By Anne Scheck

A second hemp-processing plant on Stryker in Independence has passed permitting hurdles and is expected to be in production soon, according to Processing Lab Manager Brett Werner of Pacific Hills Farms in Rickreall.
 
The hemp will be sold both as a distilled oil and a flower that can be smoked, he stated. Hemp, a species of cannabis from which medicinal CBD can be extracted, is legal now in the United States. The hemp plant is located east of Stinson Street and Stryker Road.
  
Independence’s provisions for hemp derivatives, which are considered part of an agricultural product by the state of Oregon, differ from zoning restrictions for marijuana, according to city staff.

Main Street’s pavement and water lines will undergo a renovation to be paid, in part, by a loan agreement instituted about a year ago for $217,000 – and the city’s transportation and water funds will pick up the rest, providing $313,000, and $150,000, respectively. The loan is from the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program; The total of these three sums is $680,000.

MINET’s board of directors reportedly passed a resolution that would allow the local telecommunication network to seek a line of credit from a lending institution, if one is needed. The Heritage Museum will receive $11,500 grant allocated to the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, which agreed to use it for the museum’s architectural plans – it is relocating to a downtown corner across from the post office.

A new strategy to identify speeding motorists along Highway 22 will go into effect soon, according to Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton. He declined to identify what approach will be taken, but it’s likely to involve unmarked patrol cars and special detection methods for spotting cell-phone users. The number of drivers using hand-held cell phones along the highway, to talk or text, “is way too frequent,” he said. It’s most common in the 20- to 45-year-old age group, he added. In a statement released a few weeks ago, Independence Police Chief Robert Mason expressed his own concern about continuing cell-phone use behind the wheel.

The Independence City Council will have a work session (6 pm) followed by a meeting this Tuesday, Nov. 26, at the Civic Center. (A hearing has been rescheduled on an appeal filed by a homeowner in Sunset Meadows challenging the city’s adherence to its own Southwest Independence Concept Plan. That hearing is now slated for December.)

Joshua Brandt told the Independence City Council at its meeting in early November that the rubbish-and-recycle company plans to stick to its current rates for service for as long as possible – despite growing expenses. Mr. Brandt told the council he was disappointed in the shrinking availability of places to send items that Brandt’s once accepted for recycling. A year ago, Governing Magazine, which reports on municipalities, featured an article documenting that cities – which once could count on processors to pay them for this material – now are “being presented with hefty bills instead.”  

New ideas for regulating signs would mean fewer of them on downtown sidewalks and none at all on the slope of window awnings. Those are just two of the suggestions for updating the city's “very confusing sign code,” explained City Planner Fred Evander. At this past week's planning commission meeting, he and the commissioners agreed that a good first step might be to identify a few storefronts for a mock try-out of revised guidelines. Currently, there are no plans to require existing signage to be changed or taken down, but discussion of the issue will continue, he said. 

Annexation of 70 acres in a nearly 260-acre expansion of the city’s urban-growth boundary was approved by the Independence City Council at the last meeting – but the plan raised several questions, including an inquiry from the state’s Fair Housing Council.  
 
Prompted by City Councilor Shannon Corr to address the fair-housing inquiry, City Planner Fred Evander said he thought the correspondence seemed “confused” on the issue – more than 15% of the 100-home project already has been designated as multi-family housing. “We identified it as MX (mixed use) a long time ago,” he explained. Under a new law, cities with 10,000 or more residents must allow construction of what’s been called “the missing middle housing” segment – homes between lower-rent high-volume apartment buildings and more costly single-family homes. 
 
Councilor Corr also noted that Fire Chief Ben Stange and School Superintendent Jennifer Kubista were in the audience – and asked if they had been informed about the annexation. The proposed change has been in the works for years, Mr. Evander pointed out. “I know that I particularly brought it up to (former superintendent) Buzz on several occasions,” added Mayor John McArdle, referring to Buzz Brazeau, who retired in 2017 from Central School District and who this year became superintendent for Philomath schools. 
 
Some residents of Monmouth’s Madrona Street also attended the meeting, and Mr. Evander said traffic concerns cited by one will be subject to a second look – once subdivision plans begin being submitted. 
 
Wetland maps have been completed and, as required by law, were certified by the US Army Corps of Engineers, according to Chuck Goode, who owns the property. The plans include provisions for setting aside the wetlands and also for mitigating them, though it isn’t clear which option will be taken or whether the final proposal will be a combination of both. Joe Matteo, who owns a hazelnut farm next to Mr. Goode’s land, said he is worried about storm-water run-off, which could impact his crop. Mayor McArdle directed city staff to address that concern.

Independence expects to pay slightly more than $271,000 toward the MINET debt by year’s end, according to the city’s latest financial report. That’s 45% of the nearly $600,000 anticipated need, with the remaining 55% paid by Monmouth. In other news about the municipal company, MINET General Manager Don Patten received the Edwin B. Parker Enduring Achievement Award, which was bestowed at the Oregon Connections Telecommunications Conference in Ashland, Ore. The award is given to an individual who provides “a lasting legacy,” demonstrating an influence on the future of telecommunications. In accepting the honor, Mr. Patten noted that, although his name was on it, “it is each of you that do the hard work.”  

An overflowing sink on the second floor of the Polk County courthouse building rained down on the offices of the County Board of Commissioners last week, causing a minor flood. Hardest hit apparently was Chair Craig Pope, whose soggy floor required sopping up – everywhere, that is, but the one spot that might have been beneficial. “It missed my lemon tree,” Mr. Pope said. 

Independence is contracting with Polk County Corrections to provide court-ordered community-service workers for tree-trimming and other environmental needs, according to a report at the Polk County Board of Commissioners Tuesday.  
  
“It’s restorative to the community and provides offender accountability,” explained Jodi Merritt, director of community-service programs for the county. Independence was listed as one of five designated sites, along with a cemetery, several county areas and the fairgrounds.   

A public hearing to bring 70.2 acres previously zoned for farming use into the city limits will be held at the city council meeting Tuesday night. A proposal to deem the land “mixed-residential use” also is scheduled for a vote. 
 
The annexation area, south of the city, includes several relatively extensive wetland areas, prompting some residents to express concern. “Our question here is, has an environmental impact report been done on those areas? Are there any wetlands being impacted for this annexation?” asked Stephen Westfall, who sent a letter to the council. Mr. Westfall, who resides outside of Independence, lives in a neighborhood adjacent to the planned project. 
 
Wetland delineation – the means for determining the precise size of natural water-collection used by wildlife – was the subject of some discussion at the annual meeting of the Oregon chapter of the American Planning Association last week; City planners noted wetlands can be challenging and costly to mitigate. Estimates put delineation at $40,000 to $100,000, depending on the area of study. 

The Independence Hotel has begun promoting the city’s “Event Center” for hotel guests – it’s the floor below City Council chambers at the Civic Center. The hotel website lists it as “a great space to hold your next meeting, conference or event,” with over 4,300 square feet of “modern, high-quality meeting space.” Terms of the hotel’s proposed contract with the city for use of the civic center’s lower level are expected soon.  

Hundreds of traffic stops have been made by the Independence Police Department this year – 23 of them resulted in arrest for “driving under the influence of intoxicants” (DUII), according to the Independence Police Department, which issued a news release this past month. Of the nearly two dozen arrests, 18 were alcohol-related and five were for drug impairment. Eight motorists were found to be in violation of “Failure to Install an Ignition Interlock Device,” meaning these DUII offenders were not abiding their conviction conditions. There were 14 arrests for driving during a license suspension.  

CITY COUNCIL OKs $650,000 in MUSEUM BUILDING MOVE

By Anne Scheck

A resolution that will allow Independence to seek $650,000 from a bank loan for a new museum building is being prepared for the city council after a plan to sell city-owned lots on Polk Street for part of the money was called off due to restrictions on the land by the corporate donor.  
 
Councilors directed city staff Tuesday to create a resolution to enter into the bank loan following an announcement by City Manager Tom Pessemier that years ago, when Boise Cascade gave the lots to the city, it stipulated that the land must be open space – and if not, the conversion must be to a park. The parcels had been offered for sale under a previous administration so the restriction came as a surprise to current city officials.
 
The new location will be on the corner east of the Post Office, which allows access that the present one doesn’t. The current home of the Heritage Museum is in a former church a few blocks away, with a stairwell entrance – the main floor is up a flight of stairs and use of restroom facilities require steps to a downstairs area.   
 
The sum of the loan includes both the purchase and the cost of immediate upgrades, Mr. Pessemier said.    

LOCAL MANUFACTURER OPS FOR HEMP NOT MJ

A manufacturing facility on Stryker Road across from the north end of the Independence Airpark that had been planned – and permitted – for marijuana processing will switch to hemp production, according to one of the plant supervisors, Lewis Pettenger. The company, Organic Investments, is expected to operate commercially under the name Cascadia Naturals. 

In a brief interview Wednesday, Mr. Pettenger explained that the change is being done to meet the expected demand for medicinal oils derived from hemp, which are receiving favorable reviews for treating pain and other disorders. 

The move is only the latest in what is expected to be a large switch to hemp in county agriculture, according to the Polk County Board of Commissioners. It is the “next big thing,” said Commission Chair Craig Pope, when asked about local hemp production. However, he and fellow commissioners Mike Ainsworth and Lyle Mordhorst cautioned that there may be a more enthusiastic reception among growers than the market will support. 

That view was echoed at a luncheon meeting on hemp, held by the Strategic Economic Development Corporation in Salem Wednesday. “There is a lot of hype,” said Ken Iverson, co-owner of Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm near Woodburn. He became interested in growing hemp when he found that CBD – a chemical derivative – was helpful for a seriously ill family member. “But finding markets was the most difficult part of the process,” he said. 

APPEAL CHALLENGES BRANDY MEADOWS

A resident of Sunset Meadows, the newest subdivision in Independence, has called for the city to stick to its Southwest Independence Concept Plan and is appealing a decision by the city’s planning commission approving a plan for Brandy Meadows that allegedly departs from it. The developer, Harvey Cummings, said he had no comment on the appeal – yet. 
 
Parks and multi-use trails that are part of the Southwest Independence Concept Plan should be included – and have dedicated easements – prior to approving proposals for the housing lots, stated Rich Clark MD in his filing with the city Tuesday. Dr. Clark had been joined by two dozen residents of Sunset Meadows in making the same case to commissioners a few weeks before they gave the go-ahead on Brandy Meadows, which is adjacent to Sunset Meadows in the southwest section of the city. 
 
Asked about the appeal process, City Planner Fred Evander said a hearing will be held before the city council, following a minimum 20-day period for public notice. (This month’s issue of The Independent takes a look at the concerns by residents, in “The Little Neighborhood That Could – Then Did.”)  

Dates to Note:  

LUCKIAMUTE WATERSHED COUNCIL EVENTS. A Bilingual Bird Walk will take place this Saturday, October 12, 8 a.m. to noon, at Baskett Slough NWR. Tickets are $12 – lunch included, kids free.; A FREE outing to Auer Farms in Monmouth will be held on October 26, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Meet at Sarah Helmick Park to carpool.   Information at https://www.luckiamutelwc.org/

FINAL NOTE
~Wetlands Prove Barrier to Local Development Plan~ A plan for industrial land west of the airport literally may be dead in the water. In the advisory report for the “Targeted Industry Analysis” of the area, Independence Public Works Director Kie Cottam identified infrastructure needs that have to be addressed before the property can be developed.
Stormwater issues are "significant," she said, given the "presence of significant wetlands.” Drainage challenges would be “problematic,” he added. Asked for his opinion on the matter, City Manager Tom Pessemier said he could not predict the development potential of the parcels, but “wetlands do need to be protected and preserved.”

MINET IMPROVEMENTS FINISH UNDER BUDGET   

By Anne Scheck

MINET, the municipal fiberoptic company co-founded by Independence, has completed upgrades that give it “unlimited data speed” and the project came in a million dollars under budget.  “It really is a game-changer,’’ said City Manager Tom Pessemier at the last city council meeting. “They saved a lot of money and worked very hard.” 
 
A news release emailed by the company cited “cascading equipment failure” that prompted intense focus on producing “high-grade technical results and impressive time-and-money savings.” 
 
With MINET’s enhanced reliability -- the new advanced technology is considered to be highly resistant to outages – the company “looks to expansion,” according to the announcement. Asked about the possibility of MINET’s growth in Polk County, Craig Pope, who chairs the county’s board of commissioners, said he welcomes MINET’s participation in a future public presentation by fiberoptic corporations, on the heels of a county survey of internet providers. 
 
However, he predicted it may be a battle for customers – Comcast already has made inroads in Dallas and early results from the survey indicate a high familiarity with CenturyLink. 
 
Neither the date for reporting the county-survey results of internet carriers nor the presentation by them has been announced. “I think it will be fairly soon,” Commissioner Pope said. [A closer examination of MINET’s planned expansion, the results of the county survey and the potential impact of both will be reported in a future issue of The Independent).

PLANNING COMMISSION: A CASE OF COMPROMISE

Concerns gave way to compromise last week during a new hearing on the Brandy Meadows subdivision in southwest Independence. 

A stretch of land for residents to use recreationally is being planned along Ash Creek, effectively foreclosing on the possibility that the developer, Harvey Cummings, could pay a fee in lieu of establishing a park. 

“I think it’s a good idea,” Mr. Cummings said in a brief interview after the meeting, adding that he wants to build an enjoyable neighborhood. He’d never supported the idea of paying revenue to the city to avoid allocating land for the park, anyway, he said. The choice is available to multi-home builders under the current municipal code – in the fairly recent past, one developer in the area took advantage of that option.   

Additionally, Mr. Cummings agreed to another proposed revision that would mandate $9,000 per acre be paid to address future traffic routing, potentially including a new bridge off Chestnut Street. “We’re happy to contribute to it,” he said. When pressed, Mr. Cummings acknowledged that the word “happy” might be something of an over-statement. 

“What I am saying is that if we don’t have a good park and good (traffic) connectivity, well, we won’t have a nice neighborhood, and that is what we all want – what’s good,” he said. Townhomes, single-family houses, duplexes and a fourplex are planned for the next phase of Brandy Meadows. [For a more in-depth look at how the Independence Planning Commission, Sunset Meadows residents and Mr. Cummings came together on the proposal for Brandy Meadows, see “The Little Neighborhood That Could – Then Did” in this month’s October issue of The Independent].

PUBLIC WORKS CONSTRUCTION

The price of two projects getting underway: Slightly more than $100,000 more for Riverview Lift Pump Station, with funding
to come from a city council-approved loan by the state; Estimate of about $2.4 million for rebuilding the F Street Bridge, with most of the funding taken care of by a transportation grant and about $240,000 from the city.

EDITORIAL

Sitting there, taking notes, my jump from my seat must've seemed as if I'd suffered an electric shock. By the time I sprinted to the podium, I already thought I deserved removal via a hooked cane. I was off-topic at a public microphone! But a very cute little girl was behaving herself at one of the most boring places on the planet for a child – the council room of the civic center. On at least a half-dozen occasions, at planning commission meetings, she’d done the same. It’s a reminder that if we want a diverse commission – and I mean early-adult ages as well as other factors – there should be a way for parents with kids to participate. And that's basically what I said. Then I decided to find out if anyone else – other than an out-of-order journalist – feels the same way. As it turns out, Ithaca NY has instituted childcare at council meetings. I tried calling, but unlike Independence, phone calls seem to be a poor way to communicate (some of the phones don’t even have voicemail, just endless ringing.) Then I hit upon the fact that the nerve center of every city hall isn’t the mayor’s office – it’s the City Recorder. There I received the necessary assistance to help me write the Civics Lesson column in this month’s Independent. Thanks, Ithacans!

Date to Note:  The Ghost Walk, Oct 5. Read all about its history in a profile of Marilyn Morton this month in The Independent. 

CROWDS & CLAMOR AT PLANNING COMMISSION

Plans for a new subdivision in southwest Independence drew a 30-plus crowd of people to the planning commission Monday night – and, after hearing their concerns, the commissioners scheduled another meeting on the proposal. 
 
During the public hearing, residents of Sunset Meadows voiced objections to an adjacent tract, Brandy Meadows, citing potential traffic congestion and an alleged lack of a clarity about how a park would be created on land partly dedicated to stormwater control. 
 
The parcel for the park should be a recreational space that families can enjoy, from bicycle-riding children to dog-walking pet owners, said Rich Clark, one of the residents. It’s also home to some osprey birds. 
 
“We’re aware of the storm drain issues, the traffic issues and the osprey nest,” said the developer, Harvey Cummings of Damascus, Ore. He added that he wants to address those factors, “to get in there and work with staff.”
 
Brandy Meadows is slated to have townhomes, single-family houses, duplexes and a fourplex, according to City Planner Fred Evander, who presented plans for the subdivision. Although there’s a specific traffic analysis report for the site, the overall traffic-system plan by Independence goes back to 2007, Mr. Evander acknowledged. A 12-year-old city traffic plan can be considered “a bit outdated,” Mr. Cummings said. 
 
Noting part of Brandy Meadows will be in a vibrant riparian area, Kristen Larson, executive director of the Luckiamute Watershed Council, urged that the final proposal to demonstrate “being good stewards of our creeks and rivers.” 
 
Planning Commissioner Kate Schwarzler seemed to sum it all up when she said she’d like to have a “better understanding” of the park and traffic plans. The rest of the commission – minus two commissioners who were absent Monday – concurred with that conclusion. The next meeting is Sept. 23.

CITY & COUNTY

Would you like to know when extreme weather is likely to occur? How about why there are helicopters flying overhead? A fast-as-lightning notification system that connects and conveys information across Polk County is launching – and it will be available to anyone in Independence who wants it, according to Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton. He announced the development at the Board of Commissioners Tuesday.  
 
Called CivicReady, it’s an online system designed specifically for local governments like the one in Independence. Sign-ups for the alerts – done through the soon-to-be-activated youralerts.org – can be delivered by email, text or voicemail, he explained. The cost to Independence is expected to be around $2,000 annually.

IN BRIEF

Needed sanitation-system upgrades are expected to cost about $10 million, including pump-lift stations and new pipes for conveying wastewater. The topic is covered in the September issue of The Independent. The drinking-water supply, which also utilizes pump stations but carries groundwater, will be the subject of a future issue that addresses the planned expansion of the that system to accommodate the growing area of southwest Independence. 

COMING UP

Donatellos Pizza is nearly ready to move into a mid-block location on Main Street downtown. The restaurant, which operates in Salem, expects to have a menu and atmosphere in Independence that will prove a draw to local families, according to the owner-operators.

A FINAL NOTE

Thank you for your questions about the water-and-sewer system. This is a continuing issue, and answers to all your inquiries will be sought.

SIDEWALKS A HAZARD AT FORMER CITY HALL

Sidewalks torn out during the re-purposing of Independence’s former city hall will be paved under a plan that uses the $300,000 pledged as a rebate to the developer – now being forfeited in order to restore the walkways.   
 
“It’s in a state of disrepair,” said City Manager Tom Pessemier. “I have determined that I believe it’s a hazard,” he said. 
 
The funds, which were set aside in the city’s General Fund, provided an incentive for a buyer to purchase the property, which is still under reconstruction. The money would have been given the developer, Chuck Sides, once the refurbishment was complete. Instead, it will now be used for sidewalks there, according to a special resolution passed by the city council Tuesday night.
 
Mr. Sides, who was in the audience, was asked by Mayor John McArdle if he had anything to say. The developer said he concurred with the decision. After the meeting, he agreed it was a “lot of money” to lose, but “negotiations” with the city will continue, he said. 
 
The old city hall is at the corner of Monmouth Avenue and Second Street.

UPDATE

The Heritage Museum will have a new home in a recently vacated building at the corner of Second and C streets, a longtime spot for antique vendors. The purchase money for the property will largely come from the sale of other city-owned real estate – marking the first time in nearly a decade that the city has generated its own funds to buy needed space. 
 
The money will come from the sale of the old museum site, a former church, and two lots given by Boise Cascade to the city nearly a dozen years ago, according to City Manager Tom Pessemier. The proposal was approved in a four-to-two vote by the city council. (See editorial commentary at end of this Linking Letter addressing recent changes.)

IN BRIEF

The need for upgrades to wastewater pipes, pumps and plans have pushed loans for the project past $10 million – but the steps are necessary as city growth continues to put pressure on the aging system, according to presentations at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. A second phase of the Liberty development will mean 30 more homes west of 7thStreet -- and apartment construction is expected to start soon at Independence Landing. (Wastewater improvements and the revenue needed for them are covered in the September issue of The Independent.) 

COMING UP

The Independence Hotel will begin taking room reservations in mid-September, staff there confirmed this week. During a “soft opening” last week, the restaurant and bar were opened; some rooms were occupied for a few days by a visiting group from the US Department of Agriculture. 

EDITORIAL COMMENTARY

The first sign that the times they are a-changin’, to borrow a famous line from Bob Dylan, came at perhaps the least expected place at the Civic Center. For the past few years, the city’s planning commission seems to have been given directions along with documents, from code changes to development plans. 
                                                                         
Not any more. It’s so collaborative now that it’s downright surprising nobody is sending out for pizza or breaking out a guitar. But as a new spirit of joint decision-making ascends, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that all hands are on deck. One member’s absence has been fairly routine; A vacant spot seems to have been viewed with complacency. The chair has expressed concern that if any of the members have to miss a meeting, a quorum is threatened.         
                                                                            
The way to treat these commissioners right is to ease their worry – with new recruits. It can’t be that hard. After all, several citizens predicted that nothing ever happens at the city without another loan – that you-know-what would have to freeze over first. Well, some flames became icicles Tuesday night – the new administration is set to sell some city real estate to finance a new museum site. And to think Independence simply could have floated another bond… -Anne Scheck

By Anne Scheck

The excavation for thousands of feet of pipeline to help expand Independence’s wastewater capacity has begun. It will spray effluent – recycled water – on agricultural land north of the Independence State Airport to relieve strain on city lagoons, which frequently reach their limit.

The cost of the pipeline is about $726,000 – about a half-million dollars below the original engineering estimate. The project is part of an improvement plan for the sewer-and-sanitation system, which periodically has been found out of compliance in past years by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).  

A request for more funding is expected at tonight's city council meeting – for a different part of the system. "We are asking for contingency funds for Riverview lift station project," said Kie Cottam, the city's public works director. The lift-station bid was awarded for just under $1.16 million, and an additional sum of about $174,000 will be added if the council approves the request on the agenda tonight.

Last week, representatives of the engineering firm, Westech, met with residents whose houses lie adjacent to the field where construction of the pipeline is starting – including trench-digging. “I am not expecting a lot of impact,” said Steve Ward PE of Westech Engineering, the city’s engineer of record.

Tonight, the city council is expected to increase a loan for sanitation-system upgrades from the DEQ to $9.4 million, from its current $6 million agreement with the DEQ (Note: The September issue of The Independent will cover the proposed changes to the city water-and-sewer system, which are being undertaken to meet a growing municipal need).

UPDATE

A franchise fee report to the city that includes all telecom companies operating in Independence shows MINET eclipsing the others with a return of about $130,000. Franchise fees are paid to the city for use of public space, also called public right-of-way.

The report comes after Congressman Kurt Schrader, in an address to the Rotary Club in Independence, said he wants “to work with MINET” as he pushes for more broadband access in rural areas. Mr. Schrader is on the US Energy and Commerce Committee.

In answering a question by Rotary President Laurel Sharmer, a Monmouth city councilor, about what his efforts could mean for local and municipally-founded MINET, US Rep. Schrader said: “I want to work with you guys.”
The comment was “seen supportive” but not meaningful beyond that, according to Craig Pope, chair of the Polk County Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners (BOC) hopes to clinch federal funding if a need for more internet access in rural parts of the county is established on a current survey by the BOC.

Don Patten, general manager of MINET, was nominated earlier this year for a seat on the federal Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee by Rep. Schrader and US senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden. (See this month’s issue of The Independent for an editorial by Don Patten, which has received positive attention by readers). 

IN BRIEF

In the wake of the conclusion of a dramatic Oregon legislative session, state Rep. Paul Evans has announced a “targeted investment” of $300,000 for a trolley system between Monmouth and Independence. The news comes on the heels of Cherriots’ decision to offer new stops and pick-up spots in Independence, as well.

COMING UP

A seat belt “blitz” will begin August 19 – that’s when the Independence Police Department (IPD) will begin a two-week period of checking for appropriate seat-belt use. IPD officers also will dedicate extra time to find impaired motorists this month, including Labor Day weekend. 

FINAL NOTE

The Polk County Veterans Service Office in Dallas now is logging 35-70 walk-ins monthly with nearly 300 calls made or received per month, according to Eric Enderle, the service officer who now has been on the job for more than a year. The September issue of The Independent will include a profile of Mr. Enderle and the work he has done there.

 By Anne Scheck

COMMUNICATION SNAGS OVER INTERNET SURVEY

A survey being conducted by the Polk County Board of Commissioners about the need for broadband services in rural parts of the county prompted MINET General Manager Don Patten to express disappointment that the board “did not reach out to us to learn what we could have contributed” before the data-collection effort was underway. 
 
In a letter written this past week by Mr. Patten to commission members, he pointed out that MINET has been deeply involved in research on the same matter. “Together I think we can accomplish much more in addressing the internet needs in Polk County than we can by working at non-coordinating purposes,” Mr. Patten concluded. The online survey asks participants to rate various potential broadband providers. So far, there have been an estimated 1,000 responses, which represent about 25% of the targeted rural demographic.
 
Mr. Patten suggested “a partnership going forward between the Polk County Commissioners and MINET/Willamette Valley Fiber.” MINET, a municipal broadband company co-founded by Independence, has been seeking to widen its customer base for the past several years. 
 
Mr. Pope called the letter “at least, disingenuous.” Instead, "why don't they just pick up the phone?" he asked.  "Our intent right now is to qualify loosely stated rural need with data that would qualify us for federal funding assistance,” he explained.  
 
The Board of Commissioners expects to help partner with whatever company or companies are interested in expanding to rural customers and may need grant assistance to get it done, he explained. “And so, the best deal for the public is being sought,” he stated. A reply sent to Mr. Patten, signed by the county’s administrative officer, Greg Hansen, pledged that “throughout this process Polk County will share its results and give periodic updates to the public.” 
 
Once the final data are collected “of course, we’d have MINET at the table if they have something to offer rural consumers,” Commissioner Pope said.

CITY COUNCIL: Seeking New Museum

A hunt for a new location of the Independence Heritage Museum got the official stamp of approval Tuesday, after City Councilor Marilyn Morton introduced a resolution to set in motion the search for a better building. 
 
The resolution was worded to reflect the exploratory nature of the effort -- it ensures that findings will come back to the city council before any further action is taken.  
 
The Heritage Museum, which is housed in a former church with multiple stairs, has been difficult to access for anyone who requires a mobility-assistance device, such as a walker or a wheelchair. Some elderly residents who would like to visit the museum haven’t done so, according to some attendees at events, who have reported that friends or relatives stayed away because the steps are too big a barrier. 
    
One location under consideration is the former “Picken Chicken” antique store, a single-level space at 281 2nd Street. It has the advantage of being much closer to the downtown area and, also, it has large storage capacity, said Vickie McCubbin, president of the Heritage Museum Advisory Board. 
 
The scouting effort for a new museum was affirmed by all but one of the city councilors: Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith cast the dissenting vote. 

UPDATE

The Independence Hotel is nearing completion, though it’s not taking individual reservations yet. But it’s under obligation to open August 23, 2019 – that’s the date when a fairly large group has contracted the first overnight stay. Staff has been hired; A liquor license has been approved. The city council toured the facility Tuesday afternoon. 

COMING UP 

A look at water issues facing the city was scheduled for this month’s issue of The Independent, but it has been delayed until September. Pick up this month’s issue on new approaches being used by the Independence Police Department.  

FINAL NOTE

City-owned property at Independence Landing, a parcel across from the new hotel known as “Lot 7,” is up for sale. The price is open to negotiation. City Manager Tom Pessemier wouldn’t put a dollar value on it, but, in general, such land is worth about $10 per square foot and the lot is nearly 24,000 square feet.

 By Anne Scheck
 
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Airport Area Plan Unveiled

A development concept for vacant land around the Independence State Airport was presented Tuesday night to the city council – with a list of business options that range from industrial manufacturing east of the airpark to smaller operations west of the airport runway.
 
The power-point presentation, called a “Targeted Industry Analysis,” was given at the meeting by consultant Todd Chase of FCS, a firm based in the Seattle area. It was the “draft-final report” – a document that will return to the city council for official approval. 
 
The effort to study the issue involved several airpark residents and local pilots, who had volunteered to work with city staff and the consultant to help decide the best potential development for land around the airport and airpark. None of the members of that volunteer group attended the city council meeting. Local airpark resident David Ullman, an appointed member of the advisory group, said he wasn’t notified of it; The president of the Independence Airpark Homeowners Association, Gary Van Horn, said he wasn’t told about it, either.  
 
Shawn Irvine, the city’s economic development director, said he didn’t consider it essential to personally inform any of the residents who had contributed to the volunteer group. City Councilor Michael Hicks, a neighbor of Mr. Van Horn, said the same thing. “I am open to answering questions when someone has them,” Councilor Hicks said. 
 
Though the original aim of the report was to provide an overview of what might be suitable for land west of the airport, it also included the possibility for more manufacturing in the heavy industrial zone across Stryker Road. That zone is a “state-certified industrial site with rail access,” according to Mr. Chase’s presentation. 
 
Wetland mapping may be needed for the western parcels, Mr. Chase said. Wetland areas often “end up being a bottleneck for many cities,” Mr. Irvine noted, adding that it may be necessary to determine the “scope of the problem.” 
 
The draft-final report wasn’t in the agenda packet or posted on the city’s website at the time of the meeting. The item on the city council agenda that referred to the report was listed “FCS Group: Targeted Industry Analysis.” 
 
*A request was made that the draft-final document be posted on the city website. See editorial note at end of Linking Letter for an opinion on this topic.

KAYAK COMPANY FOR RIVERVIEW CITY PARK

A one-year contract is being extended to a kayak and paddleboard company for placement of a trailer in Riverview Park, where the river-faring equipment can be rented. The company, Woodward Surf, will pay 5% of its gross profits to the city in exchange for doing business at the spot. The cost to the company was “deliberately kept low to encourage early profitability,” according to the memorandum on the contract. 
 
The council approved the proposal, with one dissenting vote. Safety concerns about a water-craft enterprise on city property without more information prompted Councilor Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith to vote against it, she said.   

COMING UP

A new pipeline to spray water recycled from the city’s wastewater lagoons will be installed between the Independence State Airport and Rogers Road. The new effluent system, which will spread the water on fields, will cost about $726,000. That’s $500,000 dollars under the original engineering estimate, said Kie Cottam, the city’s public works director. The city’s capacity for wastewater storage frequently is reached – and exceeded – during the summer months, he explained. This system, which will be 10,000 feet long, can help reduce the volume in the lagoons, he said. 

EDITORIAL NOTE

I live at the airpark, and, though I'm so terrified of planes that that it takes a big dose of liquid spirits to get me on a commercial flight, I am proud of my local airport. It makes money for the state. It brings visibility to the town. It offers many family-oriented events, from hot-air balloon launches to the Young Eagles program, which acquaints youth with aircraft. I don’t have any interest in flying. In fact, my house has no direct access to the taxiways here – just an easement. But here is what I do have: participatory neighbors. I believe they deserve more heads-up from the city than a five-word title on the city council agenda about an analysis in which some were asked to contribute. I believe all of our citizens deserve good communication, and I hope the city can provide it.