by Anne Scheck

COUNTY SHUTDOWN CURTAILS SERVICES
Polk County offices in Dallas were formally closed today in a virtual lock-down that means that citizen access to services, ranging from public works to the county assessor, will be available only by appointment, according to Matt Hawkins, county administrative services director. Public meetings, such as those routinely held by the county’s Board of Commissioners, are open to the public – but a special attendant at the main entrance admits those seeking entrance to the courthouse building. The Academy Building, where social and veterans services are offered, can be entered by a door at the east wing. An employee is stationed there to monitor visits. 
 
Amid these measures is a bright spot: Fewer people have been housed in the county jail, thanks in part to actions taken earlier this year that diverted some occupants there to other programs. And no cases of COVID-19 have been detected. “Everyone’s healthy,” said County Sheriff Mark Garton. 
 
For employees staying on county premises, “everyone has a bottle of hand sanitizer,” noted Todd Whitaker PE, director of public works for the county. A declaration of emergency issued recently by the commissioners was designed “to give us flexibility in addressing this” in the weeks ahead, said Polk County administrator Greg Hansen, referring to the coronavirus crisis.  

LOCAL INTERNET AFFIRMS VITAL HEALTH NETWORK
Health clinics across Polk County are depending more heavily on internet technology for communicating with patients, to help reduce the risk to them and their healthcare providers from coronavirus. To lower the need for the kind of face-to-face contact of traditional medical care, Salem Health Hospitals & Clinics, which has a hospital in Dallas and a clinic in Independence, has a smart-phone app called “MyChart” available for this purpose. In West Salem, SwiftCare is offering telemedicine consultations. 
 
Telemedicine has proven effective at Central Health and Wellness Center in Independence and for a group of Polk County 2nd-graders in a pilot program a few years ago; The children were screened for dental needs by a team from Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) and Capitol Dental. Of the 349 children evaluated in the OHSU study, 48% were found to have healthy teeth and 52% were referred for further dental care. The investigation confirmed such a plan is potentially feasible for other areas of the state, according to the findings published by OHSU. 
 
Regional experts in information technology who were interviewed this week said the threat of COVID-19 has shown the importance of reliable internet usage in the area. Though surges have caused some interruptions, the sudden, heavy use of online connections is to blame, one expert noted. “It’s like a source of water. When everyone wants to take some at the same time from the same drinking supply, it means there’s less to go around at that time,” he said. 
 
Pressures on internet providers are likely to worsen: The peak of infection predicted by the state for COVID-19 occurs next month. A substantial portion of county residents could be considered in a risk group for the coronavirus – about 15% are classified as having a disability or underlying condition, according to the county’s 2019 public health report.

GO ONLINE OR CALL TO ANSWER CENSUS
The use of the Independence Library as the county’s “help-hub” for the US Census has been scrapped, and “we are going big-time into audible mode,” said Ramon Martinez, who directs community engagement for the City of Independence. The US Census questionnaire, which has been arriving in local mailboxes, has “10 straightforward questions,” he said. The state is believed to have grown by 450,000 people since the last census was taken, and accurate growth counts mean more money – $3,200 in federal dollars for every citizen, he pointed. “So, it is really important we count everyone,” he stressed. 
 
“From our end, we’re advising a digital push,” Mr. Martinez said, noting that if anyone is uncomfortable using the internet, they can call the 800-phone number provided on the forms. The Census Assistance Center will be available to help residents of the county, but it won’t be at an on-site location because the Independence Library has been closed due to the coronavirus concern. The new plan for census assistance is expected to be announced by April 1, which is official "Census Day," he said. Mr. Martinez reported the development at a recent meeting of the county’s Board of Commissioners. 
 
COMMENTARY
If economic indicators from the past are a reliable guide, some will soon suffer a bumpy financial ride. Possibly none more so than our local businesses, which have been hoping for a tourism boost – a business increase that now seems dimmed by the threatened spread and subsequent closure of so many places. For quite a while, I’ve doubted my determination to track tax money spent by our city. There are times that the quest to find where those dollars are headed hasn’t been easy – the city budget and audit seem about as easy for someone like me to interpret as Sanskrit. The last audit presentation for the city council was so brief that I followed the auditor into the city parking lot where her car was parked. I kept asking her if the growing city debt – by my calculation, $40-million-plus – was of concern to her? “It’s all relative,” she kept repeating, excusing herself because one of her children needed retrieving from a sports event. But, in my opinion, it isn’t “all relative.” Relative to what? I don’t live elsewhere, and nothing that happens here is “relative” to me. Instead, it’s “relevant.” So I am committed, in the months ahead, to translating what, to me, looks like Sanskrit.

A Personal Note: As most of you probably know by now, COVID-19 is the name of a disease caused by a newly identified coronavirus, which arose in China last year. But coronaviruses in general have been with us for quite some time – they’re a common cause of colds, along with rhinoviruses. In fact, COVID-19 seems to be behaving a lot like a condition most of us are all-too-familiar with: the flu. COVID-19 is estimated to be about as contagious as the flu and, like that seasonal illness, is most worrisome in older people and others who have weakened immune systems. This may be why, so far, children seem pretty resilient to COVID-19, often experiencing only mild symptoms. 
 
Who’s at greatest risk? Probably someone like me who passed my 60th birthday several years ago, and who has an underlying infection – if you count a root canal gone bad and in need of yanking out. So, I decided to take a look at COVID-19, vowing that no sub-microscopic intruder is going to get me down for long, if it invades my system. 
 
What follows is a question-and-answer with public health officials and the result of a medical literature search conducted this past week, which I thought might be helpful reading for others, too. The sources of the information are in boldface and links are provided. Call your healthcare provider if you suspect you may have COVID-19; You don’t want to rely on information from a writer in the higher-risk-group category who's currently suffering a toothache. However, here are some answers I found: 
 
-- What is this thing called coronavirus, anyway? Under high-powered microscopes, it looks like a soccer ball with spikes. On some birds-eye views, the sphere is encircled by a crown – like the corona of the sun. That’s how it got its name. It isn’t named for a beer!  (The National Institutes of Health has released photos at https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/novel-coronavirus-sarscov2-images). 
 
-- What has the local response been so far? According to clerks at stores that serve Independence, residents have been stocking up on hand sanitizer – clearing the shelves of one brand. But thorough hand-washing with soap and water is the recommended protective strategy, according Jonathan Modie, lead communications officer in public health at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  For utilizing hand-sanitizer, use one with 60% alcohol content, he advised. (My own favorite hand-washing instruction so far is the one that went viral with a song by Mexican nurses. These nurses really nail it. Here's the link: https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-03-06/die-bacteria-die-mexican-nurses-croon-hand-washing-psa-video).
 
-- What will happen if a case is detected in Polk County? Polk County Public Health will conduct an investigation on any confirmed case that’s reported, following the protocol in place by the OHA -- and follow-up will include informing those who may have been in contact with the case, according to Kristty Polanco MPH, the director of public health for Polk County. Confidentiality is provided to those infected with COVID-19, but if the index case comes from a facility, that facility will be made public, she said. 
 
-- How are schools in Central District 13J handling this? With vigilance, according to information imparted at the last school board meeting. Custodians are working intensively, making sure surfaces are wiped with effective reagents – even though that source of contamination is considered a far lower risk than person-to-person transmission, according to the OHA. It’s unlikely to stay viable on surfaces very long, said OHA’s Mr. Modie. How long? “You can count on two hours,” he said. Lysol and diluted Clorox are two solutions that seem to work well for disinfection, he said. 
 
-- Is there a special treatment for COVID-19? Not yet, at least not for widespread use. A large majority of cases are expected to be fairly mild. However, for severe infections, treatment with certain anti-virals has been used in what is called “compassionate” circumstances in other countries. This is a situation in which a really sick individual is given a therapy that is not yet proven but, based on previous scientific study, is thought to be possibly helpful. One antiviral used this way, called Remdesivir, shows promise -- and now an American clinical trial on it is starting at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-remdesivir-treat-covid-19-begins).
 
-- But isn’t likening COVID-19 to the flu comparing apples and oranges? It may seem that way, perhaps due to the fact that this coronavirus is new and will take more investigation and understanding, while influenza is anticipated every year -- with its very own name for winter, “Flu Season.” Transmission from both often comes from exposure to droplets carried in sneezes and coughs – but COVID-19 may be able to stay airborne even after the ill person is no longer nearby, according to Johns Hopkins University (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-flu)
 
-- What else is like COVID-19? A month ago, a team from the University of Texas, Galveston, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, published a commentary on the new coronavirus, concluding that it had “awakened the echoes” from an earlier era of the epidemic called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) of nearly two decades ago. Like SARS, COVID-19 can cause severe respiratory symptoms. However, as the researchers observe in their recent publication, “with technological advances and important lessons gained from previous outbreaks, perhaps the world is better equipped to deal with the most recent emergent group 2B coronaviruses.” They note that most deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in people who have other chronic illnesses, and that’s one reason why elderly people are at greater risk. (Return of the Coronavirus: 2019-nCoV, published January 2020).  
 
-- What about a vaccine? It’s at least a year away, but yes, testing a vaccine for COVID-19 appears to be on the horizon, according to Dr. Todd Ellerin, an infectious disease specialist who was the expert on a recent Harvard Health podcast on the emerging coronavirus (See Coronavirus Resource Center at https://www.health.harvard.edu). 
 
-- What is this “social distancing” that’s suddenly being recommended? Well, we in the Willamette Valley can be a mighty friendly group. Watch people in downtown Independence greet each other along Main Street and you’re likely to see hugs, handshakes, arm grabs and high-fives. Try replacing this casual contact with just “hello” and a wave in the air. And keep in mind that certain people are more susceptible to complications; Pregnant women and the elderly, for example. You can read about why both groups need to exercise caution at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/index.html
 
-- Is there a method to predict how much transmission will occur? The way this is done is to find the average number of infections one case can generate – and that’s variable because containment and control can have a powerful effect. When Canadian and Chinese researchers worked together to determine this, they found that the outcome could be heavily influenced by responsiveness with appropriate resources, like diagnostic testing, and with interventions, such as the ability to quarantine, (Infectious Disease Modeling 2020 5:248-255). For example, some companies have the ability to send staff home to telecommute – Amazon did this after one employee tested positive for the virus (https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/05/tech/amazon-seattle-coronavirus/index.html) 
 
-- Does caring for a sick loved one mean COVID-19 will spread to the caretaker? This is where using sanitary precautions, like hand-washing around infected family members, may be paying off. Among early cases in the United States, the numbers of close contacts who seem to have been infected under these conditions hasn’t been as high as expected.  “And I do think that’s good news.”  said Nancy Messonnier MD, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. But the finding comes from a relatively small number of cases, compared with the global figures, she cautioned. “So we take that as optimistic but we still need to be cautious with these early cases and do complete investigations, which our state and local health departments are doing.” Dr. Messonnier made the statements last week, in a briefing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 
 
-- Where can I get good up-to-date information? The OHA has a terrific Question-and-Answer page, which can be found at:https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/DISEASESAZ/Pages/COVID19-FAQ.aspx
 
-- What's next?  “Like everywhere in the country, we are recommending that people think through what they might do if there is a risk in their community,” the CDC’s Dr. Messonnier advised in her March 3 CDC briefing. General preparedness plans should be taking place, she said. “It is good to have those conversations in advance so that if you do need to act you are ready to do it,” she added.  -end- 

A significant rise in the number of impaired drivers is being reported in Polk County -- a finding also seen at the Independence Police Department. These increases may be linked to increased surveillance: Substantial upticks have occurred in the county over the period since a bond levy financed more public-safety personnel; The City of Independence has documented a higher number during certain holidays, when patrols were increased as the result of a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 
 
The number of motorists found to be driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII) is now averaging at least one-to-two per day in Polk County, about a third more than a year ago, according to the county’s district attorney, Aaron Felton, who has served since 2013. That same general pattern has persisted in the last few years, he said. Most DUIIs are alcohol-related but there has been a notable rise in those that involve both liquor and marijuana, he added. The update was reported by Mr. Felton to the Polk County Board of Commissioners at a recent meeting. 
 
The commissioners stated they appreciated hearing the results, but Commissioner Craig Pope pushed for more data in the future, which might help reveal a cause-and-effect linkage. In a brief interview after the meeting, Mr. Pope said he agreed that a higher level of law-enforcement patrolling is likely related to the increase in DUIIs. However, as wine-tourism opportunities and micro-brewery sites continue to grow in the county, that might prove an influential factor, as well, he suggested.  

A proposal called “the greenhouse gas bill,” more officially known as SB1530, has divided Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature – but not the Polk County Board of Commissioners. They were unanimous in their condemnation of this measure, which seeks to cut fuel emissions. 
 
At a recent meeting, the commissioners passed a proclamation citing the senate bill’s potential for negative impact on the county, due to “increased costs of fuels, regulation, equipment upgrades” for agriculture and, on a more personal level, to any commuter who drives to work. “From our view, any benefits derived from SB 1530, which are in dispute, do not justify the penalties and costs imposed on us by this bill,” according to the commissioners. The bill would limit emissions related to manufacturing, utilities and fuel production. So far, a walkout by Republicans in the state legislature is preventing the quorum needed for a vote.

The Independence City Council will address spending needs related to water-and-sewer equipment and technology, and will hear a report from the city auditor Tuesday night. At its last meeting, councilors approved a five percent raise for City Manager Tom Pessemier and rebates to a pair of developers who have pledged to refurbish the old city hall they recently purchased, which currently is partly surrounded by chain-link fence. The rebate would allocate $295,000: $125,000 to refurbish the sidewalks and street-scaping; $100,000 for Parallel 45 Brewing, once it is readied for a certificate of occupancy; $70,000 for reconditioning the rest of the building. The money to the development team of Gomacgo LLC is tied to attainment of these milestones, which were set by city staff.

A special work session by the council will be held at 5:30 pm before the council meeting at the Independence Civic Center, in one of the event rooms, downstairs. 

COMING UP: The Luckiamute Watershed Council (LWC), based in Independence, will share the results from the LWC's stream-temperature monitoring program on Thursday, March 12, 6 pm to 8 pm, at Volunteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St. in Monmouth. Caleb Price, LWC's monitoring coordinator, will give the presentation.  Details and RSVP at  https://www.luckiamutelwc.org/tempmonitoring.html 

2040 Vision Plan Meetings Conclude: A series of public meetings to address planning goals for the next two decades concluded with a final open house this month, and one take-away from the sessions was the need for better parking downtown. Business owner Mitch Teal, of Brew & Tap downtown, noted during one meeting that this is a problem in need of a solution. Suggestions from other attendees ranged from establishing a vertical parking structure to allocating more adjacent land to the need.

A “roundabout” that would slow traffic at the intersection of Clow Corner and Highway 99 is set to start this spring, with a target-completion date of less than two years, according to County Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst, who has been meeting with transportation officials. “I was once one of the biggest skeptics of this,” Mr. Mordhorst said. However, he has since changed his mind -- he’s seen the success of some of these structures in central Oregon, he said. Slowing traffic in this way is crash-preventive, he noted. “A ‘glancing’ accident can happen,” he acknowledged. However, that’s far less serious than a car collision, he explained. The cost of the project is estimated at $10.5 million, but that sum is thought to be significantly beyond the money needed – the budgeted amount is a safeguard against work stoppage if there are cost over-runs.

A state-sanctioned contract that adds new conservation practices, including requiring timber companies to inform neighbors when spraying insecticide, is bound to impact Polk County – a place where relatively large parcels of forest land are privately owned, according to Mike Totey, district forester for West Oregon. He reported on the action at the Polk County Board of Commissioners Tuesday.  

The move is aimed at reducing the “litigation and legislation” that has meant efforts and expenditures in court time and on ballot measures, said Mr. Totey, when asked what he thought the document would accomplish. The agreement is a “Memorandum of Understanding” between various conservation groups and timber companies – it was formally announced yesterday by Gov. Kate Brown. One requirement calls for providing buffers around streams and other waterways to protect them from contamination during aerial application of pesticides.  

Sean Carpenter, spokesperson for the environmental organization 1000 Friends, said: “We are heartened by this development, we appreciate the hard work to reach this agreement, and we support the efforts of all to take the necessary actions contemplated to bring this to a successful conclusion for all Oregonians.” Mr. Carpenter was contacted after the Polk County Board of Commissioners adjourned the meeting.

A “volunteer fair” last month that was held at the Independence Civic Center succeeded so well at garnering sign-ups that it will become an annual event. Fifteen different groups – ranging from the Central Lions Club to the Luckiamute Watershed Council – hosted tables in mid-January; Their efforts yielded 42 new recruits. 

The idea was hatched by Janice Thompson, chair of the Independence Days Commission, but helmed by Independence City Councilor Shannon Corr. “I volunteered to run with the idea,” Councilor Corr said, in effect becoming the first volunteer of the event. 

Polk County’s first home for women exiting jail or placed there by a specialty court is set to open in March, according to Greg Hansen, the county’s administrative officer.

The contract for this “transitional home” has been signed, Mr. Hansen said. The location is in Dallas, at an unspecified address that’s been found suitable for such housing. The length of stay for residents in the all-female home is expected to be about six months, he said. More details are expected after the roll-out period. 

Mike Ainsworth, chair of the Polk County Board of Commissioners, and Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst praised Independence Tuesday for holding a city council meeting that provides outreach to families. Both noted the cost of childcare is high – even a few hours of babysitting can cause an economic hardship on parents. “What they are doing is civic-minded for young families,” Commissioner Mordhorst said of the City of Independence. In a recent issue of Enterprise, the publication of the Strategic Economic Development Corporation in Salem, Commissioner Craig Pope, who was absent from the commissioners meeting Tuesday, called childcare costs an issue “that impacts our workforce and businesses.”

Gilgamesh Brewing has officially received approval for a liquor license at its Independence location on Main Street, called The River. The action, at the last Independence city council meeting, prompted City Councilor Marilyn Morton to inquire about the pizza restaurant, which appears to remain shuttered – after an opening seemed imminent. No word yet on Donatello’s, but The River already is drawing people – window-peekers have been visiting recently.

By Anne Scheck

MINET has had its first year of profitability, thanks in part to company services that have been purchased by Willamette Valley Fiber (WVF), according to the telecom’s longtime auditor, who reported the gains at the last MINET board meeting. 
MINET received fees by WVF to compensate it for operating the network; MINET also provided guidance and assistance during WVF’s start-up period, noted Thomas Glogau CPA, the accountant who has been conducting MINET’s annual financial reviews for many years. 

Due to the expansion into Dallas under the name of WVF, “MINET has finally turned an annual profit and at the same time finally started reducing its debt,” stated John Cooper, director of finance for the company. “This is a huge milestone for any company, especially in the telecom industry.”
 
However, subscribers to MINET seems to have reached a plateau in Monmouth and Independence -- it appears unlikely the customer base will increase significantly in the two cities. The municipal fiberoptic’s penetration “currently hovers around 78-80% which is 20-30% above the industry standard,” according to Mr. Cooper. 
 
Subsidization by cities to MINET should decrease this year, and if the current trend continues, will diminish annually. However, it's likely to be years before the money owed to the founding cities is repaid -- the company remains under obligation to repay the borrowed sums plus interest, according to outside experts who were asked about the municipal debt. 
 
In another action at the MINET board meeting: General Manager Don Patten was given official permission by board members to “make purchases and enter into contracts and leases” that have a value greater than $75,000 but less than $125,000 in “emergency situations.”

A broadband study of rural areas by Polk County shows growing demand for internet providers outside the county’s cities. Survey respondents most often identified the company for this connectivity as CenturyLink DSL (36%), according to the results of the poll. HughesNet Satellite (7.4%) was a fairly distant second; Verizon mobile wireless (6.7%) was a close third.

Building homes that are affordable for young families and for recent college graduates should be a priority for the City of Independence, according to several attendees of the “2040 Vision Plan” meeting held Monday.

Ramon Martinez, the community engagement specialist for the city, kicked off the discussion by calling affordable housing an “important” issue for the future of Independence.  “We certainly need it,” agreed Michael Cairns, a longtime resident and retired fish biologist. To meet that need, “I would certainly encourage ‘infill’ rather than ‘sprawl,’” he added.
 
Several others who participated in the meeting said smaller homes, ranging from “tiny houses” to townhomes, could help meet the niche for lower-cost home ownership. “Some of this alternative housing could create parking challenges,” observed Independence City Councilor Tom Takacs. However, the option is worth exploring, he said.

A special meeting on Wednesday, Jan 29, at 3:30 pm. to envision the next two decades for the city will be held in the Independence Civic Center, in the event room, downstairs. 

COUNTY ADDRESSES TRANSPORTATION  
An “action idea” by the City of Independence for more regional bus and transit activity already is underway, according to recent reports at the Polk County Board of Commissioners. The topic, which was one focus of Independence’s 2040 Vision Plan meeting, was addressed at the most recent commissioners’ meeting by Roxanne Beltz, trip choice coordinator for Cherriots and by Brent DeMoe, family and community outreach director for Polk County. Ms. Beltz introduced the state’s “get there” online tool, which helps commuters by enabling people to create carpools and find riders with matching destinations; It has grown to 900 participants since its launch in July. Mr. DeMoe explained that a 15-passenger bus, with space for two wheelchairs, debuted as a new part of the county transportation system; It travels to Independence from Falls City and other cities on Wednesdays.

By Anne Scheck

The monthly cost of a residential sewer charge is increasing by about $2, from a base rate of $49.89 to $51.96 -- but it won’t take effect immediately. At its meeting a week ago, the Independence City Council decided to delay the new billing till March. 

In a separate action, the city council also added $1.35 million to the 2019-2020 budget in the following way: Building Repair-Replacement Fund; $650,000; General Fund: $400,000; Economic Development Loan Fund: $300,000. 

This supplemental budget also included receiving a community development block grant of $400,000 for affordable housing, and a grant of $300,000 for a feasibility study on a proposal for a trolley line to link Independence to Monmouth, as well as to other locations. 

The supplemental budget was needed to “provide purchase and improvements of property for relocating the museum, and for appropriating for the expenditure of unanticipated grants,” according to the report submitted to the city council.

The same amount of rebate guaranteed to the former developer of the old city hall -- $300,000 – will be passed on to the new owners of the site, which is next to the post office and across Monmouth Street from the long-unfinished Independence Station. At a work session prior to the last city council meeting, councilors agreed they would support the monetary allocation, which will include funds to re-instate sidewalks around the former city hall building. 
 
Though no formal vote was taken, the councilors concurred the money will help set refurbishment on course for the building, which currently houses a brewery not yet open to the public – a business operated by the brother-in-law of one of the new investors. The brewery, Parallel 45, was facing eviction due to the recent foreclosure proceedings against the building’s former owner. 
 
Ryan Booth, the head brewer for Parallel 45, said he was close to losing the business until the new buyers of the building – his brother-in-law Patrick Carney and Mr. Carney’s partner, Kelly McDonald – stepped forward to make the purchase. The pair’s firm, Salem-based Gomacgo LLC, also purchased Independence Station, as well as property near it. When asked about when work would commence on Independence Station, Mr. Carney said the site at the old city hall is a priority – and that it would be premature to propose any timeline beyond that. In a previous interview, Mr. McDonald said a thorough analysis is required for Independence Station, and it could take up to two years before definitive decisions can be made.

A proposed trail in the Brandy Meadows development that allegedly didn’t coincide with a map approved years ago for the “Southwest Independence Area Concept Plan” nonetheless fits the city’s intent for the area and accomplishes a number of goals for it. That seemed to be the conclusion reached by the Independence City Council, which denied the appeal. However, the councilors also adopted a condition that establishes more-precise setbacks along the banks of Ash Creek in the subdivision. Councilor Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith voted against rejecting the appeal, which was filed by Sunset Meadows resident Rich Clark. The appeal drew objections by residents from the surrounding area, including Chad Ludwig, who told the Planning Commission he believed citizen views were being disregarded. (The land-use questions that surfaced in this appeal will be covered in the February issue of The Independent).  

Wednesday, Jan 22 at 6:30 pm, the Independence-based Luckiamute Watershed Council will hold a “Sips-and-Science” session on worm-bin composting at Pressed Coffee Roasters Café in Dallas OR.

Free health screenings, pet care, a dental van and other services will be provided at the Polk County Connect and Resource Fair on Thursday, Jan 23, from 2 pm to 6pm at the “Academy Building” in Dallas, 182 SW Academy St.

Special meetings to envision the next two decades for the city will be held in the Independence City Council chambers on Monday, Jan 27, the other on Wednesday, Jan 29, both at 3:30 pm. 

City To Sell Lot #7 In a preliminary decision, local realtor Aaron Young won tentative approval to purchase lot #7 of Independence Landing from the city, a parcel across from the current construction site of Tokola’s townhome-and-apartment complex along the riverfront. Mr. Young is the owner-developer of Osprey Point, which hasn’t been built but is east of Brew Coffee & Tap House at the corner of Main and C Street. The transaction for Lot #7 is scheduled to take place at a future executive session.

By Anne Scheck

City lots with cars parked for extended periods and residential streets that have become parking spots for large commercial vehicles are getting tighter scrutiny, thanks to the city’s Traffic Safety Commission. The all-volunteer commissioners have been fielding complaints about both these issues “for quite some time,” according to Independence Police Chief Robert Mason. 
 
In a work session aimed at giving this issue a closer look, Independence city councilors were informed that day-long parking is occurring in two city-owned lots – one at Prestige Cinema, the other behind the Elks Club – and trailer-trucks are being parked on residential streets near downtown. “Right now our (city) code doesn’t have much to say about this,” Chief Mason observed. 
 
City Councilor Shannon Corr urged that, aside from suggesting more restrictions to reduce these parking problems, possible alternatives should be proposed. Chief Mason agreed, predicting even public discussion could become an “emotional” topic. The matter has been sent back to commissioners, for closer examination and potential solutions.

A proposal to purchase three commercial sites downtown, including the old city hall and Independence Station, needs to include incentives that were provided to the previous owner so that a new investor can move forward, according to the executive on the proposed project, Patrick Carney. 
 
“We’re confident this can happen in a reasonable time frame, assuming the city credits are still available – as they once were in a prior agreement, from what we understand,” said Mr. Carney, of Salem-based GoMacGo LLC. The last purchase agreement for the former city hall was to include a rebate of $300,000 to the buyer, which was linked to meeting certain construction milestones.  
 
Mr. Carney made the statements in an address at the last Independence City Council meeting, where he identified the old city hall – currently housing a brewery – as a priority. Contract negotiations with the city are underway, he said.  If the deal is sealed, the new ownership will mark the third one thus far for both the old city hall and Independence Station.
 
Mr. Carney provided several examples of successful ventures involving his company, including an industrial property in McMinnville that has been re-purposed as mixed-use development. 
 
In a separate presentation, Aaron Young, who is building a commercial-residential complex called Osprey Point across from The Independence Hotel, said he hoped “that as a city, and as a community, we can give them (GoMacGo) the tools they need to move forward.” Mr. Young added that the condition of the soil at the building site for Osprey Point had proven a “challenge,” but he expects faster progress soon.

New standards for duplexes are part of the city’s revised development code, which will be presented in draft form Monday night to city planning commissioners at their monthly meeting. This coming year, two residential homes per single-family lot will be allowed – the result of an Oregon legislative mandate to enable more residences to be built on less land in cities across the state. The lawmakers approved this measure as a way to provide more affordable housing.

City Planning Commission 7 pm Monday, Dec 2, Civic Center. WINTER FEST, a holiday celebration with activities, is Saturday, Dec 7 in Riverview Park – and downtown.

By-laws for the Heritage Museum were adopted at the last city council meeting – and the rules would allow an admission price to be established. However, an actual pricing proposal would have to be taken to the city council before such a fee could be enacted. The museum is relocating to a corner on a block downtown across from the post office.