Henry Hill Park not for sale and may get artificial turf, but pool not to be saved

By Anne Scheck 

Trammart News Service, August 15, 2025  

Henry Hill Park has been removed as a potential site for sale by the financially strained city but both the city manager and mayor said there is no chance that the municipal pool there will ever be reopened. 

At a discussion of how strategic planning might take place in the future for the property, City Manager Kenna West said refurbishment of the pool – even if the inoperable boiler was replaced – would be “cost prohibitive.” 

Due to the aging pipe system below the pool, even a new boiler would “blow those pipes,” she said. 

Asked about the permanent closure of the pool after the meeting, Mayor Kate Schwarzler agreed with West’s assessment. “This is nothing new,” she said. A pool would require building an entirely new facility. 

The future of the pool property arose at a work session held by the city council Tuesday in which the future of Henry Hill Park was discussed. Apparently prompting the discussion was a recent donation of high-end artificial turf that conceivably could be used at both the park site and sports fields across the street, which is land owned by the Central School District. 

The concept was presented to the councilors by Shawn Irvine, the city’s economic development director and assistant city manager. In general, it was seen by city councilors as a long-term endeavor rather than a more immediate one. 

Before the artificial turf – donated by Providence Park in Portland to the Monmouth-Independence Family YMCA – could be used, it would need to be established “who is going to be responsible for the maintenance for this part and that part,” Irvine stressed. 

The turf was donated to the YMCA but the quantity has yet to be determined, according to a reply to an inquiry sent by Trammart News to Tim Sinatra, CEO of the Family YMCA of Marion & Polk Counties. 

After the regular city council meeting convened, the city council voted to take the “old pool property” off the list of land for sale by the city and endorsed a sample Memorandum of Understanding between the Family YMCA of Marion & Polk Counties and the City of Independence to “explore and advance the shared vision of developing a community center and outdoor recreation area.” 

Asked about the possible future planning, CSD communications coordinator Emily Mentzer responded: “We are grateful that the city council reconsidered selling Henry Hill Park.” She added that the district is looking forward to working with community partners to create a space that the neighborhood will enjoy – a space for students and families. 

“As Mr. Irvine said, there remain a lot of moving parts,” Mentzer said. 

The pool closure, which occurred about three years ago, appeared to inflict a blow on the community – many believe this is a severe loss in a city where the river often is used for summer recreation. The pool had been a resource for teaching swimming lessons in summer, offered at low cost or, in some cases, free of charge by the YMCA. 

At a meeting in which Irvine and Sinatra outlined the potential for a community center in Independence to the Polk County Board of Commissioners, neither issued definitive assurance that a pool would be a final part of the plan.  

One advocate of the pool, Erin McIntosh, a member of the City Parks Board, said she will continue to push for an outdoor pool. “Yes, the existing facility needs to be rebuilt from the ground up and is not going to happen,” she said. “However, I got the impression that a pool is still a desired outcome as part of a greater ‘community center.’ ”    

“We’ll see what the ‘conversations’ with the ‘partner agencies’ turn up,” McIntosh said.  ▪ 

By Anne Scheck 

Trammart News Service, August 15, 2025  

A portion of Corvallis Road that was recently annexed by Independence has been taken out of Polk County’s jurisdiction and placed within the city – an action to be followed by another proposed annexation of land to extend Mt. Fir Avenue. 

The part of Corvallis Road that’s now in the city is roughly from a point near the Independence Bridge to the southern limits of the Urban Growth Boundary. The jurisdictional transfer was approved by the Polk County Board of Commissioners Wednesday (photo).  The presentation of the transfer was given by County Surveyor Darren Blackwell.

“We support this action because it is the orderly way for growth and development,” said Todd Whitaker, director of public works for the county.  

A city street has different design standards than a county road, he explained. “We are not really set up to maintain curb, gutter and storm drains like a city is,” Whitaker said. 

The jurisdictional transfer from the county to the city differs from the annexation, which was done previously by Independence. They're both legal processes but the annexation of Corvallis Road brought a swath of it into the city limits; In the jurisdictional transfer the county relinquished care and oversight of the roadway to Independence. 

Several weeks ago, residents expressed concern when the annexation of Corvallis Road was approved after a hearing by the Independence city council. 

One worry was that it would precede a move to full annexation of homes there.  Several residents attended hearings on the annexation, including a farm family on Corvallis Road and members of the Hill family, who are descended from Independence founder Henry Hill. Eric Hill spoke to the city council about the deep roots his family feels toward the town -- his mother, Kathy Hill, owns a house on land along Corvallis Road. 

Another troubling question for some:  Would this mean that the Polk County Sheriff’s Office would stop patrols along the roadway? The Independence Police Department, which has been operating on a strained budget, was presumed to become the agency responsible for law enforcement there. 

But Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton offered a reassuring observation. “Nothing is going to change in terms of patrolling the roads, as we go all over the place, regardless of the city limits or not,” Garton said.  One difference will be a 911 emergency call, which will be summoning the IPD “unless they ask for our help or if we happen to be in the area,” he said. 

The jurisdictional transfer from county to city of this portion of Corvallis Road arrives at a time when Independence also has a proposal for annexing a 50-foot-wide former rail right-of-way, which is to be rezoned “Mixed Density Residential.” It is planned for the extension of Mt. Fir Avenue to Corvallis Road, or to establish a “shared use pathway” to do so. 

The pathway was likely listed as an option due to a land-use restriction, according to one longtime resident of the area, who recalled that the railroad spur in the city included a stipulation for a possible nature trail. 

The city communications director has failed to respond to questions from Trammart News. A public hearing on that is scheduled for August 26. 

The steps that have occurred over the past few months seem likely to mean increased development in the area, according to a city map of recent zoning changes south of the city. 

“We wish that all of the cities in Polk County would work with us for transferring jurisdictions of roads where development has occurred up to the right of way,” Whitaker said. 

(The Polk County Board of Commissioners also approved two other road jurisdictions in Independence for transfer, portions of Talmadge and 6th streets – but not the full extents of each.)  ▪ 

By Lance Masterson

for Trammart News Service, August 15, 2025  

Precision will be key Sunday when pilots from throughout the region engage in battle at the Independence State Airport.

STOL WARS - the acronym for “Short Takeoff and Landing” – is in its seventh year here. The competition is part of the two-day Wings Over Willamette Fly-In, the annual event sponsored by Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 292.

Simply stated, STOL WARS is to WOW as jousting is to a Renaissance faire. For many people, it’s the primary draw.

“It adds a high-energy, crowd-pleasing element to the weekend, and draws in pilots from all over the region,” event chairman Aaron Moore said.

James Oveross is a long-time airpark resident and experienced STOL competitor. His proudest moment, competition-wise, came when world champion Steve Henry beat him by 11 feet.

“You just practice what you’ve learned flying over the years,” Oveross said of training for the event.

Some 25 pilots are expected. They will arrive in bush planes, tour planes, and purpose-built STOL aircraft, with a few surprises likely.

Rules are simple. First, each pilot gets three runs.

“During each run, our ground team records where the aircraft leaves the ground and then where it comes to a complete stop,” Moore explained. “The score is the sum of distances. The pilot with the lowest score wins their category.”

Aircraft are grouped into seven categories based on type and configuration.

“This makes it a fair competition, whether you’re flying a vintage plane, or a competition-tuned STOL aircraft,” Moore said.

Because the event is about precision, it’s reportedly fairly safe.

“So the crowd gets a front row seat to the action, watching skilled pilots demonstrate careful control and performance,” Moore said. 

STOL WARS is 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with the award ceremony at 1 p.m. Both are on Sunday.

“Winners get a trophy,” Moore said. “But the real reward is the camaraderie, the challenge, and the thrill of flying for an enthusiastic audience.”

Oveross agreed.

“I keep coming back for the competition, the camaraderie,” he said. “And it’s great fun.”

There’s also plenty of fun on Saturday’s schedule, as WOW hosts forums, organizational booths and presentations. Headline speakers include:

Rian Johnson, Van’s Aircraft, presents the new RV-15, the company’s first all-new model in years;

Pete Zaccagnino, test pilot and four-time Reno Jet Gold champion. He is a Discovery Channel Dangerous Flights veteran. He’ll tell stories from his 24,000 hours in the air;

Juan Browne, popular YouTube host of “Blancolirio,” will lead a safety panel on STOL and backcountry flying.

Experts will discuss the state’s role in aviation history, as well. 

In addition: The Ninety-Nines, Oregon Pilots Association, Western Antique Airplane and Automobile Museum, along with other organizations, will be on hand.

The Ninety-Nines is an international aviation organization for women.

“We’re excited to host organizations and groups from around our region to come, share and showcase what they do for the aviation community,” Moore said. “We’re working hard to make Wings Over Willamette the premier aviation event for our region. Something pilots and families look forward to every year.”

The airpark community plays a key role in the event’s charm, Moore said. Residents often open their homes and hangars to visiting pilots. Over the years, this hospitality has inspired guests to relocate here.

Wings Over Willamette is open to the public. Admission is $10 for adults and free for those under 18. Off-road parking and a shuttle service are available.

Aviation education for youth is central to EAA’s mission. Proceeds from the weekend go to Chapter 292 for related programs, such as Young Eagles, and toward scholarships.

Aircraft to be displayed range from amateur-built experimental designs to rare vintage planes, 

Go to wow-flyin.com for more information. ▪ 

By Anne Scheck 

Trammart News Service, August 8, 2025  

The annual contract for Central School District Superintendent Jennifer Kubista is set for $182,988 with a $10,000 retention bonus, bringing her total monetary compensation for 2025-2026 to nearly $193,000. 

The vote to affirm Kubista’s contract was delayed by the school board Monday night – only a four-person quorum was at the meeting. 

In the absence of Board Chair Byron Shinkle and new school board member Andrea Van Heeswyk, the ballot was 3-1 in favor of postponement until more board members could be present. 

Board Member Jann Jobe objected to putting off the vote, noting that the board had previously okayed the superintendent’s salary package. 

A comparison of superintendent salaries across the state shows Kubista’s pay is comparable to other similar school districts. For example, the St. Helens School District, with several hundred fewer students than CSD, had advertised this spring for a superintendent, at a salary of $175,000 to $185,000. (Dr. Koreen Barreras-Brown stepped into that role in July.) 

In general, superintendent salaries in Oregon appear largely linked to the size of the district, with the majority earning in a range from $143,569 to $195,720, according to Salary.com. 

However, some small districts have a pay scale much lower than the bottom end of that range and some are much higher, such as Portland School’s Chief Kimberlee Armstrong, who received $325,000 when she was appointed in 2024, according to the Oregonian. 

Kubista gets a $400 monthly allowance for driving and transportation, as well as benefits that include health insurance and retirement. 

This past spring, The School Superintendents Association issued a salary-and-benefits study showing that salaries for the top job at school districts have increased, but they haven’t kept pace with inflation over the past decade. The current mean salary is about $169,000 a year, according to the group’s national survey of superintendents. ▪ 

By Trammart News Service, August 8, 2025  

Introduction

The $400,000 sum to acquire by eminent domain a 12-acre slice of land for the city’s planned water treatment plant has been completed. However, a public records request for the settlement agreement has been declined. “The city is not the custodian of the requested records,” according to the denial. 

However, after contacting several authorities this past week, the $400,000 amount for the purchase – as well as yet-unreported costs by the city for an outside legal team – was deemed a matter of public record. (A public records request for legal costs by Independence for the eminent domain action has been submitted by Trammart News.) 

The answers from outside expertise sought by Trammart News seem to bring to a close some questions that arose about whether confidentiality could be imposed upon the money spent by the city to acquire the acreage. 

Because several public inquiries were made to TN regarding the article posted last week on this issue, the original article on its beginnings is being re-run. 

In an interview last summer, Pat Henderson, then co-owner of the property, sat down with Trammart News to discuss the city’s attempted acquisition of the family’s farmland.

An email was sent this week to Henderson, to extend to him the opportunity of commenting further to Trammart News, pending a repeat of the story from last August. He did not respond for publication. 

The original article is below. The $400,000 was paid to the current owner of the land, after Henderson's family sold their entire property in the wake of the eminent domain action. 

Eminent domain pressure drives sale of farmland owned by a family for generations
 

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service

(Originally published 8/9/2024)
 

To save his land from being acquired through eminent domain by the city he's called home for most of his life, Pat Henderson and his family sold their farm in Independence.
 

Despite deep sadness over relinquishing the property to a neighboring buyer, Henderson hoped the sale would thwart the move by Independence to put a new public works facility, including a water treatment plant, on 12 acres next to Corvallis Road, just south of the city limits.
 

In an interview at the Ovenbird Bakery last summer, Henderson said he didn’t think the proposed deal was only about the water treatment plant, which was the official reason for the legal action by the city for the land. 

In early April 2024, “Independence mailed each of us an offer packet,” Henderson said.
 

The city offered $180,000; the counteroffer was $250,000, leading to a stalemate.
 

The city then filed a claim to clinch the land. Instead, Henderson and his family sold it, along with the rest of the 170-year-old farm.
 

Previously, Independence had sought out the family regarding the northern edge of two fields for a proposed east-west road along the railroad right-of-way, Henderson recalled. Then that effort abruptly stopped, he noted.
 

The presumed reason? A new and long-planned street, the Mt. Fir extension, allegedly to make way for new development.
 

“I realized that they were attempting to combine two separate projects into one, by over-buying property that could be used for both projects,” he said.

The city’s communication director, Emmanuel Goicochea, was asked by Trammart News at that time to reply about the new circumstances, which would affect the acquisition process. 

In a follow-up email, Goicochea was asked whether the larger tract of land – beyond the four acres once considered suitable for the water treatment plant – was due to combining the two objectives, as suggested by Henderson. Despite numerous attempts to obtain city comment, no response was received. 

The water treatment plant was part of a $44 million project for using a new water source, the Willamette River, according to plans approved for it by the city council last year. The city's water rights to the Willamette River need to be exercised within the next few years in order to be retained.
 

The first hint that his land was seen by the city as a site of interest for a new water treatment plant was when Henderson was contacted and told that Independence needed "to do some testing" months before the proposed purchase.
 

“The city didn't contact us directly,” Henderson explained. “They had an out-of-state company send us right-of-entry forms to sign, giving them permission to carry out testing.” 

Neither the city manager, Kenna West, nor the public works director, Gerald Fisher, spoke with the family, he said.
 

Instead, he was contacted by a right-of-way agent of Common Street Consulting, who
works in Salem.
 

“It was only after questioning that the company gradually revealed why the testing was desired,” Henderson observed.
 

Henderson, who has residency rights to remain on the land, wasn’t sure he even wants to stay in Independence. He was discouraged by recent events – and not just the ones that have involved him and his family.
 

Changes in the way the city now seems to operate have caused him concern. As a long-term resident, Henderson said that there seem to be more incidents of mishandling or misuse of authority by the city.
 

Henderson is a great grandson of Henry and Martha Hill, who came west in different 1847 wagon trains – he by the northern route, she via the newly-opened southern route. “They didn't meet until they arrived in Oregon territory,” he explained.
 

Elvin A. Thorp was the original town’s founder, but Hill's addition was incorporated in the 1860s, after a flood wiped out Thorp's riverside settlement. Though other parcels remain with other Hill descendants, the land that was just sold had been in the family since the 1850s, handed down generation-to-generation.
 

“It was the last parcel of original donation land claim in our immediate family,” he said. ▪ 

By Anne Scheck  

Trammart News Service, August 8, 2025

Pilot Martin Winziers wants flying to be more inclusive, and he’s found a way to help make that possible at the Independence State Airport. It involves an airborne machine that’s lighter than a crate of apples and costs a mere fraction of the price for a small airplane. 

It's called an ultralight (photo). Winziers hopes an official ultralight club can be founded at the airport – the group is holding its second meeting this weekend to get it “off the ground.” 

But is there enough interest within the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association to form an ultralight club? 

To find out, Winziers mailed about 200 surveys to members of EAA Chapter 292, which is based at Independence State Airport, to assess that. In return, he received 47 responses. Of these, 31 expressed interest in building ultralights.

An ultralight is simple and affordable and takes far less expensive training than other aircraft, particularly when built from a kit. Popular DIY models like the “Legal Eagle” are roughly $8,000 for materials and components, depending on the engine.

And, while general aviation training can be $15,000, learning to fly an ultralight typically costs no more than $2,500. That makes the wild blue yonder more accessible, Winziers said. 

The aircraft offers an entry for young pilots with a love of flying but for whom even the smallest airplanes are financially out of reach. Flying an ultralight is possible for those who’ve aged out of standard aviation insurance coverage or face medical hurdles to keep flying.

But lower cost isn’t the only advantage, Winziers pointed out. 

At the inaugural meeting, some pilots stated they were exploring the option for a time when they might no longer be able to afford insurance or upkeep on an aircraft. Several EAA 292 members already own an ultralight.

But there is another compelling reason to hop on one of these “flying trikes” as they have been called. They’re a big pleasure to fly. 

"I like the slow-and-low flight," said Winziers, noting that an ultralight usually travels about 50 mph.

One enthusiast is the president of the Independence Airpark Homeowners Association, Ron Singh. 

"It does make you feel 'one with the sky,'" Singh said. "My opinion is that licensed pilots can have a lot of fun flying an ultralight." 

Singh cautioned, however, that adequate training is essential. In some ways, being in the air in an ultralight is just as challenging – without the complex systems-management of other aircraft. "It is 'stick-and-rudder' flying," he said.

A dozen years ago, Smithsonian Magazine looked at the history of ultralights in an article on these “small engine wonders” – and found there was more than a grain of truth about the legend of their origin. They began as hang-gliders equipped with lawnmower engines. 

John Moody, an engineer from Ohio, demonstrated his invention in 1976, at the annual National EAA fly-in in Oshkosh Wisconsin, according to the magazine. Moody reportedly put the contraption on his back and, after a short run, lifted off into the clouds. 

Ultralights have come a long way since then. "I built and flew an ultralight-like aircraft, and it was nothing like that," Singh said. 

To Winziers, the advantages in forming a club include collaborative builds, shared tools and pooled ownership.

Winziers, who is building a light sport aircraft in EAA Chapter 292’s hangar, likened flying an ultralight to riding a bicycle in traffic. “You don’t need a driver’s license, but you have to obey the traffic laws,” Winziers said. 

Leonid Puliaiev, a Ukrainian refugee and former Soviet pilot, is getting his wings back via his love for ultralights and his membership with EAA Chapter 292. “Flying means life to me,” he explained, “and this is the only kind of plane I can fly now.”

“It’s another way to fly,” agreed Lee Nielson, a local pilot and Independence resident. 

Winziers stressed there is “no barrier” to getting involved in the effort to form an ultralight club; He urged anyone in the area to come to a meeting and see “what we’re doing and find your place.”

(The ultralight interest group meetings are held in the hangar of EAA Chapter 292 at the Independence State Airport, 4905 Airport Road. The link to the EAA 292 website is:  https://www.eaa292.org ) ▪ 

( Lance Masterson, also contributed to this article)

By Anne Scheck 

Trammart News Service, August 1, 2025

The Independence City Council approved allocating money for a land-parcel acquisition by eminent domain – but Councilor Dawn Roden voted “no” after expressing concern the amount was $220,000 more than the sum originally set for the acreage. 

Roden’s comments were made Monday night after Mayor Kate Schwarzler opened a hearing on the resolution, to authorize the city manager to approve and execute a settlement in condemnation litigation. “Any further discussion?” Schwarzler asked.

Roden (photo) responded by raising the issue of the cost involved. She received a reprimand from City Manager Kenna West for citing the dollar amount. West told her that information from the executive sessions wasn’t allowed to be discussed. 

“Well, then I have objections I’m not allowed to discuss,” Roden said. The additional cost more than doubles the $180,000 appraised sales price offered for up to a dozen acres of land, which was originally made to the farm family who owned it. 

The move to clinch the property for public use – to construct a new water treatment plant – began more than 18 months ago. The council vote on Monday was taken following an hour-long executive session. 

After the meeting, Trammart News informed West that all settlement agreements resulting from city litigation appear to be subject to public disclosure when relying on tax dollars to fund them (ORS 192.345). 

West countered that the information was confidential, and, in a follow-up email, she said that disclosure of the additional $220,000 “posed a potential legal and financial risk to the city.”

“When the councilor disclosed confidential terms in open session, I responded immediately and appropriately by reminding the council that the topic was one discussed in executive session and was not suitable for open deliberation,” West said. 

The resolution to “finalize, approve and execute a settlement agreement” by West was passed with Roden casting the only opposing vote. Councilor Bill Boisvert was absent. 

A public records request to the city by Trammart News for the Oregon statute barring disclosure of a negotiated settlement was declined, with the statement “there is an Oregon Revised Statute that pertains to withholding disclosure of terms of litigation or settlement agreements until it is concluded or finalized.”  

The point of contention between West and Trammart News appears to hinge on the interpretation of what “concluded” means. 

There is an exemption to such disclosures while financial negotiations are underway, but it exists only until the matter is settled. “This exemption does not apply to litigation which has been concluded,” according to Oregon law. 

Federal law also appears to support the public’s right to know of tax expenditures from government litigation. 

In response to this observation by Trammart News, West stated: “I am not in a position to comment on your interpretation of the law you referenced, as I understand you are not an attorney and appear to be speculating.”

She added that Trammart News’ facts are incorrect – there was no final payment issued. West described some of the aspects of the executive session to underscore her viewpoint but, since Trammart News was present at the executive session, it’s unclear whether this local news media outlet can use such executive-session information in reporting, even when it is imparted by a city official. (An inquiry regarding this has been made by Trammart News to a legal authority – an answer is pending.) 

The move toward acquiring the slice of land for a new water-treatment plant began more than a year ago, when the city took legal action on a “claim for condemnation.” 

The offer was refused. Instead, the family counter-offered, proposing $250,000. A stalemate ensued, as reported by Trammart News.  So instead, family members sold the entire 170-year-old farmland south of the city limits rather than relinquishing the estimated 10-12 acres sought by the city. Subsequently, the new owners and the city opened negotiations, according to findings by Trammart News at that time. 

The first steps began in the spring of 2023. A $44 million priority-project list to meet the town’s water needs was approved by the City Council – most of that cost was slated for a new treatment plant for processing a new water source, the Willamette River. It’s part of a nearly $95 million “Water System Master Plan,” which was adopted by the city council at that time.  ▪ 

By Anne Scheck 

Trammart News Service, August 1, 2025 

Although Melani Betancourt is the current Community Fiesta Queen, before she steps into her royal role a final time  –  to pass on the crown in late August – she needs to meet a more pressing demand as her pig's pitchwoman. 

She and her hog, named Frenchy, head to the Polk County Fair Auction on August 9th, where the Yorkshire Gilt will be placed for sale. The money from that will help Melani to clinch some college funds, although she racked up quite a few scholarships for her freshman year at Western Oregon University, where she plans to major in business administration.  

If wearing the crown sounds a whole lot different than an FFA jacket, it doesn't seem much of a stretch for Melani. She lives in an over-extended way – and seems to thrive on it.  She was the 2024-25 student president of Central High School and one of the recent speakers at her class graduation. 

But her victory over an early, painful period of bullying could be considered her highest accomplishment. 

The onset of acne at a fairly young age drew taunts that threatened to leave scars far deeper than any skin condition could inflict. "It was hard," she said.

Nationwide, about one in five students from sixth grade up report being bullied. What made Melani one of them? 

Bullies pick on peers for any number of reasons, but one of the most common is the obvious presence of enviable character traits, according to several studies. Qualities like determination, creativity and intelligence can make someone a target. 

Melani was an achiever with a sunny disposition and a grade point that never slipped below 3.75. And she came to Independence with a unique set of personal experiences. 

Melani and her family moved back to Independence from a remote part of Alaska at about the time she turned 10 years old. She was barely out of toddlerhood when her family relocated to an Aleutian island, where her father had found work. 

She’d lived in a place with only a grocery store and a boat shop, amid a scattered population of just over 1,000, she recalled. And there were only two Hispanic families on the island. As a child "I just thought I was Filipino," she noted. 

The return to Independence was a period of sudden adjustment. "That island was all I knew," she explained. On one occasion in her Alaskan home, she’d heard noises at the door. When she opened it, a huge eagle was staring at her from the doorstep. 

Whether it was the stress of the move or her sudden entrance into pre-teen years, Melani developed facial breakouts that also set her apart – she endured frequent jeering about her skin. 

Melani said she was faced with two opposing approaches on how to handle the bullying. One was to answer all the teasing with equally biting comebacks, engaging in counter attacks. The other was to simply ignore the hurtful comments and keep focused on her goals.

"I chose that way because that is who I am, what is comfortable for me," she explained. "I began to try to understand why these things were being said, to find a reason someone would do that, and to realize it was coming from a painful place in them." 

Melani said her family bonds – her siblings, her mother – gave her a safe refuge. She also grew very close to her grandfather, who is now deceased. "I was grandpa's girl," she said. 

Her grandfather, who strongly believed in the power of education to change lives, urged her to disregard anything that would interfere with her academic achievement. He told her he felt she was headed for great things. 

"I believed him," she said. "I wanted so much to make my family proud."

So, she continued to meet academic milestones and became a participant in multiple school projects. Ian Imamura, who advised her about how to build her curriculum, became a favorite teacher at Central. 

She was also active in MEChA, the national Mexican American student group, and AVID, a college readiness program. 

If you're wondering why Melani became such a striver, she herself actually can’t answer that question – at least not definitively. 

As the youngest of four siblings, she credits them, and her mother, with giving her unfailing support. 

During a speech to her high school graduation class on the night they all received their diplomas, she gave a special thanks to her mother, Irene Oliveros-Vega. 

“All of my accomplishments are a reflection of you mom,” she said, telling the crowd she wouldn’t be “standing here today if it weren’t for the sacrifices and bravery she has shown,” as a single mother of four children.

“I never noticed who wasn’t cheering in a crowd because my mom’s voice was all I heard,” she pointed out. “Thank you so so much to my siblings, grandparents, cousins, and family who have loved me unconditionally my entire life.” 

“I will continue to be a product of the love you guys have provided me with,” she said. 

(Community Fiesta takes place in Riverview Park, August 22-24. Trammart News is a philanthropic supporter of it.)  ▪ 

By Anne Scheck 

Trammart News Service, August 1, 2025

Nearly half the number of volunteers needed to help host “The Wall That Heals” have signed up and two organizers of the event told Polk County Commissioners this week they’re confident they can more than double that tally. 

At the Tuesday meeting of the Polk County Board of Commissioners, Vietnam veteran Billy Whisenant, of American Legion Post 33 in Independence, and John McArdle, former mayor of Independence, thanked the commissioners for the $12,000 site fee that the board approved for the project. 

“The investment by the county was a no-brainer,” said Commissioner Jeremy Gordon. 

The traveling exhibit – a three-quarter scale replica of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial and a mobile education center by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund – has more than 58,000 names of those who lost their lives serving in Vietnam, on black panels to be assembled on the Independence Sports Field, north of Riverview Park.  It arrives in September.

The required volunteer count is 193 – and a push to get to that number is currently underway, including plans for doing so at the Polk County Fair, according to Whisenant. (Greeters and visitor support are one area with unfilled slots.) 

Athletes from Western Oregon University's baseball team are going to take care of breakdown of the structure, but there’s not yet a “set-up” crew, which entails 30-40 people, Whisenant added. 

Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst, who worked for Les Schwab Tires for years before he was elected commissioner, suggested contacting his former company. They have undertaken projects of similar scope in the past, he said. 

Commission Chair Craig Pope, who asked about how word was getting out, inquired about the public-awareness effort. 

Banners (photo) with the logo and dates – Sept. 18 -21 – are being displayed around town, including at Brew Coffee and Taphouse, Whisenant said. Croft Vineyards, on River Road in Salem, has signage visible for passing motorists, as well. Additionally, both print and broadcast media have expressed interest. 

The transport of “The Wall That Heals” for 2025 began in Sebring FL in March and will conclude in Crystal Springs MS in October. The arrival in Independence is scheduled to come after the midpoint of the journey, following the stop in Port Townsend WA and before the one in Orange CA.

State Rep. Paul Evans is seeking funds for the project and received an all-clear from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to solicit donations in his role, including from members of the Veterans Caucus. 

To sign up as a volunteer for the event go to: https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0A44AEAA28ABF5C70...

Additional local information can be found at: https://www.ci.independence.or.us/thewallthatheals2025/

(Disclosure: Trammart News is a philanthropic contributor to The Wall That Heals.)  ▪ 

By Anne Scheck, an analysis by Trammart News with guidance by county assessor

Trammart News Service, July 25, 2025

Five years ago, the average residential sales price for a home in Polk County was $350,000. This year, that median amount moved to $500,000, representing a 44% increase over the past five years.

That’s one of the messages imparted by Polk County Tax Assessor Valerie Patoine (photo) in a presentation on her office to the Polk County Board of Commissioners this past Tuesday.

An initial question by Trammart News, for the analysis that follows, was this: Apart from making it much harder for first-time buyers to purchase a house, that increase in tax revenue from higher-cost housing is good news for the tax revenue collected by Polk County, right? 

As it turns out, the answer isn’t so simple. Sixteen years ago, the county collected taxes of about $66 million; Now the county is collecting about $126 million. 

But the growth in taxes has been accompanied by a population boom in the county – Independence, for example, grew by an estimated 2,500 people over the same period, according to Oregon’s demographic statistics. 

The “river city” of Polk County, sometimes referred to as Indy, soared past 10,000 by the start of 2025. 

In her presentation, County Tax Assessor Patoine explained – in a clear and understandable way – the barriers to collecting taxes and how new financial strain is being felt by her office and why more tax dollars seem to be translating into less for supporting services. 

The growth in population is outpacing tax gains. The growth, which has occurred across the county, represents a much larger tax-collecting task than ever before, but county personnel involved in it are stretched thin, Patoine said. 

As the sales prices of homes have risen, so has the need for appraising by the Polk County Assessor’s office. In fact, those reappraisals of properties, along with new appraisals, require continual undertaking.

County coffers get a small percentage of the taxes. Only 13.5%, goes to the county, which in turn distributes all the rest across many taxing districts – a big job. This is adding to the county’s potentially serious financial plight. 

“What the county is currently experiencing is a reduction in reserves in the general fund for the past two years, which means we are spending more than we are taking in,” observed Polk County Administrator Greg Hansen. (The reserves to which Hansen refers are known at the county’s “contingency fund.”) 

Commissioner Jeremy Gordon pointed out that some counties report a significant amount of omitted property that’s lost to tax revenue, presumably due to a lack of resources.  Keeping the taxable properties up to date is an ongoing process and requires "house by house" assessment, Patoine acknowledged.  

“Our workload has increased,” she said. There are factors that affect the taxes residents pay each year, she noted. 

Even though two of these factors are relatively unchanging, they mandate close monitoring and adjustments by the county. 

The three-percent rule really does rule. The tax hike that’s arguably the most familiar to many taxpayers is the annual three-percent uptick. It’s the result of an Oregon measure passed nearly 30 years ago limiting tax bills, by capping the growth to a predictable percentage. 

This was seen as helping to maintain a stable structure for taxpayers. 

Some current Oregon legislators assert that, because of this tax-restraining law, there isn’t enough tax revenue to give needed support services in the cities, counties or the state.
 

And, due to those earlier reforms, property taxes usually aren't based on how much the home is worth on the open market, but by a special formula that assesses values by a calculation that’s often substantially less than what the house would fetch from a sale.

It’s the county’s job to keep up with changes. For instance, taxes on an individual home, such as the construction of a new addition that adds square footage, can change the assessed value, Patoine said.  

There’s a second way tax bills can shift. Tax rates fluctuate due to bonds and local option levies, Patoine said. Existing bond rates fluctuate from year-to-year – the rate is a calculation of the bond amount against the total assessed value in that district, she observed. “Additionally, if new bonds are voted in or a bond has been paid off, these changes could impact the tax rate as well,” Patoine added.

The often-misunderstood ad valorem is a third rail. The local tax is called “ad valorem” – it’s the maximum tax a city can impose. Typically, the ad valorem tax was set many years ago, remaining unchanged. It’s passed annually. 

Independence’s ad valorem is 4.5897 per $1,000 of assessed value – higher than the other two cities of Polk County. (The city limits of Salem and Willamina are only partly inside Polk County.) Monmouth's ad valorem is 3.6107. Dallas' ad valorem is 4.1954. 

Independence’s local taxes support city road maintenance and water infrastructure, public facilities such as libraries and parks, and police. 

Tax breaks allow less tax-revenue yield. Not all properties are subject to full taxes – some enterprises get tax exemptions, particularly for land use that’s deemed essential by the state. 

For example, Polk County has six community solar farms, which are exempt from taxation, and three additional community solar farms that are "in process." 

A community solar farm is defined as a solar photovoltaic energy system that provides owners and subscribers with the opportunity to share the costs and benefits associated with the generation of electricity by these solar farms, Patoine said. 

Community solar farms are taxable while under construction but exempt once they have completed their local governmental electrical inspection prior to starting operations, she explained. ▪ 

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, July 25, 2025

A special legislative session to rescue the beleaguered transportation bill now has a newly proposed tax that matches the one advocated by Rep. Paul Evans at his recent town hall (photo) – a six-cent per gallon add-on to the current gas tax. 

Evans' plan to double the previously proposed gas-tax increase was presented to a standing-room-only crowd at the West Salem Library meeting room this past Saturday.

Evans (D) explained that the bill went "off the rails" for several reasons, ranging from weak or no support of the bill from counties and cities to the fact that there should have been more team work in preparation as the bill headed to the deadline. 

To the assertion that there was lack of strong support by the counties, Polk County commissioners Craig Pope and Lyle Mordhorst concurred there was hesitation to throw much weight behind the bill from the county’s perspective. “The public really had no voice in this,” said Pope, who chairs the commission. He agreed with Evans that the last-ditch effort was a “Hail Mary bill,” as Evans described it. That left little room for constituent views to be aired, Pope said. 

Both Pope and Mordhorst called for more accountability in the bill package, observing that a sum of $1 billion was mis-accounted by the Oregon Department of Transportation. This apparently is being seen by the public as evidence that financial management of ODOT's funds is not reliably happening – the allegedly lapsed bookkeeping by the agency brought unflattering news coverage for days recently. 

Repeated attempts for a response by Independence Mayor Kate Schwarzler regarding Evans’ observation of low city support for the bill went unanswered, as did emails to that city’s communications director, Emmanuel Goicochea. 

However, several Independence residents – as well as attendees at the town hall – endorsed Evans’ plan for a road usage fee to be placed on electric vehicles, which don't use liquid fuel at the pump. The statement was met with cheers and claps Saturday. In addition, Evans said he would like to impose registration fees on snowmobiles. 

There are more than 102,000 electric cars and trucks, according to numbers based on Oregon vehicle registration. There are nearly 11,000 snowmobiles in Oregon, according to industry figures.

About three weeks ago, Gov. Tina Kotek announced the first round of layoffs to the Oregon Department of Transportation due to the bill’s failure at the legislative session, beginning with almost 500 job cuts – but that action has been rescinded for the time being. 

The governor has called a special legislative session in late August and proposed a six-cent hike to the gas tax, bringing it to 46 cents a gallon.

Other increases would come in the form of a new transit tax and higher vehicle registrations. The higher costs would go toward road repairs, maintenance of mass transit and highway projects, among others. 

The bill that died in June wouldn't have provided nearly enough to shore up the ODOT budget. But, as Evans pointed out, it would have been a "stop-gap" measure that appears to be sorely needed. "There was a reasonable bridge to get there," Evans stressed. 

In reflecting on the bill's demise, Evans observed that there were snags at multiple points. "There's a lot of failure to go around." he said. ▪ 

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, July 25, 2025

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine?

If you think this is the opening stanza for the classic children’s program, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” you’re right. But it’s also a lot like the question two Independence residents, Isabel Beard  and Jennifer Bell (photo), asked when they set up the Southeast Independence Neighborhood Watch Group.

And the result would very likely make the late Fred Rogers swell with pride in his red cardigan.  

The “SE Neighborhood,” as it’s known, celebrated the group’s second anniversary this past weekend with a block party. There was another milestone, too. This year, the group became an official part of the National Neighborhood Watch Program. 

The potluck, at Henry Hill Park, featured home-made dishes, games for children like cornhole and, of course, a visit by a member of the Independence Police Department. Officer Greg Herrera, who grew up in Independence and is a graduate of Central High School, stopped by to say hello.

Herrera’s in Independence because “I like it here and I wanted to give back” to the community, he said.

The feeling seems to be mutual. "The police department has been wonderful," Beard told him. 

IPD Chief Tino Banuelos has been supportive since the SE Neighborhood Watch began – and it has made a difference in the success and growth that’s been achieved, Beard added. 

One benefit of frequently interacting with the police is that they provided guidelines about when to make calls, Beard said. 

A neighbor continually hanging personal items on another homeowner's fence "is something to be solved between neighbors," she explained. In contrast, someone hopping a fence into a yard may be a crime-in-progress, prompting a call to the IPD.

The SE Neighborhood grew from a shared concern about occasional vandalism – and cars that sometimes regard both 6th and 7th south of Cedar as a "drag strip," according to Bell. 

Other hazards include package thieves, suspicious trespassers, loose pets and aggressive solicitors – all of whom can be posted on the Facebook page she and Beard created, Bell noted. 

The SE Neighborhood, which includes residences south of Monmouth Street and east of Talmadge Road, has an active band of 262 people in 80 homes. 

One priority that the group is continually addressing: periodic graffiti, often on a wall in Henry Hill Park, near where the block party was held. Washing seems to help solve the spray-paint problem, and there is a reliable “bucket brigade,” Beard said. 

The Facebook group also gives information on unexpected incidents, like a fawn walking through yards. In that case, the message went out not to interfere with the young deer, whose mother was probably conducting a search. 

And the "chat" has become a social meet-up. Meal trains have been organized as well as tip-offs. Residents now know to write down license plate numbers when there’s dubious activity, said Shari McGlasson, who shared a picnic table with the two founders at the block party. 

The Facebook group also provides the means for neighbors to get to know each other several streets away. That’s a tremendous benefit, said Leresa Jones, who attended the block party. “It can be hard getting to know neighbors nowadays,” she said. This is a way to help protect the safety of the neighborhood and make connections, she added. 

What’s next? More of the same, Beard said. The group meets quarterly. And the block party was a success. However, next time around there might be some changes, she said, with different food, maybe hot dogs, and perhaps cooler weather. ▪ 

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, July 18, 2025

As temperatures in Independence climbed to 90 degrees and beyond for several days this week, some residents found relief in what may be the most dangerous spot in town – the Willamette River. 

It’s been three years since the Independence municipal pool was shut down and a year since a youth tragically lost his life in the river at a place by Riverview Park. And now the outlook for safe water recreation has taken a disappointing local turn: the Polk County Sheriff’s Office won’t be able to perform marine patrols this summer, due to funding cuts of 30% for the operation.

However, the Oregon State Marine Board has contracted with Marion County to do safety patrols on the Willamette River, noted Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton. 

The area will include the waterway from the Wheatland Ferry to the Luckiamute River, which the Polk County Sheriff’s Office previously covered during the summertime, according to a statement from the Oregon State Marine Board (see sidebar on “Summer Patrols on the Willamette” at the end of this article).

Search-and-rescue efforts will continue to be undertaken, Garton said. 

However, the routine Polk County patrols that aim to ensure a safe environment along the river now are going to be a thing of the past. “We simply don’t think we can continue,” he said. The Sheriff’s Office is under a tighter budget than ever before, with two vacant positions now planned to remain permanently unfilled. 

The sheriff’s announcement, which was made at Tuesday’s meeting of the Board of Polk County Commissioners, prompted Commission Chair Craig Pope to warn that it’s essential to double-down on safety issues for water recreation. 

Pope has called the Willamette River, which has become the substitute for some swimmers who once used the municipal pool, a “river monster” for its significant underwater currents. The term has also been used on occasion by Oregon fresh-water scientists to characterize the river’s murkiness that can obscure vegetation and the downward-tugging undertows. 

This past Wednesday, resident Michelle Lewis reported a close encounter with the river monster – the current by the Independence bridge swept her and three others on floats into a tree and branches this past weekend. “We were relaxing, and it came upon us quickly,” Lewis stated. Life jackets may have been lifesaving, she stressed, warning that the water was strong and swift. 

Lewis added that she has witnessed the dangers of tying floats together in her time on the river. At one point, there were three "pylons" from an old railroad when one tube “got stuck” on one side of the pylon and one on the other. “In the heavy current, it can be very dangerous, throwing riders off,” she cautioned. 

In 2022 the community pool in Independence at Henry Hill Park, which was owned and maintained by the city but operated by the YMCA, was shuttered. “The costs to repair the pool, if parts and materials could be found, exceed the city’s resources,” according to a statement at that time from the city about the closure. 

So, summertime swimming and wading in Independence was available only at the beach-like setting east of the bicycle campgrounds in Riverview Park. 

The issue of the pool closure surfaced recently at the July 8 city council meeting, when City Councilor Dawn Roden observed that, although three different consultants were at work on the Parks Master Plan – the firms of Greenworks, MIG and Keller Associates – there was no inclusion of a pool, or some other athletic or recreational sites that may be important to the public. “I can see why people are frustrated,” she said. 

Later at the meeting, Shawn Irvine, assistant city manager and director of economic development, said that the sale of park land is soon to be underway but the “pool property” has been taken off the list of prospective sales. An exploration of “potential partners” for the site, at Henry Hill Park, is underway. A discussion on that topic is likely to take place at the mid-August city council meeting, he said. 

A year ago, a drowning occurred on a hot day after Gregorio Maximiano-Solano, 13, entered the river. Two residents, Racheal Ojed and Amber Covarrubias, spoke at a subsequent city council meeting about the tragic loss, citing the need for access to life jackets and posted information about the dangers of the river. 

The two observed the need for better communication about the risk at the river – improved signage, more outreach, postings with warnings – and called for these signs and other information to be in Spanish, as well. 

This week, the kiosk by the entrance to the gravel beach showed several life jackets that were available, and the sign offering them was large – printed in English with Spanish subtitles.  A small sign further emphasized the sudden drop-off and strong current risks 

A response to the issue of the apparent need for water safety in the days ahead, as summer is predicted to have one or more heat waves to come, was sought by Trammart News from the city’s communication director, Emmanuel Goicochea, and the mayor, Kate Schwarzler. No reply was received from either individual. 

--------------------------------------

“Summer Patrols on the Willamette”

An agreement with Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Marine Board includes river-safety patrols from the Wheatland Ferry to the Luckiamute River – areas that Polk County Sheriff’s Office covered previously during the summertime, according to Brian Paulsen, the boating safety program manager for the marine board. 

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office boundaries for patrol were basically from Buena Vista, where the Santiam enters the Willamette, to near the Wheatland Ferry.

There also have been pop-up outreach events at Riverview Park, Paulsen noted. Life jacket wear, high-risk intervention, pre-trip safety inspections at boat launches and registration compliance all will be emphasized this summer, as well, he added. 

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has been working closely with community partners, such as the Independence Police Department, to ensure organized events near the water have marine law enforcement resources, including the past July 4 holiday, said Paulsen. 

However, budget strain is having an effect. The Oregon State Marine Board is seeing impacts 

on all its marine-law enforcement programs due to the reductions in federal funds, according 

to Paulsen. ▪ 

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, July 18, 2025

Ninth graders on track for high school graduation dipped four percent, to 73% overall, compared with the 2024-25 school year, according to figures presented at Central School District's board meeting Monday night.

"We've got some work to do," said Superintendent Jennifer Kubista, noting that even the previous level, 77%, was below the state target of 78%. "

Ninth grade level is carefully tracked to forecast whether a student is attaining the credits needed to graduate. "It's not that they chose the wrong classes," said Board Member Susan Graham, but indicates they may not be reaching completion in the ones in which they're enrolled. 

The findings sparked discussion both during the meeting and outside of it regarding where the answer might lie – several school board members observed that special-interest offerings, particularly career and technical education, can mean a significant difference. 

Students enrolled in these CTE classes are far more likely to graduate, Kubista said. 

A sense of belonging – whether it is from sports participation, a theater group or CTE – helps make school a desired destination, confirmed Julie Heilman, executive director of teaching and learning at Central School District. 

On-track percentages for ninth graders were presented during the board meeting in which two state-related developments were seen as a possible impact on the year ahead, in terms of student engagement. One is an executive order from Gov. Tina Kotek barring cell phone usage from K-12 classrooms and the other is news that diminished federal funding has caused state financing to dry up for after-school programs. 

The district will need to formulate a policy on cell-phone use by October, with implementation to follow in early 2026. Asked if he thought the cell-phone ban would lead to more classroom engagement, Nathan Muti, who is on the faculty at Ash Creek Elementary School, said he could offer only a wait-and-see answer. 

But the loss of the afterschool programming is an issue he's more comfortable speculating upon, he said. It's going to be a big blow, he predicted. 

That's not just because parents have relied on it, but because it is another opportunity created at school for kids to interact, socialize and "build community," he said. 

Muti, who has been teaching fifth grade at Ash Creek Elementary School and will start teaching third grade this fall, calls the early grades a critical time for school engagement, too. The after-school programs are where some of these young students bond with one another in a different way than in the classroom, he pointed out. Muti is president of the teacher's union.

"Any time you have them interacting in a way that builds common interests and friendship is a way that could mean they see school as a place they want to be," he said.  ▪ 

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, July 18, 2025

Will Independence’s Ed Matteo go down in history like Ireland’s Maewyn Succat did?

Matteo, a member of the board of directors of the Ash Creek Water Control District, seems to have cleared Independence of invasive nutria, a feat U.S. wildlife authorities describe as rare. 

Succat, a 5th century church deacon, became the stuff of legend for driving snakes from the Irish countryside. He’s known as St. Patrick. Matteo, Indy’s nutria trapper, is known as a local nursery owner. 

Scholarly works, of course, now regard the serpent elimination as mythology. But what about Matteo’s eradication of nutria? Federal experts confirmed this week that what happened in Independence is possible, though surprising. And such a dramatic reduction of the nutria populations takes continual effort. 

Matteo has been trapping nutria for nearly 20 years. A decade ago, their prolific breeding in town meant several were being captured monthly, despite years of trapping. They were found repeatedly in several places, from right by Independence Elementary School to the Pioneer Park area.   

 Some in agriculture simply refer to them as the "varmints."  Nutria are considered potentially catastrophic for several environmental reasons, but they also carry bacteria and parasites that can be transmitted to pets and people, as well as livestock."  Ten years ago, an article in the Oregonian warned: "Nutria have large incisors and often use them to attack dogs. They can easily shred skin to the bone." 

“We are now down to zero, as far as trapping,” said Matteo, who owns Independence Nursery & Water Gardens on Monmouth Street near the S Curves. “And people who used to see them (on their property) haven’t had those sightings,” Matteo said. 

Matteo isn't ready to claim total victory in nutria extermination. Removal has  succeeded, according to the monthly tallies he has reported to the ACWCD  over several years. But clusters keep cropping up. It's an ongoing  battle, he asserted.  

The board of directors of the Ash Creek Water Control District had a goal through Matteo’s work “to greatly reduce the numbers of nutria along the creek,” according to longtime ACWCD board member Andrea Melendy, who recently left the board. The ACWCD, which monitors the ecology of Ash Creek all the way to the Willamette River, operates locally with an elected all-volunteer  board.  

“We have really accomplished ridding the area of those pesky critters,” Melendy said. 

“On our own property, we would see so many every night, and we would see their droppings in our yard regularly,” she said. “Now, I rarely see one.” 

The move to abolish nutria began in Independence more than 20 years ago and, originally, included a bounty on nutria, which are semi-aquatic rodents that look like a cross between a rat and a beaver, minus the flat tail. After trapping, the nutria are euthanized.

The reason the ACWCD wanted them gone: Nutria have a uniquely destructive impact on their surrounding environment. For one thing, they are voracious eaters, consuming lots of natural vegetation and crops; for another, they tunnel and burrow, often in the embankments of waterways, destabilizing the soil around Ash Creek; finally, they are an invasive species – they were brought to Oregon from South America nearly a century ago to provide fur for coats and ended up out-competing other native animals. 

They are seen as a threat to the health of Ash Creek. The Luckiamute Watershed Council, which also works to maintain Ash Creek, has labeled the creek a "lifeline" and "treasured tributary" that's vital to the town's natural environment. 

They  take over wetlands and other watery environments favored by other mammals, such as muskrats, and  they can damage waterfowl habitat severely according to the USDA. 

The females of this species can reproduce year-round, typically up to three times a year with litters of four or five.

They are such pests that the US Fish and Wildlife service launched a campaign this past spring to create meals with their meat. Using the slogan, “save a swamp, sauté a nutria.” Nutria were promoted as tasty, and safe to eat when cooked under the right conditions. “They taste kind of like lamb,” Matteo said. 

Last year, when it looked like the trapping program at Independence-based ACWCD for nutria was on the road to success after more than 15 years of consistent effort Trammart News contacted scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife. 

Officials there reported that the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, a preserve that includes thousands of acres in Maryland, abolished nutria in a collaborative effort among their agency, the USDA and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The last nutria was captured years ago, according to the most recent USFW report. 

Eradication efforts like those at the Blackwater Refuge have been undertaken before. In California, nutria were declared eliminated in the 1970s. Then a new invasion was detected in 2017, prompting a rigorous statewide attempt since then to contain them, according to Marilyn Kitchell, public affairs specialist at the USFW in Falls Church VA.

Only vigilance for maintaining eradication can stop the constant arrival of these rodents because, if "a critter can crawl, run or swim or fly to a new spot," that's a survival strategy, Kitchell said.

Todd Whitaker, who serves as engineer for the ACWCD, said he has seen peak times for nutria, in addition to the ebbing of their population. “It is reducing nutria numbers,” he said of Matteo’s trapping program through the ACWCD.  ▪ 

By Lance Masterson

For Trammart News Service, July 11, 2025

The osprey pair in Independence are receiving star treatment by Jim and Amy Dawson, two ornithologists who are keeping a close eye on these raptors. 

And, so far, everything looks simply stellar. 

The Dawsons (photo) are professors at Western Oregon University and, as a married couple, share a passion for the fish-eating birds of prey now raising two chicks at a nest box in the parking lot of Riverview Park. The Dawsons have been monitoring the success of this family of ospreys, who live on the platform near The Independence hotel – across the river from where fireworks were launched during the recent July 4th festivities. 

Despite the bustle of Independence Days that took place on the midway below the birds – and the noisy sky-lighting display that took place above them – the Dawsons have some reassuring news. 

These local “fish hawks,” as they are sometimes called are doing just fine. “I watched the osprey during the fireworks,” said Amy, when asked about how the foursome fared during the holiday. “Both chicks looked good,” she said. 

The pair and their young brood – which now is nearing the time to fledge – are captured on a live camera feed that is the most watched video on the city website. 

But, as the celebration of Independence Days got underway, some of the attendees expressed worry about the birds – the nest had been vacant for a few years and the “new” osprey mates are seen as a special part of the community by many of the city’s residents.

In a letter to the Independence City Council, Maxine Centala reported that she saw “terrified birds” during the event on the video feed. “The mother spread her wings over her chicks and stayed in place while obviously upset,” she wrote. The father fled to “parts unknown” and only returned the following evening with “one inadequate meal for the little ones,” and then took off again during the second day's fireworks.  

The Dawsons said there is no cause for serious worry, despite the explosions, crescendo of lights and large crowds. Raptors can adapt well to an urban lifestyle – even one as temporarily disruptive as this past Fourth of July, Jim said.

“When I started in the 1970s, we thought raptors needed pristine wilderness and couldn’t survive human disturbance,” Jim said. “But now we know they can live in cities and adapt incredibly well. The ospreys here have even raised young during fireworks shows,” he pointed out. 

From views on the video, some expressed concern over the small chick, which was described as “puny” and perhaps struggling. “It’s normal to have a smaller one,” Jim explained. The birds’ birth doesn’t occur simultaneously but may be several days apart, meaning one is smaller compared with its predecessor until it catches up. 

How fast growth occurs is a matter of genetics, Amy added. 

And will the fireworks cause the birds to find a new home next year, rather than returning to the place that sounded like thunder and looked like lightning for two nights in a row? 

Nature often dictates where raptors set up their homes, Jim said. “Raptors will shift their nesting sites depending on pressures from other birds and territory changes,” he explained.

Raptors use trash in their construction. 

“You can always spot an osprey nest by the junk in it,” Jim said. Such junk includes twine, string and diapers.

As a species, “ospreys are incredible,” Jim said. “They can hit the water at high speeds, adjust for visual distortion through the water’s surface, and grab fish larger than you’d expect. Their specialized feet and waterproof feathers make them perfectly adapted for fishing.”

A dive-bombing osprey maxes out at 75 miles per hour, or roughly the speed of a cheetah. 

Conservation efforts have keyed population surges in ospreys, bald eagles and other raptors. A resurgence largely tied to the banning of DDT in the 1970s.

“The populations of these once endangered birds have rebounded dramatically,” Jim said. “Bald eagles were down to a few hundred pairs nationwide. Now, they’re thriving. They’re a perfect example of what can happen when people rally behind conservation.” 

The Dawsons share their love for nature with others outside the university. They are known for their birds of prey shows, which were often held at the Heritage Museum. Shows featured a Harris’s hawk and Aplomado falcon.

The couple hopes to relaunch their museum shows, with Marie – the Harris’s hawk – set to begin flight training in preparation for future appearances.
 

The Harris’s hawk is the most social of all raptors, often hunting in packs. They are described online as “wolves with wings.” Jim studied the species extensively while in Arizona. 

At WOU, the Dawsons – who sometimes teach in tandem as a team – provide students with a comprehensive look at the biology and behavior of these popular birds of prey.

Amy’s expertise covers anatomy and physiology; Jim tackles raptor behavior and field studies, with emphasis on behavior, mating practices and conservation efforts. Their styles and expertise mix academic knowledge with personal experiences.

Teaching was a long-time quest for Amy.

“I was born with an innate love for biology,” she said. “I spent my childhood outdoors, exploring the woods, but I didn’t get into raptors until after I met Jim.”

Amy has taught at Western for more than 12 years. She initially focused on marine biology, but later transitioned to vertebrate biology, ultimately earning her PhD in zoology from Oregon State University.

Her work explores the links between dinosaurs and modern-day birds.

The popularity of movies such as the “Jurassic Park” add to the raptors’ popularity - given their direct lineage to dinosaurs.

“It’s fun to explain to students that when they hear the word ‘raptor,’ it doesn’t just mean the velociraptor from the movies – it also means the hawk perched on my glove,” Jim said. “Raptors capture human imagination like few other animals.” 

Jim, who received his graduate education from Arizona State University, traveled a different path. He went into research and later worked on documentaries with the likes of National Geographic and the BBC, and as a team member on several notable research projects. His pursuit of raptors began in his native Arizona, and then to South America, Russia and elsewhere.

It wasn’t the travel that fueled his keen interest. No, it was simple joys like following the lives of young raptors, watching them grow and seeing their lineages continue that entrapped him. 

He shares that passion with his students.

“I never wanted to be a professor,” he said. “But once I came to Western, everything just clicked. It was like a key fitting into a lock.”

Still, Jim longs for the days of open air and open spaces.

“I used to spend all my time outdoors,” he said. “I do miss that.”

There are times when Jim escapes the classroom. He and his students observe raptors that use perches on the university’s disc golf course. It’s an activity that brings together his love for research and teaching. It helps that after all these years he still finds the subject material exhilarating.

Jim, who has enthralled children from Central School District with live-bird presentations, knows something about birds of prey shows. He started the popular “Raptors of the Desert Sky” show at the High Desert Museum in Bend. Watching raptors perform is not only fun, it facilitates bonding with our feathered friends.

“When people see a bird flying right over their heads and feel its feathers graze their hair, that emotional connection sticks,” Jim said. “It’s those moments that make the conservation messages hit home.”  ▪ 

(Anne Scheck also contributed to this article) 

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, July 11, 2025

At the request of Trammart News, which has noted that finalized budgets are required for Oregon cities and may be closed down without them, City Councilor Dawn Roden was asked to expand on her reasons for casting a no vote on the current fiscal budget. She has done so, in the article below.

In a lone stand against adopting the recent budget, City Councilor Dawn Roden (photo) voted “no” on the nearly $43 million spending plan for this fiscal year, saying she felt approval of it was simply putting a “rubber stamp” on the city manager’s proposal. 

Roden has called for more careful examination of the money going in and out of the city coffers.

“I think we could have looked over the budget more, so that we could have fully funded the library and kept it open longer,” she said, alluding to the added one-day-a-week closure at the library that’s pending. “We could still have many of the resources we have in our community,” she said.

After the council vote, Roden explained that the budget committee appeared to confirm the choices made by the city manager, Kenna West, rather than making a careful and thorough examination of the city’s money. 

“The goal of city council is not to just follow the lead of the city manager,” Roden said. “We’re supposed to take charge and decide where our money is being spent, but that is not the case,” she said. 

At the final meeting of the budget committee, City Councilor Kathy Martin-Willis stressed that the "city budget was put together by staff." 

"I think that is an important distinction," she said, adding that it was wrong to label it as the city manager's budget. 

The budget-meeting process involved a city-prepared list of cost-trimming actions that ranged from a four-day onsite work week at city hall to cancellation of funding for the 2026 Fourth of July  “Independence Days.” All  clinched yes votes from budget committee members with the exception of Roden. 

An early motion by Roden to provide seed money for next year’s Independence Days ended in failure, following opposition by West that included the pronouncement that the city is “broke.” 

There was no financial exploration by committee members of how much money would be saved by the four-day on-site work week – the city reportedly hasn’t made such a determination, according to a city staffer. 

Subsequently, the move to shut city hall on Fridays drew criticism from some residents, with one posing a question about whether West would be conducting her job Fridays “on horseback,” an apparent reference to a video link at the city website showing West at her horse ranch, explaining that she barrel races on weekends. “It is not until I get on those horses that I can decompress,” she says in the video. 

A  response sought by Trammart News to the budgetary reasons for city hall's closure on Fridays  – which was prompted by the resident’s  horse-related criticism of West – was sought weeks ago repeatedly, from the city’s  communication director, Emmanuel Goicochea. There has been no reply. 

The police department will remain open on Fridays. 

This week, the new city hall schedule was implemented – with new hours, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday - Thursday – and all employees at city hall are able to work from home on Fridays, with the exception of the police department. 

Also on the list for revenue-raising measures in the coming year is the sale of park land, which has been advocated by the city manager. 

This was viewed as a potentially thorny approach by an individual familiar with land-use laws: Land designated as a municipal park would require what’s referred to as new “spot zoning,” in which a single parcel of land is targeted for change that may be inconsistent with the city’s master plan and current zoning restrictions. 

There also was public opposition to selling parks on social media. This week the city’s economic development director, Shawn Irvine, announced plans to place three city-owned lots for sale, which are located along the riverfront development area of Independence Landing. 

“I voted no on the budget for several reasons,” Roden explained. Chief among them is Roden’s assertion that certain city councilors and the city manager were “vocal” on how the public loss of services might help convince residents that a levy is needed, following the city’s unsuccessful attempt to pass a levy previously. 

During one budget meeting, Independence Mayor Kate Schwarzler attributed the failed vote on the levy to both local news reporting and to online social commentary that criticized the former levy proposal. In contrast, other levies in nearby cities passed, including one in Falls City to fund extracurricular activities and another in Salem to support the parks and libraries.

At the mid-May budget meeting, there seemed to be less discussion of another probable cause for the levy defeat –  the "pinched  pocketbook" issue on the part of the public, which was the reason most often given when Trammart News queried residents after the levy's failure.

"Do I think that we need to approach that levy process differently? We do," committee  member Erin Seiler said during the discussion.

The failed levy – which was aimed at providing more money for the parks, library and museum – is being floated again as an idea that may be resurrected, according to several city-affiliated individuals. 

“I think we should use the money we have more wisely instead of asking people for more and more,” Roden said. 

Efforts by Trammart News to obtain responses from City Communications Director Goicochea on the budget – or other issues that have arisen about it – have been met with silence. 

Roden has suggested considering elimination of Goicochea’s position as a cost-saving measure. 

However, this week Schwarzler ended the city council meeting by seeming to cite openness with the media, in the wake of answering queries from another publication on the budget. 

"We are used to answering difficult questions and I believe we are doing that with transparency in our community and I look forward to doing that," she said. (Trammart News responded by assuring Schwarzler that the mayor would be included in future emails to Goicochea.) 

Roden added concern about public safety going forward: “When the police chief comes to us and says that we’re putting our police officers in danger because they’re not getting enough rest, they’re working too much overtime – and then we do nothing to fund them better so that they can provide the basic services we need.”

At this week’s city council meeting, Councilor Shannon Corr countered that “Chief (Juventino) Banuelos came to us with a budget he felt would satisfy his needs.” Corr told Roden there was no need to “second-guess” the police chief, adding that a public-safety fee already has been implemented to help support the police. 

Prior to the meeting, Roden reiterated that she felt “we could have been more conscious on our spending in certain areas so that we could still have funding for the police and public safety.” 

Roden noted that a shortfall of $750,000 this year proved relatively easy to solve, by moving “money around from one area to another.”  

At  the city council meeting that followed the Fourth of July, the liaison to the "Independence Days" committee, City Councilor Bill Boisvert, reported that $200,000 had been taken in during the two-day event. There is not yet an indication of how much profit that could mean. 

In  the wake of the cancellation of next year's budgeted funds for the Fourth of July holiday, a committee has been formed to determine how it can can be held in 2026. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, July 11, 2025

Independence passed a finalized budget Tuesday night, but language in the document warns that it is “unsustainable” and one major change – city hall's new four-day work week – is likely to have only a negligible impact on cost-savings. 

An earlier resolution, which passed before the June 30 deadline required for adopting a new city budget, contained two different dollar amounts, $53,970,302 and $42,934,809, which was an  error that needed correction to reflect only the nearly $43 million, according to the city’s finance director, Rob Moody. 

Apart from the fact that no layoffs are scheduled to occur, the news of financial instability seemed hard-hitting after millions of dollars were slashed from last year’s 2024 - 2025 budget – a down-to-the-bone slicing by city department heads that this coming fall includes the loss of one more day at the library, bringing it to a four-day-a-week facility. 

At the city council meeting (photo), permission was given by the city council to engage a real estate agent of record for the sale of the museum site. 

Outside the city council meeting, some of those close to city officials shared opinions on the budget outcome with Trammart News. One is that the four-day on-site work week at city hall isn't expected to bring significant cost savings; Another is that that the city hasn’t publicly reported on the land acquisition for a planned water treatment plant, and that the eminent domain process for the site has hit a snag.  

There was also curiosity about why City Councilor Dawn Roden cast a no vote on the 2025-26 budget, since her objections seemed to center on a lack of confidence in this year’s budget (see story "City Councilor Dawn Roden explains 'no' vote ..." in this issue). 

Despite these efforts, “the overall financial outlook remains unstable. To preserve services and maintain fiscal responsibility, the city will need to implement further revenue-generating measures, or make deeper cuts to non-essential services,” Moody said in the summary of the budget document. 

At the final budget-committee meeting, City Councilor Marilyn Morton called for contacting Oregon legislators to keep the city from sinking into the “quicksand” of not-enough revenue. “I would recommend that everybody in here write a letter to say, ‘do something to fix the property-tax system,’" she said. 

There were some new financial facts that came to light as a result of the budget session. 

New tax revenues from the Urban Renewal District are less than projected. 

During the budget-building process, Moody reported that the tax revenues from Independence Landing projects did not match the original projections for the downtown development and that the city would need to reduce payments back to the city’s general fund to align with the actual revenue from those properties coming to the city.

MINET’s city debt falls short of some full payments. 

Councilor Morton has consistently and positively credited MINET for making full debt payments to Independence – the city is owed millions of dollars for city-backed bonds that paid for the municipal fiberoptic’s start-up costs.

However, Morton and others have also referenced repayment for additional loans made over the years – extra loans that enabled the company to keep making needed bond payments. In fact, the revenue sent to the city for that debt has been limited to interest-only payments – so far. 

At the final budget committee meeting, Morton stated that MINET is paying “all of its bills,” including those “promissory notes” – which now exceed $4 million and were the extra loans made by the city. Instead, the company has continued “making interest payments on its outstanding debt to the city as scheduled,” according to this year's budget document. 

Opportunities for airport-adjacent industry are being explored.

Under the new fiscal budget, the city’s economic development department is poised to "support the designation of the industrial property west of the airport as a Regionally Significant Industrial Site and identify ways to remove development barriers.” 

Prior to this goal, groundwork was laid for use of this land – which has been zoned for an Industrial Park – to be utilized as a high-tech facility. Last year, the city launched a power-and-rate study for the property west of the airport for a potential “chips-technology campus.” 

The area is predominantly wetlands and investigations into its use a few years ago yielded the conclusion that the land would be difficult for large construction, according to the public works director at the time, Kie Cottam. 

The communication position became a point of discussion. 

Councilor  Morton dismissed the proposed elimination of the communications director’s job, which was suggested by City Councilor Dawn Roden. “That  would be a huge step toward lowering our transparency,” she said. 

However,  some residents have questioned city communications, particularly why social media – the city’s Facebook page, the Independence website –  allegedly sometimes fails to deliver timely accurate information. For instance, this week, the reference of Tuesday’s city council meeting on the city’s Facebook page contained a link to the agenda that led to the city's main page on agenda and minutes that required further searching for the agenda link.  This week's city council meeting was also incorrectly described on the city's website calendar as a "work session" rather than a city council meeting and when clicking on the July 8 entry on the calendar, the page displayed July 22 as the meeting date.  

Last  week, former Independence city manager David Clyne observed that  important civic milestones in Independence seem to be slipping through  the cracks on the city’s social media – Juneteenth, for example, didn’t  appear anywhere. “Nothing but crickets on the city news site,” he pointed out in a letter to the city. 

The  communications director has stated that he’s been told not to speak with the local news media, despite Independence’s external media policy that seems to direct him to do so. He hasn’t answered an  inquiry from Trammart News for over 18 months.

Early in his tenure with the city, Goicochea issued what seemed to be reprimands to Trammart News.  For instance, he called a characterization of him by Trammart News as a videographer “a blatant falsehood.” 

“I have never viewed myself as a videographer.,” he stated in an email. 

However, during  that same period, Goicochea had two videography occupations listed over  the course of 2022-2023 on his LinkedIn account – one as communications  director for the city, the other as freelance video producer with  clients such as the McDonald’s Corporation. (Trammart News will continue to query Goicochea on most stories, to try to get the city’s side of  issues.)  

SIDEBAR: Trammart News policy for checking facts!

Shortly before the end of the last city council meeting, Mayor Kate Schwarzler – noting that “difficult questions” are arising about the city – seemed to pledge future commitment to “transparency.” 

She cautioned that staff need to feel “safe” when questioned; This approach is fully supported by Trammart News, which disengages from any inquiry the moment an opportunity for comment is clearly declined by a news source. 

Trammart News does have an official policy for what it has informally dubbed “Rules of Disengagement” for such encounters. It is: 

Seeking response to reflect and include differing sides of an issue. 

Trammart News strives to give different sides of an issue equal coverage or appropriate weight. When refusal of reply occurs, a statement to that effect is included in news articles to show effort was made to obtain the "other side." 

In city council chambers, at school board meetings and other public places, top administrators and elected officials may be approached to solicit a comment on an issue; The effort by Trammart News ceases when a phrase such as "no comment" or "I don't wish to respond" is made. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, July 4, 2025

Today, Disneyland needs to step aside as the happiest place on earth. A little city in Oregon, Independence, just won that title this weekend – with a 2025 celebration where local folks lit up a small town well before tonight’s fireworks. 

The carnival is back and in full swing and this morning tasty flapjacks at the fire station 

kicked off the day.  Yesterday’s Talent Show demonstrated that the community’s kids can sing, dance and entertain in stunning ways even without reaching enough birthdays to put them into the teen years.

Trammart News lists the top 10 reasons – totally based on personal experience over nearly two decades – of why the Independence Days Fourth of July is simply the best on planet Earth. 

1) Flags, flags, flags. Old glory is all around. There are other holidays, of course, when the stars and stripes are seen on Main Street. But none of those special days is paired with such a festive atmosphere. From tiny toddlers to those individuals not too far from the century mark, flag-waving was on display all over. Is there any other town in Oregon that has its own Rosie the Riveter, Clarice, who is still recounting World War II for a new generation while plans are being laid for the traveling Vietnam memorial, The Wall That Heals? No. 

Veteran appreciation, feelings of patriotism, the enthusiasm of celebration are all wrapped up in waving that red-white-blue banner today. 

2) The Parade. The Rotary Club deserves a shout out for a parade that joins both Monmouth and Independence in an absolutely spectacular merger. Horses, sports groups, musicians all make it a delight. But here’s the Trammart News favorite: The royal court. 

Year after year, the Fiesta Queen and her court look dazzling in their bright-colored gowns – and just never stop smiling. Through heat that bakes them with sun-punishing rays on their formal attire, this tierra-clad team exudes energy and charm. This year’s queen, Melani Betancourt (photo), is a young leader who is the hoped-for subject of a future Trammart News profile. 

3) Unbeatable Volunteers. Over the years, they have been a source of inspiration to Trammart News. These helpful onsite individuals do so much behind the scenes they make awesome seem like a poor choice of word, unless it’s accompanied by other “A” descriptions: Amazing, Astonishing, Admirable.

During a past Fourth of July, when the temperatures soared, Trammart News asked one of them how to “beat the grouchies” on such a day, when the throng of people and the unrelenting heat would try anyone’s patience. “Are you kidding? This is fun!” came the reply. 

4) The Talent Show. It is filled with such … talent. From tykes that take the mic to sing sweet songs to young comedians trying out stand-up routines, the youth of the talent show are a Trammart News favorite – a cherished highlight of the Independence Days event. 

Led by the always jovial Vidal Pena, who emcees the show, it showcases a part of the population that deserves the spotlight, and now every year, finds one if they so desire. 

5) The Osprey. Looming over the crowd, the big birds are back in the nest box this year after a long wait for a mating pair to take up residence. Riverview Park is beautiful, but never looked so good as when one of the airborne birds swooped down from blue sky to land atop its home-sweet-home, above the activity. 

6) The Midway. This is the day that finally gives junk food a good name, from corn dogs to elephant ears. And, after an absence, a stroll through the numerous vendors ends at a special spot of carnival rides where happily screaming children are indulging in what all of us once did – getting thrills and fun that make unforgettable memories. 

7) Side shows. From a car show to sidewalk sales to the best used-book sale ever to occupy a library annex, downtown Independence is a great walk on the Fourth of July. Robin’s Roost opened this week and lots of businesses stocked up to cater to the crowd. Here’s a shameless promotion: Trammart News is co-sponsoring, with Brew & Tap, a give-away scoop of ice cream on Sunday from 2 pm to 6 pm. 

8) Music everywhere. From old timey organ-grinder tracks to rock bands, the sounds of this summer holiday fill Independence Days, wafting over crowds and streets and shops and cars. 

9) Pancake Breakfast. Perhaps the most social event of the season, this annual early morning chow-down at the station of Polk Fire District No. 1 puts all comers in a good mood. And it is a heart-warmer, too. 

Patient parents with small children, some in diapers, begin their day with a helping dose of friendly, welcoming interaction at the fire station, right along with a hearty breakfast. 

10) The fireworks. They are always spectacular. But, there is a reason beyond that to love them. They give us the rockets’ red glare without the bombs bursting in air – a reminder that, all these years later, we can safely view a fiery sky as a celebration of the birth of America. ▪

By Lance Masterson

For Trammart News Service, July 4, 2025

Jordan Perez (photo) is no Edmund Hillary wanna-be.

“I’m a doddler. I’m not out to bag peaks,” Perez said. “I’d rather walk a mile in five hours, stopping to examine every plant, every insect, every ripple in a stream.”

Perez, a self-confessed “nature nerd” and executive director of the Luckiamute Watershed Council (LWC), finds comfort and companionship in the outdoors. It’s a bond he first developed while growing up in the woods of rural Illinois. It’s in these woods where he perfected his slow-walk.

“I wandered creeks, flipped over rocks to find frogs and started sketching leaves to study their every detail,” he said.

Perez had ample opportunity to be one with nature because he didn’t live in town.

“My friends and neighborhood were the woods and the critters that lived in them,” he said. “I explored creeks and streams. Wandering and following them for hours, building forts and collecting frogs and things. I’ve always had a fascination with the natural world.”

This fascination only intensified after road tripping with his buddies.

“About the time I graduated from high school, I went with friends and visited my first national park, out in the western United States,” he said. From that point, “I vowed that I would live in the west…. I made it my mission.”

This mission was accomplished soon after he graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in recreation and parks administration.

“I moved out west as an intern and never went back,” he said.

West, as in southern Utah. Where Perez spent nearly 14 years managing public lands in various capacities. But he and his wife had their hopes set on the Willamette Valley. The valley was their escape valve for years before they moved here.

“We were always running away to the trees up here when the heat (in Utah) got to be too much,” he said.

They spent their time exploring the woods, hiking mountain trails, and wandering along creeks and rivers.

“We were fascinated by the abundance of water sources here. Streams and rivers, versus the few that there were in southern Utah,” he said. “We were obsessed with water and waterfalls, and the clear, blue creeks and streams here.”

Their interest extended to the fauna as well.

“We were picking around in the rivers and creeks, looking for the different riparian critters that live there, from the fish to the amphibians,” he said.

The couple moved here after Perez’s wife, Sarah Siefken, was hired by the Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem office. Siefken is a natural resource specialist for ODF.

Perez, meanwhile, kept busy by volunteering for service projects, watching “Oregon Field Guide,” and joining in community activities. A public bird walk introduced him to the LWC, its work and legacy.

Perez wanted to learn more about the LWC. So he educated himself on its mission and projects by reading strategic plans and other documentation, and watching its videos online. He applied for the vacant executive director position and was hired less than a year ago.

His approach to environmental stewardship is to be patient and detailed. And, as far as the LWC is concerned, focus on the basics.

“We’ve been rebuilding our committees for fundraising and outreach to try and raise our donor base, and to get more involved in the community,” he said.

Then, there’s the long-term projects on the to-do list. Thanks to years of extensive and detailed work by LWC staff and volunteers, impediments and other concerns along the Luckiamute River watershed are identified and mapped.  LWC staff include Aubrey Cloud, project manager; Suzanne Teller, outreach coordinator; and, Jonah Nicholas, monitoring coordinator. 

“We have an understanding of where problems lie, the scale of these projects,” he said. “The majority of these problems are on private property.”

Owners must give permission before the LWC can access the Luckiamute River and its tributaries that meander on their property. Even with permission, though, there is no quick fix when restoring riparian areas.

“From writing the grants, to doing the engineering and design work, to hiring crews, and then going back afterwards to ensure that everything is sustainably done and holding up. It takes years,” Perez said.

Reclamation projects range from restoring gravel beds for salmon spawning to reviving former agricultural lands into native oak forests, from removing invasive blackberries to reengineering creek beds to prevent flooding.

There is strength in numbers, so LWC willingly partners with private landowners, government agencies and others.

The June 28th dedication of the Michael Cairns Wetland is testament to the power of partnerships. The ceremony was held at North Riverside Park in Independence.

Cairns, who died last year, was a founding member of the Council. He was also instrumental in the creation of the wetlands that now bear his name.

“It’s a powerful reminder that this work is deeply personal and deeply loyal,” Perez said of Cairns' contribution.

Bringing homeowners into the partnership is one of Perez’s goals. Such things as planting native species, including pollinators, and growing rain gardens to filter pollutants impacts the ecosystem positively.

“Success isn’t always flashy,” Perez said. “Sometimes it’s a cooler stream, a returning salmon, or one less tire in the creek.”

And it can begin in one’s backyard. ▪