From reading the article about the recycling application “Farmers blast Redland composting plan,” July 25), I didn’t get the impression that the gathering of the crowd at the county building was for a hearing before Clackamas County’s Land Use Hearing Officer. However, that does make sense to me that the application is an appeal of the Planning Director’s decision. I don’t really think most in the crowd understand the planning process (administrative review by the “Planning Director”).

I would anticipate that “the crowd” will be thinking the Board of County Commissioners will have the final say. Most of them don’t realize that the BCC will not be involved in the decision.

By the way, this situation is a very good example why I personally don’t like a Hearing Officer process and non-involvement of the Board of County Commissioners on these types of appeals. In most of our city planning processes here in the county, I think most cities have the City Council as the final appeals body prior to any appeals being filed with LUBA. It’s the city’s role to legislate planning policy through its Planning Commission and City Council, by adopting zoning regulations and policies. As the City Council is elected by voters of the specific city, the council is therefore responsible for “answering” first to the people of the city, and only secondarily to the state of Oregon (Legislature and Governor who write laws cities have to follow).

One of the arguments around the county CPOs is accountability between the CPO, County Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners. Frankly, the system can work if the BCC recognizes the PC’s role as the “planners” of the community (as assisted by county staff). I believe the “planning director” has too much interpretative authority which, in my view, should be the role of the Planning Commission. One argument I’ve heard against my leaning is that the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners have too much work to deal with land use hearings and appeals.

That might have been the case when BCC members were elected part-time. Now, they are well-compensated for serving full-time (in some regard, many people view their employment as a 24/7 commitment to their constituents). I’ve also noticed that the County Planning Commission’s calendar has had many “cancelled” meetings for lack of business over the years. City planning commissioners seem to be able to get their work done monthly (and often a second meeting during the month), and the city councils usually meet twice a month. Our BCC members ususally have at least one business meeting a week (often lasting a half hour or less to conduct their “business”), along with numerous planning work sessions during the week.

So I have advocated for getting rid of the Hearings Officer for planning matters in the county and putting the responsibility square on the shoulders of the County Planning Commission and City Council. Some people fret that planning is too technical and legal. That’s the problem with it; it’s too focused on the details and less on common sense.

Further, if the County PC and the BCC don’t face their own policies in public hearing, they have less of a sense of the impacts of policy on the community and land owners. Also, that’s why we hire staff to make sure that the technical matters are properly addressed and considered during application review and hearing.

Pat Russell

Unincorporated North Clackamas

School employees work hard for students, respect

Since I am a school bus driver for NCSD and I voted against the recent contract, I am very disappointed in how you reported the outcome of our contract vote (“School employees reject labor agreement,” Aug. 1).

Your article stated that we voted the contract down purely due to compensation which makes us look like money-hungry individuals. We voted that contract down because there were errors in how it was written and because the medical insurance portion was very unfair. You reported that the teachers “negotiated a new contract without serious delays. . .”. I’m sure you didn’t do enough research to understand that for the last four years the classified employees of NCSD have passed contracts without receiving any increase in their “compensation” and have also been given “furlough” days based on how the teachers’ contracts have been negotiated. In essence we have taken a cut in pay for the last four years.

Yes, we classified workers do not have the extensive education the teachers have, but we work just the same. As school bus drivers, we are responsible to transport anywhere from five to 85 students in our buses every school day. In a full bus that is the equivalent of two to three classrooms of students riding behind us while we negotiate through traffic in our district. Maybe you would like to do a “ride along” some day to see how our day plays out; then tell me if we deserve more than 1 percent increase in pay and seven more furlough days this year with an additional charge for our medical benefits.

Most of our routes begin with a start time for us at 6 a.m., with some routes not ending until after 6 p.m. In those 12 hours, we drive anywhere from six to eight of them with maybe an hour or two between morning, midday and afternoon runs.

And while I’m at it, the custodial staff, secretaries, food service, instructional assistants and maintenance are in our same place. Maybe they don’t drive the students around, but they interact with them on a daily basis. Most of these kids appreciate what we do for them. But there are the few that remind us “we aren’t their boss” or “my parents will have your job.” I do like that one. I’m sure their parents wouldn’t have the first clue how to do any of the classified positions or at least wouldn’t do them for the pay we receive.

Don’t get me wrong. I am one driver that loves what I do. After 30-plus years in another field making much more than I do now, I wish I would have done this for myself years ago. You cannot describe the feelings you get from that busload of students who cheer when they find out you will be their bus driver for the rest of the year after substituting the route for a month. Or the elementary student that has been gone for a few days and comes back to your bus and hugs you and says “I missed you, bus driver.” Or the one I got from a high school student who said “we wouldn’t ever do anything to disrespect you. We respect you too much.” All these things make my job so worth it.

But it would be helpful if our medical benefits were not a negotiating point in the contract that makes it a contract that hurts instead of helps us. NCSD is a good district. But they need to be fair in the negotiating. Teachers deserve good pay, but so do the classified employees. Without the classified employees, the schools wouldn’t be clean, maintained, provided with meals for the students and staff and wouldn’t have students to teach since they would not have transportation to get there.

I would hope you would not report a story like this without making sure you have the story correct.

Jill Jackson

Happy Valley

Proposed candidate endorsement policy

After many years of steering clear of candidate election politics, your Oregon City Chamber of Commerce may be carefully entering this realm. In fact, a policy on candidate endorsements will be on the agenda of the Chamber’s Board of Directors this Aug. 20.

Over the past several months the Government & Economic Affairs Committee (GEAC) and a sub-committee have been working diligently to create a draft policy that reflects a particular philosophy when it comes to the endorsement of political candidates. The leadership of our Chamber is seeking your opinions.

Why is the Oregon City Chamber considering candidate endorsements?

The first few paragraphs of the draft policy explain it best.

As the stewards of a strong business climate, it is the responsibility of the Oregon City Chamber to ensure the interests of business are represented in the policies and positions affecting our community.

From time to time, our Chamber will consider publicly endorsing individual candidates for elected public office when significant differences exist between candidates as to their attitudes and views regarding issues important to the business community.

Through this effort, the Chamber can begin to influence our City Commission, Board of County Commissioners and State Legislature and identify individuals who will consult with the Chamber and business community before making policy decisions. The election of candidates to office who recognize and support business prosperity is critical to the success of our businesses and the economy.

If the Board of Directors passes this new policy, they will also need to pass a bylaws amendment specifying that a candidate endorsement vote must pass by a 2/3 majority vote of a quorum of the Board of Directors rather than the typical majority vote. Ultimately, it is the hope of the GEAC that this policy will be in place to consider candidate endorsements for this November’s general election.

An abbreviated version of the policy draft is included in this month’s ChamberWire. You are strongly encouraged to review the full draft policy which is available on the Chamber website at oregoncity.org. Select the “Our Chamber” tab, go to “Who We Are” and then “Committees.”

You may respond directly to staff at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or click on the link on the website to take a one-question poll. Your comments are valuable but we need to hear from you by Monday, Aug.13, in order to prepare meeting materials for the Board of Directors.

Amber Holveck

Executive director

Positively poppycock!

Chuck Berglund (“Positively a local idea,” Letters, Aug. 1) is either completely hoodwinked by lies or is motivated to hoodwink Clackamas County citizens by obfuscating the fact that Positively Clackamas is another tool in the progressive, free-spending, greedy Metro toolbox.

Following the money by looking at the contributors to the political action committees (PACs) for whom Kevin Neely is treasurer will make your head spin, but it is very informative. Neely is Portland’s very own progressive puppet-master for moving union and out-of-state contributors’ money around amongst his stable of PACs. Hundreds of thousands of dollars from union and out-of-state contributors spent to protect out-of-control spending in our state.

Neely’s money web is staggering, and names that keep popping up include such Clackamas notables as Lynn Peterson, Charlotte Lehan, Jamie Damon and Jim Bernard. Makes one wonder for whom our elected officials are working, and I doubt it is primarily for their lowly constituents.

Voting Yes on 3-401 is the only way to possibly protect Clackamas County from Portland propaganda and their crazy spending ideas.

Libby Wentz

Gladstone

OC neighbors organize against Walmart

I am contacting all my neighbors and friends who live in the Oregon City area and asking them to send letters to stop a Walmart from invading our city.

No! We do not want a Walmart here. Our traffic is already at bottleneck status most every day, with constant street repairs, a new Safeway that just opened last year, and more gentrification that is completely unnecessary.

I like Oregon City the way it is. It is one of the last holdouts that still has some breathing room, beautiful views of the river and falls, nice parks, and simply what’s left of a small-town feel.

It is true: we have more than enough grocery stores here and small shops that sell everything we need. Bi-Mart, Walgreens, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Haggens, K-Mart, Albertsons—all these would be greatly hurt with a mega giant such as Walmart stealing business from these established concerns.

I’m calling on my fellow Oregon City neighbors and our elected leaders to stand up and oppose the proposed Walmart(s). We do not need a store that will cause such significant impacts on Oregon City’s neighborhoods.

Nancy Chiodo

Oregon City

Keep commerce local

We need to focus on supporting local business to keep our economy improving. We have no need for a Walmart in Oregon City, especially at the proposed site. Although I’m a proponent for free enterprise, this business known for selling cheap products at a cheap price, and the ultimate price will be paid by local businesses and neighborhoods.

Notwithstanding the potential environmental impact to Newell Creek Canyon, the increase in traffic in an already otherwise congested area will cause us harm.

Mayor Neeley and Commissioners Roth, Smith, Pauli and Mumm; please stand with us and keep this from happening. Once this corporation gets their way, there’s no going back. Keep our hard-earned dollars local!

There must be better options, perhaps a growing local company who can occupy that lot and will create competitive living-wage jobs for our area.

Leo Wink

Oregon City

Shame!

To whomever stole the “A-Frame sign” from the corner of Leland and Central Point roads in Oregon City on Friday, July 27, “Shame on you.”

The sign was made for the “Silver Lady’s Club” for the old ladies having their rummage sale in the mall next door to the Plaid Pantry store.

Shame, shame on you!

If returned, both we and God will forgive you.

Betty Savage

Oregon City

We welcome submissions from readers on local issues for our Editorial and Opinion page. Please send your thoughts by Friday at noon to Raymond Rendleman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Try to keep Letter to the Editor submissions under 400 words, but longer submissions will be considered for Community Soapboxes. Submissions may be edited for length, grammar, libel and appropriate taste. Letters must be accompanied by a full name, a telephone number and street address for verification purposes.