By Anne Scheck

PLANNING COMMISSIONERS REVISE CODE; HANGAR-RELATED LAWSUIT IN AFTERMATH
In a move approved by the Independence Planning Commission, airplane hangars in the airpark community now are an exception to the “sheet material rule,” which previously barred them from being made with metal sides. Current zoning continues to prohibit metal carports throughout Independence.

However, since this past fall when that change was made, a lawsuit has been filed by a current resident over the proposed construction of an airpark hangar by new neighbors, a couple whose appearance at the planning commission apparently prompted the code revision.
 
Commissioners added the new language to the code after a fairly extensive discussion with airpark newcomers Kathleen and Richard Hill, who spoke at the meeting.

The discussion included assurances that metal-sided hangars were already present at the airpark. “I think those metal hangars are very consistent out there at the airpark,” Planning Commissioner Kate Schwarzler said, just prior to the vote. “It’s not like they are proposing something new and out of the ordinary that you can’t see other examples of,” she said.
         
However, several airpark homeowners later stated that hangars are supposed to have siding – not bare metal – a requirement that allows them to match the houses. The rule can be found in the airpark’s covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs), which state that hangars “must conform to the architecture style and be complementary to the associated home and community.” Exterior treatments are limited to brick, stucco, stone or natural or simulated wood, according to the guidelines. 
           
Commissioner Schwarzler didn’t respond to repeated requests by Trammart News to clarify the specific metal hangars to which she had referred during the planning commission discussion.   
           
At that meeting, City Planner Fred Evander pointed out that the airpark CC&Rs would take precedence over the city’s decision. The homeowners' association is free to administer their own restrictions “as they see fit,” he said.
         
The lawsuit, which was filed by Carole and Fred Krieg, whose house is adjacent to the new home construction, alleges that the proposed hangar doesn’t meet certain standards in the CC&Rs of the Independence Airpark Homeowners Association (IAHA). The IAHA also was named in the lawsuit. The IAHA, the Krieg plaintiffs and the Hills all were contacted by Trammart News about the litigation; None commented for publication.
(Disclosure: Anne Scheck, editor-publisher of Trammart News, owns a home in the Independence Airpark).            

CLIMATE CHANGE COMMITTEE APPROVED 
A resolution won approval – in a split vote – allowing Independence to form a joint committee on climate change with Monmouth, which has yet to officially join with its sibling city in the move. To read about Independence’s past effort at sustainable goal-setting – with Portland State University as a consultant – including such recommendations as vehicle purchases that reduce fossil-fuel reliance, follow the link: 
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1023&context=publicservice_pub

ON-STREET PARKING CHANGE AHEAD
Want to weigh in with your opinion on proposed parking changes for trailers and recreational vehicles? This month’s water-sewer billing was scheduled to include notification of a second reading for a parking ordinance that some city councilors felt needed more opportunity for public input. The final vote is slated for the May 25th city council meeting. The changes to parking regulations can be found at  https://bit.ly/3tBxUh2, where feedback can be given.

By Anne Scheck

NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED IN SW INDEPENDENCE
A proposed 68-lot subdivision – which would put new homes off Talmadge Road in Southwest Independence and create a “Madrona Street East” there – is scheduled to have a public hearing this coming Monday at the Independence Planning Commission, according to a recent mailed notification. 
 
The plan includes improvements to Talmadge Road, with sidewalks along all of the newly created streets for the proposed neighborhood, which would abut a large wetland. The planning commission meets at 7 pm at the Civic Center and can be viewed in live-stream on the city’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/CityofIndependenceOR

COUNCIL DELAYS VOTE PROHIBITING STREET PARKING OF RVs & TRAILERS
City councilors delayed a decision on an addition to the city’s parking code that would ban certain disconnected trailers from being parked on the street and allow recreational vehicles only to be parked there while being loaded or unloaded. 
 
The same code change would require a city permit for rented dumpsters placed on the street, and a time limit would be put into effect on their use.  Though the change was supposed to be voted on at the last city council meeting, Councilor Sarah Jobe said she suspected few people were aware of it. “They don’t even know this is coming,” she stated. She was joined by Councilor Dawn Hedrick-Roden, who said she didn’t think “this was the time” to vote on the issue. 
 
However, Councilor Shannon Corr noted that, in her neighborhood, some parked trailers make it hard to see children in the street. “It’s a problem of safety,” she said.
The vote now is expected to occur in May. This week, Independence began posting a part-time position for a community services officer to assist with enforcement issues, including abandoned autos and other zoning ordinances.  

MINET GENERAL MANAGER ANNOUNCES  RETIREMENT
Don Patten, who was named general manager of MINET at a financially troubling time for the fiberoptic company nearly seven years ago, announced his pending retirement at the company’s board of directors’ meeting last week. Under his leadership, the company met several new milestones. 
 
With Patten at the helm, MINET substantially improved its fiscal stability, achieving the revenue this year to make its own debt payment without city subsidies. 
 
Accolades poured in from board members after Patten said he hoped to leave by the close of 2021. “You are MINET and MINET is you,” said board chair David Ritchey. “I would like to echo that,” said Chris Lopez, a Monmouth city councilor who serves on the board. 
 
Patten said a “great succession team” is in place. More on the changes ahead at MINET will be covered by Trammart News in the coming months.

FORMER HERITAGE MUSEUM SALE NETS $350,000 FOR CITY
The former site of the Heritage Museum, a church building on 3rd Street, sold for the asking price of $350,000 to Unfettered Renovations LLC, a firm specializing in preservation and refurbishment of historic properties. The company has announced plans to convert it to residential use. 
 
The money will go toward the cost of relocation of the museum to a site purchased downtown on the corner of C Street, across from the post office, according to City Manager Tom Pessemier. The city purchased that site for $650,000 and has put additional money into reconstruction and upgrades since then. 

CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT
April 27, 6:30 pm. The city is revisiting a resolution to recognize climate change—the proposal calls for partnering with Monmouth in a joint committee to help guide future planning and to educate residents about the “magnitude and effects” of global warming. (ADDED NOTE: The city audit was delivered at the last city council meeting and is posted online at the city website at this link, see it listed at the top of the supporting documents section  https://www.ci.independence.or.us/finance/audits

A FINAL FYI
The Luckiamute Watershed Council is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with a nature photography contest, and photographers of all ages and skill levels are invited to participate! Submit your favorite photos of the waterways, plants, wildlife, people or landscapes you've encountered within the Luckiamute and Ash Creek watersheds by the May 31 deadline, and you just might win the grand prize of $100. You can enter your photographs in any or all of five different categories, plus there is a Youth Entries category for photographers aged 12 and under! For all contest rules and the photo submission form, head to https://www.LuckiamuteLWC.org/LWC-photo-contest.html.
 

By Anne Scheck

MINET BONUSES NIXED BY BOARD; MANAGER SAYS REWARDS NEEDED
A move to reward MINET employees with bonuses was voted down Thursday by a majority of the company’s board of directors in the wake of a revenue-earning milestone by the municipal fiberoptic company. For the first time in many years, MINET is scheduled to make its full debt payment this June – without the addition of any city subsidies, according to a report presented at the board meeting. 
 
Despite the improved financial picture, two different resolutions that would have given cash rewards to the company’s personnel – one for more than $80,000 to be divided among personnel, then a second one that would have slashed that sum to slightly less than half the original amount – went down to defeat. Board member Chris Lopez, a Monmouth city councilor, had offered the second resolution after the first one received a resounding no-vote.
 
All members of the board from Independence, including City Manager Tom Pessemier and former Independence city councilor Michael Hicks, voted against awarding the bonuses. 
 
Most of the board members, including Polk County Treasurer Steve Milligan, voiced reluctance to approve the bonuses – reasons ranged from a shaky, pandemic-associated economy to the idea that a salary structure, not periodic bonus money, is a more effective way to reward the work force.  
 
Following the vote, MINET’s general manager, Don Patten, said the company was determined to find “an appropriate and acceptable method in valuing the very employees who make all of its success happen, financially as well with words – and to do so promptly.”  
 
However, any remaining money after the debt service is paid this June will be applied to the October debt-service payment, according to John Cooper, MINET’s finance director. “That does not mean it will completely ‘fill in’ the entire October payment, but it will help,” Cooper said.   

In past years, MINET has relied on the cities to help make its debt payments. In Independence, that has been financed from allocations by the city’s water-and-sewer fund, where part of the billing to customers has been earmarked for this purpose.   
 
PUBLIC RESPONSE NEEDED FOR TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Public response and reaction is requested for a proposed transportation system plan that now ranks certain projects as “high-priority,” ranging from an extension of E Street all the way to the city limits to the proposed means for traffic mitigation on intersections of Main and Monmouth, as well as Main and Polk Streets. 
 
So far, a new and much-needed east-west major arterial hasn’t been designated high-priority, but it’s considered an important part of the plan, according to a report at the most recent Independence City Council meeting – it would provide a heavily trafficked, higher capacity thoroughfare. In contrast, the E Street extension would be built for connectivity, lighter traffic, with a low-to-moderate capacity, affirmed Matt Bell, the senior planner for Kittlelson & Associates, the consultant on the project. If a bridge over Ash Creek becomes part of the E Street extension, it would probably be similar to the one currently being designed for the replacement of the F Street Bridge, he said. 
 
Check the link below for how to give feedback:
 
http://www.independencetsp.com/?fbclid=IwAR2QPmDWOTQBZlu-ltD43WSZrLPAKvEwSTD3t9lvzG7irEJDujRqHv5FUNU
 
RAISE FOR MINET GENERAL MANAGER, CITY MANAGER
MINET General Manager Don Patten received a 12% raise in a unanimous vote by the company’s board of directors last week, though one member abstained from being included in the ballot. 
 
Patten had not received a raise for the previous two years, 2019 and 2020, according to his salary history referenced at the meeting. The cost-of-living raises given to him during that period – of two percent – were below the actual COLA rate of between two-to-three percent, according to the salary record.  
 
The salary increase is the second one for a manager in the past few months. Independence City Manager Tom Pessemier was awarded a 10% increase by the Independence city council in December, in a tie vote that was decided when Mayor John McArdle cast the deciding yes vote. However, a short time later, Pessemier announced he would accept only a five percent raise plus COLA of 2.8% – refusing the additional 2.2% due to consideration of the current economic impacts of covid. 
 
Several members of the community privately expressed gratitude and appreciation for Pessemier’s actions after he returned some of his salary increase – some said they remembered meeting him at special events, which apparently ranged from block parties at the last 4th of July to previous winter holiday festivities. 
 
American cities and towns have been reported to be in financial stress during the pandemic or are expected to experience it this year, according to recent surveys, including an analysis by the Penn Institute for Urban Research and a study by the Brookings Institution. 

RESTAURANTS, MERCHANTS  GET GRANTS FROM COUNTY
The Independence Hotel appears to be the biggest recipient of a county grant program that dispensed money to businesses across Polk County recently – but relatively small amounts were available for funding any of the applicants.   
 
The Independence Hotel, which received a combined $27,500 for its lodging and restaurant business, was followed by Gilgamesh – Gilgamesh West Inc. and Gilgamesh The River Inc., when combined, received $25,000.  
 
Most of the merchants in Independence who received awards got sums ranging from $4,000 to $12,500. The grants came from state allocations of about $1.24 million that arrived at the county from the state near the end of 2020 – and decisions on the applications had to be made within only few weeks’ time. “Overall, Polk County believes the process used to distribute these funds was very good, especially with the short turnaround we were given by the state to distribute these funds,” said Greg Hansen, Polk County administrator, who helped oversee the process.
 
The Independence Hotel is considered an important part of the city’s redevelopment effort. The hotel restaurant, The Territory, closed weeks ago. Asked when it will re-open, Tokola Vice President Jeff Edinger said he wasn’t certain. In the current economy, “day to day things change,” he observed. Asked about a long-term outlook, he said: “We are exploring every opportunity.” 
 
Earnings from the hospitality industry have plunged in the pandemic. Other restaurants downtown, such as Breakfast & Burgers, also have been shuttered during COVID-19 restrictions. All merchants along Main Street who were asked about the cash infusion from the county said they were grateful for the monetary relief, and two said it made a huge difference in their immediate outlook. The city also imparted grant money in much the same way, but specific amounts haven't been made available. 
 
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR GONE, CITY MANAGER STEPS INTO ROLE
City Manager Tom Pessemier is stepping into the role of acting public works director for Independence now that Kie Cottam has departed, he confirmed recently. Cottam, who was hired more than three years ago to be in charge of the city’s public works department, today remained listed on the city website as director of public works. 
 
The change occurs at a time when the challenge to meet regulations for permissible waste-water discharge continues to confront the city. This past fall, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a civil penalty of $4,650 to Independence – after several reprimands over the past few years that sewage-water from the city was released into the Willamette River.  
 
However, the most recent alleged infraction apparently happened in 2019 – before the city installed piping to a farm field north of town to help take care of the wastewater excess by recycling it for agricultural use. 
 
At a city council meeting after notification of the fine was received, Pessemier said the penalty fee would be paid in full, rather than appealing the decision. For years, city staff have acknowledged that wastewater lagoons don’t have the necessary storage capacity during part of the year. 
 
In his letter to the city, Kieran O’Donnell, the DEQ’s manager of compliance and enforcement, stated that “Independence is not authorized to discharge effluent to the Middle Fork Willamette for the period of June 1 to October 31 of each year because the flows in the river at the time are too low and the city’s discharge will adversely affect water quality.” 

STORY BRIEFS    
  
INDEPENDENCE BUSINESSES BENEFIT FROM INDY IDEA HUB
A non-profit founded by Kate Schwarzler, proprietor of Indy Commons on Main Street, called Indy Idea Hub, was charged with helping the city in a technical-assistance program for businesses. Board members of Indy Idea Hub include Independence city employees Shawn Irvine, Independence economic development director and Carly Annable, Independence Heritage Museum director. CARES Act money was used in the program to connect many merchants in downtown and in central Independence with needed expertise, particularly web-related assistance. Schwarzler was paid to help conduct the project. She reported that most businesses wanted help with improving their online presence, such as web design, branding or adding to existing websites.     
 
SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM INVOLVES YOUTH TRAINING
Smooth walkways and youth education were all part of a training project that ended with new stretches of sidewalk in Independence, said Mona K-Hinds, area coordinator for Workforce and Education at Polk County’s Community Services Consortium. K-Hinds, who is based where School District 13J is housed at the Henry Hill building, enlisted a cement company, Allied Drilling and Concrete, along with the City of Independence and Willamette Workforce Partners to conduct a pilot project in which adolescents learned the art of expert paving. The results were presented at the last city council meeting. “She is a phenomenon,” commented Polk County Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst, who attended the meeting. Without K-Hinds, the project wouldn’t have been able to make it off the ground, he said. Or, in this case, into the ground.
 
NEW AWARD WILL HONOR HISTORIC HOMES
The Historic Planning Commission (HPC) approved a new way to honor homes in the historic district at its last meeting – with an annual award. The precise criteria haven’t been decided, but in general the award is slated to go to homes that have made strides to refurbish and restore their original craftsmanship. The title – The Weaver-Cairns HPC Award – is named for Dan Weaver, a deceased antique dealer whose statue is on Main Street, and Michael Cairns, who served the city for many years on the commission. Both were long-time volunteers at the city, according to HPC’s Curtis Tidmore. 
 
HIGHWAY PROJECTS UPDATE
The turn from – and onto – Highway 51 from Highway 22 is one of the most dangerous ones in the state, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). County Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst, who has been working with ODOT, said it’s one of the county’s priority areas. Mayor John McArdle said he’s been meeting with state and federal officials about it. “We are happy that the mayor is bringing awareness and support to this,” Mordhorst said. In other news, Mordhorst confirmed that a roundabout on Highway 99 at Clow Corner has now been delayed till 2023. It was scheduled to begin construction this past summer. 
 
MINET ON TRACK TO MAKE ITS OWN DEBT PAYMENT, LOSES CITY COUNCILOR MARILYN MORTON
Marilyn Morton announced her pending retirement from MINET at the last city council meeting, a position she has occupied almost since the inception of the municipal fiberoptic company. She expects to remain in limited hours on a consulting basis – and announced that MINET is doing so well that it will require no city subsidy this year to make its debt payment. 

CITY MANAGER DECLINES EXTRA PAY HIKE IN SPLIT COUNCIL VOTE
A tie vote by the Independence City Council over a salary bonus for the city manager – which the mayor broke by casting a yes ballot – was rendered moot this week when City Manager Tom Pessemier announced he would decline that part of his pay raise. 
 
Though the city councilors approved in concept a 5% hike, and also asked that it be permanently affixed as an annual salary increase if the city manager received a favorable approval going forward, an extra 2.2% advocated by Councilor Marilyn Morton divided the council. 
 
Councilors Kathy Martin-Willis and Shannon Corr both refused to take the additional action, citing the timing of an extra 2.2% boost during a period of struggle for others. “We are looking at a year of potentially reduced revenues,” Councilor Martin-Willis said. “It’s a sensitivity issue here,” Councilor Corr stated. 
 
However, Councilor Morton pressed the issue, noting that a 5% increase – plus the anticipated cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) of 2.8% – meant that, by adding another 2.2%, the city manager’s raise would be “a solid 10% for this year.” 
 
“I don’t completely understand the need to move this up to 10%,” said Councilor Martin-Willis before voting “no” on that part of the salary increase. She was joined by Councilor Corr; Councilor Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith was absent, and recorded as a “no” vote, as well. 
 
Councilor Morton, president of the council, along with outgoing Councilor Michael Hicks, had come up with the plan for the increases, which Councilor Morton said was carefully researched. They both voted in favor of the extra allocation of 2.2%, as did Councilor Tom Takacs. With a three-to-three split, Mayor John McArdle cast the deciding vote of yes, ensuring passage of the full 10% increase.
 
But early this week City Manager Pessemier sent the city council a note saying that he would not accept the 2.2% addition. “I appreciate the consideration of additional compensation but I feel that Councilors comments regarding the timing of additional increases was correct and compelling,” he wrote. In his explanation, he said that all city staff deserve the credit, so turning down the added increase seemed the “right thing to do.”
 
“I believe Tom did the right thing by declining the additional raise,” commented Shannon Corr, when asked for her reaction to the city manager’s decision. “It shows compassion for our community.”
 
Prior to voting on the 2.2% additional increase, the city councilors unanimously approved the 5% raise, in addition to the COLA of 2.8%, which will mean a salary increase of 7.8% for the city manager in 2021. 
 
During the meeting, Councilor Morton supported the proposal for the additional 2.2% by explaining that City Manager Pessemier had done an outstanding job during the pandemic and that, in the Willamette Valley, cities have “some of the most lucrative payment for city managers.” 
 
OTHER CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS
[] City councilors awarded a contract of $351,000, which includes contingency fees, to GBC Construction to provide the necessary refurbishment for the new downtown location of the Heritage Museum, on the corner of C and Second streets.   
 
[] City councilors officially declared the current Heritage Museum site, a former church, as “surplus” city property, so it can be sold to help defray costs of the museum’s relocation. At a previous meeting, local resident Erin Hill, whose ancestry dates back to Independence founder Henry Hill, said the church site is likely to have historic deed restrictions that would prevent the sale. After checking into the issue, City Manager Tom Pessemier determined that the title company, which transferred the property to the city in 1986, would bear the liability if such restrictions are found to exist. 
 
[] City Councilors approved a water-and-sewer utility rate increase that would raise the average residential customer payment by approximately $3.42 per month.
--end--

MUSEUM WILL BE REVISITED TONITE 
A resolution to provide the necessary refurbishment for the new downtown museum building is slated to come before the Independence City Council tonight, with expected approval of a $305,000 allocation to the lowest bid for the work. The new location is at C and Second streets. 
 
The museum site that’s being replaced – housed in a former church a few blocks away – is going to be put up for sale, according to an action scheduled for tonight. The sale of that property will help offset the costs, according to information in this week’s agenda.
 
At the last meeting, local resident Erin Hill testified before the meeting that she objected to the sale of the church where the current museum has been, citing possible deed restrictions. Asked last week whether those had been resolved, City Manager Tom Pessemier declined to elaborate, saying the discussion will be held at tonight’s meeting. 

REP EVANS CITES ECONOMIC CONCERN 
Likening the current financial climate to threatening weather, Oregon is “one bad storm away from collapsing,” suggested State Rep. Paul Evans in a live-streaming question-and-answer session Sunday. Evans, whose district includes Independence, suggested the state could borrow billions of dollars in a long-term loan to help ensure that both infrastructure and the state’s economy continue as they should. The real challenge won’t begin until next year, he said – and could persist until 2023. The “low and constrained property-tax system” makes it hard to generate necessary revenue, he explained. 

WATER RATE INCREASE ON AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING 
City Councilors are expected to vote on a water-and-sewer utility hike that would increase the average residential customer by approximately $3.42 per month. The city council meeting will be held at 6:30 pm at the Civic Center but live-streaming is available. Check the city website for details. 

COUNCILORS GIVE POSITIVE REVIEW FOR CITY MANAGER
City Manager Tom Pessemier, whose annual evaluation was conducted at an executive session during the most recent city council meeting, received universally good reviews from city councilors. Their opinion was announced as they resumed the public portion of the meeting.  
 
City Councilor Marilyn Morton, who is president of the city council, and Councilor Michael Hicks, who is leaving the council*, planned to meet with Pessemier to help determine revisions in his compensation – a salary increase is anticipated. The outcome is expected to be announced at the next city council meeting. 
 
*Councilor Hicks was defeated in the last election by Dawn Hedrick Roden, who won by two votes. Sarah Jobe was elected to the seat being vacated by Councilor Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith. Roden and Jobe will join the city council in January, along with re-elected incumbents Councilor Kathy Martin-Willis and Mayor John McArdle. The official ballot results were announced by City Recorder Karin Johnson. 

ELECTION UPDATE
New Polk County Treasurer Steve Milligan appeared before the Polk County Board of Commissioners today to urge them to rescind a resolution made four years ago, which curbed the duties of the office to which he was elected. The decision led to the appointment of a professional administrator to provide financial authority and oversight – a responsibility that Milligan believes, at least in part, should include the treasurer’s position, he said.  
 
No action was taken after Milligan’s testimony. Milligan was the only candidate to vie for county treasurer, a position that pays $1,000 monthly but is too limited in scope, he said during a brief explanation before the meeting began.  
 
SALE OF FORMER MUSEUM SITE DELAYED: DEED RESTRICTION?
The sale of the former Heritage Museum site has been postponed as a result of testimony by resident Erin Hill, who told city councilors at their last meeting that the property appears to have family-related deed covenants that could prevent it from being placed on the market. 
 
Hill is a descendent of Henry Hill, who founded a 40-plat portion of Independence and whose family donated several parcels for public use. Deed restrictions placed on some of the Hill’s donated property could prevent it from being sold for monetary purposes, Hill said. The museum is in the historic First Baptist Church, near downtown. 
 
If the sale is cancelled, it wouldn’t be the first time such property requirements prevented a city real-estate sale for the museum. Another planned sale of surplus city-owned property – deeded by a lumber corporation to Independence years ago – was contractually restricted by the donor. That land sale had been proposed in order to help fund the relocation of the museum, which is moving from its former home at the church,112 S. Third Street, to a corner storefront at Second and C streets. 
 
The expense of the relocation – the building purchase along with the refurbishment – has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and necessitated a bank loan by the city. 
 
MERCHANTS TO GET CARES MONEY Thousands of dollars in grants from CARES Act money is being allocated to Independence merchants, according to Shawn Irvine, Independence economic development director. From issuing checks to help small businesses survive the winter season to  providing technical assistance for improving online access, the city is offering ways to help combat the losses due to shutdowns and slowdowns in the pandemic, Irvine said. The announcement was made at the last city council meeting. It can be viewed at this link, at about the 22-minute mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ0LGHSeWv8&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0QVb6ePWOua-mDgcfl8lt4K8Cdj0x_S7X_6iwyxx1IsOErv1B1-BigC4Y
 
However, Polk County Administrator Greg Hansen said the $1.22 million that the county is receiving in CARES Act money is unlikely to be enough to fully fund the 250 business applicants the county anticipates. He expects to get requests for sums that will total above $4 million, he said at the Polk County Board of Commissioners’ meeting Tuesday.  
 
 
EDITORIAL: Trammart News welcomes editorials. The plight of small businesses on both sides of the S Curve prompted Nan Willis, who has been an active community volunteer in the City of Monmouth, to write a piece of commentary for both communities. It is below: 
 
There is a great divide between COVID and lockdowns.  By all accounts, COVID can be deadly and very debilitating to those who survive it.  However, the death rate continues to decrease, treatments have improved, and hospital beds are available, at least in Oregon.  Salem hospital has had the most cases, and they acknowledge room to spare. (Those ‘without’ space may have created this via layoffs and closed wings.)  The recovery rate for COVID is 98% if one catches it, and those susceptible to serious illness or death are usually aged and / or have other mitigating illnesses. 

Lockdowns do not make sense anymore.  The CDC and Oregon Health Authority have begun to note that the negative impact of lockdowns outweighs the benefit.  Continued lockdowns do not benefit me, my family, children, the mentally ill, or those with chronic diseases.  Suicide rates are up. The CDC just came out today sharing that there are higher rates of child abuse with lockdowns in place.  Patients are opting out of cancer treatments. These things are arguably as bad as sickness and death from COVID.

Oregon’s leaders use of only the spread of infection is not the appropriate data to base a decision upon, but it seems to be working for many in our fear-based society – fear of illness, fear of crime, fear of not having enough, etc.  To date, tracing does not implicate gyms or restaurants on a scale of concern.  In addition, if COVID were so deadly, as it is clearly contagious, why has it not decimated the homeless populations who don’t sanitize, wear masks or socially distance?  This population is growing.  What does common sense tell you?

I wear a mask so that businesses and providers maintain their licenses.  I appreciate others who wear masks when they’re coughing or sneezing; this practice would make sense to continue as a sheer courtesy.  If more people wash their hands out of newly developed habits, that only benefits everyone.  While a lockdown made sense in the early days, it has become the wrong response – even more lives are at stake as lockdowns continue. -end- 

City Will Pay DEQ’s Fine for Wastewater Overflow
A fine of nearly $5,000 will be paid by the City of Independence for alleged violations of the state’s wastewater permit, according to Tom Pessemier, city manager. He reported on the penalty at the last city council meeting. 

The permits and oversight of them are conducted by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Several times in past years, the DEQ has reprimanded the city for overflow spillage of sewage-containing water into the Willamette River. In an effort to increase capacity -- so that there is less reliance on lagoon storage -- pipes have been laid by the city to transport this water for recycling, to a farm field north of town. 

“For me even $1 (of penalty) isn’t acceptable,” Pessemier said. As a result, he plans to directly supervise mitigation measures performed by the city to meet the growing need for wastewater management, he said. (Pessemier has a background in civil engineering.) 

TRANSPORTATION PLAN OPEN HOUSE
Tonight at 6:00 pm is a virtual Open House on the city’s YouTube channel to discuss alternatives included in the new transportation system plan. Tune in tonight at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD4aH2UdElJKGir8AfTW-MQ
 
CHANGES in DOG CODE: PARK LIMITS HANDLERS
There is new limit on dogs-per-handler at the dog park: No more than three canines per adult over 18; No more than one for those under 18. There is now a clause on “aggressive dogs,” which defines them in the code. The report on the new dog-handling rules was made by City Councilor Kathy Martin-Willis, council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Committee. (See story in The Independent, “It’s a Dog’s Life” and meet Bear, Daisy, Ivan, Rooster and Duke, among others at http://trammartnews.com/the-independent.html) 
 
 
The December issue of The Independent is available in print, by request at this email. Or, again, you can read it online at http://trammartnews.com/the-independent.html

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