Independence Civic Center By Anne Scheck
This month, 200 students who spent their senior year at Central High School, in a pandemic that kept them out of classrooms, now are graduates of the class of 2021. Families that last summer lost their Independence Day celebrations are planning, once again, for Fourth of
July fireworks.
And, as June literally heats up with periodic temperature surges, a different kind of increase seems to be occurring, too – a rise in civic activity. In the past few weeks, citizen involvement has helped the city tackle a tough traffic snarl at Independence Elementary School, reverse course on a parking ordinance scheduled for adoption, gain support for building better sports fields and helped to document the decline of a troublesome rodent along Ash Creek.
Letter Sets School Traffic Control Plan in Motion. After a partial reopening of school, Natascha Adams began walking her daughter to Independence Elementary School – and they both learned a hard lesson along the route.
The tangle of traffic made even the crosswalks daunting at times. On a couple of occasions, the one at Monmouth and 4th Street even seemed life-threatening to the crossing guard there, she recounted at a recent city council meeting.
This month, 200 students who spent their senior year at Central High School, in a pandemic that kept them out of classrooms, now are graduates of the class of 2021. Families that last summer lost their Independence Day celebrations are planning, once again, for Fourth of
July fireworks.
And, as June literally heats up with periodic temperature surges, a different kind of increase seems to be occurring, too – a rise in civic activity. In the past few weeks, citizen involvement has helped the city tackle a tough traffic snarl at Independence Elementary School, reverse course on a parking ordinance scheduled for adoption, gain support for building better sports fields and helped to document the decline of a troublesome rodent along Ash Creek.
Letter Sets School Traffic Control Plan in Motion. After a partial reopening of school, Natascha Adams began walking her daughter to Independence Elementary School – and they both learned a hard lesson along the route.
The tangle of traffic made even the crosswalks daunting at times. On a couple of occasions, the one at Monmouth and 4th Street even seemed life-threatening to the crossing guard there, she recounted at a recent city council meeting.
School traffice As a fairly longtime city planning commissioner, Adams knew just who to contact: Independence Police Chief Robert Mason. So, she wrote him a letter.
It turned out that Adams correctly identified a concerning problem, which was confirmed not only by police but also by the city manager and city planner, who also visited the site. But what to do?
“It was really a mess,” Chief Mason told the city councilors. Causing the clog at the school was a pandemic measure that meant that only a single child exited at a time, to go to an awaiting vehicle. So, the line of cars inched forward, one at a time, for pick-ups.
The solution was to prohibit street parking on one side, all the way from 4th Street to A Street – a temporary fix that freed up one lane, Mason said. “We hopefully can find some better solutions before the next school year starts,” he said, noting that the administration of Central School District 13J is supportive of doing so, too.
It turned out that Adams correctly identified a concerning problem, which was confirmed not only by police but also by the city manager and city planner, who also visited the site. But what to do?
“It was really a mess,” Chief Mason told the city councilors. Causing the clog at the school was a pandemic measure that meant that only a single child exited at a time, to go to an awaiting vehicle. So, the line of cars inched forward, one at a time, for pick-ups.
The solution was to prohibit street parking on one side, all the way from 4th Street to A Street – a temporary fix that freed up one lane, Mason said. “We hopefully can find some better solutions before the next school year starts,” he said, noting that the administration of Central School District 13J is supportive of doing so, too.
School crossing sign “It’s unrealistic to think a police officer could be there every day,” Adams observed.
Better signage is one step, and an “enhanced crossing device” at Monmouth and 4th Street is another possibility, said City Manager Tom Pessemier. The more that’s done to relieve the traffic situation on 4thStreet, “the better for everyone,” he said.
City Councilor Shannon Corr, who previously lived near the school, said it’s a safety issue for everyone involved, but particularly for children. The transport of children to and from the school is in a “very small, very tight area,” she said. Many of the cars are sports-utility vehicles (SUVs), and “elementary school kids are short andyou can’t see them” due to the numerous SUVs, she added.
“I think there is definitely more that we can do there,” Pessemier agreed. Adams thanked the city for its efforts. “One voice can make a difference,” she concluded.
Better signage is one step, and an “enhanced crossing device” at Monmouth and 4th Street is another possibility, said City Manager Tom Pessemier. The more that’s done to relieve the traffic situation on 4thStreet, “the better for everyone,” he said.
City Councilor Shannon Corr, who previously lived near the school, said it’s a safety issue for everyone involved, but particularly for children. The transport of children to and from the school is in a “very small, very tight area,” she said. Many of the cars are sports-utility vehicles (SUVs), and “elementary school kids are short andyou can’t see them” due to the numerous SUVs, she added.
“I think there is definitely more that we can do there,” Pessemier agreed. Adams thanked the city for its efforts. “One voice can make a difference,” she concluded.
Erika Torres Nursing Student Helps Turn the Tide on Trailer Parking. When Erika Torres answered a knock on her door from City Councilor Sarah Jobe, telling her she might be about to lose the right to park her camper on the street, Torres decided to register her objection and let her fingers do the talking.
As it turns out, she was the only one to write Jobe an email of protest, despite the fact that several others had been contacted about similar recreational vehicles (RVs) parked by
their houses.
Some were reluctant to come forward about the issue, Jobe recalled. But Torres dashed off a message that Jobe sent to the city councilors. It was referenced during a recent city council meeting when the parking ordinance came up, which sought to keep large vehicles like RVs and trucks with trailers from being parked for relatively long periods on city streets.
“This ordinance would mean I would have to move my trailer, although it is not causing a disturbance to traffic or pedestrians,” Torres wrote in her correspondence, noting that the city isn’t a homeowner’s association. “Where are we supposed to put out boats and trailers if there are no spaces available?”
Asked why she didn’t feel the same hesitancy that others had expressed about stepping forward, Torres said that she had. “But I grew up knowing that if you wanted something done, you ought to be the one to try to help do it,” she said.
As a nursing student at Oregon Health and Science University who graduated this past spring, Torres observed that she’d done a lot of composition writing in her classes – it no longer intimidates her. After the city council denied passage of the new ordinance, with only one dissenting vote, Torres said she felt good about her effort. However, she understands why some residents might be reluctant to do the same, she said.
In her email, she suggested that “choosing to speak in opposition” might bring the kind of attention that could mean being cited under the ordinance, if it had been approved. The issue prompted a fairly far-ranging examination by councilors, a multi-faceted discussion that wasn’t limited to the contents of Torres’ email. Eventually city staff was directed to review the issue, possibly to bring it back with safety-oriented revisions clarifying how parking for oversized vehicles can be enforced routinely and equitably.
As it turns out, she was the only one to write Jobe an email of protest, despite the fact that several others had been contacted about similar recreational vehicles (RVs) parked by
their houses.
Some were reluctant to come forward about the issue, Jobe recalled. But Torres dashed off a message that Jobe sent to the city councilors. It was referenced during a recent city council meeting when the parking ordinance came up, which sought to keep large vehicles like RVs and trucks with trailers from being parked for relatively long periods on city streets.
“This ordinance would mean I would have to move my trailer, although it is not causing a disturbance to traffic or pedestrians,” Torres wrote in her correspondence, noting that the city isn’t a homeowner’s association. “Where are we supposed to put out boats and trailers if there are no spaces available?”
Asked why she didn’t feel the same hesitancy that others had expressed about stepping forward, Torres said that she had. “But I grew up knowing that if you wanted something done, you ought to be the one to try to help do it,” she said.
As a nursing student at Oregon Health and Science University who graduated this past spring, Torres observed that she’d done a lot of composition writing in her classes – it no longer intimidates her. After the city council denied passage of the new ordinance, with only one dissenting vote, Torres said she felt good about her effort. However, she understands why some residents might be reluctant to do the same, she said.
In her email, she suggested that “choosing to speak in opposition” might bring the kind of attention that could mean being cited under the ordinance, if it had been approved. The issue prompted a fairly far-ranging examination by councilors, a multi-faceted discussion that wasn’t limited to the contents of Torres’ email. Eventually city staff was directed to review the issue, possibly to bring it back with safety-oriented revisions clarifying how parking for oversized vehicles can be enforced routinely and equitably.
Soccer field Public Support Kicks Up for Tournament-Ready Fields. A flood of emails that call for building better sports fields on land by the Independence boat ramp poured into the city, following a push by Independence City Councilor Dawn Hedrick-Roden, who has made the project a personal priority since taking office in January.
At city council meetings and during budget sessions, Hedrick-Roden repeatedly has promoted the idea of improving the property to make it tournament-worthy. Responses from residents range from a college administrator at Western Oregon University who believes this would generate revenue for the downtown to a self-described senior citizen who says he wants to be able to attend baseball games nearby. The 19 different missives all seem centered on one goal: Getting the city to move ahead on the idea.
With the budget already structured for the fiscal year, which begins this month, the most Hedrick-Roden has been guaranteed is a feasibility study. However, as the emails received so far indicate, there are plenty of residents who think the concept will bring money to merchants, visitors to Independence and healthy competition to community youth.
At city council meetings and during budget sessions, Hedrick-Roden repeatedly has promoted the idea of improving the property to make it tournament-worthy. Responses from residents range from a college administrator at Western Oregon University who believes this would generate revenue for the downtown to a self-described senior citizen who says he wants to be able to attend baseball games nearby. The 19 different missives all seem centered on one goal: Getting the city to move ahead on the idea.
With the budget already structured for the fiscal year, which begins this month, the most Hedrick-Roden has been guaranteed is a feasibility study. However, as the emails received so far indicate, there are plenty of residents who think the concept will bring money to merchants, visitors to Independence and healthy competition to community youth.
Sign leading to Independence Sports Park Noting that the city is allocating $3.7 million for trail construction, Hedrick-Roden has been advocating that more money be directed to an upgrade plan for the sports fields.
City Manager Tom Pessemier said progress will be made in the future. “There is no foot-dragging here,” he said during one recent budget session. “We are going to move forward.”
City Manager Tom Pessemier said progress will be made in the future. “There is no foot-dragging here,” he said during one recent budget session. “We are going to move forward.”
David Gibbons Beating Back the Population of Creek-Loving Rodents.
The numbers of nutria are down in Independence, and the reason remains elusive. However, thanks to a determined group of cross-town volunteers who monitor and trap them, evidence of this reduced rodent population
is well documented.
Nutria counts have plummeted from at least a dozen a month in trapping hotspots – areas near downtown and by the city’s lagoons – to one or two a month. Why aren’t the brown rat-like creatures being seen or trapped nearly as much? “It’s a mystery to me,” said David Gibbons, the volunteer who oversees the riparian area along the Ash Creek trail in Inspiration Garden, which is cared for by the Polk County Master Gardeners.
Recently, Gibbons has been tracking the damage done by nutria along the creek banks. He’s trying to repair the burrowing with rocks and dirt, and to replace the vegetation that disappeared due to the animals’ voracious appetites.
“I used to see several at one time,” he said. But not anymore. They were few and far between this spring, he observed. Told he’d been credited with helping create an environment where nutria might be outnumbered by other animals competing for habitat, he said the highly adaptive aquatic rodents aren’t so easily defeated. Instead, it’s likely because of the hard work of the Ash Creek Water Control District (ACWCD), he said.
The numbers of nutria are down in Independence, and the reason remains elusive. However, thanks to a determined group of cross-town volunteers who monitor and trap them, evidence of this reduced rodent population
is well documented.
Nutria counts have plummeted from at least a dozen a month in trapping hotspots – areas near downtown and by the city’s lagoons – to one or two a month. Why aren’t the brown rat-like creatures being seen or trapped nearly as much? “It’s a mystery to me,” said David Gibbons, the volunteer who oversees the riparian area along the Ash Creek trail in Inspiration Garden, which is cared for by the Polk County Master Gardeners.
Recently, Gibbons has been tracking the damage done by nutria along the creek banks. He’s trying to repair the burrowing with rocks and dirt, and to replace the vegetation that disappeared due to the animals’ voracious appetites.
“I used to see several at one time,” he said. But not anymore. They were few and far between this spring, he observed. Told he’d been credited with helping create an environment where nutria might be outnumbered by other animals competing for habitat, he said the highly adaptive aquatic rodents aren’t so easily defeated. Instead, it’s likely because of the hard work of the Ash Creek Water Control District (ACWCD), he said.
Ed Matteo However, Ed Matteo, the ACWCD board member who runs the trap check-out program, said he thinks a lot of the thanks should go to individuals all over town who report sightings and check out traps from him for capture. From E Street to the Independence airpark, he can depend on the citizens to find these orange-toothed invaders, he said.
Nutria, which are prolific breeders and tunnel under creek banks, are known to destabilize land around waterways.
Though native to South America, they were brought onto American soil in the 1800s, when they seemed like a good live import for fur retailers, according to historic accounts. However, when demand collapsed for coats made with their fur – Greta Garbo was said to have worn one – investors could no longer afford to keep them. These mammals then flourished on their own in the Pacific Northwest.
The reason for the apparently lower population this year is speculative, but some science publications attribute it to the combination of the drastic cold snaps this winter coupled with a current drought in the mid-Willamette Valley.
Nutria, which are prolific breeders and tunnel under creek banks, are known to destabilize land around waterways.
Though native to South America, they were brought onto American soil in the 1800s, when they seemed like a good live import for fur retailers, according to historic accounts. However, when demand collapsed for coats made with their fur – Greta Garbo was said to have worn one – investors could no longer afford to keep them. These mammals then flourished on their own in the Pacific Northwest.
The reason for the apparently lower population this year is speculative, but some science publications attribute it to the combination of the drastic cold snaps this winter coupled with a current drought in the mid-Willamette Valley.
Nutria burrow As for the good results in Independence, it’s certainly not unexpected when a group of people have knowledgeable coaching, frequent friendly contact and are committed to conservation, said Kent Smirl, “wildlife watch” coordinator for Southern California, who recently was a co-author on a study that looked at how volunteers and experts successfully partner in environmental programs.
City Councilor Dawn Hedrick-Roden Independence City Councilor Dawn Hedrick-Roden Is Earning a Reputation for Action
By Anne Scheck
For Dawn Hedrick-Roden, who won her seat on the Independence City Council in the last election by only two ballots, the razor-thin margin wasn’t simply a slim victory. To her, it meant she hadn’t made a strong enough impression on voters.
No one can say that now.
In the nearly seven months since she was sworn into office, Hedrick-Roden single-handedly stepped forward to restore the city’s Fourth of July parade, successfully fought to lower a new weight limit on the Independence Bridge that was preventing some farm trucks from crossing it and voted “no” on the city’s budget for the new fiscal year – the first time that’s happened in decades, perhaps longer.
The reinstated parade, and Hedrick-Roden’s dogged coordination efforts that went into that project, thrust her into the public eye; Now her intense focus on city finances is putting her in a different kind of limelight.
Although a majority of city councilors seemed to consider this year's city budget more easily understandable -- with greater clarity than ever before – Hedrick-Roden expressed concern about it, before turning thumbs down on its adoption. She believes the city’s record of borrowing, which ranges from bonds to bank loans, ought to reflect a listing of distinct debt categories, with a precise total – so that average residents can comprehend it, perhaps like they do their own personal household expenses.
By casting the only dissenting vote on the budget, Hedrick-Roden appears to be inviting titles like “maverick” and “loner.” She’s aware that some of her critical comments can seem negative and irksome. But, as a US Navy Veteran, "I can take an eye-roll. I've been through a lot worse."
By Anne Scheck
For Dawn Hedrick-Roden, who won her seat on the Independence City Council in the last election by only two ballots, the razor-thin margin wasn’t simply a slim victory. To her, it meant she hadn’t made a strong enough impression on voters.
No one can say that now.
In the nearly seven months since she was sworn into office, Hedrick-Roden single-handedly stepped forward to restore the city’s Fourth of July parade, successfully fought to lower a new weight limit on the Independence Bridge that was preventing some farm trucks from crossing it and voted “no” on the city’s budget for the new fiscal year – the first time that’s happened in decades, perhaps longer.
The reinstated parade, and Hedrick-Roden’s dogged coordination efforts that went into that project, thrust her into the public eye; Now her intense focus on city finances is putting her in a different kind of limelight.
Although a majority of city councilors seemed to consider this year's city budget more easily understandable -- with greater clarity than ever before – Hedrick-Roden expressed concern about it, before turning thumbs down on its adoption. She believes the city’s record of borrowing, which ranges from bonds to bank loans, ought to reflect a listing of distinct debt categories, with a precise total – so that average residents can comprehend it, perhaps like they do their own personal household expenses.
By casting the only dissenting vote on the budget, Hedrick-Roden appears to be inviting titles like “maverick” and “loner.” She’s aware that some of her critical comments can seem negative and irksome. But, as a US Navy Veteran, "I can take an eye-roll. I've been through a lot worse."
Hedrick-Roden with President George W. Bush She has asserted that some city spending decisions aren’t representative of public preferences – a view challenged by Independence City Councilor Shannon Corr, who pointed out that there are continual outreach efforts by the city to get opinions from residents, including holding open houses and conducting online surveys. “I feel confident that the city did absolutely everything they could to get as much and as varied public input as they could,” Corr said.
In some ways, Hedrick-Roden’s participation on the council is an echo from the recent past. A few years ago, Ken Day, a retired business executive, resigned from the city council after only about a year of service, citing his view that a majority of councilors at the time didn’t seem to be digging in and actively engaging in the process. However, Day acknowledged that a city council position involves a huge amount of voluntary, unpaid work that requires long hours of reading, as well as attending meeting after meeting.
Since Day’s exit, three other councilors – Corr, Sarah Jobe and Hedrick-Roden – have joined the council.
Like Day, Hedrick-Roden has been an advocate for measuring outcomes in quantifiable ways to evaluate the city investment of staff time and money. Like Day, she frequently has mentioned the value of transparency.
Like Day, she seems to have the ability to form a strong minority opinion. Recently, Hedrick-Roden also was the only dissenting vote on a resolution that creates a separate category for grant money in the budget. With CARES Act money coming in during the pandemic and revenue from the American Rescue Plan on the way, “it would be nice to be a participant in how these monies are spent,” she said.
But, in general, grants are restricted in terms of how they are allocated, explained Gloria Butsch, the city’s finance director. “We developed the new Grants Fund to make it easier for staff to monitor and report out regarding the receipt and use of grants,” Butsch said, when later asked about it. Previously, most of the grants were reported in operating funds, such as the general fund, she said.
However, there’s some indication that Hedrick-Roden’s grant-fund questioning may be well-timed. For years, the city has sought to establish Independence as an “Agricultural Technology Hub” by hosting meet-ups, guest speakers and other events aimed at farmers and growers, at a downtown location, Indy Commons. Now that local effort has been dropped in favor of a regional one.
“Agriculture typically happens outside city limits, and it became increasingly difficult for a city staffer to justify spending so much time on projects that were not always located within the community,” explained Shawn Irvine, in a letter of support for a grant submitted by the Salem-based Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR), which took on the “Ag Tech Hub.”
In some ways, Hedrick-Roden’s participation on the council is an echo from the recent past. A few years ago, Ken Day, a retired business executive, resigned from the city council after only about a year of service, citing his view that a majority of councilors at the time didn’t seem to be digging in and actively engaging in the process. However, Day acknowledged that a city council position involves a huge amount of voluntary, unpaid work that requires long hours of reading, as well as attending meeting after meeting.
Since Day’s exit, three other councilors – Corr, Sarah Jobe and Hedrick-Roden – have joined the council.
Like Day, Hedrick-Roden has been an advocate for measuring outcomes in quantifiable ways to evaluate the city investment of staff time and money. Like Day, she frequently has mentioned the value of transparency.
Like Day, she seems to have the ability to form a strong minority opinion. Recently, Hedrick-Roden also was the only dissenting vote on a resolution that creates a separate category for grant money in the budget. With CARES Act money coming in during the pandemic and revenue from the American Rescue Plan on the way, “it would be nice to be a participant in how these monies are spent,” she said.
But, in general, grants are restricted in terms of how they are allocated, explained Gloria Butsch, the city’s finance director. “We developed the new Grants Fund to make it easier for staff to monitor and report out regarding the receipt and use of grants,” Butsch said, when later asked about it. Previously, most of the grants were reported in operating funds, such as the general fund, she said.
However, there’s some indication that Hedrick-Roden’s grant-fund questioning may be well-timed. For years, the city has sought to establish Independence as an “Agricultural Technology Hub” by hosting meet-ups, guest speakers and other events aimed at farmers and growers, at a downtown location, Indy Commons. Now that local effort has been dropped in favor of a regional one.
“Agriculture typically happens outside city limits, and it became increasingly difficult for a city staffer to justify spending so much time on projects that were not always located within the community,” explained Shawn Irvine, in a letter of support for a grant submitted by the Salem-based Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR), which took on the “Ag Tech Hub.”
Hedric-Roden prior to Covid Last fall, SEDCOR was awarded a federal grant of $469,150 to build the hub, a monetary award widely covered in media reports. However, largely missing from these news accounts was the stipulation that SEDCOR needed to provide matching funds in an amount that exceeded the grant award, a sum of $512,250. Since Independence was listed as a partner, Tom Pessemier, Independence’s city manager, was asked about the city’s role in meeting the matching-fund pledge. Pessemier referred the question to SEDCOR.
SEDCOR’s president, Erik Andersson, failed to respond to multiple inquiries about the city’s obligation to the grant match. A request was filed to answer this question through the federal Freedom of Information Act, which eventually revealed that Independence is a contributor, of $50,000, as well as a provider of certain personnel support.
“This money comes from a grant from the state to support this effort when the city was leading the project,” Pessemier explained, when asked about the mandatory cash contribution. The city has been approved by the state for “passing through these monies to SEDCOR to continue the effort,” he added.
In terms of providing personnel, “currently, the city spends almost no staff effort to support the initiative except for an advisory committee that our economic development director participates in and some assistance from time to time with minor items,” Pessemier said.
Following the flow of funds in the city budget can be daunting, noted Hedrick-Roden. “Well, there we are, with a hundred pages of budget," she said, recalling her time with the document.
Long before she joined the council, Hedrick-Roden, a lifelong Independence resident and a busy mother of four, worked to make Pioneer Park, at 7th and C streets, a neighborhood playground.
And recently, when local farmers registered alarm that the new weight limits on the Independence Bridge were disallowing their trucks from legal passage, Hedrick-Roden – along with City Manager Tom Pessemier – wrote letters to the Oregon Department of Transportation seeking a change, which they got. “The good news is that once they recognized the trouble with the farm equipment – and I know Councilor Roden played a role in helping communicate with them – they took a second look at it,” Pessemier said during his recent city manager’s report to the council.
Some of the farms were clearly in Marion County, and outside the city's purview, but Hedrick-Roden said her personal concern didn't stop at the city limits. "We cannot make it difficult to farm," she said, referring to the fact that many of those who live beyond the city boundary seem to be part of the community, too, regularly visiting Independence to shop and dine.
SEDCOR’s president, Erik Andersson, failed to respond to multiple inquiries about the city’s obligation to the grant match. A request was filed to answer this question through the federal Freedom of Information Act, which eventually revealed that Independence is a contributor, of $50,000, as well as a provider of certain personnel support.
“This money comes from a grant from the state to support this effort when the city was leading the project,” Pessemier explained, when asked about the mandatory cash contribution. The city has been approved by the state for “passing through these monies to SEDCOR to continue the effort,” he added.
In terms of providing personnel, “currently, the city spends almost no staff effort to support the initiative except for an advisory committee that our economic development director participates in and some assistance from time to time with minor items,” Pessemier said.
Following the flow of funds in the city budget can be daunting, noted Hedrick-Roden. “Well, there we are, with a hundred pages of budget," she said, recalling her time with the document.
Long before she joined the council, Hedrick-Roden, a lifelong Independence resident and a busy mother of four, worked to make Pioneer Park, at 7th and C streets, a neighborhood playground.
And recently, when local farmers registered alarm that the new weight limits on the Independence Bridge were disallowing their trucks from legal passage, Hedrick-Roden – along with City Manager Tom Pessemier – wrote letters to the Oregon Department of Transportation seeking a change, which they got. “The good news is that once they recognized the trouble with the farm equipment – and I know Councilor Roden played a role in helping communicate with them – they took a second look at it,” Pessemier said during his recent city manager’s report to the council.
Some of the farms were clearly in Marion County, and outside the city's purview, but Hedrick-Roden said her personal concern didn't stop at the city limits. "We cannot make it difficult to farm," she said, referring to the fact that many of those who live beyond the city boundary seem to be part of the community, too, regularly visiting Independence to shop and dine.
City Councilor Hedrick-Roden Hedrick-Roden may be best known for pulling off this year’s Fourth of July parade after the traditional sponsor, Rotary Club of Monmouth-Independence, determined there was insufficient time to do so after the covid restrictions were finally eased. She got a sponsor, the Oregon Paralyzed Veterans of America, and she got enough volunteer help to make it a crowd-pleaser, all within three weeks’ time.
“It was a great parade and I loved it,” said Cindy Wilson, a newcomer to town who is staying with family members during her search to buy a home in Independence. Told the parade was a last-minute effort, Wilson said she didn’t know – or care. “It was just so good to see, to get out after all this, and watch a parade going by,” she said.
“It was a great parade and I loved it,” said Cindy Wilson, a newcomer to town who is staying with family members during her search to buy a home in Independence. Told the parade was a last-minute effort, Wilson said she didn’t know – or care. “It was just so good to see, to get out after all this, and watch a parade going by,” she said.
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