City council approves sale of Heritage Museum building; 120 days to vacate

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 25, 2026      

Seven years ago, the Independence City Council voted to approve a loan of up to $650,000 for a corner building on 2nd Street to house the Heritage Museum. Four days ago, the council voted to sell it for $750,000. 

After paying the remaining mortgage of $280,665 plus closing costs, the sale will net $424,000 – a sum to be added to the city's reserve in the general fund, according to a city staff memo. 

The resolution was approved Tuesday, with a single no vote cast by Councilor Dawn Roden. City Council President Kathy Martin-Willis, who served as mayor due to the absence of Kate Schwarzler, appeared to visibly fight back tears as she called for the vote.

The museum hosted events ranging from school field trips to Veteran-of-the-Month celebrations. 

The sale brings to a close a 50-year journey for the museum, which opened its doors at its original site during the July 4th holiday in 1976. The historic institution will now be physically combined with the Independence Library.

The quest to find a new home for the museum began nearly a dozen years ago. A band of museum advocates began working toward moving the museum out of a historic Baptist church at 3rd and B streets after it became clear that expansion at the site – by the addition of an annex – wasn't within financial reach through fundraising efforts, according to an announcement by the affiliated non-profit in 2014. Parts of the building were ADA inaccessible.

The church was bought by the late Ken Fetters and wife, Becky, for a reported $350,000. That money helped defray the $425,000 purchase price of the new museum site of nearly 6,600 square feet at 281 S 2nd Street.

The Fetters became enthusiastic museum supporters, along with some of the 300 people who flocked to the opening of the new museum building in the spring of 2022. 

But, from the beginning, the relocation encountered money needs, according to news reports by Trammart News five years ago. Tom Pessemier, the Independence city manager at the time, confirmed that substantial repairs were needed. 

The price for refurbishment continued to tick up, from better weatherproofing to rebuilt sidewalks, according to city sources. 

It took hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the new building outfitted.

At one point, this news outlet was criticized for coverage of the increasing costs by a museum board member, who staged a sidewalk confrontation and called the debt from buying the building worth far more than the expense.

A plan to sell municipal land to raise the money for the project fell through when Pessemier discovered that two city-owned lots scheduled to be put on the market were restricted for resale. (The current administration and city council have placed these lots, known as "Polk Park," for sale.) 

The Heritage Museum consists of a display floor, staff offices, a meeting room, storage space and a foyer with a gift shop. Current exhibits and artifacts have about four months to be placed elsewhere, according to the sales agreement. 

The city reported the buyers as Byron Shinkle, who recently served as chair of the Central School Board and now is a member of it, along with his brother Aaron. The pair are expected to use the space for offices and meeting areas. The property will now be placed back on the tax rolls.

The sale will not change the need for a $19.65 community-services fee that is being put to a November vote since it is a onetime influx of money, said Shawn Irvine, assistant city manager. ▪

EDITORIAL

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 25, 2026      

Public testimony was given by Trammart News Tuesday night and it appears below. However, expressions of appreciation were missing from the address. Thanks go to Emily Mentzer of Central School District; Nicole Knight-Pineda of the Office of the Polk County Commissioners; Sabra Jewell of the City of Monmouth. The three are communications coordinators that, despite some hard-hitting articles by this news outlet over the years, have never wavered from assisting the local press. It is important to recognize those who do so. 

-- Anne Scheck  

Delivered to the Independence City Council on Sept. 22, 2026 as public testimony:

Freedom of the Press is a cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution. In this town, it upholds the rights of Independence residents to be informed.

So, you may be surprised to hear that I’ve been singled out by some as having been treated in a similar way as national news media this week – by you, a small-town city council. “How do you like the fact that Indy is using White House tactics against Trammart News?” came one inquiry. 

So, I am speaking to you today on that point, at an appropriate time – during National Constitution Week and airing my opinion to you. 

The decision by city leadership, your mayor and city manager, to support a press ban that enables your communications director to ignore inquiries from Trammart News over more than the past two years has been a barrier to transparency. 

Your city manager made two trips to the county newspaper to get me ousted when I served there, issuing threats and raising her voice to the publisher. Your mayor chastised me after a sheriff’s investigator upheld my complaint that your communications director shouldn’t have grasped my shoulder to prevent me from asking a question of the former city finance director. 

However, Trammart News just keeps trying, unsuccessfully, to get the city’s side for published articles. Usually, I call, email and drop a note off at the reception desk before I call it a failed try. 

Here is an example. Two state agencies confirmed the closures of city parks went against policies in place at Riverview Park and Sunset Meadows Park. Was it my great reporting that established this fact? Not really. A resident turned to the local media to check on the issue and relied on me to pin it down and get the word out. 

The number one priority of Trammart News has been to report for residents, and to follow how their tax dollars are spent. Transparency about this shouldn’t be an optional privilege of city officials – it should be part of their public service. 

This kind of restriction can have long-term consequences for civic engagement. And civic engagement is why I founded Trammart News a decade ago. 

I wish to thank the people of this town who recently showed me civic engagement is alive and well in the best possible way. 

(NOTE: Two significant corrections have been requested of Trammart News over the 10 years in which the news outlet has been operating; Both were quickly rectified. One was at the 

request of the late City Councilor Ken Day, who asked several years ago that an error in a reported water rate be corrected. More recently, Mayor Kate Schwarzler's statement was clarified on the difference between viewpoints shared in comments to the city and those made on social media. The mayor, the city manager and the communications director were asked by TN to comment on the above editorial but no reply was received.) ▪

By Lance Masterson

For Trammart News Service, September 25, 2026      

Former long-time Central football coach Shane Hedrick returned this fall for his first game at the school since taking over the reins at Cascade High School.

It was an enjoyable homecoming for Hedrick and his top-ranked Cougars, as they prevailed 40-7 to extend their winning streak to 16 games.

The Cougars are also the defending state champion at the Class 4A level.

Hedrick's ties to Central are deep. He played football for the Panthers before beginning his coaching career. His two children also graduated from Central and competed in athletics. Son Grant, played football, daughter Julie, was a multi-sport athlete.

Shane still calls Independence home.

“I am still very proud of Independence, Monmouth and the community,” Hedrick said. “I like what I see here.”

Prior to Friday’s game against Central Hedrick and I got together for an interview. What follows is his edited answers to my questions.

Lance Masterson: Let’s dive right into this. Could you give me some background on your time at Central?

Shane Hedrick: It goes way back. My entire family grew up in Independence and graduated from Central. I was a ball boy there in 1969.

LM: How did you get that job?

SH: My dad, Dale Hedrick, was an assistant football coach. Chuck Harris was the head coach. He has since passed away, but it was quite an adventure. I later graduated from Central and left for about 10 years. I coached elsewhere before returning in 1999. I stayed through 2018 and served as football coach and athletic director for most of that time.

LM: Was your father ever Central’s head coach?

SH: No, he was an assistant for a while. He graduated from Central in 1960, and all his brothers and sisters graduated from there as well.

LM: What led you to Cascade?

SH: There was a Central connection. Gary Drill was the vice principal at Central during my time there. His son, Darin, was a couple of years behind me at Central, and we knew each other well. Darin was Cascade’s superintendent and asked whether I would consider coming there to teach and coach. The opportunity fit where I was in life, so I took him up on it.

LM: What are your fondest memories from Central?

SH: There were many. I knew a lot of families who attended Central and grew up in the community. I also watched the school and its athletic facilities completely transform. Until 2010, we played our football games at Western Oregon University. The district passed a bond in 2008 that allowed us to build Central’s current facility and bring football and soccer home. Before that, the soccer teams played across the street at the church. Many people helped plan and build the facility. I still live in Independence and drive past it almost every day. I remain proud of it.

The bond did not include a turf field, so we met at the Green Villa Barn on Highway 51 and raised more than $100,000 in one night. The superintendent and bond manager found additional funding, and we got it installed. That was a big deal because the economy was awful in 2008. We were one of the few school districts in the state — and on the West Coast — to pass a bond. It was a community effort. When you work with like-minded people who understand the big picture and what a project can do for kids, it is amazing what can happen. Central has continued to maintain the facility. The school replenished the turf last year and installed a new track. I love seeing that momentum continue.

LM: Describe the success you had at Central.

SH: We had five teams reach the semifinals, and each was unique. It was fun to coach my son and his friends in 2009. There was a lot of excitement surrounding that team. I also had the privilege of coaching players who reached the highest levels. Jeff Charleston graduated in 2000 and later won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints. Marlon Tuipulotu played for me in 2015. He appeared in two Super Bowls with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Jordan Pratt also played for me. He spent eight years in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization before finishing his college football career at Stanford, where he was an Academic All-American.

LM: Was last season your first state championship as a coach?

SH: That’s right. It took a while, but it was a lot of fun. We had been close many times before finally getting it done.

LM: When did you begin coaching at Cascade?

SH: My first season was 2023.

LM: Did you know during your first two seasons that you had something special?

SH: I knew we had great leadership, and that attracted me. Running schools is difficult today because there are so many demands and challenges. Darin is an amazing superintendent, and we have a great principal. I knew we had a chance to succeed. The players were another positive. They are great to coach, work hard and have supportive parents.

I knew in 2023 that we would be OK, but we needed to put our signature on the program through our work ethic, behavior and code of conduct. We wanted everyone to become the best version of themselves. The players and their parents bought into it.

LM: You have been very successful at both schools. Why?

SH: We put a lot of time into helping young men. I say young men because I had a few girls play football for me at Central, but all my players at Cascade have been boys. It comes down to doing the work and establishing academic and behavioral expectations. You have to be around the players and help guide them. It is a daily process, not something you do only during football season. You attend their games and wrestling matches. You support them academically. You stay close as they grow and make decisions. It is about being a consistent presence in their lives. When you do that, things begin to take off.

LM: How has Cascade progressed during your tenure?

SH: We reached the quarterfinals in 2023 and the semifinals in 2024. In 2025, we won the state championship.

LM: What should people know about this year’s team?

SH: We lost some very good players, but we also returned some. We are excited about where we are. Last season we did not lose a game between our varsity and junior varsity schedules. We have talent. Some players are still learning the system and understanding that success requires hard work on and off the field. You have to be the best version of yourself 24/7. But it is early. We have played only two games.

LM: How many consecutive games has Cascade won?

SH: We have won 15 in a row. We went 13-0 last season.

LM: Who did you beat in the state championship game?

SH: Henley.

LM: What was the score?

SH: We won 52-0.

LM: What went through your mind when you realized you would finally win a state championship?

SH: That is a good question. Nobody has asked me that, and I have probably been interviewed 100 times about it. Between my playing and coaching careers, it was my eighth semifinal appearance and my first time reaching the championship game. We took a team picture afterward, and I looked like a grumpy old drill sergeant. Everyone else was smiling and holding up one finger to show we were No. 1. I sat there looking into the crowd. My reaction was, “There it is. We did it.” Then your mind begins racing through all the people who were involved. When you are a younger coach, you sometimes puff out your chest and think, “That was all me.” As you get older, you realize how many people contributed to the team’s success. Going 13-0 is crazy.

LM: What do you expect from Central on Friday?

SH: Central is a good, well-coached opponent. I know most of its coaches well, and I hired many of them. That alone will make Friday a challenge. Central also has good athletes. We will find out how much we have grown as a team after Week 3.

LM: Will this be your first time coaching at Central since leaving?

SH: Yes. This is my first time returning for a competition.

LM: Does this game feel different from other road games?

SH: No, because I have experienced something similar. My first head coaching job was at South Albany from 1994 through 1996. Central later moved to Class 5A, putting us in the same conference as South Albany. I returned to a school where I had previously been the head coach, and it was a positive experience. I do not think returning to Central will be any different.

I will recognize some faces. I developed strong relationships there, and many remain strong today. It will be great to see those people. Mike Ainsworth was the announcer when I coached there, and I know he is still doing it. It will be fun to hear his voice. I have been gone for eight seasons. I did not coach any of Central’s current players, so there is no attachment in that regard. It will be another Friday night football game.

LM: Grant (Hedrick's son) is on your coaching staff. What has it been like coaching with him? Could he eventually become a head coach?

SH: Words cannot describe the joy I have experienced coaching with my son. I have been blessed as a father. My daughter is amazing, and my son is amazing. Coaching with Grant has been a great experience. He is our offensive coordinator. When you are a coordinator, you are only a breath away from becoming a head coach. Is he ready? Absolutely. He is ready and chomping at the bit.

LM: Does that mean you will step aside soon?

SH: We look at it year by year. This is my 41st year as a coach. I feel good, enjoy what I am doing and still bring a lot of energy. However, sometime in the next couple of years, I could become an assistant if someone were dumb enough to hire me. Maybe I could persuade my son to hire me as one of his assistants. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 18, 2026      

The Independence city manager ordered closures of Riverview Park and Sunset Meadows Park despite restrictions intended to prevent shutdowns of facilities there, according to two state agencies. 

If the $19.65 community services fee fails to be approved on the November ballot and City Manager Kenna West moves to make both of these park closings permanent, complications aside from park closures could follow – as set forth in rules provided by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the Department of Land Conservation and Development. 

Independence may need to consider requesting an amendment to the Willamette River Greenway Plan with assistance from the state if Riverview Park permanently closes, according to officials at the DLCD. The closings could put the city out of compliance at Sunset Meadows Park, as well. 

There has been no reply from the city on these findings by Trammart News, despite multiple attempts to obtain comment. Independence's communications director, Emmanuel Goicochea hasn't provided any answers to this news outlet in over two years, a lack of response that has been attributed to an order from West to ignore inquiries from Trammart News. 

A notice at the city's website states that a $30,000 grant from the non-profit Friends of Community Parks will keep Riverview Park open through December. In a statement on the matter, the DLCD observed that a permanent closure of Riverview Park would require an analysis of its impact on the Willamette River Greenway Plan. 

A portion of Riverview Park lies within the state-mandated Willamette River Greenway, a designated public resource. The Greenway boundary, which lies adjacent to the river, extends 150 feet from the usual low water line of the river and includes land alongside it (ORS Chapter 390).

The Willamette River Greenway Plan is managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and is defined in Oregon Administrative Rules. The nature area in Sunset Meadows Park was financed by OPRD grant funding, under an agreement that protects public access. 

Such OPRD grants stipulate that recreational sites developed with such fundng are required to be available to the public for 25 years, explained Michele Scalise, the grants and community program manager for OPRD.

OPRD has no enforcement authority. "But we do note when grant applicants aren't in compliance," Scalise said. That could affect future grant-funding opportunities from OPRD, she said, adding that she has spoken with assistant city manager Shawn Irvine about the issue. 

In addition, the OPRD is a "pass through" agency for federal grants issued by the Land and Water Conservation Fund – and Riverview Park is a recipient of that funding for several projects there. These grants also protect public access – and, in this case, "in perpetuity," as stated in the 40-year-old grant agreement with the city. 

West announced her intent to shut the parks and enclose them with barriers at the last Independence Parks Board meeting, and credited work with her new in-house attorney, Greg Goebel, with helping her lay the plans. 

Goebel, who was recently hired, has been the subject of a salary-and-benefits request by two city councilors, so that the sum can be compared with that of outside contracted attorneys over the past few years. 

Bringing an in-house attorney onto the city staff makes Independence one of the few towns with a population size of about 10,000 to employ a full-time lawyer. 

"As a City Councilor, I take my oversight role very seriously," said City Councilor Evan Sorce when asked about the matter. At the last city council meeting, Sorce had asked for "the numbers" pertaining to legal expenses. City Councilor Dawn Roden had also asked for a full accounting of those expenditures including providing legal costs for the previous four years since costs may have been higher in recent years due to the eminent domain process to acquire the property for the future water treatment plant. 

"When public money is involved, I believe the public has a right to know where that money is going, why it is being spent, what the city is receiving in return, and whether there were better alternatives," she said. "Where is the savings?"

Several residents, including one who spoke to the council during public testimony at the last city meeting, have called for tighter "guardrails" to guide the city manager. 

A standard occasion to set goals for a city manager, as well as to give feedback, typically occurs during an annual review process, according to the League of Oregon Cities' 2025 report, "Effective Evaluations of City Managers." However, that opportunity wasn't taken by the city council last year for West at the time it was scheduled. 

Instead, a public session that became one of support and encouragement was held for West – and endorsed by Mayor Kate Schwarzler as the annual assessment. When Roden offered a differing view of West's performance during the time set aside for it, she was interrupted by Schwarzler. (Trammart News had submitted a notice to the council that West's review would be reported as departing from the usual protocol recommended for cities.) 

West received a 5% raise, elevating the city manager to $188,000 in salary, according to a follow-up public records request by this news outlet. 

As Independence residents move toward the November vote on the community-services fee, OPRD and DLCD aren't the only state agencies interested in whether the outcome will mean Independence park closures – so is the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.

The status of water access points, such as the city boat ramp, would be "something we would like to know" if a Riverview Park closure happens, said Elise Kelley, an ODFW fish biologist for the Southern Willamette Valley. 

All parks with the exception of Riverview remain barricaded or fenced. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 18, 2026      

All contract negotiations will move to mediation due to a bargaining stalemate between Central School District and the teachers' union, the Central Education Association, according to an announcement this week.

"Based on recent conversations at the bargaining table and hearing the Association team’s perspective on the progress of bargaining, it is clear that the parties are not close to agreement on numerous key issues," stated Superintendent Jennifer Kubista in a statement released this week. It seems more productive to move to mediation, she added. "Hopefully, the mediator can help us close the gaps in the articles we currently are not seeing eye to eye." 

Mediation is provided by the state Employment Relations Board in which a neutral third person serves as an intermediary to help both sides reach agreement.  

Nathan Muti, president of the CEA, noted that this announcement occurred right before a scheduled meeting with the district. In her notification to the teachers, Kubista said they "should not have to wait a prolonged period of time to have a settled contract.” 

"We agree," Muti said. However, "canceling the only two bargaining sessions remaining on the calendar seems like a strange way to get there," he said.

The CEA has continued "to listen to the district’s concerns, adjust our proposals, and come back to the table ready to work," Muti said. "We want a contract," Muti said. "You can’t get to an agreement if you stop negotiating," he asserted.

A "snail's pace" progress was the result described at meetings that were held in August, just prior to the academic school year, according to brief interviews with teachers who attended those meetings. 

Kubista countered that argument in her statement: "We have continued to listen to CEA and tried to shift language to find a compromise that both parties could agree to. I am disappointed in the sentiment that you feel our team has been unprepared, as we have worked hard and many hours outside of bargaining time to work on language that both parties could support."

The standstill touches on several issues, but perhaps the most significant has been over salary raises – the district was offering 1.9% increase, and the CEA wants a 4% hike. 

Another area of contention concerns the classroom and school environment. Some teachers during this past school year reported confusion and worry over how classroom behavioral conflicts are addressed. Protocols over student outbursts, threats and disruption, and how they are to be handled, should be spelled out more clearly and understandably, according to several of the teachers. 

CEA is seeking contract language to cover this.

Classified employees also expressed disappointment with the pace of their negotiations at the school board meeting Monday night. Like the CEA, salary has been a persistent sticking point. Concern over insurance coverage has been another.  

In a news release this week, the district confirmed its proposal would cover 97% of the total monthly premiums for classified staff for this insurance year and more than half of the available plan choices would have no monthly employee premium costs. Even under the most expensive full-family medical, dental, and vision plan, the District would cover approximately 93% of the cost of this full-family plan, according to the statement.

The school board meeting Monday drew an overflow crowd, largely teachers wearing red union T-shirts, who couldn't all be accommodated for seating at the meeting. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 18, 2026      

It was deemed time for the two grandmothers to meet again after both had collected enough plush animals to schedule a give-away, to be held Oct. 3 at noon on the patio at Brew & Tap. The event is being co-sponsored by The Collection on Main, thanks to proprietor Katy. 

But the "A" pair of grandmothers, Aida and Anne, got a little off-track during their brunch at the Starduster Cafe. They're both surprised at the level of venom on social media and it prompted a discussion of that, and of the power of friendship. The conversation is below.

ANNE: Well, Aida, I brought with me today the message from the administrator of a popular local Facebook page and it looks like she's had it. She doesn't want to manage the page anymore because the postings are brutal a lot of the time and just wearing her out. So, I wanted to talk about this online stuff – how bad it has gotten.

AIDA: I think it has been bad for a while now. One person posts something and it stirs things up and it goes on. 

ANNE: Yes, but why? Do these people who personalize their criticisms go to bed at night thinking: "Wow what a great day! I really just cut some people down to size, just sliced and diced 'em on the internet! Mission accomplished!"

AIDA: I think there are a couple things about social media ... first is that you can say things without facing the person, which would make it harder to do in person. Just writing it is easier. The second is that maybe it makes people feel powerful to do that. 

ANNE: Not bad? Not regretful? 

AIDA: Well, I don't know. But I don't think this kind of posting is going to appeal to someone who has those thoughts like that .... who at the end of the day is going to think "I have just been so unkind, and I am sorry about it."

ANNE: I actually think airing issues is healthy, and debating them is good, too. The ability to put words out there, in a marketplace of ideas. 

AIDA: I believe some people are like that. If you read comments you can see some are just trying to make their point. 

ANNE: I really worry about young people and this sort of thing. I wouldn't have survived if I had been targeted online when I was in adolescence. It was such a hard period for me. There was no internet, thank goodness. 

AIDA: And we were in a different generation, too. The language was different. Nobody cursed like there is now, at least they didn't in everyday conversation. 

ANNE: You are so right. Although if you drop a casserole dish on your toe in the kitchen there are only a few words to use at that moment, and all of them involve cursing. 

AIDA: Yes (chuckle). 

ANNE: One thing that helps me cope with all this ... because, you know, I invite it on myself as a member of the media, is having great people around me. My family, for one thing. Kind and patient husband, grown children who seem rock solid ... though who knows what the world will bring to clobber them. 

AIDA: Yes, I know what you mean. That is a great focus to have. I have this new great grandson ...

ANNE: A most adorable little lad! He is SO cute. 

AIDA:  Thank you. And I understand what you say about friends. It is hard to make strong friendships, and that is important.

ANNE: Well, if anyone's got the hang of it, I'd think it would be you. You are so considerate, so kindly. 

AIDA:  I think friendship takes good listening skills, too. That isn't always easy. 

ANNE: Yes, I think we all seem so wrapped up in our own lives. How do you mean "listening"? 

AIDA: I mean listening to a different viewpoint, or viewpoints, can be hard – hard to keep an open mind. But you learn so much if you do. Why someone feels as they do, even if it makes no sense to you. 

ANNE: Yes, and I am a middle-of-the-roader on almost all things. People on both sides have been irked with me for that. It is kinda part of my DNA, though. I mean, I don't have to work too hard to see both sides because, to be frank, it is hard for me to get out of that center lane. 

AIDA: Well, for me, it is to listen and then dissect it later. I tend to do that, in quiet.

ANNE: I do nothing quietly. Even quiet with me is noisy .... shuffling papers, popping gum, slurping coffee. 

AIDA: (laughs) I think it is one thing to stand up for an issue and another to be so rigid about it.

ANNE: Well put. But people you try hard with, they let you down. Then you feel ... I don't know .... betrayed? 

AIDA: Yes, and that has happened to me many times. But it doesn't mean giving up on friendship. 

ANNE: Okay, I am going to be a cynic here. Friendship is important to me. But here is the deal. Sometimes I knock myself out for someone and they seem to take it totally for granted, even have a sense of entitlement. This happened in a silent auction. I made a basket for someone. Her other friend didn't. But dang if she wasn't more excited the other friend came to the silent auction. I was like chopped liver, even though I also bought an auction item.

AIDA: (laughing) This happens. I can't explain it either.

ANNE: Don't get me started! I have other examples .... 

AIDA: Well, I will tell you about this one time when I had a friend who was being abused, and I mean physically, and I went over to her apartment and made sure she was okay and called the right people. I did all this other stuff for her, too. I won't go into all the details, but I felt like I really did a lot. Then she treated me very badly. 

ANNE: Badly? 

AIDA: I think she felt I was trying to get into her business, but I was just trying to make her feel safe. And then she wouldn't let me open up the lines of communication ever again ... 

ANNE: You know that saying little girls are told, or at least I was told about "you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince"? I think the same is true of friendship. You put yourself out there, and then people can be disappointing .... taking advantage or whatever. But if you keep putting yourself out there, you strike gold once in a while. Like I did with you!

AIDA: Thank you. I think that is a very good point. Friends are really like gold. They really are. 

ANNE: A treasure. 

AIDA: Yes. 

ANNE: Plus, I can be really annoying. So, I have to keep telling myself ... like when I feel really inconvenienced by someone ..."Well, Anne, you have a lot of faults that you don't see, so look at it that way." 

AIDA: I think we all do. You are right. Knowing that makes it easier to put up with others' mistakes. 

ANNE: Aida, one of my flaws is getting rushed and not saying thanks. Thank you for collecting all those stuffed animals so we can have a giveaway soon, for kids and whoever. 

AIDA: Well, you are welcome. I like doing those things ... positive things. 

ANNE: Yes, I always think ... who is benefiting more from this? I probably am. It lights up my endorphins or whatever that happy factor is. 

AIDA: Well, I look forward to our event together. I am happy to help. 

ANNE: Of course you are. That's just who you are. It's in your nature to help. I feel fortunate to have you. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 11, 2026      

The city will begin exploring a volunteer program to lower the cost of park maintenance but there's still no breakdown on actual savings from closing the city parks, according to information presented at Tuesday night's city council meeting. 

"We're working on the numbers now," said City Manager Kenna West, who explained that staff illness had impacted the effort. Though West said she was "happy" to look at the budget results again, they are available on the city website, she pointed out. "Those are up, take a look," she said. 

West made the comments after five residents testified at the meeting that they were worried about current city governance and management approaches.

Erin McIntosh, who chairs the Independence Parks Board, condemned the act of putting "fences around our open space." She told Mayor Kate Schwarzler and two city councilors, Evan Sorce and Shannon Corr, that she would campaign against their reelection. 

"Who is watching the people making our decisions?" asked Hillary Hawthorne, an Independence resident, during her testimony to the council. "Show us the numbers," she said, alluding to the claim of cost-effectiveness for the new hire of an in-house lawyer in the wake of the parks closures. 

The statements from the residents were made as all parks remain closed, with the exception of Riverview.

Riverview Park was reopened as the result of a $30,000 grant from a local non-profit, but even swings have been removed from the other sites. The action, which caught the public by surprise, caused an explosion of protests on social media. Both the Oregonian and the Statesman-Journal, as well as several broadcast news stations, covered the closures, including the fences and barriers to playgrounds. 

The incident also renewed calls for West to explain how and why she hired an in-house attorney during the same period, making Independence one of the few towns of its population to have a staff lawyer. 

However, it was the new city attorney, Greg Goebel, who presented the plan to examine how volunteers possibly could be utilized at Independence parks in the future and to introduce a resolution for the city to "opt in" to additional recreational liability protections authorized by the 2025 Legislature (ORS 105.668). The legislation requires cities under 500,000 population to actively opt in to applying the new liability protections. The city council voted to do so. 

Goebel stated that he will be researching whether volunteer-related activities could also be covered.

The idea of volunteer assistance had been dismissed by the current city administration months ago, after resident Trevor Hailwood proposed it when the possible sale of the soccer fields was announced. Hailwood led an online effort to consider cost-containment measures, including a possible buy-back of the fields, but negotiations are underway to sell the property to Capitol Futbol Club of Salem. 

Recently, John Parmenter, a lifelong resident of Independence, posted a video advocating volunteerism as a way to help with the cost squeeze on parks. 

The question of why volunteerism was quashed months ago, when there was legislation that perhaps could have helped establish a strategy for it, was broached by City Councilor Sorce. 

Other questions have surfaced as well, such as where is the detailed accounting of expenditures for parks operations? "I just don't see where the saving is by closing the parks," said City Councilor Dawn Roden, who directed her comment toward West at the city council meeting.

"How did we not see this coming?" asked Sorce. "I want to be able to answer that." 

West said that "all along, all along, if the fee wasn't there, we have to close parks." She was referring to the $19.65 add-on fee to city utility bills to fund parks, the Heritage Museum and the Independence Library. 

The fee was approved by the city budget committee, then by the city council with only Roden casting a "no" vote. A levy for the same purpose had been defeated by a 60% majority two years before. 

A referendum to put the new fee to a public vote was launched by resident Greg Ellis, a former city manager of Independence. As soon as the required number of signatures were certified by Polk County Elections, West moved to close the parks. The museum has also been shuttered. 

However, since that time, residents have asked for a breakdown of what various parks' costs entail, from personnel to equipment. West has said it is about $41,000 monthly to keep all of them open. However, more detailed numbers aren't yet available – numbers that would show precisely how costs are being cut by the closures.

For example, an employee previously assigned to park maintenance is being switched to other duties in public works, according to City Finance Director Amanda Carey, who confirmed the reassignment during a recent city council work session.

This prompted some residents to raise questions about how add-on fees are tracked. One of them, Mike Rhodes, burrowed into the budget to determine how these fees are to be followed. Rhodes examined the city council's previous approval of the $17-per-month fee for the police department.

It was passed to help meet a law enforcement standard – a national staffing matrix – for a population of 10,000. The sum increased the revenue for police significantly but now the fee has been dropped to $10 monthly, he observed. 

Rhodes wanted to know if that funding was used exclusively for public safety or did some of it go to subsidize other expenses? "This money goes into the General Fund," he observed. 

Currently, no special tracking seems to be in place for fee allocations, according to a review of the budget document.

And, in researching Rhodes' question, Trammart News was notified that a grass-roots citizens group in the Sunset Meadows subdivision had concerns, as well – and has called for the formation of a special committee to provide oversight for any new add-on fees.

Residents also voiced another suspicion in the wake of the parks closures: that the lockups with fences were punitive. This was disputed by Schwarzler in press reports and on her social media posts. 

Assertions that the closures were a tactic to force a "yes" vote in November to implement the community services fee was aired at a public meetup at the Riverview Farmers Market. The event was held by the Friends of Community Parks, the non-profit that granted the $30,000 to the city to reopen Riverview Park. It was responsible for organizing and operating this year's Indy Days, the city's 4th of July celebration.

Christine White, who grew up in Independence, told FCP Board member Susan Graham she thought the parks closures "looked staged." Graham responded that FCP is completely distinct from the city and that the non-profit stepped forward when it became evident fences were going to be installed. 

Others questioned Independence City Councilor Bill Boisvert’s membership on the FCP. However, conflict-of-interest claims weren't an issue in the grant awarding – Boisvert said he recused himself from the vote. 

Still pending are plans to sell both the soccer fields and the museum building. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 11, 2026      

To her critics, including at times the Independence city manager and mayor, City Councilor Dawn Roden may not be perceived as the most important voice on the council. But to many in the community, she's that and more – the only city official they consider credible. 

"There is only one person on that entire city council I trust," said Doug Gray, a relative newcomer to town. "And that is Dawn Roden." Gray began observing city council meetings after he relocated to Independence. That's how he formed his opinion of her, he said. 

Others have shared the same impression since the parks closures, by contacting this news outlet, posting on social media, and commenting in unexpected places like the path in Riverview Park. 

"She's a councilor who consistently brings a different perspective on issues," according to a longtime council observer who's had only a brief encounter with Roden. Do you know where the irritation about her comes from? he asked, answering the question himself. “The fact that she has shown where the council can do better." 

The greatest level of apparent irritation with Roden probably comes from City Councilor Shannon Corr, who often has challenged Roden, including alleging that she distorts facts. But others frequently have chimed in, too.

Roden says these criticisms often arrive when she has "tried to dig deeper into spending, contracts, budgeting, and city priorities."

"That concerns me," she said. "I have experienced comments and interactions that I consider dismissive, belittling, and unnecessarily hostile," she said. 

City Manager Kenna West asserted recently that she had to explain a concept to Roden for the fifth time after Roden posed the question. Last month, Mayor Kate Schwarzler told Roden to stop texting when Roden said she was searching for topic-related information – then Schwarzler declined to address the city manager for using her phone at the same time.

"I am working," West explained. 

During the budget session, the budget committee chair cut off Roden by asking Roden if she even understood the budget. When contacted about the incident, Roden said she regarded it as an insult. 

If she had the opportunity to respond again, Roden said she would answer: "Yes, I understand budgets. If you believe I have misunderstood something, then tell me specifically what I have misunderstood. But questioning whether I understand budgets is not an answer to my question."

The reaction by some residents to city administration over the past two weeks, which seems heightened in the wake of parks' closures due to budget concerns, is that Roden was right about many issues – and that those views have been systematically marginalized.

Madison Orin seemed to reflect the view of several others when she commented: "It is unfortunate that we live in a world where some believe challenging or questioning others is wrong."

"I hope that Dawn continues to ask questions that others can't – or won't," said Orin, who is distantly related to the councilor. Orin said she considers the constant "shut down" of Roden by other council members as "proving time and time again" that they are negatively reacting to Roden rather than putting Independence residents first. 

Such views prompted Trammart News to examine Roden's recent record. What has Roden asked that seems so wrong-headed to her peers on the city council?

The news outlet took a look and found that time has proven Roden right about many of the strategies she's advocated, strategies dismissed by the rest of the council. 

Roden has called for exploring plans to include volunteerism as a way to reduce costs for parks; She has consistently asked for more details on city finances that can be shared with the public; She believes there should be more collaboration with Monmouth to save money on services. She voted against adopting the current budget because it depended on the collection of the new $19.65 monthly community services fee.

Some additional detail on these examples:

● Volunteerism for parks was dismissed as a possibility in an August work session by West, who told Roden there was too much risk of liability. West discouraged the idea of volunteers assisting at parks because supervision of them would be challenging and "in general, volunteers come and go." 

However, now the city is ready to explore having volunteers move into roles that would allow some to perform maintenance and caretaking of parks, according to Greg Goebel, the city's new staff attorney. 

● Roden has called for collaboration with Monmouth for more shared services, which seems to have gained widespread support since the parks' closures. Residents have cited the successful collaboration that resulted in Polk County Fire District No. 1. The idea was dismissed by Mayor Schwarzler at one of her summer pub talks; she called the "cultural differences" between the cities too different to forge a successful combination. 

● More financial detail is needed and should be shared with the public, she said. Roden has repeatedly asked for breakdowns showing precise and particular expenditures on parks. These aren't yet available, according to both West and City Finance Director Amanda Carey, who confirmed during August meetings that there is work being done on this matter. Additionally, at this week's  meeting, West noted that the budget is posted and available for viewing on the city's website.

Both City Manager West, Mayor Schwarzler and City Councilor Corr were asked to respond. Schwarzler had not responded by press time and Corr stated in an email that press inquiries, regardless of subject and content, should be forwarded to the city communications director. Trammart News made multiple attempts to reach the city's communication director, Emmanuel Goicochea, who didn't reply – he hasn't answered any Trammart News questions for more than two years. 

(In the future, Trammart News will cover occasions in which City Councilor Roden voted no on decisions, due to her misgivings, which were later proved to be well-founded.)  ▪

By Lance Masterson 

For Trammart News Service, September 11, 2026        

The Monmouth-Independence Area Chamber of Commerce is expanding its role in local affairs by hosting forums for mayoral and city council candidates in both communities.

Two forums are scheduled. The first one is Wednesday, Oct. 7, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The second one is Thursday, Oct. 8, 6 to 8 p.m. Both events, which are open to the public, will be at The Gate Community Youth Center in Independence.

Residents will submit questions through an online form. A committee will review the submissions before an independent moderator presents selected questions.

The chamber is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates, Director Gabby Walton said. All city council candidates for both cities have been invited to participate.

The forums will focus on the responsibilities of mayors and council members. Issues affecting businesses and the surrounding communities will also be discussed.

Both cities have mayoral races. Monmouth also has two council positions on the ballot, while Independence has three.

Funding questions and their potential effects on parks, tourism and downtown businesses are among the issues on local voters’ minds.

“We really want to figure out what businesses downtown need,” Walton said of the importance of the forums. “We want to hear from our city representatives about what their plans are and how they are going to support businesses.”

The chamber also wants residents to hear directly from candidates.

“It starts in local government,” Walton said. “It starts with how involved you want to be. Involvement means hearing directly from the people and not just what you read on social media or what your friends say.”

The forums are one part of a broader transformation within the chamber.

Membership has surged since Walton became interim director last September. The chamber had 157 members at the time. It now has 221, an increase of 64 members and its highest total in at least a decade.

This growth includes new businesses, established companies joining for the first time, and former members returning.

Elevated memberships have also increased. The chamber offers gold, platinum and diamond levels, with diamond representing its highest tier. It had two diamond members when Walton started. It now has eight.

Walton credits the growth to the chamber office's consistency, communication, and follow-through.

Over the previous five years, the chamber had struggled to maintain regular office hours and steady contact with members, she said. Walton made both priorities after stepping into the interim role. She was hired as the chamber’s full-time director in January.

“I can confidently say it is the consistency,” Walton said. “If you’re a business on the outside and you see people being consistent, that matters.”

Outreach includes postcards, emails, newsletters and personal visits. Walton frequently walks through downtown Monmouth and Independence to speak with business owners. She also reaches out to business owners in Falls City, West Salem and Rickreall.

Such contact helps Walton understand what businesses need while reminding members of services already available. These include advertising on the chamber’s Highway 99W reader board, cinema advertisements, newsletters and social media promotion.

Walton also connects owners with others who have faced similar challenges.

“Maybe we’ve met, maybe we’ve never had a conversation,” Walton said. “But here’s my phone number. Here’s my contact information if you have questions.”

The chamber’s online presence has become an important part of that outreach.

Walton believed the organization needed more social media engagement when she took over. She began posting more consistently and interacting with members’ pages.

The chamber now draws about 90,000 views on Instagram and 28,000 on Facebook, according to Walton. She regularly comments on, likes and shares members’ posts, giving businesses another way to reach customers.

New members receive added attention through weekly “New Member Monday” posts.

“It’s become a huge marketing perk for our members,” Walton said.

These efforts extend beyond promoting sales or events. Walton wants residents to learn more about businesses around them.

Chamber networking events rotate among different locations, giving members opportunities to visit businesses they may not otherwise enter.

“From the outside, it’s not always what it looks like,” Walton said. “Come in and see what they have. Get to know the business owners.”

Even residents who cannot make a purchase can support local businesses by following their social media pages, sharing posts or telling others about their experiences, she added.

The chamber’s 15-member board also has helped drive its growth. Nine positions are elected, while six are appointed. Six of the elected members own businesses in Monmouth or Independence.

Walton believes their experience adds credibility.

“They’ve grown up here. They’re established,” she said. “That attracts other businesses because we have business owners who want to see a thriving chamber and business community.”

Walton did not initially intend to become permanent director.

Her connection to the organization began through Project Gearbox, a nonprofit she and her husband created to provide sports equipment to children at no cost. The program has helped 531 children in the Monmouth-Independence area.

Walton joined the chamber to promote the nonprofit. She later became a board member and contracted event planner before accepting the interim director position.

At first, she had no interest in staying. The demands, politics and occasional confrontations surrounding the position did not appeal to her.

That changed once she began the job.

“I did the interim and fell in love with it,” Walton said. “I thought, ‘I can really change this, and I’m really good at it.’ I realized I could connect with members.”

Walton applied for the permanent position and was selected following an interview process. She took over in January.

The chamber now hopes to continue growing while strengthening relationships with local governments, Western Oregon University and Central High School. Walton hopes to eventually add another part-time employee.

For now, she remains its only staff member.

“We want to be a competitive chamber,” Walton said. “We want people to say the Monmouth-Independence Area Chamber of Commerce is where I want to be because I know my needs are being met.” 

(Trammart News is a member of the M-I Chamber of Commerce.) ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 4, 2026      

After nearly a week in which the city parks were shut down, residents of the Sunset Meadows neighborhood gathered at the end of the linear park that connects Maple and Chestnut streets.

It was shut off with fences and gates, but a table had been set up at the south end for an outdoor meeting – to discuss the fees for the parks and library. 

Councilors Evan Sorce and Kathy Martin-Willis (photo) fielded questions after days of crushing comments among residents across the city over the sudden park closures, including by some who claimed to media outlets that the park closures were in retaliation for a referendum that succeeded, which puts new community-service fees of nearly $20 on the November ballot. 

The sum was intended to begin being collected in July. 

Rebecca and Jonathan Jay, who reside in the area, attended the gathering. Rebecca serves on the Independence Planning Commission and Jonathan is the former chair of the Parks Board.

The meeting was organized by residents. With a couple of neighbors, Rebecca Jay passed out flyers to publicize it. 

"This wasn't just for us, it was for everyone," she said of the get-together.

Jonathan Jay noted that some of the neighbors were sharp-eyed on budget issues and seemed well informed. "They added a lot to the discussion," he said.

Jay said he thought the back-and-forth answers from the two councilors showed understanding and reasoning. "I thought the explanations they had were good," he said. 

Sorce reassured the crowd of about 15 people that the city was making strides to save money. 

In describing the city manager's hiring of an in-house attorney, for example, Sorce pointed out that "having an attorney right down the hall" instead of a law firm in a different town improves efficiency. "It made sense," Jay said. 

The move has been criticized because it adds staff at a time of financial squeeze and makes Independence one of the very few towns with a population of just over 10,000 to have an in-house lawyer on staff. 

"Accessibility is a huge issue," Martin-Willis added. The use of contract attorneys delays decision making when a consultation is needed. Additionally, travel time adds to the expense when their presence is required, she noted.

Some residents appear to be skeptical about the city, a few contacted Trammart News when the parks closed. They pointed out that they feel their vote against a levy in 2024 to support community services – parks, library and a museum – was ignored when the city moved to install a fee for the same purpose.  The levy was defeated by a 60% majority vote.

They cited the Friday closings of City Hall, except for the police department, which now is known to save very little money and fencing being placed around parks with little warning. "Friday closures have saved us money, but it's not a major amount," Sorce affirmed in response to that criticism. 

The closure of the parks made headlines, including international coverage by the London Daily Mail. Although the city's side of the controversy was included – as a shortage of available funds – some residents were quoted as saying the actions taken by the city defied understanding.

One recurring comment during the shutdowns was that revenue could be saved by the two cities of Monmouth and Independence sharing more services, from public safety to community services.

"I am open to any potential solution, including additional shared services with Monmouth," Sorce later said, when queried. In fact, the two cities already share IT services. 

Sorce also noted other cost-reducing measures, such as combining roles into one position, are being undertaken. Such moves probably mean reduced costs, agreed Jonathan Jay. 

And to help shore up the deficit, the sale of city-owned property is progressing, Sorce said. The museum building is "pretty much sold," he confirmed. The sale of the soccer fields is "in negotiation," he added. 

Even so, these property sales do not provide a steady, reliable funding stream, but rather, a one-time influx of funds, observed Martin-Willis. 

After the meeting, Rebecca Jay said the tax-reform measures that seem to be a big part of the root cause of financial strain on cities have recently been left out of the public debate. 

Both the Independence mayor and the city manager instead have focused on actions taken by previous administrations as reported by Trammart News. 

However, the decades-old measures of "5 and 50" restructured the way cities can increase property taxes, capping them and limiting increases in taxation. The result has hampered cities, Jay said. "I don't think many people fully understand this," she added. "It's complicated." 

"They are working with what they inherited," said Marianne Holtzinger, a neighbor who also attended, in an interview after the question-and-answer session. However, "it does no good to point fingers at past city councils," she said, alluding to the blame that was being attributed to decisions made years ago. "We need to move forward and watch the bookkeeping very closely."

Independence is scheduled to move toward building a $55 million water treatment plant along Corvallis Road. Though Holtzinger wasn't speaking directly to that, she advised that "if the city can’t afford a project, best to put it on the back burner until funds are there.”

She commended the city councilors for coming to the meeting after the park closures and answering questions – and stressed that the town is "a great community" and a wonderful place to raise a family. 

Riverview Park was reopened only a few days after the parks' closure, thanks to a $30,000 grant from Friends of Community Parks. FCP is a new non-profit that this summer took over the Fourth of July annual celebration in Independence, Indy Days.  

In the wake of the closures, Rep. Paul Evans announced plans last week to introduce a proposed $1 million fund during the coming legislative session for a special account at Business Oregon. The fund would enable certain cities to apply for "a forgivable loan of up to $50,000 per community to help maintain critical services during periods of uncertainty" according to a news release from the legislator's office. ▪

(Note Trammart News departed before meeting's end.)

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, September 4, 2026     

When new cracks began appearing in the driveway and garage floor of Michelle Lewis' home, who's lived along Corvallis Road for 20 years, she suspected they were becoming more frequent. But why?

"This is a road common for commerce," she said. “But inside our home, we didn't hear really loud traffic until now. And now, we don't just hear it, we feel it."

The impacts seemed to start in the weeks after construction of the "Corvallis Road Waterline Project," the city's name for a large pipeline placement under the roadway, which was begun a few months ago. 

A water treatment plant at a site along Corvallis Road – at an estimated cost of $55 million – is planned for meeting future regional needs. The city has a loan of more than $7 million for the project design and startup needs. The 12-acre parcel was purchased for $459,000. 

Lewis (photo) began documenting the driveway and garage floor cracks with photos. For Lewis, the changes were striking. 

"I wasn't trying to point fingers," she recalled. "But almost immediately after the excavation began, we noticed a significant increase in both the noise and vibration." Even indoors, tremors were noticeable when heavy vehicles passed. 

Along the roadway, portions that had been excavated for the waterline were patched and restored below the surrounding road surface, leaving a continuous depression along much of the lengthy construction area. "When heavy vehicles travel over these uneven sections, the impact is substantial,” Lewis wrote in a letter to the city. 

Lewis also filed formal notice of a claim under Oregon's Tort Claims Act, ORS 30.275, informing the city that she's asserting – or may assert – a claim for property damage.

In late August, Lewis received a call from a representative of CIS, the insurer of many cities and counties across the state, including the City of Independence.

Trammart News visited Lewis' home and toured the crack-riddled driveway – then asked the city's communication director, Emmanuel Goicochea, about the complaint. There has been no response. 

Five years ago, University of Michigan researchers published "A community noise survey in Southwest Detroit and the value of supplemental metrics for truck noise." They found detrimental effects on nearby neighborhood homes that prompted the Detroit City Council to re-route passing trucks. 

Lewis has requested "prompt investigation." She wants the vibrations to cease.

"I think preserving rights is important," Lewis said, stressing that this is the home she wants to occupy for "many more decades of enjoyment."

Multiple attempts were made by this news outlet to reach City Communications Director Goicochea; He hasn't replied to Trammart News' inquiries in more than two years. ▪

By Lance Masterson

For Trammart News Service, September 4, 2026      

Mark Martens, Central High’s new athletics director and assistant principal, brings decades of experience as a teacher, coach and administrator.

Former athletics director Brandis Piper is now an assistant principal at North Salem High School. Piper, who was at Central for a year, made his mark, however, as he orchestrated the hiring of the Panthers’ two new head coaches - Logan Fore (wrestling) and Julie McDonald (girls basketball) - before his departure.

As for Martens (photo), he recently sat down with freelance writer Lance Masterson to discuss his career, his philosophy on high school athletics, and his first impressions of Central High.

The new AD’s responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

On to the interview:

Lance Masterson (LM): Where were you a year ago?

Mark Martens (MM): A year ago, I was unemployed.

I had been working in Canby as an intervention specialist and middle school athletics director. The district faced a $6 million shortfall and eliminated every intervention specialist position. I learned in April that my job would be cut.

Centennial High School posted a temporary assistant principal position around October. I was hired to work from January through June, providing additional administrative support through the end of the school year.

LM: What is your background in education?

MM: It’s lengthy.

I started at a middle school in Florida, then moved to North Carolina and went from middle school to high school.

I came to Oregon in 1998 and was hired as an English teacher at Tualatin High School. I completed my administrative licensure program at Portland State University while teaching English and coaching.

I became Tualatin’s athletics director in 2006. I held that position for two years before the budget crunch of 2008-09. The district moved the athletics director job from an administrative position back to a teacher-on-special-assignment position to save money.

My wife and I had decided she would stay home and raise our children, so it was important for our family that I remain in an administrative position. I applied at West Linn and worked there for five years.

We had the same administrative team all five years. There was no turnover. We established systems, settled into a consistent schedule and worked well together. It was a great team.

The athletics director position in Canby later became available. It was closer to home, and I respected its athletic program. I had competed against Canby while working at Tualatin and West Linn, so it was a place I wanted to be.

LM: When were you hired at Central?

MM: I was hired at the end of June. I’ve been here for about a month and a half.

LM: What attracted you to this position?

MM: I’ll be honest: Employment was part of it.

After being unemployed from June through December, I did not want to go through that again. I still have children in school and am not ready to retire. There is good work to be done, and I enjoy finding good schools that need support.

When this position opened, I researched Central and saw several good things. Central also fits the principles I believe in.

LM: What are these principles?

MM: First, student athletes represent their school and community at all times.

Second, I believe students should participate in multiple sports. I think that is the healthiest approach for young people. They aren’t going to play football or another competitive sport their entire lives. Playing different games and using their bodies in different ways better prepares them to remain healthy and active as adults.

There are also the experiences and memories students gain in high school. I was a three-sport athlete. I wasn’t a great athlete, but that experience shaped my philosophy. I grew up in a small Minnesota town where, if you did something, you did everything.

My high school memories came from the activities I joined, whether athletics, music or student government. Those connections made high school special.

That is the passion I bring to this job. I want young people to get involved. If they aren’t connected to something in high school, they should find something. That is where many lifelong memories begin.

LM: How does that philosophy fit with athletes who specialize in club sports?

MM: The two philosophies don’t always mesh, although specialization can be handled responsibly.

One concern with specialization is the risk of overuse injuries. Athletes who play one sport year-round repeatedly stress the same parts of their bodies. Participating in multiple sports allows the body to develop differently and achieve more balance.

A soccer player who competes year-round, for example, may be more prone to knee or hip injuries because of the repetitive movements involved.

There is also something special about high school competition. Students represent their school and share the experience with classmates and their community.

LM: What were your first priorities after taking the job?

MM: The first priority for any athletics director is making sure the coaching staff is ready for the year.

One of my first questions was, “Which coaches do we still need to hire?” All the head coaches had been hired, though we had lower-level positions to fill, but those decisions were not urgent.

It is important to have head coaches in place even during the offseason. They need time to tell students and families about workouts and other opportunities.

Once I knew the head coaches were set, I assessed the facilities and identified their needs.

LM: What are your impressions of Central’s athletic facilities?

MM: Central has great facilities with relatively few needs.

We have a new field and track.

The Panther Pit is one of the best basketball and volleyball venues around, aside from its lack of Wi-Fi. I’ve submitted a technology request to address that.

We have a great downstairs weight room with quality equipment. The secondary weight room upstairs could use some updating and refurbishment so more people can use it.

Overall, Central has excellent spaces for students to train and compete.

LM: What else have been keeping you busy?

MM: I’ve spent my first several weeks contacting coaches and making sure they feel supported. I’ve also reviewed the budget and learned how to manage it for the year.

We filled a few lower-level coaching positions. We are still working to fill openings in wrestling and girls basketball.

LM: What is the status of the football program while head coach Joel Everett addresses his and his family’s health concerns?

MM: The situation remains uncertain because of Joel’s family circumstances.

A couple of assistant coaches have stepped forward as interim leaders. That will allow Joel to determine what he needs to do for his family while remaining connected to the program.

His coaches communicate with him regularly. For day-to-day decisions, I have assistant coaches who serve as the program’s primary voices. Jeff Centoni is one of those contacts. 

(Note: Centoni is also a former Panthers head coach.)

LM: How much work was required for Central’s move from Class 5A to 4A?

MM: The transition does not significantly change the athletics director’s job. It changes who we compete against.

The job is generally the same whether a school is 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A or 5A. The main difference is the number of sports and teams offered. Smaller schools may have fewer programs because of their enrollment.

LM: What do you see as the athletics director’s primary role?

MM: The job is to support every program as well as possible.

That includes helping coaches secure equipment, overseeing schedules and making sure student-athletes receive the support they need.

We cannot forget the “student” part of student-athlete. Very few high school athletes compete in college. Our focus must be on preparing students to continue their education and pursue careers that interest them.

Society pays a great deal of attention to athletes who receive scholarships or advance to the next level. That can create the impression that those opportunities are everywhere.

Academic opportunities are much more common than athletic scholarships. Part of my responsibility is helping athletes become the best students they can be.

LM: This is also an assistant principal position. What responsibilities come with that role?

MM: I oversee the athletic program, including scheduling, hiring and evaluating coaches.

Coaches are evaluated in much the same way teachers are. I look at how the season went and what kind of experience students had within the program.

I also supervise and evaluate the school’s health and physical education teachers. Each administrator oversees a group of staff members.

I assist with student discipline when needed. If other administrators are interviewing students about an incident, I may handle another part of the investigation. We then compare what we learned and determine the appropriate response.

As part of the administrative team, I help prepare staff for students. I led an in-service session before school began and will contribute to staff development throughout the year.

LM: How do you determine whether a coach had a successful season?

MM: Wins and losses are sometimes part of it, but we cannot control everything that affects a team’s record.

I begin with a preseason meeting. The coach explains the team’s goals and expectations.

A coach might believe the team can win a league championship and qualify for the state playoffs. Then a couple of players suffer ankle injuries and miss games. The team might not win the league, but that does not necessarily mean the coach failed.

We can discuss wins and losses, but coaches and athletics directors cannot control every factor that affects them.

What matters more to me is what students say about their experience.

When I speak with students from different grade and program levels, I want to hear that their experience was positive. I want them to say their coaches cared about them, challenged them to become better athletes and people, and treated them with respect.

I also want them to have fun and feel they were able to compete. Students have told me, “I wish we had won more games, but I had fun all season and knew my coach cared about me.”

Young people need to feel that the adults in their lives have their backs and will support them when needed.

LM: How do fans, student sections, cheerleaders and the band fit into the athletic program?

MM: I’m still developing those relationships because I’m new and our teachers recently returned.

My philosophy is that we are all members of the Panther athletic family. Everyone should support one another.

The cheer squad has an important job during football and basketball games. The band contributes to the atmosphere and school spirit.

One of the first things I did in August was contact band director Ed Probst. I asked whether he had students who might be interested in performing live national anthems.

The band will be at home football games, but we also have soccer matches, volleyball matches, swim meets and other events.

The more opportunities we give students to shine, the better. If talented vocalists or instrumentalists want a moment in the spotlight, we should provide it.

Having students perform the national anthem brings them into the athletic environment and allows the community to recognize their talents. It reminds spectators that school events are not only about athletics.

Central is a comprehensive high school. We all need to support one another, and everyone 

has a role.

LM: Is there a risk of Central athletes becoming overconfident after moving from 5A to 4A?

MM: With teenagers, there is always a risk of misconception.

Some athletes may think, “We competed against 5A schools last year, and now we’re playing a 4A team.” There can be a tendency to underestimate an opponent.

That risk existed at 5A, too. In every league, there are teams student-athletes expect to beat easily. Then they face a challenge and find themselves in a close contest. Sometimes they lose because they were overconfident.

Each sport is also different.

Moving to 4A in cross-country, for example, does not necessarily make competition easier. Some 4A schools have the fastest runners in the state. Swimming and other individual sports are similar. School size matters less than the athletes’ talent.

LM: Where can a lower classification make a difference?

MM: Depth can make a difference, particularly in football.

When I was at Canby, our league included Tigard, Tualatin, Lake Oswego, Lakeridge and West Linn. On almost any Friday, we faced a team ranked among the state’s best.

Canby could often stay with those opponents through three quarters. In the fourth, however, our players became more fatigued.

As one of the smaller 6A schools, we did not have as many athletes. Our top players could compete with another team’s top players. The disparity became more apparent when each team relied on its depth. If your second unit is a notch below the opponent’s second unit, that difference becomes visible late in games.

LM: What has impressed you most during your first weeks at Central?

MM: I don’t know that anything has surprised me, but several things have impressed me. The first is the community’s support for our programs.

I’ve also been impressed by the coaching staff and how coaches support one another. At our meeting, coaches from different seasons had productive conversations about students they share.

A wrestler might also run cross-country or play football. Those connections across sports and seasons are important. The coaches understand that they are here to support students.

I’ve become increasingly impressed by Central’s campus and facilities. The venues available to students are top-notch.

I’m excited to see our students thrive in this environment. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, August 28, 2026      

Mistakes and missing numbers in the current city budget are clouding understanding of Independence's financial picture as the city moves to make most parks remain off-limits for resident use, according to findings by Trammart News.

Questions from the news outlet, including the reason for millions of dollars in budget discrepancies, went unanswered by the city's communication director, the mayor and the city manager, despite multiple attempts seeking a response. 

Under a press ban against Trammart News – said by city staff to have been issued by City Manager Kenna West – inquiries by TN haven't been answered in more than two years. 

However, two former Independence city managers agreed to weigh in on questions that have surfaced following the budget adoption this spring by the city council.

The budget included a nearly $20 fee to be added to the water bill to support parks, the Heritage Museum and the Independence Library, an action taken by the city council after a levy for the same purpose was defeated by voters. But there was a mismatch in budget numbers. 

The issue was addressed by Greg Ellis, the chief petitioner of a successful referendum to put the nearly $20 fee on the November ballot for a vote and David Clyne. Clyne applied to be on the city's budget committee but wasn't appointed to serve on it – so he dug into the budget during the process on his own, he said. Both were previously city managers of Independence. 

TN also received outside help from a former Salem executive familiar with large-scale budgets. 

Both of the former city managers said that more than $11 million in budget discrepancies were made by errors that can be corrected.

The numbers required for a budget revision – a re-working of the budget minus the amount that would have been collected through the fees – is being prepared. However, it is not yet available, according to public statements made by City Manager Kenna West this week. 

City-affiliated sources – who didn't want to be quoted by name – said no layoffs would result for personnel who care and maintain the parks during the shutdowns. That prompted city council-watcher Mike Rhodes to assert: "If that person or persons is still on the payroll, now charging their time to a different department, the city hasn’t saved a dime in cash flow." 

During the recent city council work session City Finance Director Amanda Carey said the individual designated for city parks will be reassigned to utilities services.

After park closures began this week, there was an outcry by some residents that city cost-trimming is being taken too far (see guest editorial in this issue: “No Means No: Independence’s Fee and Park Closures Show a Pattern of Ignoring Residents”).

However, by noon yesterday a $30,000 grant from the non-profit organization, Friends of Community Parks, allowed re-opening of Riverview Park.

In a joint meeting with Ellis and Clyne, both were asked by Trammart News about a surprising $10 million discrepancy in the current budget. Ellis chalked that up to a simple mistake. 

So did City Councilor Bill Boisvert, who acknowledged – in an essay he wrote recently – that a budget miscalculation of $10 million was made in the General Fund. However, it was simply an error – and mistakes do happen, he said.

It didn't affect the overall budget, and it will be explained and corrected with the transparency the city has pledged, according to Boisvert.

However, a public records request was required to obtain the city manager's salary of $188,000 annually plus car allowance and other benefits. Yet salary listings are a typical part of most city budgets, according to the Washington DC-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 

Several other smaller budget discrepancies seen by Trammart News were spotted by Ellis and Clyne, as well – one was significantly higher than the others. Ellis noted that $1.4 million was missing in one part of the main budget, then turned up in an entirely different section, the Urban Renewal Projects Fund.

When Trammart News asked Ellis if such mistakes are indicative of a budget-committee’s performance when they go undetected, he responded: "That's a good question." 

Clyne pointed to an unlikely sum in the budget, which listed a forecast that ranged between two and three million dollars from system development charges. The sum represents a huge increase from a few years ago – he considers it unrealistic, he said. 

"It’s been two years and they (the city) only issued one new residential building permit, and thus only one set of SDCs at approximately $50,000 – not 2.5 million dollars," he said. "So how and why do they expect this to happen?"

SDCs are derived from fees anticipated to be paid by builders for city water, sewer and transportation, among others, as part of the permit process for construction of new housing developments. 

Development in Independence halted in 2024 after the city implemented new SDCs. The near doubling of the city's SDCs at the time made them the highest in the state, according to the Homebuilders Association of Marion and Polk Counties. The fees were later lowered by about $10,000 on the advice of the city's outside consultants. 

Both Clyne and Ellis have noted that about $19 million is available across different city funds.

West has repeatedly countered that water or sewer money belongs only to that fund, under a "best practices" approach she has advocated. However, experts in municipal accounting don't necessarily support that viewpoint for all city transactions. 

When Trammart News buttonholed several city accountants at a Portland meeting two years ago – after West announced the funds would remain in their own "buckets" regardless of financial pressure – several attendees at the conference expressed surprise.

Interfund loans and transfers, as they're called, are seen as an essential option. That's backed up by research conducted about a dozen years ago by Professor Robert Felix of the Busch School of Business at Catholic University of America.

Felix documented that interfund transfers are an important tool to manage municipal financial needs in his study, "The Use of Interfund Transfers to Manage the 'Bottom Line' in the Municipal Context." More recently, they were affirmed as a "cushion" for cities by an online article published by the non-profit Municipal Research and Services Center, which provides legal, policy, and operational guidance to local governments.

West has attributed the city's financial distress to past over-use of loaning or transferring money from one fund to another. 

Ellis said he doesn't remember ever using an interfund loan. "Maybe I did, but I don't recall it, if I did," he said.

Asked about claims that he helped create the current financial squeeze, Ellis said trying to pin it on city management decades ago also requires historical perspective. 

Over the years, the city went through the "Great Recession" of 2008 and the disruption of the covid pandemic. “I guess I feel there are a lot of reasons for the current financial stress, and I would hate to see the city close off ways of dealing with that," Ellis said.

"To say, as they seem to be saying, 'I would rather close down parks than to borrow money from a city fund to get through this' is too bad," Ellis said. "In about a year's time, one of the loans that's causing part of this (financial strain) will be paid off," he added. 

Ellis said he tries not to take claims questioning his actions as former city manager too personally – actions that have become a source of blame by the current city administration. 

"I moved on from Independence to larger cities as a city manager, and there were always fiscal challenges," he said. "The thing is, city managers really have to be problem-solvers and that can be tough." It continually ruffles feathers, he said. 

And it often means compromises, Ellis added.

In Estacada, Ellis remembers being heavily criticized by one city councilor for his desire to take one approach to debt, while the councilor advocated another. Eventually he softened his own strategy and a compromise was reached, Ellis said. 

Sometimes, cities make mistakes, he pointed out. Ellis has filed to run against incumbent City Councilor Shannon Corr in November.

One mistake that TN has referenced to Independence, in a recent email, is that both the Friends of the Public Library and the Heritage Museum Society have been listing the fee as a net increase to the utility bill of about $12.65 – but $19.65, which reflects the actual current sum, is not being collected with the vote pending. 

City Councilor Dawn Roden has also been raising concerns by making comparisons with other cities that she believes show there are other ways to address the circumstances.

She has suggested that some past money-saving measures taken by the city, such as closing City Hall on Fridays, have been providing only negligible savings – an assertion confirmed as having only a marginal cost-saving benefit by the former city finance director, Rob Moody. 

During the recent city council work session, Roden (photo) was typing into her cellphone. She was reprimanded by Mayor Kate Schwarzler for doing so. Phones are disallowed at the meeting, and Schwarzler alleged Roden was texting. In response to the allegation, Roden stated that she was searching for city financial comparison data and held out her cell phone to Schwarzler and asked if she would like to verify that she was not texting. 

Trammart News, which has been told by several residents that strong council reactions to Roden make them reluctant to offer public testimony, notified Schwarzler of the possibility that such a negative response could cause a wider chilling effect. 

Schwarzler didn't respond. In various online posts, she has expressed strong support for the financial approach being taken by the city. 

This week, Assistant City Manager Shawn Irvine informed city councilors about the results of development along Independence Landing, which has yet to show a good return on investment for the city's Urban Renewal Agency. Financial consultants for Independence have termed it "underperforming." 

But there is some reason for optimism. The former public works director, Gerald Fisher, announced during a city council meeting before his retirement that development would be underway on a large parcel along Talmadge Road. Streets have been laid out. However, visible activity at the site appears to have stopped.

State economists reported this week that inflation is running between 3% and 4%, almost double the 2% target consistent with good economic growth. And Oregonians now are dealing with higher food prices and fuel costs, according to State Sen. Deb Patterson, who made that observation in her legislative newsletter a few days ago. 

It remains to be seen whether the economic picture will change between now and the November vote. ▪

Trammart News Service, August 28, 2026      

Guest editorial by Dan Isaac, Independence Resident 

I’m a millennial, a new parent, and one of the lucky few in my generation who managed to buy a home in Independence. I work hard, I pay my bills, and like most people my age, I’m constantly doing the math on groceries, childcare, utilities, and the rising cost of simply existing. So when the city announced a new mandatory fee – added directly to our water bills – after voters already rejected a levy to fund the library, museum, and parks, I felt something deeper than frustration. I felt betrayed.

Two years ago, Independence voters were asked a clear question: should we raise taxes to fund these services? And we answered just as clearly: no. Not “maybe.” Not “try again later.” Just no. I don’t know how else to say it. We voted. The results were clear. And yet here we are being told we’re going to pay anyway.

Instead of respecting that democratic decision, the city council created a new fee tied to a basic necessity. If you don’t pay it, you risk losing water service or even facing a lien on your home. For families like mine, that’s not a “fee.” That’s coercion. And it’s hard not to feel like the people making these decisions aren’t the ones worrying about whether their water bill goes up another twenty dollars a month.

At the August 14 public hearing, residents lined up to express their concerns. One woman asked the question many of us are still asking: “What part of ‘no’ do you not understand?” The mayor responded with something I never expected to hear from an elected official: “We absolutely do not respond to public comment.”

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a clearer statement of disregard for the people who actually live here. It’s one thing to disagree with residents. It’s another to openly say you won’t respond to them at all.

And now, even after citizens collected more than 900 signatures to overturn the ordinance – with 771 validated, well above the 671 required – a city council member has publicly announced that they will file a complaint with the Secretary of State to challenge the petition. Not because the signatures were invalid, but because of a “major omission” on every page. I could be wrong, but it sure feels like the city is looking for any excuse to avoid letting voters weigh in again.

So let’s be honest: this isn’t about process. It’s about power. The city asked voters a question, didn’t like the answer, and is now doing everything possible to override us – twice.

What makes this even more frustrating is how the fee is being justified. In a recent Facebook post, Councilor Shannon Corr wrote that she supported the fee because it helps Independence “stay competitive in attracting industry.” She described the fee as a “bridge” to pay off city debt and eventually redirect money into the General Fund.

Let me translate that: millennials and young families are being asked to pay more for water so the city can pursue long-term economic development strategies we were never consulted about. We’re being told to shoulder the burden now so maybe – someday – the city will have more money later. Meanwhile, the people who already own their homes outright, who aren’t raising young kids, who aren’t dealing with skyrocketing childcare costs, who aren’t trying to survive on wages that haven’t kept up with inflation – they’re the ones insisting that we “must” have these amenities, no matter the cost.

And here’s the part that makes the city’s argument fall apart: Independence already charges the highest development fees in Polk County. 

These numbers matter because they show the city is already pricing out new homes – the very thing that grows a tax base naturally. When builders see Independence’s fee schedule, they go to Monmouth or Dallas instead. When families look for affordable places to live, they skip Independence. And honestly, who can blame them?

The population numbers tell the same story. Independence is growing slower than both neighboring cities. Recent trends show Monmouth growing at 2.3%, Dallas at 1.8%, and Independence at just 1.1% – with some estimates placing Independence’s annual growth rate even lower, around 0.62%. In other words, the city imposing the highest fees is also experiencing the slowest growth. That should be a wake-up call.

Also, there were other options. Former city managers David Clyne and Greg Ellis offered budget corrections and alternative financial strategies. Ellis specifically called the water/sewer bill “a heavy burden” and advocated for a referendum instead. Clyne testified that the city’s budget errors could be corrected without raising rates at all.

And if I’m expected to tighten my financial belt to survive within my budget, it’s not unreasonable to expect the city to do the same before reaching into our water bills.

But the council didn’t want alternatives. They wanted a guaranteed revenue stream – one voters couldn’t reject and they could increase in the future.

And that’s the real issue here: taxing through fees is a way to bypass democracy. Fees don’t go on ballots. Fees don’t require voter approval. Fees don’t have to be justified to the public. Fees can be raised quietly, indefinitely, and without accountability.

People in this country once fought a war over taxation without representation. Independence – a city literally named after that principle – is now imposing a mandatory fee on a basic necessity after voters explicitly rejected the tax that would have funded the same services. And they’re doubling down by trying to invalidate a citizen petition that met the signature threshold. The irony is staggering.

I love our library. I want my child to grow up with access to books, parks, and community spaces. But I also want a city government that respects the democratic process. I want leaders who listen to residents instead of dismissing them. And I want policies that don’t punish younger generations for the financial decisions of the past.

A fee tied to water is not the solution. It’s a shortcut – one that bypasses voters, burdens families, and undermines trust.

In Independence, no should still mean no – and taxing young families through their water bills after they’ve already rejected it is exactly the kind of overreach Americans have never accepted quietly.

ADDENDUM from Independence resident and millennial parent who’s already tightening his financial belt for the next financial crash.

The city began fencing off and shutting down parks during the referendum process – even though they aren't required to do so. The city manager chose to suspend park access, and the council has not directed otherwise, even though they could. For a city that already refuses to respond to public comment, shutting down public spaces during a democratic challenge feels less like necessity and more like a deliberate move that keeps residents at arm’s length. Lastly, there’s this liability/insurance explanation floating around – the idea that neighbors can’t help maintain parks because the city supposedly doesn’t carry the right insurance. It doesn’t make much sense when the city just hired an in‑house attorney this year. If the city can afford legal staff, it’s hard to believe it can’t navigate basic liability questions about mowing grass or picking up trash. At minimum, residents deserve a clear, official explanation. ▪

(TN note: since this editorial was submitted the local non-profit group, Friends of Community Parks, awarded a grant to the city to reopen Riverview Park through December 2026.)

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, August 28, 2026      

For 372 children in Independence, Dolly Parton's touch can be seen and felt in bedtime rituals, cozy nooks and snuggle-up times across the city. Books for young kids are everywhere in town, from library corners to coffee tables, thanks to the late singer-songwriter-philanthropist.

And Parton's legacy will live on, despite her death this week. The "Imagination Library" will continue to put stories in tiny hands, according to Lisa Harnisch, executive director of Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub. 

Children from birth through age five in every Oregon county have the opportunity to receive a free children's book delivered to their home monthly as a result of Parton's "Imagination Library." 

This week, local teachers expressed their thoughts on the impact of "Imagination Library" from a parental perspective. All youngsters in the program "eagerly await the mail," said Justine Larson-Netcher, who owns and operates a community daycare center.

After her own daughter started receiving the monthly package containing the book, "she was extra excited to read that night, before bed," Larson-Netcher said. 

"Every month, my son would count down the days until his new book would come in the mail," recalled Alisha Baertlein, a teacher at Ash Creek Elementary School. "We loved the variety of texts that we got introduced to," she added.

"The day he graduated out of the program was the saddest day for my book-loving kiddo," Baertlein said. 

The Marion & Polk County Learning Hub works to make sure families know about the program and have the opportunity to enroll their children, regardless of family income, Harnisch said. Partners include other organizations, businesses and volunteers across the region.

Tanna Cable Girod, a longtime volunteer at Central School District, said of the iconic entertainer: "Dolly Parton has offered an amazing service through Imagination Library."

Parton did so by "offering children access to books, and also empowering kids by personalizing their experience in receiving the books," Cable Girod said. "It sets kids up to view books and reading as fun and exciting," she observed. 

The state currently covers 50% of the cost of books and mailing with local community partners raising the remaining 50%.The total amount to raise per child is $16 for one year. The Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub is the local affiliate for the "Imagination Library" in Polk County. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, August 21, 2026      

Many Independence parks will be closed in a few weeks' time by City Manager Kenna West, who said she is working with the city's new in-house attorney on procedures to do so. 

She announced the plan at the Parks Board meeting last night. The single factor that would impact her decision is the possibility of grant funding from a non-profit, an apparent reference to Friends of Community Parks, the organization that held this year's Indy Days. 

West said park closures would likely mean placing fences, barricade tape or other barriers around park perimeters – a move that is necessary because there isn't the money to maintain them now that a referendum has gathered enough petition signings. Trammart News received confirmation Thursday that the signatures have been certified by Polk County Elections, which means the community service fee the city council adopted is now headed for a vote on the November ballot. 

The fee, an add-on of nearly $20 to the water bill, was passed by the budget committee and then approved by the city council to pay for parks, the Heritage Museum and the Independence Library. 

The fee was pursued after a levy for the same purpose was soundly defeated by residents in 2024. 

The announcement by West – who alluded to advice from the new in-house attorney for planning the process – appeared to surprise members of the Parks Board. However, the park closings had been listed as an agenda item for the meeting. 

Two board members, Parks Board Chair Erin McIntosh and Kristen Larson, expressed  concern over vandalism and graffiti if the parks were shut down. 

"This is certainly not where any of us wanted to be," West said. 

Parks Board Member Jasper Smith asked if there was some budgetary action that could be taken. "We don't have the numbers," West said. "We are still working through them." 

Smith then asked if the city council could  pass a new budget – perhaps modified from the current one?

West said that matter would need to go to the city council. 

(An editorial on libraries as public safety assets will appear next week; It was delayed due to this late-breaking story.) ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, August 21, 202

There appears to be no end in sight for contract-bargaining sessions between Central School District 13J and the teachers' union, Central Education Association.

Meetings were held on Monday and Thursday of this week.

The "snail's pace" progress seems to signal that negotiations are likely to continue into the fall. 

“We haven’t been able to finish bargaining before the start of the new school year, and that is disappointing to us all," confirmed Nathan Muti, president of CEA. 

One impasse so far has centered on pay hikes – the district is offering 1.9% and CEA wants a 4% raise. Also, the CEA is asking for an insurance package to contain costs, such as allowing monetary savings from non-users to be set aside in a revenue pool for future benefit. 

Another area of contention centers on school environment. Some educators this past school year reported frustration over how classroom behavioral conflicts – student outbursts, threats and disruption – are handled at the district level. 

Certain classroom incidents have become almost an automatic referral for administrative leave  –  instead, there should be a period of inquiry to get the facts, Muti said. "It shouldn't go right into an investigation," he said. 

CEA is seeking contract language to address this.

One step the district took this past spring was to go further with the current cell phone ban for students. This year, students will no longer be able to carry phones at all, a striking difference from last year when students were barred from accessing them.

Muti called the stricter policy a welcome one but cautioned that, until it is underway, the challenge of enforcement remains unknown. 

Another sticking point is that, at the elementary school level, teachers want to retain their daily preparatory period; CSD allegedly would like one of those to be carved out for a grade-wide teacher meeting, where data can be shared and discussed. 

Another bargaining session is scheduled for this coming Wednesday. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, August 21, 2026

The latest incidence report of chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, is a piece of good news for Polk County – and a dose of bad news, as well.

The good news is that there's been a fairly steady downward trend in the bacterial infection over the past seven years in the county (photo). Chlamydia cases have gone from an annual number of 424 in 2018 to 242 last year.

The bad news is that chlamydia remains the most frequently reported infectious disease in Polk County, dwarfing an array of reportable infectious conditions, from H. influenzae to whooping cough, as well as other sexually transmitted diseases.

That's troubling to health professionals because chlamydia can be free of symptoms and, if left untreated, can seriously damage the reproductive system, according to information from Polk County Health Services. So, while the numbers seem to be headed down, they also appear to remain relatively high. 

Asked to put that in perspective, County Public Health Administrator Kari Wilhite noted that "these observations and questions ... are important" but the best reference for residents is probably at the special Oregon Health Authority outreach page, Resources for the Public. 

In Oregon, counties with a demographic profile like Polk County – population clusters in small towns in a largely rural environment – have more gaps in healthcare services for women, according to findings reported in the Journal of Women's Health. 

A majority of cases in Polk County, 72%, were found in females, who are screened more often as part of their routine health care. Antibiotics provide the cure. 

"With all health-related issues in rural areas, access to care close to where folks live is always a factor and a challenge," noted Brent DeMoe, director of family and community outreach for the county.

This decline suggests that prevention efforts are paying off through increased awareness and availability for testing. Access to healthcare has been the number one priority in the Marion-Polk Community Health Improvement Plan for 2026-2030.

School-based clinics have been shown to make a big difference in teen testing and treatment, according to a 2022 study at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, which compared high school clinics to community family-planning centers.

In Independence, the Central Health & Wellness Center is a certified school-based health center that was added a dozen years ago to serve students. There are two reasons for this, according to studies on chlamydia. The first is that school-based clinics may provide condoms, which prevent the spread: The second is that a urine test is all that is needed for detection. 

The medical facility is located at the district-owned property on the corner of Monmouth and 16th streets. It is now run by Salem Health, according to Emily Mentzer, communications coordinator for Central School District. 

However, it isn't only youth and young adults that cause chlamydia to remain a health concern. The infection has been steadily rising in elder populations over the past decade, according to Casey Rust MD, a Florida-based geriatrician who wrote about the prevalence in older adults for an online report to the American Medical Directors Association. 

By law, all clinics and labs are required to report on specific diseases, infections, conditions and microorganisms. They are recorded by each county in the state. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, August 14, 2026

Residents packed city council chambers at Tuesday's hearing on the Independence Library to protest with heartfelt conviction the threatened shutdown – and a couple of city councilors used verbal barbs to make their points at the meeting. 

Resident testimony showed deep affection and dedication to the city's library. 

But, despite Mayor Kate Schwarzler's pronouncement that "we absolutely do not respond to public comment," some councilors interjected remarks that seemed aimed at questioning the credibility of former Independence city managers David Clyne and Greg Ellis, who both gave public testimony. 

Clyne and Ellis offered their versions of how the library could be financially rescued, with Clyne pinpointing pages in the budget that he found in error and Ellis calling the water-sewer bill "a heavy burden" that could be lightened. 

"I don't think that there is anyone that wants the library closed," said Ellis, who was the chief petitioner of the referendum to put fees on the November ballot. 

Nearly 125 years ago, more than 90 percent of Oregon voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to create a referendum process. It allows city-passed measures to be put to public vote if enough signatures are obtained during a petition drive. 

Overflowing crowd, lots of public testimony on the library.

Resident Phoebe Klaer kicked off the public comments by noting that two years ago a levy to support the library, parks and museum failed at the ballot box, defeated by a majority of local voters. Then fees were introduced for the same purpose. "What part of 'no' do you not understand?" she asked. 

When this nearly $20 fee is added to city utility billing, an inability to pay it will mean possible loss of water services or, at worst, risking a lien being placed against her home. 

However, most of the resident testimony centered on their desire to protect the library. 

Rebecca Strader said she was disappointed the levy didn't pass – and supports a fee now to finance it. A library serves the community in so many ways, she said. It provides access to technology as well as books and other materials for community members who may be least able to afford them, she pointed out.

"The library is the center of our community in so many ways," Strader said. She urged the city to find a way to keep the doors open "for the good" of all. 

In other impassioned testimony, Jenifer McIntosh said the library is so highly valued by residents that she wanted the city to weigh a current spending choice – the hiring of an in-house attorney – against keeping the library open. Kelsey Elam-Genting, an Independence resident for 10 years, called it an essential "gathering place." 

Two residents testified they wouldn't have chosen to live in Independence without the library. 

A senior student at Central High School, Aaron Villeneuve (photo), spoke in favor of the library but issued a caveat to the city council. Independence should be "far more communicative with the public," he said. One way to preserve community trust in the future is to provide government transparency, he said. 

Other testimony in support of the library came largely from city volunteers for the museum and library including at least one resident, Jasper Smith, who has served in multiple volunteer capacities, including on the parks board.  Some didn't identify their city affiliation. Vickie McCubbin, who chairs the Heritage Museum Advisory Board, identified herself only as a resident. She also represented the city task force that recommended the fees when the plan was presented to the city council in a work session.  

Two different public hearings are required under state law to close a public library. The second one will take place in 90 days, according to City Manager Kenna West. 

Comments from council members were frequent and pointed. 

The hearing drew back-and-forth comments from the city council that questioned the referendum process and, also, the two city managers who offered fiscal solutions in their addresses to the city. 

At one point, Schwarzler – who had cautioned councilors against querying residents about public testimony – asked Ellis during his time at the podium about the article he was referencing when he told the mayor she'd said closing the library wasn't an option. Ellis wasn't certain of the date but suggested it was in the Statesman-Journal (Trammart News located it in the March 2, 2025 issue.) 

Councilor Bill Boisvert, after describing how he and City Councilor Evan Sorce have been going to the local farmers market to speak with community members said: "I've heard from at least five people that, when the petition came to their door, they were given false information or misleading information." In fact, one of the residents who testified, a local business owner, said she felt that had happened to her. 

After the meeting, Ellis issued an explanation. "Out of 937 signatures there were probably at least five that may have been confused – but they were never misled," he said. "I tried to be as clear as possible when asking for signatures and clear up any confusion." Is this an attempt to "denigrate" the referendum and the people who gathered the signatures? Ellis asked. 

In fact, many petition-signers said they'd never heard of the fees before he knocked on their doors, Ellis observed. 

In an announcement he has made before, Councilor Sorce called interfund transfers of past administrations "stealing," prompting Ellis to counter that, over the past four budget cycles under City Manager West, there have been unspecified transfers from utility funds to the General Fund of $2.3 million. 

Councilor Sorce called the transfers "inter-loan transfers," Ellis said, noting that he seemed to be conflating two different actions. "It is either “inter-fund loan” or an "inter-fund transfer,” he added. (When Sorce first used the term "stealing" to describe such inter-fund actions several weeks ago, Trammart News consulted two municipal accountants who called inter-fund loans and transfers a city-budget tool – one characterized as "hogwash" Sorce's label of "stealing.") 

Councilor clashed with former city manager Clyne and his rebuttal. 

In an exchange even Councilor Shannon Corr called possibly "petty," she asked City Manager West how many budget committee meetings were attended by the two former city managers, shortly after Clyne's testimony. West responded that she thought Clyne had been at one. 

After the hearing, Clyne stressed that he had contacted the city two years ago to offer his assistance – he regularly reviews the budget and lives in town. The offer to the city was spurned, Clyne said.

More recently, Clyne said he spotted errors in the current budget. "It’s been about a week since I notified them of the budget errors and nothing but crickets," Clyne said. He wonders why that wasn't addressed, he said. And, if it won't be explained, "why don’t they tell us all why it apparently doesn’t matter?" he asked. 

"My point was and remains that it is not necessary to raise the rates to keep the parks, museum and library open," he stressed.

"My whole argument is that if you lower water and sewer rates by the amount being raised for the community service fee, the result will be no net change to customers’ bills and they won’t have reason to protest or fear the closures," Clyne said. 

The mayor and council have repeatedly referenced the many hours they spent on the budget. 

Five key takeaways from council meeting seemed apparent. 

1. The only budget considered by the budget committee had the addition of the service fee. The budget included a provision for hiring more staff, including an in-house attorney and a new library staff member. Library Director Patrick Bodily explained that, under the current situation, when the library is understaffed, city personnel cover for lunch hours or other times library staff need "to step away from the desk." 

2. Some attendees asked about Clyne's message asserting the city was offering a "false choice." One asked: "Does it have to be as draconian as 'no fee, no library'"?

The city hasn't had time to work up the financials of all the moving parts, according to West, but she explained that the city is so financially strapped that there is no money for any but essential services. West said former police chief, Bob Mason, had already stopped about 50% of the transfers as interim city manager before she arrived; West declared it "best practices" to forego them completely, and the city council agreed. 

3. Councilor Sorce's insistence that past city managers were "stealing" from the citizens using fund transfers seemed to ignore the fact that city councils pass budgets, not city managers – and both city managers were strongly influenced by Mayor John McArdle, according to past meeting minutes. 

Former Mayor McArdle has declined comment sought by Trammart News. Corr, Schwarzler and Kathy Martin-Willis were among the councilors that passed budgets when McArdle was mayor. 

4. The museum building, with a value of over $800,000, has a mortgage and personnel operational costs that exceeds $150,000 annually. It wasn't mentioned at the hearing. It is now up for sale. It was purchased with a loan approved by several current city councilors. The council also approved expending additional funds for needed repairs and renovations.

The building was acquired when the city manager prior to West, Tom Pessemier, arranged for a loan after vacant property the city wanted to sell on Polk Street was found to have a deed restriction, according to a report by Trammart News at the time. That property, despite Pessmier's finding, is currently for sale. So is the museum building, which hasn't sold, though it remains "in negotiation" for a sale, according to a city council resolution passed this week. 

5. Trammart News inquired of the city's communications director, Emmanuel Goicochea, if the advisory issued by Schwarzler against querying residents during public comment applied to the hearing on the library, which generated discussion among councilors. (ORS 192.610–192.690)

There was no reply by press deadline; Goicochea typically doesn't answer queries from this local news outlet. 

However, information from the League of Oregon Cities, as imparted in informational videos on Oregon open meetings law, advises against councilor conversations about resident testimony. The most recent video encourages councils to treat all speakers equally, according to the LOC ("Elected Essentials,” January, 2025). ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, August 14, 2026

T.J. Bailey is a teacher at Central High School who's also the mayor of Falls City. Over the past several months, Trammart News has shadowed him at city council meetings in Falls City and has spoken with roughly 20 residents in the town about their mayor. Thus far, no one in Falls City has had anything but praise for Mayor Bailey. 

So, a feature profile – an interview with the city manager of Falls City about Bailey, followed by a Q and A with Bailey – seemed both timely and appropriate. Bailey has been mayor for more than five years, a time when the city faced deep fiscal challenges like many across Oregon. 

The financial squeeze hit hard in Falls City, a town with a poverty rate of 20% and the lowest median income in Polk County. Even so, the city's financial situation has meant putting more revenue burden on its taxpayers, typically by rate increases. 

And, when the water rates recently were raised, the 1,200-plus residents were informed they will continue to be increased by 5% annually for the next 5 years. 

But there wasn't much of an outcry. Why?

One big reason is Mayor Bailey, according to City Manager A.J. Foscoli, who has been the town's chief administrator for the past six years. 

Bailey had been explaining and talking and hearing concern about it for months – by the time the increase was adopted, he had "buy in," Foscoli said. 

Bailey "lets people vent and gives some of these folks a little bit of latitude," Foscoli said. The over-arching aim is "to keep the streets passable and the water flowing," Foscoli stressed. 

Some Falls City residents show up regularly for city council meetings – sometimes the same ones and sometimes with harsh commentary. At times, the fault-finding seems like "tilting at windmills," Foscoli observed. 

But the mayor is unflappable, patiently listening and, when critiques are lobbed at him, he issues polite answers, Foscoli said.

A recent city council meeting provided an example: One woman pronounced strong disapproval of the vegetation that had grown in the city lagoons, asserting that clean-up was sorely needed. 

Most of it was duck weed, she pointed out. 

As it turned out, the invader was a water plant she actually liked. Bailey assured her that, after the alleged growth was addressed, he would make certain she received a bucket of the duck weed for home use. 

Bailey's listening skills and easy acceptance of criticism have paid off, creating a rare rapport with the community, Foscoli said. He added that, to outsiders, this constant relationship-building may look a little "country bumpkin." But it works, he stressed. 

In a question-and-answer interview at Backroads Coffee, which literally is the center of town, Bailey spoke to Trammart News about what it's like to be mayor in a place where nearly everyone knows his name, and he can't leave his house without being spotted by a constituent. 

TN: So, it looks like to me you have a lot of patience in those city council meetings, which bring forth quite a bit of criticism and interaction from audience members. You never seem to get angered by it and, often, you answer. This seems unusual. 

Bailey: I do think our city council meetings may be unusual to some. And I do get irritated, at times, but I try not to let it show. These are people who care enough to come to meetings, and they have something to say. And, really, one of my biggest responsibilities is to listen. 

TN: Do you think being a teacher helps? You teach language arts at the high school in Independence, right?

Bailey: Yes, to both questions. Classrooms have to be safe places, and by that, I mean to speak up and share observations. It's the same when I am mayor. Also, when you are teaching a class and maybe it goes a little off topic, you can make a readjustment. Same with city meetings. 

TN:  The  Socratic approach – back-and-forth discussion to reach a conclusion – is a familiar strategy for you, right? For many years, you taught AVID at CHS. It's my understanding from covering Central School District board meetings that this is an educational program that uses specific methods to help students build critical thinking skills and sound reasoning. 

Bailey: Yes, I can be very Socratic in my approach. 

TN: Well, I recall when an issue of a smoldering fire on someone's property was brought up. I thought, "well what can you do in the middle of a meeting?" But then the fire chief suddenly appears to talk about it. 

Bailey: Yes, I texted him. We had actually been trying to get that property to address some neglect, and they were trying to do so, but then they burned some things that actually had plastic and it smelled. And neighbors were upset .... 

TN: So, what can you do?

Bailey: Well, I think gentle persuasion works best. We really needed to educate them. We wanted some clean-up. And we've been on them about that. I really don't think you can be ... too hard ... when someone is trying to bring things up to snuff. I mean, I really didn't want to see them fined.

TN: But you had people disturbed about smoky, foul air. 

Bailey: Yes. So, the best way is through communication. In fact, the best way to do anything is through communication. Lots of communication. The fire chief showed up. We talked about it. We are still talking about it. 

TN: Can you give an example where you applied this principle elsewhere in your town?

Bailey: Water and water rates. It is something everyone complains about. Ours are low but they are going up. They are rising 5% a year. We needed to do that to keep up with demand, and to keep a good mutual relationship with our customers and the Luckiamute Domestic Water Cooperative, which buys water from us.

TN: So how does the communication piece come in? 

Bailey: When you teach, you see kids with all different personalities. Some like to read by audio books; others like to hold a book in their hands. Some like to hear information being read. Humans are like that ...

TN: So, you mean just apply different forms of communication?

Bailey: Right. Hold forums, put notices all around. In their water bills and hand-outs around town. Get people talking. Because then you can hear concerns, meet them where they are on this. 

TN: Independence is what I would consider working class in many respects. Not entirely, but not universally affluent by any measure. 

Bailey: We have a high poverty rate here. Anyone who wanted to talk to me about it, I just wanted to do so with them. You don't always get someone to agree with you, but you can usually get them to understand. 

TN: So, you got pushback on the 5%-a-year rate hike for water, I presume. 

Bailey: We had a water rate study from a consultant, so we spread the word on that. Also, we have some heavy users in our population, so they know they may be charged extra. We want to keep the water viable. Water and sewer are so important. 

TN: So, do you say anything that's convincing that others could use the same approach?

Bailey: It gets back to Socratic style. You aren't saying it's this way or that way as much as "here is another way to look at it, can you see that?" 

TN: But surely you must have some who really light into you over city business. I think that happens in every town. 

Bailey: Well, we have one guy. He is convinced that local governments are the same as embezzlers. What can you do? These people get on social media and you either have to let it go ... I think it is so important not to get caught in online arguments. I try to post in a conversational way, being business-like. 

TN: Well, okay, but you said you get seen around town a lot and people just approach you. What do you do if they are nasty to your face?

Bailey: I've had that happen over a letter I signed. It was put forward by Gov. Tina Kotek. Other mayors signed it, too. It was objecting to the way ICE was behaving. 

TN: Yes, I know what you're talking about. The mayor in Independence didn't sign it. 

Bailey: Well, I did sign it and one of our residents didn't agree. He was really upset. 

TN: How did you handle that? 

Bailey: I said I was signing it as myself, as a mayor who thought this deserved my signature and not to represent the whole town. I also said I agreed that we need immigration reform. Not this way. 

TN: Is there anything or anyone that helps you? I've heard it's lonely at the top! (laughs). But I'm sure it's isolating. 

Bailey: One of the things that really helps is reaching out, getting mentoring if you want to call it that. Beth Wytoski, who's in Dayton, is so wise and steady. Amy Houghtaling, on Falls City Council, is really good for me because she sees everything that is going on. Brian Dalton, who is the former mayor of Dallas. I really try to be like him. Even-keeled no matter what. 

TN: Anything else?

Bailey: Family, of course. I have a wife, a son and a daughter. You really cannot get too wrapped up in political life with kids. They let you know what and who is important. And let's see...there is Floyd, the labradoodle and Agnes, the pocket pit bull and two cats and chickens. And, oh, we are fostering a beagle right now. 

TN: So, do you have an acreage of some kind here?

Bailey: Oh no, we live in a cul-de-sac with a small yard (laughs). ▪