Single vote delays enactment of nearly $20 monthly fee and support for referendum to repeal it grows

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, June 12, 2026

A new city ordinance that would add nearly $20 to monthly utility bills for "community services" was delayed from going into effect for another 10 days by City Councilor Dawn Roden, who voted against the resolution at Tuesday's city council meeting. 

Now, a second vote will be needed to enact the ordinance, delaying both the adoption of the measure and a filing that's expected to be done for a citizen-backed referendum to repeal it. 

The vote for the new fee is scheduled for the June 23 city council meeting. The initiating action for a referendum to repeal that fee is expected to be filed by resident Greg Ellis shortly after the fee is enacted.

Trammart News has received confirmation from about two dozen residents that they support Ellis's effort for repeal. Oregon law apparently provides for removal of non-essential fees that lack voter approval and receive the mandatory number of signatures to qualify for placement on a ballot. 

The vote for the nearly $20 fee came after the mayor, as well as several city councilors, explained why they were in favor of the $19.65 addition to water-utility bills. Both Mayor Kate Schwarzler and City Manager Kenna West said that it was similar to other city fees that have been put into effect by Oregon cities. However, a review of those city fees by Trammart News found them to be different when used as comparative examples. 

Among the cities mentioned at the meeting was Fairview, which established a $35 fee for public safety in its budget – but the fee is only for police and emergency services, which are deemed "essential city services" by the state. In contrast, the nearly $20 fee in Independence is for non-essential ones: museum, library and parks. 

City Councilor Shannon Corr pointed out that Monmouth has a public safety fee – but inquiries to several residents of that city by Trammart News indicated they consider any fee to help subsidize the Monmouth Police Department different from one that adds dollars to utilities for other services. 

Under the current budget, a position for the library will be added as well as using tourism funds to expand the role of the current museum director. The $17 fee now being collected for public safety in Independence will drop to $10, leaving about a $12 increase in the fee schedule when the new fee goes into effect in July, West pointed out. 

West also noted that Corvallis has a "litany of fees" like those presented to Independence. 

Trammart News checked with Corvallis and those fees were implemented only after a successful vote for a "livability levy" by city residents. The opposite outcome occurred in Independence. A similar levy for a community services fee was defeated by Independence voters two years ago by a 3-to-2 margin. 

Schwarzler said "there is a lot of confusion around fees and how that has been portrayed in the press." However, questions to Schwarzler by Trammart News haven't been answered and the mayor said she supports a press ban by the city that reportedly disallows contact with this local news service.

During one fairly recent encounter with Trammart News, Schwarzler stated: "I don't have to talk to you." 

At the council meeting, Schwarzler urged reliance on information from the city. However, in voting against the ordinance, Roden said the new fee is perceived by many residents as "back-dooring" into paying a subsidy that was rejected by voters. 

At the start of the meeting, Erin McIntosh, a member of the Independence Parks Board, seemed to agree with that view. In public testimony, McIntosh told councilors that she is an advocate for parks and a longtime supporter of reinstating the municipal swimming pool, but against the new fee. 

In view of the defeat of the levy by popular vote, “I feel this is a back door to do that, and I feel it is inappropriate," she said. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, June 12, 2026

The Central School District will examine several ways to pay for school-based mental health services threatened by recent budget cuts, including reducing the school year by putting in one or more furlough days.

That decision – to examine furlough days as a possible revenue source – was approved by the Central School District Board in a unanimous vote Monday. The action allows the district to look at that option for funding. 

Other alternatives to be discussed include tapping into the contingency fund and making further reductions in other services. “We could look at lots of different things,” said Superintendent Jennifer Kubista. 

“There was no intention to find this money all in one place,” added Board Chair Byron Shinkle.

The board vote came after several members of the public testified in favor of keeping school-based mental health services, which are provided under a contract with Polk County. 

The proposed cuts in mental health services appeared to shock the community in recent weeks. Emily McNulty, a parent who helped initiate the effort to stop the cuts, kicked it off by placing the news on social media, which ignited online protests. 

At the meeting Monday night, Dana Goodale, who has children in the school district, spoke publicly about unexpectedly learning of the program’s likely end in mid-May. 

She identified herself as program manager of the county’s school-based mental health operation and explained that word of the program’s elimination arrived shortly after she presumed contract renewal for it was underway. 

Several children and youth also testified about what the program has meant to them. 

A third-grader from Independence Elementary School stressed that “these are people who can help when you’re sad or mad.” A girl who had been assaulted when she was very young told those at the meeting that the mental health services she received enabled her to stay the course in school, even as daily struggles continue for her. 

Olive, a graduate in this year’s 2026 high school class, testified about a stressful aspect: cell phones. 

As a Rotary Exchange student who studied abroad, she had seen how complete cell phone bans in the country where she'd lived relieved students of outside distractions and promoted learning. 

Stricter policies on cell phones are finding favor among teachers in CSD, too. The present ban doesn't go far enough, according to some. 

Allowing students to carry the devices throughout the day turns educators into "hallway enforcers" during passing periods – many teens whip out phones at that time, several teachers said. 

In this way, some students use them for video-filming other students, teachers and staff, who may then find themselves posted online without permission. 

Brief interviews with several teachers outside the last budget session and after the school board meeting indicate that many consider the mental health services critical to school functioning. 

However, by enabling the district to raise money through furlough days, the board put teachers "between a rock and a hard place," said Nathan Muti, who is president of the Central Education Association. 

Resistance to that approach could make it look like teachers aren't supporting the funding of mental health services, when in fact they're advocating for it, he said. 

The push to find funding for mental health services is occurring during a period in which contract negotiations with the CEA have been "dragging on" in the words of one who’s involved in the process. The resolution of the contract is unlikely to occur any time soon, Muti said. 

The budget cuts to save mental health services are expected to come before the board on June 22. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, June 12, 2026

They're speedy wing-beaters with an aerial mating dance that forms clouds – that's how a historic science publication describes gnats and midges. 

If you use Independence's river path regularly, you may know these tiny insects on an intimate basis. Perhaps you've accidentally walked directly into a swarm of them (photo), swallowing or inhaling a creature smaller than a flax seed.

That encounter has been reported by some who have strolled between Ash Creek and the boat ramp this past month. Fortunately, the result is only a minuscule dose of extra protein. 

"Your body digests them the same as any other protein-rich food," according to Bobbi Pritt, MD, a microbiologist, pathologist and director of the clinical parasitology laboratory at the Mayo Clinic. Pritt helpfully dispenses this advice on the website of the College of American Pathologists, where the experience is characterized by these medical experts as "shock and disgust." 

The up-your-nose, in-your-mouth ingestion along the river path also has sparked a debate. Are they gnats or are they midges? Both insects look like flying black dots to human eyeballs. 

There's a difference, although for the most part both are usually equally harmless to people in the Willamette Valley. 

Gnats have thinner wings and midges have short, stubby antenna.  Distinguishing gnats from midges is next to impossible under normal circumstances. This observation comes from the journal Biology Insights. 

Without examination under a dissection microscope or a powerful magnifying glass, differences go unseen. But fortunately, distinguishing features don't make that much difference in terms of public health. 

However, around the turn of the 20th Century, an intrepid scientist, Edward Knobel, made detailed drawings of midges and gnats, to show their anatomy, greatly enlarged for anyone interested in viewing it. 

His text is now in the Smithsonian, under the title "Mosquitoes, Gnats, Craneflies, Midges and Flies of the Northern States." Published in 1897, it is believed to be the most far-ranging collection of artistic renderings of gnats and midges ever created. 

The only certain way to know whether you have imbibed a midge or gnat – both inhabit similar environments – is to capture a lookalike from the same hovering group and examine it.

There is a way to trap them. An authority on it – a former surgeon, the late Oregonian Jean Natter, who regularly published a widely read blog on these uber-miniature pests – suggested a small square of sticky paper. Apparently, they fly into that as easily as they do human orifices. 

Of course, at that point, you'd either need high-power binoculars or a passing entomologist to know for sure whether you had a midge or gnat in your system. 

Worth noting is that either one is easily dispatched by the stomach acid in the digestive tract, according to multiple health-information sources. 

Swarms of both midges and gnats can occur during summer months, so whichever one they are, they may be a fairly common occurrence along the Willamette River until fall, depending on the weather. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, June 5, 2026

Parents, teachers and students in Central School District who called for revising the proposed budget clinched victory Monday night by convincing committee members to preserve school-based mental health services that were slated to be cut. 

In a 12-1 decision, the budget committee (photo) sent the 2026-2027 budget to the school board with a provision: A directive to keep the mental health specialists at district schools that have been provided under a contract with Polk County. “It ensures equitable access to mental services to all of our kids,” said Emily McNulty, who testified during the public comment period at the meeting. 

With a crowd of about two dozen audience members seated behind her, McNulty told the committee that some families simply cannot afford to privately access those services for their children. Youth who feel they need help can get it onsite during the school day, she noted. 

McNulty’s statements were made after the committee opened the meeting for public testimony, which hadn’t originally been scheduled. However, last week a storm of objections posted on social media about the pending loss prompted an invitation for sharing outside views at the meeting, according to several parents. The meeting was held in Henry Hawk Hall at district headquarters. 

Britta Centoni, who is both a parent and a therapist who’s worked in the Polk County school-based system, said the cuts were planned “without collaboration,” which contrasts with the district’s strategic goals of transparency and partnership.

There’s a responsible way to do this and we have to figure out how to do this together,” she said. 

Without availability to mental health counseling among youth and teens who need a place to turn for help, vulnerability to addiction and suicide can be heightened, as well as the risk for dropping out of school, Centoni said. “It is really hard to put a dollar amount on the outcomes of prevention,” she stressed. 

The district website offers video vignettes of the hardships faced by high school students. 

In one, titled “Valor,” a Hispanic student grapples with the isolation that can occur in a different ethnicity. In another, “Stuck,” the pain of loneliness from being ignored or excluded is portrayed. In “Alone,” the myriad stressors, from anxiety to depression, are explored and revealed in what seems to be an ordinary teen life – jock, valedictorian, popular girl.

A relatively high percentage of those in the school district require mental health services. During the 2025-26 school year, 660 students in CSD received ongoing support through the Polk County School Based Mental Health program, according to a letter sent to the school board and budget committee from Brent DeMoe, director of Polk County Family and Community Outreach. 

“On average, that means one out of every four students in the district accessed regular check-ins, groups, individual therapy or skill-building support throughout the year,” DeMoe stated in the letter. The district’s relationship with the program stretches over 27 years, he added.

Public comments at the meeting were made after a presentation on the budget pressures that have plagued the district. Losses have mounted due to factors ranging from slashes of federal and state funding to the decline in enrollment, which means per-pupil revenue is going down. “There has been a massive decrease in enrollment,” said Superintendent Jennifer Kubista. 

For example, Central High School began the year with an enrollment of 944 and it’s now at 917. The downward trajectory is continuing – and is expected to persist for the next several years, she said. 

The birth rate is dropping but so is enrollment of school-aged children, according to Kubista. She said the list of those who opt not to go to Central District schools this year includes 276 who left to go online instead; 161 who are home-schooled; 87 who went outside the district to other educational facilities; 68 who are unaccounted for. 

Despite the fiscal constraint, the budget committee determined that other means of reducing costs should be considered, ranging from instituting a furlough day to reducing the amount in the district’s contingency fund. To keep the full county contract, the amount needed is $622,000. However, a second-tier option of services, for about $427,000, may be considered. 

At the conclusion of the meeting, the new budget of $68,677,744 was adopted with the note that the board should decide the way in which mental health services can be funded.

The contractual connection between the county and the school district also was discussed at the Polk County Board of Commissioners, during their Tuesday meeting this week. Upon hearing that the CSD budget committee had agreed to extend the contract, Commissioner Craig Pope said it was an indication of the power of public comment – and he said he sympathized with the sentiments expressed. As a kid growing up amid challenging circumstances, “I wish I would have had that,” he said.

The budget and its note of a addition is expected to go to the CSD  school board this Monday June 8, 2026 at 6:30 pm, to be held at the Henry Hill Building, 750 S. Fifth St., Independence. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, June 5, 2026

For the class of 2026 at Central High School, the journey to a diploma has been marked by changes no one saw coming, from the state mandate for remote learning during middle school in the pandemic to the fairly recent revelation that cellphone use has the capacity to take a serious toll on adolescent mental health. 

So, is it any wonder why a top goal of tonight’s Panther grads is likely to be a future of more certainty – with lower priority given to a high salary or a fulfilling profession? 

As the estimated 215 Central seniors in their black and red robes walk across the stage, they can congratulate themselves that they are what has been termed “super-adapters,” members of a cohort who adjusted to interacting with peers through masks and who tuned in to glowing screens for part of their education.

The new graduates are going to need that capacity for  change, according to state Sen. Deb Patterson, who offered that advice  after holding a town hall in Monmouth this week. One certainty in their  future is that it will be filled with change, Patterson said.  

"I  would say commit to lifelong learning," she said. Training programs for  new technology as it unfolds and courses to acquire the expanse of new  information may be key to keeping pace in the future for the class of  2026, Patterson said. 

She  expressed empathy for the world they are heading into – they're being  met by funding squeezes for life's' basics, like health care, and an  inflation rate that makes groceries and gas harder to buy. 

And, if they’re like others their age across the nation, now they want stability, according to studies ranging from a 2025 Gallup poll to a survey in Parents Magazine. It’s what two clinical psychologists called “clear, steady structure” in an essay on adolescence that appeared on CNBC a few weeks ago. 

Personal experience by Trammart News has shown these CHS graduates – members of Gen Z – to be an outstanding group, as demonstrated in small acts and large ones that benefited the community over the past year. 

For example, this past Thanksgiving some of the student leadership held a lunch for elderly attendees – and a table full of self-described “senior citizens” likened the students who organized it to “young saints” for making those “pretty darn long in the tooth” feel so welcome. 

The same was true at a matinee for the musical “Mean Girls” this past spring, when cast members mingled with the audience afterward, emphasizing to several they were grateful for their presence. 

“We will miss their dress-up themes, student leadership and energetic presence at sporting events,” said Virginia Antunez, assistant principal at CHS. 

From selling a greenhouse full of FFA flower baskets to greeting drivers with unbridled cheer at fund-raising car washes, these seniors often showed unflagging spirit in the midst of what has been labeled the worst American economy since 2008 – an economy they are now joining as young adults. 

“Generation Z is entering adulthood amid notable economic challenges," which may be as impactful on them as the effects of the Great Recession on a previous generation, is the way it was characterized in a Washington State study published last year in the Journal of Adolescent Research. 

However, already they seem bent on figuring out how to navigate the future. At the career-day fair this year, as representatives from plumbing companies to police departments spoke to the high-schoolers, many already had decided what they were seeking: not a profession, but an “AI-proof job.” 

That fits with what OPB found among 20 students at an Oregon high school class that graduated last year, which the news service had been following since elementary school. They faced so many ups and downs – in both society’s shifts and their academic settings – they developed a skill set of flexibility and acceptance for meeting sudden changes. 

In 2026, it seems much the same. “This class is close knit," Antunez observed. They support each other in and outside of school,” she added. “They are a resilient group and will be missed at CHS.” 

( Recently, a message was scrawled in a bathroom at the high school that threatened a pending shooting; This past week a  16-year-old juvenile was taken into custody following a coordinated  investigation that involved Salem police and the FBI, according to a  news release from law enforcement officials. Though no direct link was announced, such school-related threats with firearms have become a  worry among Gen Z student populations.)  ▪

By Lance Masterson

For Trammart News Service, June 5, 2026

My introduction to tribute bands went something like this:

It’s a hot summer night four years ago and I’m weaving through the crowd at Riverview Park, camera in hand. Hundreds of fans wait to be transported back to the 1970s. Some are more into the experience than I am. I’m not one to dress in vintage clothes, dance the night away or lose myself in nostalgia. But I do take photos and pretend I’m on assignment for Rolling Stone magazine in its heyday.

Who better to deliver that experience than Fleetwood Mac — or at least a band that looks, acts and sounds remarkably close?

Taken By The Sky takes the stage.

One by one, faux Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham appear. But where’s Stevie?

The band opens with instruments only. Anticipation builds. Vocalist Jessa Campbell as Nicks finally emerges from behind the curtain. She takes the mic. A hush falls over the amphitheater.

The fans’ message is clear: if you’re going to perform as Fleetwood Mac, you’d better have someone who can channel Stevie Nicks. Not that other band members don’t have their fans. They do. But Nicks is Nicks.

Skepticism disappears with Campbell’s opening notes of “Sara.” The crowd sighs a collective sigh. This gal can sing, and suddenly all is well in their world for the next few hours.

Classic rock fans will get their own chance to decide just how good Taken By The Sky is when the band returns as a headliner for the 2026 River’s Edge concert series.

This marks the band’s fourth straight appearance in Independence.

“This is one of our favorite summer performances,” Campbell said. “It comes down to community. You’ve always been so welcoming and supportive of us. And the setting, right there on the river, is just magical.”

Timing adds to the experience.

“We start right before sunset, and by the end of the show it’s fully night,” she said. “We get both the vibrant, sun-soaked festival atmosphere and then transition into a more theatrical, light-driven performance.”

Campbell is pulling double duty this summer.

Along with portraying Nicks, she’ll step into the role of Anni-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad in the ABBA tribute act Band After Midnight (photo). Liz Ghiz also appears in both groups, performing as Christine McVie and Agnetha Fältskog.

Band After Midnight formed after Campbell discovered both success and enjoyment performing with Taken By The Sky.

“As I moved into doing music full-time, I realized having multiple projects made it easier to stay local and maintain a sustainable schedule, especially with a family,” Campbell said. “I have two 10-year-olds, so that balance is important.”

Her fondness for the Swedish import made for a comfortable decision.

“I’ve always loved ABBA’s music, and I saw an opportunity to create something joyful and high-energy while working with musicians I already knew and loved,” she said. “It all came together pretty organically.”

River’s Edge continues its run of tribute acts this season.

Returning favorites include Shoot to Thrill (AC/DC), while new additions include Grand Royale (Beastie Boys), Animal (Maroon 5), and LOVER: An Eras Tour Experience (Taylor Swift).

Recreating the Eras Tour is a reminder that tribute productions aren’t just for classic acts. 

Today’s biggest artists inspire them, too – especially performers as popular as Taylor Swift.

Charity Eden created LOVER after attending an Eras Tour concert in 2023. What began as fandom evolved into a full-scale performance project.

“I didn’t set out to become a Taylor Swift tribute artist. I was already performing professionally as a singer and musician when people started pointing out the similarities in my voice and appearance,” Eden said. “Over time, I realized there was an opportunity, and a need to create something special for Swifties.”

The most challenging part has never been the singing.

“It’s capturing the spirit of what makes Taylor such a compelling performer,” Eden added. “Her connection with audiences is what sets her apart. She makes a stadium feel personal, and that’s something I strive for in every performance.”

According to promotional materials, LOVER recreates the spectacle and energy of an Eras Tour concert with costumes, choreography, and a live band spanning every phase of Swift’s career.

In just three years, the production has expanded internationally with performances in Japan, Kuwait, Canada, Bermuda and across the United States, with Europe next on the schedule.

“One of the things I love most about LOVER is that I get to bring this show everywhere, not just major cities,” Eden said. “Some of our favorite shows happen in communities that don’t always get access to large-scale touring productions. Independence is exactly the kind of place we love visiting.”

Positive articles and reviews have appeared in USA Today, The Hollywood Reporter and on many Facebook posts. In fact, Pro Tribute Bands lists LOVER as its choice for best Taylor Swift tribute band. Or, as its website states: “ … the ultimate Taylor Swift experience.”

So, take in a show or two. See (and hear) for yourself why these songs are still popular. Introduce youngsters to songs from your past. You know when music was music.

“Great music just stands the test of time,” Campbell said when asked about Fleetwood Mac and ABBA, though her comment applies to other performers as well. “People grow up with music and then pass it on to their kids. Even in my own house, I’ll hear my son singing ‘Edge of Seventeen’ or my daughter singing ‘Dancing Queen.’ These songs are timeless, truly some of the best ever written.”

Better still, perhaps your children can return the favor by introducing you to the music of Taylor Swift.

Either is possible this year at Riverview Park.

                                          **********************************************

Opening acts begin at 6 p.m. Headliners go on stage at 8 p.m.

Admission is $10 at the gate, $8 in advance. Children 10 and younger are free.

This year’s schedule:

July 10 - Grand Royale with Surefire (Classic Rock)

July 17 - Animal with Infamous Soul (80’s, 90’s Pop Rock)

July 24 - Taken By the Sky with Rockaway Band (Yacht Rock)

July 31 - Shoot to Thrill with The Archived (80’s One Hit Wonders)

Aug. 7 - Band After Midnight with Daring Gently (Americana Classic Rock, Soul)

Aug. 14 - Lover with Idle Poets with Jazzy Hits 

▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 29, 2026

Behavior by certain city officials was seen as disrespectful by some residents who spoke at the recent budget meeting or posted their views online – complaints that Trammart News took to Independence Mayor Kate Schwarzler and City Manager Kenna West after learning about them.

Neither West nor Schwarzler have answered inquiries about those assertions from Trammart News. 

Several of those who viewed or attended the last city budget committee meeting said they noticed that West seemed to make a point of looking disengaged during resident testimony in opposition to the proposed service fee – staring at her cellphone or shuffling papers.

Two observers thought this might be a stress response, but several others said it has been so recurrent at meetings that they suspect she doesn't want to tune in to the testimony. 

Some were troubled by what they perceived as reprimands of "shush" to the audience or glaring looks from committee members. "I know my voice sounds like a foghorn," said Linda Gray, who shared her objections from the podium on the proposed, nearly $20 add-on fee to the city utility bill. The monthly fee is to fund the library, parks and museum and awaiting final approval by the city council.

But, after hearing a city councilor tell the audience to be quiet following a vocal reaction by some in attendance, Gray said she felt discouraged. 

One budget committee member, Nathan Christensen, followed her husband, Doug Gray, out of the room – to counter Gray's public comments.

Doug Gray (photo) had called the fee for supporting the museum, library and parks a case of "taxation without representation" and Christensen disagreed. "He wanted to discuss that," Gray said.

Christensen's departure during the meeting goes against generally accepted city council conduct. Any interaction by city councilors with those who provide public testimony during a meeting should be limited to clarifying questions, according to the "Model Rules for Council  Meetings" by the League of Oregon Cities.  

However, Christensen is a budget committee member, not a city councilor.

Even so, Gabby Walton, who also gave public testimony, said she felt the meeting should have been "paused" when Christensen left to pursue Gray.  

Christensen, who is married to the museum's director, was queried earlier this week by an email from Trammart News seeking a response.  

"My  conversation with the individuals who left was very similar to the comments I made to the rest of the committee after I returned," explained Christensen, who noted that, with his years of experience participating in the budget committee, he felt "this whole endeavor was very  democratic and representative."  

In an address from her own Facebook page, Schwarzler acknowledged that "I know there's been frustration around public comment and where people can officially share feedback with the city." 

She said that social media can be a tool for public discussion but added that "public comment needs to be fair and accessible to everyone" and social media doesn't provide that. 

"If you want to have your voice heard as part of the official record, we do need to have people follow the proper channel," she said. This includes emails and letters to the city, as well as public testimony, she added. 

In  her address to viewers, Schwarzler identifies herself as "community  mayor" before advising residents that contacting the city or giving  public testimony is more effective than social media for any who want to  comment on city issues. 

Three years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court  ruled that city officials risk liability when using personal social media on behalf of their public office, according to a landmark case,  Lindke v. Freed.  

Some residents say they have all but abandoned giving public testimony at public meetings, despite the mayor's Facebook post urging residents to do so rather than posting on social media.

Mike Rhodes, who previously had voiced strong opinions from the public podium, said he no longer considers it worth the effort – he pointed out that he can be vocal about various issues on Facebook that others in the community can see, he said. 

Rhodes said he's disappointed that the city manager – who was spotted by viewers looking elsewhere or at her phone during public testimony – seems to affect residents who are trying to communicate with their elected officials. "When West does that, she creates a 'chilling effect' between the citizens and our representatives," Rhodes said.

A message similar to the mayor's was given by City Councilor Shannon Corr on the city's Facebook page, in a reply that Corr issued to a resident who had voiced a complaint there.

Comments should be placed "in a venue where you can get a thoughtful answer," Corr stated.

Corr also appeared to reprimand resident Michelle Miranda on the city's Facebook page. Miranda had observed that she'd like to return to a time "when my water bill was below $140 a month." Corr replied online that there are "more appropriate forums for this." 

Miranda then asked: "Are you the comment police?" 

In an offline observation to Trammart News, one resident questioned why City Planning Manager Fred Evander was spending time making showy videos for the city's Facebook page. The resident observed that Evander has an annual salary of around $108,000, a base pay that TN confirmed in a public records request. 

Evander was seen in a video on the city Facebook page performing what appeared to be a vaudeville routine to promote local history – and Corr had suggested during the budget committee meeting that the city's planning department could be understaffed. "I don't want my name used to ask about this," the resident told this news outlet after pointing out the post. 

In an effort to find out how successful communication can be carried out, Trammart News attended a session of the annual meeting of the Rhetoric Society of America, which was held in Portland this past weekend. One of the panelists – Don Holmes, an assistant professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh – said that, in general terms, group solidarity is built by addressing common problems with the right "vernacular." 

He explained that he was referring to finding unifying language and common ground during discussions with divided viewpoints. 

Asked what strategy he would recommend for doing that, he suggested starting with: "What is important to you, to all of you, in Independence – and can you all agree on that?" If so, that can be a good starting point, he said. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 29, 2026

The Independence Water Quality Report for 2025 shows a good record of clean drinking water but two contaminants have been detected at levels that raise questions. 

Their presence doesn't indicate any general health risk, but sodium in Independence water has reached or exceeded the standard set for utilities by Oregon. In addition, four households now exceed the recommended levels for copper content. 

And "forever chemicals" have been detected in both well fields that are relied on by the city, though at levels far below federal advisory limits. 

All three were seen by Trammart News as noteworthy and meriting more explanation.

However, repeated efforts to contact the city communications director, Emmanuel Goicochea, about the findings were unsuccessful. (City Manager Kenna West instituted a ban against the local press about two years ago and Mayor Kate Schwarzler has stated she supports it – the mayor has called questions from Trammart News unnecessary to be answered by city officials.) 

But several outside experts, as well as information from Gov. Tina Kotek's office, provided a more extensive look at the reasons some of these components have gained attention within the state. 

Sodium. The sodium level in Independence ranges from 20-to-25 milligrams of sodium in a liter. Independence reported that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Oregon Health Division set standards for sodium lower, at 20 milligrams of sodium in one liter of water. 

Above that level, sensitive individuals – those with hypertension or kidney disease, for example – may want to take heed and, if needed, "consult your physician," according to state health information. Sodium is essential for fluid balance, but excessive intake can raise blood pressure – it bears watching, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. 

How is it that sodium can exceed recommended levels? Sodium can naturally occur in water – in Independence, it may leach into groundwater from rocks and soils. Prehistoric events may have predisposed some parts of town deep underground with salty deposits, according to a researcher at Portland State University, who was asked about it this week after a PSU geology seminar. 

Also, the chlorination process used in water treatment can mean sodium in drinking water. 

"We do have a saline water issue in the mid valley, tied to old connate water in the bedrock, for example of Salt Creek, out past Rickreall," said Steve Taylor, chair of the division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Western Oregon University. However, in Independence it's a different issue since the wells are close to a river, and shallow, said Taylor, a geology professor. "In that case, (it) could be treatment related," he said. 

Copper. Most copper ends up in water due to the corrosion of pipes, according to Washington State's Institute for Environmental Research and Education, a nonprofit established to review current environmental issues. 

Copper plumbing is a common culprit for putting the element into water. Copper was detected beyond the listed "action level" in four Independence homes from sampling by the Independence Public Works Department, according to the most recent water report. 

Copper in drinking water can come from other sources, too, including groundwater, notes the National Science Foundation. The National Institutes of Health warns that high levels of copper in drinking water can cause gastrointestinal distress.

PFBS. These are part of a group of synthetic "forever chemicals" that have been detected in Independence water – but at minuscule levels compared with the federally recommended standard, which is a "non-regulatory drinking water health advisory level." 

Gov. Kotek has signaled her concern about these per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAs – last year she signed a bill to ban PFA additives in firefighting foam, which had become a common environmental source.

On a national level, aggressive investigations are being encouraged to find PFAs in water supplies, though they're not recognized as a regulated contaminant. However, under the "Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule," PFAs need to be periodically identified and followed as substances of possible concern in drinking water – substances that are not yet regulated but could affect public health, according to the EPA. 

The EPA announced this past month that about $10.6 million in grants will be made available to Oregon for community drinking-water systems to test for these chemicals and, possibly, to implement improved infrastructure when necessary. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 29, 2026

Next week, any visitor to the Polk County Courthouse is likely to go through a security checkpoint when entering the building – a screening station aimed at detecting weapons is being installed. 

The new process is being undertaken to protect the potential threat of harm to judges and law enforcement personnel, but there also have been heated exchanges and threatening behavior to others in the courthouse, including at Polk County Board of Commissioners' meetings. 

Both Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton and District Attorney Aaron Felton are in favor of the installation, which is a 13-month pilot program that is being carried out with grant money from the state, according to a presentation this past month to the Polk County Board of Commissioners by Un Cha Kim, the Polk County trial administrator.

About two dozen counties also are undertaking the pilot project, but only Polk County has received money for the personnel to run it, she said. 

The lack of screening is a "significant vulnerability" – courthouses across the state have reported individuals being spotted with guns, knives and other weapons in hallways and meeting rooms, Kim said. 

A long-time law in Oregon, ORS 166.370, makes it a felony for any person to intentionally possess a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a public building or court facility, even with a valid Oregon Concealed Handgun License. However, that hasn't stopped some. 

In an interview after Kim's presentation, Garton noted that one individual came to his office with a firearm, and the sheriff escorted him outside after telling him having a gun was illegal inside the building. 

Over a 10-year period, from 2013 to 2023, the number of guns processed annually more than doubled, from about 1.2 million to 3.5 million, according to data from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. In Oregon, an uptick was seen in teens; In 2022, ATF agents seized 99 firearms from minors, compared to 46 in 2017. 

The trend has been seen at Central School District, where more weapons have been detected, according to information reported at a recent school board meeting. 

District Attorney Felton said he supports the added courthouse screening, which he said is a preventive step that should be taken. The new screening tools include X-ray machines and magnetometers. 

Judge Monte Campbell, who spoke alongside Kim, observed that there have been incidents that demonstrate the added precautions are a good idea. However, he said he hoped it wouldn't result in the kind of procedures for which some airport TSA checks are known.

Commissioner Craig Pope told Campbell he wanted to make sure the process was businesslike and free of over-reaching "gotcha" moments. 

Trammart News recently went through a similar screening at the Marion County Courthouse this spring and a pair of tweezers was temporarily confiscated from a purse pocket. ▪

Trammart News Service, May 22, 2026

After the city budget committee approved the Independence budget for 2026-2027, a special Independence resident, Greg Ellis, shared his opinion in a letter to the editor to Trammart News – and dispatched it to the City of Independence, as well. Ellis  (photo) has served as the city manager of Independence, Dallas and Canby, among others. He is widely regarded as one of the most experienced administrators of municipal governance in Oregon – he worked for Gov. John Kitzhaber, and following his resignation, Gov. Kate Brown. And he is concerned that Independence is heading down a troublesome path. 

The budget adds nearly $20 in community service fees to the monthly water bill and an in-house attorney to the city staff, along with other additional expenses. 

Ellis has provided a fact-based look at why Independence city management – a mayor who told Ellis that a standard method he cited for the budget was not “transparent” and a city manager who asserts that the method she’s using for the budget is a “best practice” – doesn’t align with an approach taken by cities ranging from Sandy to Gladstone. 

Trammart News thanks Ellis for his commentary and plans to return to some of these points in the future, as the budget takes effect after likely passage by the city council in June.  --AS

OP/ED

Greetings,

For the past two budget cycles the citizens of Independence have heard a never-ending torrent of how dire the situation is in the city’s General Fund. We were told that library, park and museum services were going to be severely curtailed or even eliminated. 

Having been a city manager for many years, I understand the challenges. 

Another previous city manager, David Clyne, and I felt that our 65-plus years of combined experience might provide some insight into available options to help the General Fund, but our offer to be a resource was resoundingly rejected. 

Not a problem. It was my feeling that the current administration wanted to resolve the issue internally without external influence.

However, after reviewing the 2026-27 budget, adopted by the Budget Committee on May 6, 2026, I realized the problems with the General Fund were largely self-imposed. David Clyne worked very hard to put the City on sound financial footing that would have benefited this community for many years to come, and it has been eroded in just the past few years.

As stated above we were told the General Fund ending fund balance was getting so low over the years that there would not be enough to carry the city to November when the property taxes started to come in. If that is true, how does the city justify hiring an in-house attorney and two additional police officers? 

Anyone want to take a wild guess how many cities in Oregon with a population between 8,000 to 12,000 have an in-house attorney? My guess would have been zero. As it turns out I could find one: Lincoln City, Oregon. 

The person in this position is being paid a base salary of almost $160,000 but with PERS, health insurance, social security, unemployment insurance, etc. Lincoln City budgeted slightly over $233k for this position. 

Independence has budgeted $110,700 base salary for an in-house attorney which means this position will cost the citizens of Independence somewhere between $160,000-170,000 per year when benefits are added in. 

The last two audited budgets for Independence (2023-24, 2024-25) had audited amounts of $81,000+ and $38,000+, respectively, for contracted legal expense that went to a company that specializes in municipal law. The 2026-27 budget still has $30,000 budgeted for contracted legal expense so the total for an in-house attorney and outside legal assistance now is between $190,000-$200,000 per year. Much of the pay for this position should come from the General Fund.

I thought the General Fund was in bad shape?

As stated above, the adopted budget includes the addition of two additional officers which will bring the number of sworn officers to 19 (?). Rule of thumb is that there should be two officers per 1,000 population. 

There are several mitigating factors that might increase or decrease that number. I personally support the two officers per 1,000 population but I also understand that if there are limited funds the number of sworn officers might have to be slightly less and that is how I and the chiefs of police that I worked with approached the budget. 

We are told in the budget messages that there is not enough property tax revenue to cover the salaries of the officers we have. So, where would the funding to cover the salaries of these two positions (three positions if you include the in-house attorney) come from? 

I thought the General Fund was in bad shape?

I have suggested that some of the funding for General Fund positions should come as transfers into the General Fund from the water, sewer, stormwater and streets funds since they have dedicated sources of revenue and many, if not all, General Fund administrative positions and services have indirect costs in supporting the four funds indicated above. 

I have been told by the mayor that this is not a transparent way to finance General Fund personnel and services, and I believe the city manager has indicated that this is not “best practice.”

They might want to tell that to the Oregon cities of Sandy, Gladstone and Prineville and the many other communities that I looked at. Their transfers in from utilities to General Fund are called “Indirect Service Allocation”, “Department Recover Transfers” and “Support Service Fund,” respectively. 

When I used this method in Canby it was in the budget as Administrative Fee Transfer. I looked at budgets from several communities and realized that transfers from utility and street funds was the prevalent method of allocating qualified personnel and service costs to the General Fund. 

Transfers into General Fund are the most transparent method if the transferred amounts are arrived at by an equitable cost-allocation methodology. I would suggest that the method used by the City of Independence is anything but transparent. 

Instead of transferring funds from utilities and streets into the General Fund the budget shows a transfer of Full Time Employee (FTE) percentages into the utility and street funds. Appendix 4, page 108, in the 2026-27 budget indicates that 85% of the City Manager’s salary ($188,000-plus base pay) is allocated into the water, sewer, storm and street funds which is the same percentage allocated in the two previous budgets. 

If the city manager spends that much time managing these funds, I question why the City needs a public works director with a Step 1 base salary starting at $116,000-plus? 

The finance director also has 85% of their salary, Step 1 starting at $105,000-plus, allocated to the utilities and street fund. In each of the two previous budgets the Finance Director’s salary was allocated at 90% in the utility and street funds. 

On page 14 of the budget, first paragraph, the Budget Officer’s (Finance Director Amanda Carey) Budget Message states:

“To enhance transparency and provide a clearer understanding of personnel-related expenditures, the city previously improved the methodology used to allocate General Fund personnel costs across funds. We continue to use that methodology in this FY 2027 budget. These allocations are reviewed and updated annually to reflect actual workloads and responsibilities. The FY 2027 budget includes detailed information on personnel allocations, allowing the community, Budget Committee, and City Council to better understand how personnel-related expenses are distributed across City operations.”

I would very much like to see the “… methodology used to allocate General Fund personnel costs across funds.” I would think transparency would dictate that the methodology used would be included in the budget document so citizens could see why the city manager’s and finance director’s salaries are allocated at 85% to streets and utilities. 

Respectively,

Greg Ellis  

(Prior to publication, Trammart News sent a copy of Ellis's essay to both Mayor Kate Schwarzler and City Manager Kenna West.)  ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 22, 2026

It's no wonder that teachers in Central School District have made classroom safety concerns a priority in their current contract negotiations. It's been identified as a top problem for K-12 educators on nationwide surveys, including a poll by the National Education Association that ominously warned public school administrators two years ago: "We're at a crisis point." 

The crisis may have arrived sooner at CSD – conversations with teachers, their aides and some office personnel at local schools indicate an alleged lack of clarity has been dragging on for years about precisely when discipline should be applied and what it should entail. 

One former educational assistant likened many of these "interventions" to a session of non-judgmental persuasion: "The idea of using 'restorative justice' is good but the outcome can be bad. Sitting around and talking about what happened only goes so far." 

The situation has led to a call for straightforward language in which behavioral consequences are placed in writing, including within the coming bargaining agreement between teachers and administrators. 

And now, a new student code of conduct by the district is becoming part of the process. 

"Building administrators have been discussing and using the Code of Conduct since its implementation in January, as well as providing training (and) information during staff meetings," said Emily Mentzer, communications coordinator for CSD. 

For example, repeated problematic behavior by the same student – a situation some teachers say is currently not uncommon in some youth – could be considered "an escalation," despite the fact that the student has been engaged in interventions by staff, Mentzer said.

The Code of Conduct spells out that some repetitive behaviors won't rise to the level of suspension or expulsion. "For example, three tardies will not result in a suspension," Mentzer explained. "We want students in school and in class, so we would be working with the student and their family on this concern." 

Training will be scheduled as needed on the Code of Conduct, which is included in student and staff handbooks, in the 2026-27 school year, Mentzer said. 

If it seems like such worries over student behavior are confined to the classroom, interviews with those in the community reflect similar reports, too. One trolley driver said it got so disruptive on his short bus ride with teens, including "F-bombs" being shouted back and forth, he had to stop the vehicle and call a halt to it, he recalled. 

One customer in the Central Plaza told Trammart News that young adolescents routinely use foul language and "nasty" actions when they're in the shopping area on lunch or other school-day breaks. She posted online about one incident, calling on parents to "stop being defensive over your kids’ ridiculous behavior and fix it." Others joined in on the local social media site, citing it as a community-wide problem.

The circumstances impacting teachers now seem far afield from those 30 years ago. When the middle-aged teachers of CSD today were just starting out, with the ink barely dry on their diplomas, surveys of the profession showed they were most anxious about their subject preparation and maintaining quality in their classroom. Over about 10 years, this changed.

By 2004, studies ranging from those by the Pew Research Center to the National Center for Education Statistics were showing the emergence of in-class safety concerns. And it was starting to take a terrible toll. 

Now nearly one in seven public school teachers leave, changing schools or exiting the profession, according to the San Francisco-based Learning Policy Institute. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, which conducts education research, reported this past March that a large majority of this turnover, 74%, is voluntary – not retirement. Links to job dissatisfaction were significant. 

In Oregon, TikTok segments and YouTube videos show teachers sharing stories about how hard it is to face student outbursts or apathetic parents or chronic absenteeism. A few months ago, a school board meeting – still getting comments online – showed a teacher in the neighboring school district of Dallas resigning on camera at the public meeting. She cited frequent student assaults as the reason. 

But teacher losses, which were confirmed by the state's office of Teachers Standards and Practices at a summit this week, aren't the only casualty of the public school system. 

Behavioral needs have put more funding pressures on schools. Youth with special emotional challenges mean there are extra personnel and programs required for that part of the school population, according to state Rep. Paul Evans, who represents Independence-Monmouth and is a graduate of Central High School. 

Schools have evolved to offer more services outside the classroom. In many cases, there is before- and after-school care, free meals provided often twice daily, and sometimes more frequently, for qualifying students and special provisions to address on-site health care issues. 

Compared with his time receiving a K-12 education at Central School District, "school is a lot more complex," said Evans (photo), who recently crisscrossed the area he serves, including a stop at the West Salem library branch. (Trammart News covered that presentation.) 

Evans likened the pressure on schools to provide programs ranging from behavioral interventions to individualized education as a Hobson's Choice. "We just don't have the revenues for it," he said.

The quality-of-education model that educators began seeking 25 years ago, which was backed by Oregon legislators, doesn't seem to be a realistic goal in current circumstances, he said. 

Oregon law now mandates that students with special needs will be given a full day of school – and, in some cases, a full day of "stimulus" rather than shortened half-day attendance can be a challenge for them, Evans observed. 

In their bestselling book, "The Coddling of the American Mind," two experts in social trends – Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt – propose that, for years, some youths have been set up for failure. It's showing up in mental health statistics among teenagers and, unfortunately, in school performance. 

They cite work by Jean Twenge, the pioneering San Diego State University professor who has profiled “iGen,” today's teen generation. They've faced two sea changes as youngsters unlike any of those who preceded them: they are digital natives, who grew up using computer screens, and they learned to depend on those more heavily than other communication tools during the pandemic. 

As social media proliferated, so did a rise in anxiety and depression among iGen. And, as covid necessitated social isolation to some extent, it had effects still being seen in classroom settings. 

The CSD school cellphone ban may go a long way to mitigating the social media impact, according to parents, students and teachers who agree it seems to be making kids more interactive with classmates. 

But, even so, it won't change the way in which Oregon's decades-old tax reform – Measures 5, 47 and 50 – impacted schools by limiting the property-tax annual growth limit to 3% of the county-assessed individual home valuation. 

Steadily, local control of revenue for school funding has weakened – funding couldn't keep pace with need and schools began to rely heavily on state allocations, Evans said. The resulting strain on resources means all those extra services schools now are expected to provide are thinning. 

Even so, some teachers who are wrapping up their school year said they believe the cellphone ban may continue to have a positive effect. And they hope the Code of Conduct will make a substantial difference in the next academic year, according to some who were queried at school events this spring. 

The guide for the student Code of Conduct was composed after the results came in from last year's parent-caregiver survey; A statement reflecting perception of "consistent enforcement" of rules scored a 2.95 out of 5. In the spring of 2025, the score stayed the same at 2.95 out of 5. 

Caregivers had an opportunity to take this survey several weeks ago, and this question received 2.9 out of 5. "We will look for changes in this score going forward, and for qualitative feedback regarding the code of conduct from staff and stakeholders," Mentzer said.

The  Code of Conduct was developed using similar documents from other Oregon  school districts, as well as incorporating many Central School District  policies. Here's a link to the Code of Conduct  ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 22, 2026

With a new, nearly $20 fee headed for final passage to be added to utility bills, Trammart News – now in its 10th year – decided to take a look at how this 2026 budget committee compared with those over the years. All of the many committees over the past decade seemed similar. Members all listened, for the most part, and held various discussions – then they simply voted "yes," sometimes with one or more dissenters. 

This year was no different, except that there appeared to be a surprising lack of reference about residents’ views, except by speakers at the last budget meeting. The fee gives the city less revenue than the levy measure rejected by voters, according to City Manager Kenna West, who spoke on the difference between the two at the final budget meeting. 

Yet, nearly everyone who contacted this news outlet in the wake of the budget vote expressed dissatisfaction with the committee – that members of it allegedly failed to give anything but a passing nod to the fact that a ballot levy for the museum, library and parks had failed by a large margin. 

However, in this  Trammart News opinion piece, the most surprising aspect of the budget-building process was the following occurrence. 

It came from Mayor Kate Schwarzler, who had been mentored and supported by the preceding mayor, John McArdle. She chose to attribute much of the financial strain borne by the city to that administration, naming the period of 10-15 years ago as a crux of the current budget situation. 

That was the time when City Manager David Clyne and McArdle served the city, and the two men had been unflinching backers of Schwarzler. 

Schwarzler was awarded many thousands of dollars in grant money for her Indy Commons operation, given shout-outs by the pair for business skills that others didn't always see and praised in many public settings by the two at various times. 

The day McArdle passed the torch of mayor to Schwarzler, he looked as proud as a beloved family member as she was sworn in. 

Yet with a yes-vote seemingly so well assured by the budget committee, Schwarzler chose that moment to point to his previous administration as largely responsible for the current fiscal squeeze. 

This is a time in a budget committee that I'll always remember. To me, it is unforgettable. 

On a personal note, I'm planning on getting assistance from some in my profession on this incident, so that I can proceed clearly and objectively into coverage for the 2026 fiscal year. 

Below are some observations. But the starkest one so far, in my own view, is listed above – a current mayor who seemed to benefit from her predecessor's support, but who singled out his prior administration in an unfavorable light. – Anne Scheck, Trammart News 

THE GOOD. 

Resident voices from the podium were reported as wholly positive in the first two budget meetings. At the last meeting, opposing viewpoints were aired. Both seem important. 

On the final night of the budget session, residents showed up to share their conviction that the will of the citizens – as shown by a failed levy vote – was being disregarded by the budget committee, which seemed set on passing the new fee. 

Linda Gray, a former educator, pointed out that she felt the museum was a "want" and not a need. And, at this time of economic hardship, people already are at a breaking point, she said.

Gabrielle Walton said that "it isn't about whether these services are important" but how a small group of people, the budget committee, is implementing a way to pay for services they want after a levy for the same purpose was thoroughly defeated.

Shannon Ball said the intent of residents was made clear by that vote, and the committee simply wasn't "honoring the will" of local voters. Doug Gray also observed that "we said no to the tax." 

Kevin Hamlin, a library board member, spoke in support of the library – and he seemed to reflect the same view of it as some of the other speakers. The library apparently was seen as an issue separate from the museum by some who spoke. (Steve Scheck, spouse of Trammart News publisher Anne Scheck, also testified but his testimony seemed centered on public records requests).

This year, a city councilor, Dawn Roden, and a budget committee member, Dana Sharman, asked pointed questions of the administration. Sharman and Roden both inquired about the cost and reasoning behind staff additions, such as West's proposal for an in-house attorney. 

Sharman also spotted about a 26% increase in the park budget this year, and asked specifically where that money was needed. West told him that it was formulated by Gerald Fisher, public works director, who was no longer available – Fisher is retiring. However, she said that it is for park maintenance, and play equipment repair as well as bathroom refurbishment. 

Last year, Sharman also questioned how money was going to be saved by Friday closures of city hall, with the exception of the police department. The cost-saving later was deemed negligible by the finance director at that time, Rob Moody, who retired. 

Sharman indicated that he stood by an earlier assertion that "every dollar we take" from a resident is one they cannot spend themselves. He also suggested an ad hoc committee that proposed the fee was made up of members that were "one-sided" in their view. 

But Sharman said he found himself "having to support the fee against my own will" as the best option for the coming year. Roden voted against the budget proposal, which now will go to the city council for final approval in June. 

THE BAD.

City Manager West had a group of supporters on the budget committee – she did what very few managers in cities with about 10,000 people can do: she got the green light to hire a staff lawyer. 

There were no serious objections raised by members of the budget committee, with the exception of City Councilor Roden. 

The move will make the City of Independence one of very few small cities in Oregon to have an in-house attorney – an in-house attorney that's scheduled for employment about 14 months after West claimed Independence was so broke she was worried about keeping the lights on.

The budget for an in-house attorney is about $111,000. However, that estimate may have to be increased, depending on the experience of the attorney who's hired, according to other administrators contacted by Trammart News. And, even at that salary level, the position will cost thousands more per year when the city's typical benefits are added. 

That sum doesn't address the cost of outside legal experts that are likely to be needed for specialized services, ranging from land-use issues to labor-contract negotiations. 

Former City Manager Greg Ellis, who served Independence for a decade from 2000 to 2010, came to the same conclusion; He included it is his editorial essay in this issue (see lead story). 

THE UGLY.

Roden, West and budget committee member Nathan Christensen aired a disagreement over conflict of interest that showed a flare of tempers during the final budget committee meeting. 

Christensen, the husband of museum director Amy Christensen, served on the budget committee and he cast a yes vote for the proposal – a proposal in which his wife's role will be expanded and her pay will be increased. 

Christensen had gathered material in support of the new fee – some of it included illustrations by a family member – and it was designed to help provide individuals who wanted to give supportive testimony at public meetings the appropriate guidance on how to make their points at the podium.

Trammart News received questions about this action, but other than to report on it, TN hadn't delved into the matter. 

However, Roden heatedly questioned why Christensen's vote wasn't a conflict of interest. West countered that the Oregon Government Ethics Commission had been queried about that last year and found no cause for conflict of interest on Christensen's part. 

As a result, West said, seemingly irritated, that she was going to continue to use a legal term: "Asked and answered." Christensen seemed irked, too, interjecting that he knew who made the complaint last year, apparently implicating Roden. 

However, West was in error, according to an outside legal view. The situation for 2026 wasn't the same as it was for 2025; Last year's budget included only the question of museum funding, not an increased role for the museum director. The circumstances had changed. 

So, Trammart News put the question to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. OGEC declined to analyze what the change might mean – it is now a moot point because last year the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 983. 

This bill added a new exception to the conflict of interest disclosure statute (ORS 244.120). Specifically, it added a statute now numbered as ORS 244.120(2)(b)(C). Under it, a governing body member – including a member of a city budget committee – who is voting on a budget that includes their own or a relative’s compensation, may participate in that vote. 

They do first need to publicly announce the nature of their conflict of interest, but after doing so, they are permitted to participate in the deliberations and to vote on the budget adoption. Christensen did make such disclosures at the beginning of all budget committee meetings. 

(All city councilors have  been invited to do a guest editorial on this subject matter, and the  request was cc'd to Mayor Kate Schwarzler, as well.)  ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 15, 2026  

Decisions made a decade ago during the previous mayor's administration are causing the financial strain that the city is facing today – and forcing the need for a nearly $20 fee to be added to utility bills, according to statements made by Independence Mayor Kate Schwarzler at the city budget meeting last week. 

Schwarzler said the cause of current financial squeeze in Independence "happened from decisions made 10 years ago, 15 years ago, that we are still living with."

She was referring to a period in which John McArdle was mayor and David Clyne was city manager. 

McArdle stepped away in 2024, after 26 years at the helm. Clyne, who served as city manager under him, preceded the mayor's departure by a few years. Schwarzler attributed the current financially challenging circumstances to that administration, calling the situation "frustrating." 

She observed that residents also have pointed to these past actions as being responsible for present fiscal struggles. She commended the city manager, Kenna West, for "putting us on a better path." 

Efforts to reach Former Mayor McArdle for his reaction to Schwarzler's commentary have so far been unsuccessful. But Clyne, the city manager at the time, chose to respond to Schwarzler's claims. 

Clyne asserted that, under a practice labeled "best practices" by West, the city stopped transferring utility funds to the General Fund and "pocketed the savings instead of lowering customer bills by that amount." 

Now these same utility customers are being asked to pay $30 more a month on their water-sewer bills, Clyne said, referring to the $10 public safety fee and the $19.65 community services fee that will begin in July. 

In light of Clyne's response, Schwarzler was asked to further clarify her statements on the link between this year's budget and the McArdle administration. 

However, she hasn't replied to that request. 

In past months, Schwarzler has stated that she supports the city manager's ban on the local press, Trammart News, which city staff have said is a mandate that no question from this news outlet  needs to be answered. 

Clyne has alleged that, under the new policy, the city administration has "justified a large rate increase" for existing customers to, among other things, prepay debt obligations that "rightfully should be paid for by new growth instead." 

But new growth has come to a halt. The reason given by developers: A significant rise in building fees, called system development charges. The increase was approved by the Independence City Council after Public Works Director Gerald Fisher presented a plan to do so, shortly after West arrived. (Fisher has since announced his retirement; Advertising for his replacement is underway.) 

The increase in builder charges – to about $53,000 per home – was labeled "massive" by the Homebuilders Association of Marion and Polk Counties, in HBA's widely publicized newsletter. 

Last year, those charges were lowered after a federal report aimed at helping distressed cities made that recommendation to Independence. However, the $10,000 cut in fees didn't generate any more building – the fees were still nearly double that of two neighboring cities, according to a comparison with Dallas and Monmouth. 

Trammart News has queried several developers over the past year, who confirmed that they no longer consider Independence a feasible place for new housing construction. (Acreages along Talmadge have been cleared, but no houses appear to be under construction.) 

Accumulating city debt – identified by Schwarzler as a crux of the city's financial problems – was identified about ten years ago by the city's auditor at that time, Kamala Austin. She informed Mayor McArdle and Independence Council President Marilyn Morton of the risk of possible looming loan obligations, along with the rest of the council. 

Morton has said she doesn't remember the incident. Emails about Austin's past advisory, which were sent to Morton prior to this article, have gone unanswered. 

However, shortly after the former Independence financial director, Rob Moody, gave a presentation on debt, Morton was reminded by Trammart News of the 2017 meeting in which Austin delivered her message. Morton said she didn't recall the meeting. 

In his answer to Schwarzler, Clyne cited the current lack of housing growth as a deep concern. He indicated that not only is it necessary for the city's financial health, but a no-growth period fails to justify a $44 million water-treatment plant. 

"When growth is virtually anemic in Independence – one new housing start in two years, reportedly – are treatment plants for water and sewer suddenly emergency needs at costs in the tens of millions?" Clyne asked.

Schwarzler and West recently made a trip to Washington DC to lobby for revenue for the planned water treatment plant. 

"Without growth, what is driving the need? Without growth who will be asked to pay for them? Where is the financing plan for either facility?" Clyne asked. 

Schwarzler once highly praised both McArdle and Clyne for efforts during their administration – for turning a derelict concrete company site by the Willamette River into the apartments and hotel now known as Independence Landing. 

When she took office as mayor about 18 months ago, Schwarzler expressed her gratitude to McArdle in an online post: “I want to take a moment to acknowledge and thank John McArdle for his remarkable years of service to Independence. His dedication and leadership have left a lasting impact on our community." 

However, she has since said that "long-term decisions" made by that administration, along with factors ranging from state requirements to the inflation rate, have made it hard for the city to remain fiscally sound. 

(Next week Trammart News, which has published editorials on meeting decorum, will revisit how questions were being asked and answered at the budget meetings, including resident testimony.)  ▪

Trammart News Service, May 15, 2026

Introduction

Almost immediately after the near-unanimous vote by the budget committee to send the 2026-2027 Independence budget to the city council for final approval, Trammart News asked a simple question. Who voted against it and why? 

The lone "no" vote was cast by City Councilor Dawn Roden (photo), who agreed to explain her reasons. Her essay, which is being published as a guest editorial, appears below. --AS

Opinion: Why I voted no on the proposed Independence City Budget   

By Dawn Roden

Independence City Councilor

First, the levy failed. 

And I believe any new fees should be taken to the voters before being added to the water bill.

The base water and sewer rates are already too high, and the budget committee dismissed the idea of reducing those rates – whether by an equal amount or even by 50% – to offset new charges.

This budget does not maintain staffing levels; it increases them. It simply does not make economic sense at this time.

We were not presented with a version of the budget that showed what would happen if these new fees were not included. Instead, we were told that, without them, city services would shut down. I don’t believe that’s accurate.

For example, would the library truly have to close? Or could it operate for another year at current funding levels? We simply weren’t given enough information to make that judgment for our community.

This budget also nickels and dimes residents through about $85,000 in new and increased fees – from home‑based business fees to higher dog-licensing costs and increased copy fees at the library.

Nearly every department shows increases in spending, even as our community is being asked to tighten its belt.

On top of that, we are misleading the community about our debt levels by suggesting they will reduce “over the next few years.” The truth is that we are more than doubling our debt with the construction of the new water treatment plant. Our community cannot afford that.

Imagine what our water and sewer bills will look like once the additional costs required to repay that debt are added. This is a major financial burden that residents deserve to understand clearly.

I also believe the City Manager has put the city at real risk by acting as the city attorney, a role that is not hers and should never have been taken on.

If she intends to continue doing this, then I must support bringing in new legal counsel. And to be clear, hiring an in‑house attorney does not eliminate our need for outside legal counsel. We will still need specialized help, and without a firm already under contract, we will have to seek representation and pay for each occurrence. I do not see how we can responsibly or accurately budget for that.

When asked about these costs, the city manager’s response is often something like, “I don’t have a crystal ball.” That kind of answer does not inspire confidence that we can plan for our future legal expenses or understand how high they may rise.

Meanwhile, the city manager and other staff are receiving large pay increases, yet the Independence Civic Center remains closed on Fridays. The city has not demonstrated any real financial benefit from that closure.

In fact, I have emailed staff on multiple Fridays and often receive immediate automated replies stating they are working remotely and may not respond until Monday – raising further concerns about efficiency and transparency.

For these reasons, I could not support a budget that raises costs on residents without clearly showing the tradeoffs, accountability, or shared sacrifice expected in difficult financial times. ▪

By Lance Masterson

For Trammart News Service, May 15, 2026  

Ben Bodeda is a busy man.

That’s to be expected when you’re executive director of a youth center that serves as many as 150 students each day, with numbers that keep ticking up. That growth is driving the center’s next big step: Expansion.

In an interview that took place during the center’s quiet hours – before students began pouring through the doors, to socialize, to improve their computer skills, to learn new recipes, to play volleyball or to just hang out – Bobeda (photo) explained the fast-growing quantity of youth who are using the facility. 

Participation at The Gate has increased by 300 percent in just a few years.

Fundraising is making it possible to construct more square footage at The Gate, as the Independence-based youth center works to keep pace with growing attendance in its after-school programs.

Strong donor support is allowing The Gate to move forward with its plans for a 7,000-square-foot expansion. The goal is to add more space for classrooms, offices, gathering areas, and programming.

“Expanding the Hope,” as the campaign is known, has raised $2.2 million dollars through major gifts, grants, and local contributions. Or just shy of the $2.5 million targeted amount. Some $300,000 is still needed to bridge the funding gap.

“We’re basically down to the last portion of our local goal,” Bobeda said. “We’ve had several generous donors step forward, and we’re hopeful the community will continue to partner with us.”

Community partnerships have never been more important, as acquiring state and federal grants is more competitive.

“There’s less grant money available than there was a few years ago," Bobeda said of government funding streams. “So we’re really focusing on building strong long-term partnerships and long-term community support.”

Expansion hopes were boosted after Tom Pyree and the late Sally Pyree donated $1 million.

“That really changed everything,” Bobeda said of the Pyrees’ generosity. “We had talked about expanding years down the road, but suddenly we had the opportunity to start now.”

Other organizations and individuals also stepped forward.

A private Portland-area foundation awarded $500,000 toward the project while contributing thousands more toward The Gate’s endowment fund. In addition, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust granted $225,000. Another $200,000 came from local sources.

Breaking ground as soon as possible is financially prudent. Cost estimates have increased roughly 10 percent over the past year, Bobeda noted, a trend that is expected to continue.

The community’s belief in providing a safe, supportive space for teenagers is generating widespread support for the expansion project.

“We’re seeing 120 to 150 kids a day in this building,” Bobeda said. “The need continues to grow, and we want to create spaces that help us serve kids better.”

The Gate began in 2005 as a faith-based youth ministry, operating one day a week out of the First Baptist Church. It was known then as “Thursdays at The Gate.”

Over the next 15 years, the ministry steadily expanded its programs and fundraising efforts before opening a stand-alone youth center in 2020. This 12,000-square-foot facility included a gym, game room, gathering spaces, and kitchen that now serves hundreds of students each week.

The Gate’s stated mission is “to demonstrate Christ’s love to the youth of our community through academic, social, and spiritual activities.” Bobeda added that most students do not come from church backgrounds and that the ministry welcomes all youth regardless of faith affiliation.

The Gate operates after school five days a week, from 3 to 6 p.m. There is a summer program.

Programming includes but is not limited to youth groups, clubs, academic support, mentoring, arts, and workforce development.

Students enrolled in auto mechanics, for example, are taught everything from roadside assistance and how to change tires to more advanced skills. Donated vehicles are repaired, recycled, or occasionally gifted to individuals in need within the community.

Twenty-five staff members, including six who are full-time, are employed by The Gate. Administrative and development staff focus on fundraising and donor outreach. An estimated 100 volunteers help throughout the year with meals, events, mentoring, and club programming.

“Many programs could not function without our volunteers,” Bobeda said.

When the building first opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance averaged 15 to 20 students per day. Within a year, daily participation jumped to around 50 students. Today, daily numbers range between 120 and 150 students, depending on the season and sports schedules.

Several factors are driving growth.

“Many students simply need safe places to go after school. Others are drawn by opportunities for social interaction, mentoring, meals, and recreational activities,” Bobeda said. “We really believe there are kids where the meal they get here may be the last full meal they have that day.”

The Gate reportedly served 11,000 meals after school and 6,000 lunches while supporting 940 students and 600 families last year.

Included in the plans are new classrooms, offices, and quieter environments for students who struggle with high-activity areas. Another change, the existing game room will be converted into a cafe-style dining and gathering area.

“Staff is excited that the afternoon meal will no longer be served in the volleyball court, and that there will be quieter spaces for mentoring, academic support, clubs and crafts,” Bobeda said. “These new spaces will allow us … to provide a space for students with sensory issues.”

Facet Architects and Dalke Construction are the contractors. Permits have been submitted and ground will be broken once approval from the City of Independence is received.

The Gate’s location across from the high school and down the street from the middle school plays a role in its success. Students frequently line up outside the building before doors open each afternoon.

More than 900 students reportedly participated in some form of The Gate programming last year, a number that represents more than half the combined student enrollment of the two schools.

“On average, over 130 teens come every afternoon,” Program Director Mykaela Anderson said. “Some come for the meals, others to hang out and play games. But all of them connect with one of our amazing staff in some way.” ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 8, 2026  

Jimmy'Z, the Independence Gas and Mini-Mart that's known as so much more than the name implies, is changing hands with a deal scheduled to conclude in June. 

Jim Newbeck, who came to Oregon from San Diego as a teen, and has applied continual effort in building Jimmy'Z, is ready to relinquish his role as the high-energy entrepreneur who took a couple of pumps and a snack shop more than two decades ago and turned it into a town hub. 

Jimmy'Z will soon be owned by Jason Uppal (photo). Uppal has been in several mornings this week, learning all about the town's beloved one-stop shop, which features items ranging from one-of-a-kind chicken gizzards by the front counter to night crawlers for fishing enthusiasts in the back refrigerator. 

The new proprietor is an experienced entrepreneur who lives in the Lincoln City area. He's been in business for himself since he was 20 years old and took over a small market from his dad. 

Years of toil and a large remodeling job helped make Jimmy'Z successful, but it was Newbeck's unending commitment that's kept it that way, recalled one longtime customer. "It's just such a big part of the town," said the former city employee. "You come in, get what you need, and you can count on great service inside and out."

In fact, Jimmy'Z has quite a few "regulars" who dash in several times a week, according to the staff. A few arrive in the early morning, for sustenance needed to start their day – in one case, an ice cream bar from the freezer, in another, a big bag of barbecue-style potato chips. 

In his younger adulthood, Newbeck pounded away as a construction worker on the large downtown skeletal structure now known colloquially as "Stonehenge." He'd noticed the business right across the street, "Indy Gas," as it then was called. He made up his mind to acquire it. 

Uppal first met Newbeck at a conference, and the two seemed to click, Uppal recalled. Over the past five years, they developed a friendship that will continue, Uppal said. Newbeck has said he's remaining in the Monmouth-Independence community after the sale is completed. 

Uppal, a native Oregonian, has family in the Mid-Willamette Valley. The Jimmy’Z crew said this week that he's a throwback to Newbeck: upbeat, energetic and "always moving," as one put it.

Uppal has a barber shop in Toledo, a taxi service in Lincoln City and a Sinclair gas station in Otis, complete with a green dinosaur. And, by this summer, he will own one of the most popular spots in Independence, too, where residents go not just to "gas up" but to grab food, snacks, sodas and pleasant staff chit-chat. 

Uppal said he has no plans to make any substantial changes – even the name will stay the same. But he does want to expand the food choices, perhaps by adding mashed potatoes and gravy as a side for the store's trademark chicken servings. Asked if the gizzards will stay on, too, Uppal affirmed that they will always be an item. ▪

Trammart News Service, May 8, 2026  

This week, the budget committee voted to place a nearly $20 fee on residential utility bills. The  $19.65 for  community services – parks, museum and library – is scheduled to go to the Independence City Council for final approval soon.  

There was one dissenting vote, by City Councilor Dawn Roden. But before the vote was taken, several residents voiced their concern – my husband was one of them. I hadn't been given a copy of what he wanted to say. But I am reporting it now. 

A comment last week by City Councilor Evan Sorce, alleging the weaponization of public records requests, seemed to be the trigger. My spouse of nearly 50 years is a deep believer in both the public's right to know and in the power of democracy. 

Trammart News, which has been targeted by Sorce on occasion, had notified both State Sen. Deb Patterson and Rep. Paul Evans of Sorce's assertion, re-stating for the two legislators that public records requests are an Oregon law benefiting not just a local news outlet but all Oregonians. 

Sorce was made privy to the email sent to both. 

However, my husband (photo) wasn't content with my private message. 

He believes many of the city council, including the city manager and mayor, have repeatedly shown a lack of transparency. So he gave testimony at the meeting. And, consistent with a common observation about City Manager Kenna West at meetings, she seemed to pay little apparent attention to public testimony, often occupying herself with objects in front of her, including her cellphone, while residents spoke at the podium. 

Steve Scheck's brief speech, slightly edited for clarity and correctness, is below. --AS

Guest Editorial 

By Stephen Scheck

From conversations with individuals living in Independence, I believe one reason for the negative vote on the levy in support of the parks, the museum and the library was that residents didn’t feel that they had been given complete information.

During the public information phase prior to the levy vote, a complaint I heard multiple times was “why couldn’t we be given an opportunity to vote separately on the parks, library, and museum?” Not all three are of equal importance to everyone. Further, some expressed annoyance that they were only given a “take it all or take nothing” option. 

That perception may still exist because there is no easy way to understand exactly how much it costs to run the library, or the museum, or the parks.

Please be transparent with the residents about those costs – especially when adding a special fee to monthly utility bills to cover them.

Why would transparency be mentioned at this time? 

The word “weaponization” was used to describe some public records requests at the last meeting. 

When making such statements – please explain what activity is being referenced. We frequently hear this term misused in Washington DC for political gain. Let’s not do this here in Independence. 

Is “weaponization” referring to my wife, Anne Scheck, in her role at Trammart News, seeking communication records to determine whether public meeting laws were violated when an ambush-like censure vote was staged on an unsuspecting city councilor?

Or, was it Trammart News attempting to get official comment on the total cost of procuring the property needed for the future water treatment plant? 

Or – related to current budget construction – was it confirming the city manager’s new compensation package after the city council approved the manager’s pay raise? 

Indeed, a public records request for this information was declined by the city stating that the city doesn’t have the requested information.  (Trammart News made a second request to which the city did supply West's base pay of about $188,000.)  

But, as budget committee members, don’t you think you should have such information – especially when considering adding a new fee to resident utility bills? 

In closing, the word transparency is easy to pronounce – actually being transparent requires more effort.

I sincerely thank you for your service to our community.

 
(Stephen Scheck resided in Independence for many years. He is a professor and former administrator at Western Oregon University and is married to Trammart News's Anne Scheck)  

NOTE: Trammart News sent emails to both City Manager West and City Councilor Evan Sorce prior to publishing this editorial. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 8, 2026  

More expulsion processes have taken place over the past few months in local schools than at any other time in her nine-year history as superintendent of Central School District, Dr. Jennifer Kubista told members of the CSD School Board Monday night. 

This April, school suspensions rose from last year's count in the same period, from 63 to 70.  

A guide for 2025 -2026, called the student "Code of Conduct," was written after the results came in from last year's parent-caregiver survey; A statement reflecting "consistent enforcement" of rules scored a 2.95 out of 5.                                 

There has been a behavioral "uptick," Kubista told school board members.

The Code of Conduct asks for schools to undertake a community-wide effort  to help ensure safe classroom settings. However, in conversations with a few teachers initiated by Trammart News, there is concern and confusion about how best to do that. Trammart News sent an inquiry to the district on this matter.

In response to this inquiry, Emily Mentzer, communications coordinator for the district, stated that the Code of Conduct encompasses discipline that's "developmentally appropriate. K-5 could look different than 6-12, for example." 

The aim is trying to solve problems at the lowest level based on the conduct, Mentzer said. 

Two professional learning days for teacher training are now built into the school calendar, she added.  

Kubista made her statements in response to questioning from School Board Member Melanie Landon-Hays, who wanted to know: "What are the ways were are mediating safety in the classroom for our teachers?" 

The "safety situation," as it is being called, came to light in statistics from the district – the increase of seven suspensions this month – as well as worries expressed by teachers during this spring's contract-negotiating sessions, when some shared anecdotes of chair tossing and physical threats. 

The student Code of Conduct is being designed to help all understand and identify what's considered a serious infraction – and "weapon replicas" are one item that's been seen more commonly, Kubista said. In recent weeks, "we've seen an uptick in that," Kubista said, referring to the weapon look-alikes. In nice weather, some students can misunderstand that even squirt guns are a violation, she said. 

So far, there has been some confusion about how the student Code of Conduct will be applied, according to some of the teachers. However, there seems to be strong support for having a specific document.  

There also seem to be signs of more aggression in some cases – of youth going from "zero to a hundred" in terms of impulse control or anger, Kubista observed. Schools across the country are seeing a similar rise, she added. 

Though Kubista didn't cite the possible underlying reasons for the growth of troubling student behavior, other experts have pinned it on current economic strains impacting families. A study in the Journal of Child and Family Studies, which was published this past July, found that financial squeeze on families – regardless of income – had a "spillover" effect on youth. 

Gas and grocery prices, which surged in 2022, have continued to reach new peaks, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

One barrier is that, when a student makes a poor choice, "it can be hard sometimes for family members to hear that," Kubista said. She called for more kindness among everyone participating in the education process. 

However, Kubista acknowledged that being kind may mean different things to different people. As one attendee observed: "If you have a parent who feels a child who gets agitated needs compassion and not punishment, kindness can be defending the child." 

"We always focus on building relationships and supports for students first and foremost," said Amy Layton, a teacher who has been part of the contract bargaining sessions by the Central Education Association. "School should be a safe place to learn," she said.  

This article was updated on 5/8/2026 to include school district-provided information. 

(Next week a report with more details on the Code of Conduct and also recent comments by state Rep. Paul Evans on the difficult financial demands of the behavioral health challenges in public schools.)  ▪

Editorial Analysis by Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 1, 2026  

Trammart News attended last year’s budget sessions, as well as those this year, and was present at all the recent mayoral pub talks on city finances. In light of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, it seemed a good time to show how observation and reporting in journalism can provide checks and perspective on government events, including those at the local level involving the expenditure of tax dollars.

What follows is an editorial analysis of how the Independence budget committee appears to compare with published reports of characteristics that can impact this annual city process, at times falling into three traps that are described. 

1) Negative interpersonal dynamics are a downfall. 

This can lead to dysfunction for all, according to a list of best practices for city boards from the Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency. 

At a recent meeting, Independence City Councilor Bill Boisvert appeared to provide an example of how this can occur. He weighed in on why Councilor Dawn Roden didn't get a second on one of her motions at the budget meeting. It was just a bad idea, he asserted. 

However, not according to the City of Dallas, which has implemented the same approach Roden suggested – to lower the pay burden on residents with a new add-on fee by reducing the utility bill in the same amount. 

But critical independent thinking can be overshadowed by reliance on authority figures by board members, according to several studies on municipal governance. And Public Works Director Gerald Fisher had said Roden's idea – to reduce water rates in the wake of a fee add-on to the water bill to boost community funding – wouldn't work because it could impact lending agreements for infrastructure. 

Boisvert chimed in with his bash on Roden after Fisher spoke. 

Trammart News made a trip to the Dallas City Hall and spoke with Communications Specialist Alyson Roberson there. Dallas has a new $5 Facilities & Equipment Fee being added to its monthly utility bill. With the new fee, the city reduced the existing stormwater fee by $5 per month, Roberson explained: The result is no net increase to Dallas customers’ monthly utility bills.

Trammart News was told by others at Dallas city hall there's no worry about this action impacting loans to the city.

Note: Fisher is leaving Independence; Ads for a new public works director are now appearing online. 

2) When probing questions aren't aired, dominant viewpoints go unexplored. 

To make a difference for their communities, committee members need to avoid the pitfall of "group think," according to a more than 15-year-old study in the journal Local Government Review. 

This seems a hard task for the Independence budget committee. They appear to have difficulty challenging City Manager Kenna West, who works for them, often failing to pin down evidence during budget sessions. 

For example, in last year’s budget building process West pushed for a four-day week at the Independence City Hall, which means closure on Fridays. No budget members asked about cost savings from the proposed closure while Trammart News was at those meetings – and there is practically none, according to a follow-up by Trammart News. 

The former finance director, Rob Moody, called the reduction in costs from it only negligible, when speaking with another news publication, and a staff member at the Independence Civic Center said it was never researched as a cost-cutting strategy. 

Without clearly defined dollar savings identified, the City Council approved Friday city hall closures; Thus, all offices are shut down on Fridays with the exception of the Independence Police Department. 

Mayor Kate Schwarzler often seems in lock step with West. Last year, for example, when West explained the city was broke, Schwarzler supported her by saying it was going to be "painful" for people to lose some services but that she also felt "really, really concerned about our structural issues with the budget." 

This year, Schwarzler expressed support for adding the staff members desired by West, including an in-house attorney. 

This year, like the Friday city hall closures, no evidence has been introduced to show definitively how a staff attorney would save money – only West's pronouncement that this position would be more cost effective and convenient. 

City Councilor Marilyn Morton said it would be helpful to have a city attorney at meetings to answer questions, but Monmouth had that benefit for years with Lane Shetterly, a Dallas-based attorney who recently retired. Shetterly, who previously served as a state legislator, attended Monmouth City Council meetings while maintaining a law practice in Polk County. 

In fact, publications ranging from Practical Law to Law360 suggest adding a staff attorney should be carefully evaluated because most cities need to go beyond their in-house lawyer for special expertise – expertise that's available when contracting with a firm of multiple attorneys. That same point also is made by the International Municipal Lawyers Association. 

So far, Roden is the only one to actively object to this proposed hire – she handed out a letter at an earlier budget meeting listing some of the same concerns reflected in professional advisories.

The Local Government Law Group in Eugene, the firm that's served Independence for several years, has eight attorneys, whose practice areas include land use, municipal law and bond measures, among others. The firm represents several small cities, such as Cottage Grove, which is about the same population as Independence. 

West said during the meeting that this new staff lawyer wouldn't mean contracts by the city with other specialized attorneys are a thing of the past. 

3) Hidden truths can avoid tough decision-making, and they're not rare. 

A few years ago, the National Academy of Sciences measured preferences for truth-telling in a sample of 816 elected politicians, and also studied the characteristics associated with honesty. "We find that in our sample, politicians who are averse to lying have lower reelection rates, suggesting that honesty may not pay off in politics," the authors concluded. 

There's no sign that budget committee members engaged in any dishonesty – but some have used examples, even data, that simply isn't true. Schwarzler has called money in the water bill for MINET a myth. Technically, there's no longer a special $10 fee earmarked for the municipal fiberoptic, which once was the case. 

However, that $10 fee never went away – it was absorbed into the water bill. Some residents are worried that the new nearly $20 monthly fee for "community services" may end up in a similar ongoing pool of revenue. 

And a special city committee formed by Schwarzler has raised some public eyebrows. 

During recent budget committee meetings, the $19.65 – proposed to be added to the city utility billing – was labeled by several budget committee members as coming from that committee, sometimes referred to as a task force, made up of community members. That's technically true, too. 

But the community members were drawn largely from both the library board and the museum committee – two sources filled with advocates for the new fee.

A chief proponent of the fee, Budget Committee Member Erin Seiler, presented the plan at an earlier work session. Her advocacy should have come as no surprise. During last year's city budget meeting, she identified herself as preferring to fund the museum and library over providing financial support for Independence Days. 

City Financial Director Amanda Carey told budget meeting attendees that cities all over Oregon are facing the same fees, citing Corvallis and Salem as examples of those who had implemented them for similar purposes.

But both those cities did so with voter approval: Salem passed a levy for those services last year, and Corvallis did so previously at the city's ballot box. In contrast, Independence residents voted against such a levy, by a 3-to-2 margin. 

Additionally, reports were given to the library board by Nathan Christensen on the progress of the special committee that recommended the community-service fee of nearly $20. Christensen, a member of the Independence budget committee, is married to the Independence Heritage Museum director.

The fee has strong advocates. At the last meeting, two well-known town residents, Billy Herrell  and Vidal Pena, spoke in support of the parks, museum and library.  Two other speakers spoke in support of specific funding, as well.  Rebecca Berry, a member of Friends of the Library, spoke in support of  The Independence Library; Forrest Johnson, who is working with youth at the Community Services Consortium, emphasized his appreciation for being  able to prepare an upcoming museum exhibit with students – and  expressed sorrow that the levy had been defeated. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, May 1, 2026  

Student disruption in classrooms is an escalating problem at Central School District and more definitive steps to address the problem have become a sticking point in the current contract negotiations with teachers. 

"Student disruption and disrupted learning is a daily occurrence in our district," asserted Nathan Muti, president of the Central Education Association, otherwise known as the local teachers' union.

Student disciplinary policies for dealing with such risky situations are in place – and, in fact, school officials have characterized them as guiding appropriate action. However, they simply don't meet the growing classroom needs for increasingly frequent outbursts and assaults, Muti said.

During this week's negotiating session, Amy Layton, a special education teacher at Central High, said protective measures should be spelled out contractually. "We are now seeing students learn these behaviors from other students," she said. 

Cyberbullying is also inflicting anguish on teachers, Layton said. Although there is a cell phone ban for CSD schools, students are able to carry them throughout the day – and some use them surreptitiously to slam teachers. The result is that some educators feel harassed on a "daily basis," she said. 

"We have to figure out how to make the environment safe," agreed Dr. Jennifer Kubista, superintendent of the CSD (Henry Hill headquarters shown in photo). However, enforcement of discipline is influenced by the legal elements embedded in some fairly recent laws. "I am engaging now in a work group with a state senator that put some of them in place," Kubista told teachers at the meeting. 

Outside the session, Muti confirmed there are district policies for addressing student conduct, but they’re created by the superintendent's office. The proposed actions in the contractual agreement would be more specific and allow for input by those who are directly affected by such incidents – namely, teachers, Muti pointed out. 

Some serious stressors come from parents, too. Use of the communication tool "Parent Square" to unleash dissatisfaction with teachers has become common, Layton said, noting that some use it to "fire off" comments instead of to send messages. 

"I think social media is a blessing and a curse at the same time," Kubista said. 

Use of foul language as well as biting, kicking and hitting often occur among "high needs" students – and there are many of them in Central School District, Muti said. 

In fact, CSD 13J has one of the highest populations of special-needs students enrolled in public school within the state. There are more group homes and foster care settings in Monmouth and Independence than many other places, according to data from the Oregon Department of Education. 

When a disruption occurs, the proposed language in the teachers' contract calls for the possibility of "an alternative setting" for the student who caused a need for the room to be cleared. 

Brian Flannery, executive director of human resources for the district, has cited the limits of SB 819, a law passed by the Oregon legislature stating that students with disabilities have the right to a full school day. SB 819 ensures that no student can be placed on an abbreviated school day program without the voluntary informed and written consent of their parent or foster parent, Flannery said. 

But the educators' bargaining team has a counterargument that seems to center on the perceived limits of the law. Taking students away from the classroom for the safety of teachers and students alike doesn't contrast with SB 819, Muti said. "The language we have proposed shouldn't affect the law's enforcement," Muti said. 

Layton acknowledged that SB 819 is complex, but she called it largely irrelevant for some of the issues requiring attention. In contrast, Flannery said that "some of the language proposed by the union did not fully align with this law." 

"This is one reason why we would not be able to agree to some of the union-proposed language," Flannery added. 

Bargaining sessions will resume this month. ▪