RECOUNT ORDERED FOR RODEN v HICKS
A recount of election results has been ordered for an Independence city council position, following a one-vote win by Dawn Hedrick-Roden, who challenged incumbent Michael Hicks for his seat. The recount will take place a week from today at the Polk County Courthouse Building.
Recounts are mandatory when victories are from ballots with a seven-vote spread or less, said Polk County Clerk Val Unger. No matter what the outcome of this tightly contested race, it shows that every vote matters, she said, adding that at no time in recent history has there been only one vote separating the candidates. [For a brief editorial on this, see “Mulling It Over” at the end of this Linking Letter]
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tonight at 6:30 pm is the Independence City Council meeting, where reports include a MINET Update and announcement of the Transportation System Plan “Facebook” Open House, to take place Dec. 2. Remote option available for attending the city council meeting; check city website.
IN GENERAL AGREEMENT: CRAIG POPE, REP. EVANS
Striking a rare chord of concurrence, County Commissioner Craig Pope and Oregon Rep. Paul Evans agreed that there may be room for flexibility in the restriction on restaurants for food-service that’s take-out only.
Rep. Evans said he thinks there’s a possibility that outdoor dining could be accommodated -- just as it is in some states where eateries have installed heaters and erected tents; Mr. Pope said he believes there are safety features for restaurants to uphold that could make dining lower risk than it’s been perceived, although his requests for data so far on transmission rates at these venues hasn’t been definitive, he said.
Both made their comments in interviews conducted impromptu during encounters with Trammart News after the governor’s “freeze” order was announced, which is aimed at slowing the current viral surge.
Rep. Evans, who represents Independence, serves on the Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response in the state legislature. Commissioner Pope is the “public health point person” for The Polk County Board of Commissioners, which acts as the health authority for the county.
[This issue and others related to the “freeze” will be further examined in the next Public Health Points e-newsletter, which will include other commissioner comments and the most recent public health report.]
MULLING IT OVER
Editorial Commentary
by Anne Scheck
What residents make a difference in Independence? The people who vote, that’s who. And what better evidence could citizens have than a turnout that brought forth a razor’s-edge vote separating two candidates, one an incumbent, Michael Hicks, and the other the challenger, Dawn Hedrick-Roden?
No matter who wins, the ballots have spoken: Indies of Indy like both of these people about equally. This is worth remembering the next time a vacancy surfaces on the council, requiring an appointment instead of an election. Often, when a councilor resigns, there are a series of applications -- and the successor is chosen by the city councilors. In this case, both individuals seem to have a great deal of support in town, signaling that many think they’re both qualified for the position. It’s easy to recognize the voting public as a smart set of individuals, showing the wisdom of crowds.
-end-
A recount of election results has been ordered for an Independence city council position, following a one-vote win by Dawn Hedrick-Roden, who challenged incumbent Michael Hicks for his seat. The recount will take place a week from today at the Polk County Courthouse Building.
Recounts are mandatory when victories are from ballots with a seven-vote spread or less, said Polk County Clerk Val Unger. No matter what the outcome of this tightly contested race, it shows that every vote matters, she said, adding that at no time in recent history has there been only one vote separating the candidates. [For a brief editorial on this, see “Mulling It Over” at the end of this Linking Letter]
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tonight at 6:30 pm is the Independence City Council meeting, where reports include a MINET Update and announcement of the Transportation System Plan “Facebook” Open House, to take place Dec. 2. Remote option available for attending the city council meeting; check city website.
IN GENERAL AGREEMENT: CRAIG POPE, REP. EVANS
Striking a rare chord of concurrence, County Commissioner Craig Pope and Oregon Rep. Paul Evans agreed that there may be room for flexibility in the restriction on restaurants for food-service that’s take-out only.
Rep. Evans said he thinks there’s a possibility that outdoor dining could be accommodated -- just as it is in some states where eateries have installed heaters and erected tents; Mr. Pope said he believes there are safety features for restaurants to uphold that could make dining lower risk than it’s been perceived, although his requests for data so far on transmission rates at these venues hasn’t been definitive, he said.
Both made their comments in interviews conducted impromptu during encounters with Trammart News after the governor’s “freeze” order was announced, which is aimed at slowing the current viral surge.
Rep. Evans, who represents Independence, serves on the Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response in the state legislature. Commissioner Pope is the “public health point person” for The Polk County Board of Commissioners, which acts as the health authority for the county.
[This issue and others related to the “freeze” will be further examined in the next Public Health Points e-newsletter, which will include other commissioner comments and the most recent public health report.]
MULLING IT OVER
Editorial Commentary
by Anne Scheck
What residents make a difference in Independence? The people who vote, that’s who. And what better evidence could citizens have than a turnout that brought forth a razor’s-edge vote separating two candidates, one an incumbent, Michael Hicks, and the other the challenger, Dawn Hedrick-Roden?
No matter who wins, the ballots have spoken: Indies of Indy like both of these people about equally. This is worth remembering the next time a vacancy surfaces on the council, requiring an appointment instead of an election. Often, when a councilor resigns, there are a series of applications -- and the successor is chosen by the city councilors. In this case, both individuals seem to have a great deal of support in town, signaling that many think they’re both qualified for the position. It’s easy to recognize the voting public as a smart set of individuals, showing the wisdom of crowds.
-end-
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