the residential development.

The increase in the SDCs will hit Dalke Construction hard, putting the remaining neighborhoods planned for the area at risk, Cummings said.

Two councilors, Kate Schwarzler and Sarah Jobe, expressed concern that Independence could be seen in a negative light with developers. Acknowledging that “we are in a tough spot,” Councilor Schwarzler suggested that such actions can be discouraging to the kind of development that’s good for the city.
 
“I do have a growing concern, though, about being perceived as a community less friendly to development or developers,” she said.
 
Jobe cast the only dissenting vote on the adoption of the new SDCs, with the rest of the city council affirming the action. Councilor Marilyn Morton was absent.
 
Roden said she felt forced into making the decision she did, which in effect mandates that the main builder, Dalke Construction, assume financial responsibility for paying for a new traffic light at 7th and Monmouth streets.
 
The Independence Planning Commission approved Dalke’s share of expense as only six percent of the cost. Through a series of reimbursements in the years to come, Dalke is to be repaid for all but the six percent, according to Gerald Fisher, the city’s public works director.
 
With added traffic due to the addition of population in the area, that intersection at 7thStreet along Monmouth Street is “failing,” he pointed out.
 
“As part of the development, the developer has to build the signal,” Fisher said. However, eventually “he is made whole,” he stressed.
 
Roden observed that two options for routing traffic out of the growing subdivision – Mt. Fir Avenue and Chestnut Street – haven’t been constructed. “You would think that we would have planned for egress from that location well before we developed that entire section,” she said.
 
Fisher said the two potential thoroughfares were in the plans in the early stages and remain there. Barriers to both have been identified: Mt. Fir Avenue would require a railroad crossing to be completed, and Chestnut Street would need a bridge built over Ash Creek, according to previous council sessions in which the Brandy Meadows development was discussed.
 
Larry Dalke, president of Dalke Construction, told councilors during public testimony that the SDC increase means he will have difficulty forging ahead. Chet Graham, the real estate broker that has handled many of the sales in the area, said such costs are making new homes in Independence far less competitive compared with cities like Dallas, where SDCs are much lower.
 
Earlier this year, Independence’s strained fiscal circumstances resulted in cutbacks that closed the library on Saturdays and eliminated the position of the city’s engagement coordinator, a bilingual staff member who was considered key among several residents in the Independence Hispanic community.
 
The changes were implemented after the budget session, which drew attendees who spoke in protest of the cuts.
 
Recently, the Independence City Council adopted a new Capital Improvement Plan, which includes a new water system, including a treatment facility that is estimated to cost $25 million, as well street renovations with a price tag of several million dollars; other high-priority projects are listed as requiring millions more.
 
Observing that the sum apparently represents years of deferred upgrades, one civil engineer who works frequently in the Willamette Valley explained that it can be tough for city officials to face such needs – they often get public recognition for downtown attractions and holiday events but far less recognition for efforts to maintain infrastructure. “There are no ribbon-cuttings for making sure streets are in good shape,” he said. ▪

IN ACTUALITY
 
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, Oct. 20, 2023

An editorial column to assist public knowledge and discourse on recent events.
WHO: A member of the development team at Brandy Meadows reported that he dropped off invitations for city councilors to a community lunch planned at the subdivision – and was told they were never delivered.

WHAT: The invitations, which were from real estate broker Chet Graham, had been identified as an outreach effort to a potentially relationship-building event.

WHERE: Brandy Meadows, the city’s newest subdivision in the southwest areas of the city, where a picnic-style outdoor taco party drew neighbors and others.

WHEN: At the last city council meeting, the lack of delivery of the invitations was confirmed.

WHY: No reason was given for why the invitations weren’t distributed, prompting Graham to tell staff and city councilors at the meeting, “That hurts.”

HOW: Public discussions by the city about raising fees to developers have ensued over the past weeks -- and those at Brandy Meadows, which has a 720-unit project, are currently likely to be the most deeply impacted.
In following up, Trammart News sought to answer why the invitations apparently never made it to the mailboxes of city councilors and whether there is a process in place to keep such correspondence from slipping through the cracks.

The anticipated explanation was that the invitations might have been seen as creating a way for undesirable “ex parte” contact to occur, which is oral or written communication to potential decision-makers outside of a hearing process. However, that reason was never given. One resident pointed out that, earlier this year, the city had accepted other engagements, such as a visit to a business prior to a hearing on its expansion.
Though that visit could have been called “fact-finding,” Oregon law also allows interaction for economic-development purposes, a category that could include a socializing lunch with developers.

There was no response from the city’s communications coordinator about the procedure used to process letters, invitations or correspondence received by the city. A public records request by Trammart News, in which the city recorder provided the only apparently related documentation, didn’t describe the ways that such received communication is carried out.

Communications coordinator Emmanuel Goicochea has indicated, by previous email to Trammart News, that he can make his own determinations on whether to answer questions from the media. In this case, no answer has been obtained. ▪

By Anne Scheck

In his last official report to the city council, now-departed Independence City Manager Tom Pessemier announced promotions for two staff members he hired during his three years with the city, including the placement of the current library director into a new role that also supervises the city’s Parks and Recreation and the Heritage Museum.
           
The director of the library, Patrick Bodily, has the “bandwidth” to take on more responsibility, Pessemier explained to the city councilors.

Under the title of “community services director,” Bodily will be responsible for oversight of the Parks and Recreation Board, which is tasked with guidance for city parks, such as Riverview and Henry Hill, as well as other recreational facilities. Bodily also will serve as administrator for the Heritage Museum.

Attempts to reach Bodily were unsuccessful; An automatic email reply from his office stated: “I will be away from the library until Tuesday, November 30 and will reply to emails as quickly as I can once I return.”

Historically, director duties for the library have been combined with those for the Heritage Museum, but Parks and Recreation remained separate. In recent years, Shawn Irvine, the city’s economic development director, was listed as the staff contact under “Parks & Rec” on the city website.

Also receiving a title change was City Planner Fred Evander, who was named planning manager.
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This week, Independence Police Chief Robert Mason officially became the interim city manager while a search for Pessemier’s replacement is underway.