Bike cart donation
has meant a lot

My wife and I want to give Carla and Dale Johnson a deeply appreciated thank you. The Johnsons donated a bike cart so we can take our handicapped daughter Natasha on bike rides.

Natasha loves the outdoors and had to rely on her wheelchair or her tricycle for short rides. Thanks to the Johnson's generosity, Natasha will be able to go on longer rides with Mom and Dad, and even on camping trips.
Alex, Julie and Natasha Bello
Canby

Trash problem
is being ignored

I've lived in an apartment on Southeast Second Avenue in Canby the last 16 years. The owners of the apartments next door removed their trash Dumpster about six months ago.

Now there is a growing pile of garbage in the back of our parking lot. It is more than 10 feet tall and 30 feet around. There are old mattresses, refrigerators and a lot of household garbage.

People moving out have piled more and more trash on the mountain. Rats and possums have moved in in growing numbers. I will no longer use our laundry room because I don't feel safe for fear of running into them again.

I have made more than 20 calls to the managers of the apartments in question, to the Canby Police Department, the city code enforcement officer, and to the fire chief.

For six months now I have been promised action, but the trash is still piling up and its residents keep breeding.

The latest thing I was told was, "It will be cleaned up by Wednesday, Jan. 17."

Then I was told things were on hold, waiting for a registered letter to be returned from the owners. Does this make sense?

In the meanwhile, children play near the pile, elderly apartment dwellers worry about their safety and how long it will be before the rodents move into our apartments.

The system is supposed to be in place to deal with problems like this. But, somehow, I've lost confidence in the system.

Canby used to be a clean, small town U.S.A. Growth should mean prosperity, not acceptance of slovenliness.
Joan E. Miller
Canby

'Service' station turns
out to be a misnomer

I would like to address the poor customer service at gas stations, or what was formerly referred to as a "service station."

This past week, I experienced the ultimate in downright bad service. I was in line at a rural station, following the appropriate directional arrow waiting for my turn at the pump.

The painting business van in front of me blocked all three pumps while getting his gas.

After filling up with gas and before moving on, he signaled another of his company's vans to maneuver around the parking lot and back up in front of him to the first pump to start filling up with gas.

He essentially blocked my way.

When I complained, the counter folks didn't know what I was talking about, and when I again complained to the attendant, well, he thought it was funny.

I left the station and went to another station only to again be treated with terrible service, which could be another letter to the editor. I don't know what to think about the state of service at gas stations today. Where is the service?

I've never been much on pumping my own gas, but I have to tell you that it's looking pretty good to me these days. I won't be going back to the station in my neighborhood, nor will I be going back to the other station as well.

I'm taking my business to a station that provides service, and am resolved to pay more to be treated as a paying customer.
Cheryl Mickelsen
Canby

Homeowners are
targets for taxes

The Canby Fire District will seek voter approval of a five-year local option tax to hire seven new personnel, including five firefighters and paramedics, in the March 13 election.

I wonder when homeowners are not going to be one of the targets for more taxes. What about renters? What about charging sales tax and giving the homeowner a tax cut? That probably won't happen.

I'm sure once our great leaders get a tax they won't want to give it back. I'm becoming tax and insurance poor. I'm developing a bad attitude being a homeowner. Maybe it's time to stop more people from moving in. I know that may not be realistic - it's just a thought.

It seems everything goes up except my wages. I'm sure the fire chief is correct in needing more personnel. I hope they get it. But this time get it from renters and other citizens of Canby.

The Canby Fire District will seek voter approval of a five-year local option tax to hire seven new personnel, including five firefighters and paramedics, in the March 13 election.

I wonder when homeowners are not going to be one of the targets for more taxes. What about renters? What about charging sales tax and giving the homeowner a tax cut? That probably won't happen.

I'm sure once our great leaders get a tax they won't want to give it back.

I'm becoming tax and insurance poor. I'm developing a bad attitude being a homeowner. Maybe it's time to stop more people from moving in. I know that may not be realistic - it's just a thought.

It seems everything goes up except my wages. I'm sure the fire chief is correct in needing more personnel. I hope they get it. But this time get it from renters and other citizens of Canby.
Jack Walker
Canby

Does all the rock have
to come from Canby?

It seems to be a commonly accepted belief by many of our elected officials that the general public is not capable of discerning what is in its own best interest.

I am confident that most of us not intimately involved in our governmental process not only know what is good for us, but what is terribly bad for us.

And I think it is safe to say that another aggregate mining operation in our neighborhood is very bad for those of us who live in and commute through it.

Clackamas County and the state of Oregon may very well need rock to build and maintain our roads and have done a commendable job of it. But does all the rock have to come from Canby and its surrounding areas?

I bring to your attention the intent of Oregon Asphaltic Paving Co. to open and operate a gravel mining site just north of the Dairy Garden on Knights Bridge Road. Many in the community have known of this possibility since 1989, when the proposal was defeated at the planning board level of hearings.

The reason for denial of a permit for Oregon Asphaltic Paving Co. at that time was simply because the land was, and still is, zoned Exclusive Farm Use (EFU). But this fact will no longer be enough to deter their efforts because the state has changed the rules of the game.

Due to Oregon's Goals Program and Goal 5 in particular, which spells out the parameters for the exploitation of natural resources, we are faced with the probability of this pit proposal becoming reality unless we all come to our senses and speak up.

Your local Community Planning Organization (CPO) is struggling to stay abreast of the latest developments at this proposed site and to inform the public of such. Here is your opportunity to hear about it first hand by attending the next CPO meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, upstairs at Cutsforth's Old Town Hall.

Those whose livelihood depends on rock claim Oregon is running out of suitable rock to mine for roads. Excuse my skepticism, but are you, the public, going to buy into that line of reasoning? Oregon is full or rock.

You don't have to be a geologist to know that several million years of volcanic and glacial activity in the Northwest has blessed us with rock everywhere you look and dig. The main attraction to this proposed site is the fact that it is close to Portland and easy to extract. Let's not allow more farmland to be destroyed because of the greed and shortsightedness of an industry that has historically shown little regard for the land or the people who inhabit it.
Steven J. Cramer
Canby

Schrader's bill
isn't the answer

Rep. Kurt Schrader is once again trying to impose a system development charge on new residential homes so that builders will "pay their fair share" for the costs of schools.

Unfortunately, Rep. Schrader has yet to figure out that most people who buy new homes already own homes in the community. Therefore, buying a new home 10 blocks away does not change the demand for schools if they already have kids enrolled.

He also makes the absurd argument that if his bill passes, homebuilders should not be allowed to pass on the costs to buyers, but should simply reduce their net profit.

As a veterinarian, I wonder how he'd feel if the Legislature tacked on a $100 fee to every transaction in his business and ordered him not to pass on the costs to consumers. He might have a different perspective about legislative price controls.

We do have a serious problem with school finance in this state, but introducing bills that turn certain industries into scapegoats is not the responsible way to deal with it. The issue isn't new homes; it's the lack of competition in the school market.

The government schools have a near-monopoly on service (greater than 90 percent market share), and a total monopoly on tax revenues. With a captive market and no real competition, there are no incentives to keep costs down. That's why the so-called school finance "crisis" never ends.

It would be nice if Rep. Schrader would deal with this problem, but since he didn't even support charter schools last session, I don't have too many expectations.
John Charles
Sandy

Parks is good choice,
but process is flawed

I congratulate Corey Parks on his appointment to the Canby City Council. My criticism at last week's meeting of what I consider to be a flawed process is not intended as a negative reflection on Corey. He is an excellent choice, and will serve the community well as a council member.

I also thank the many people who actively encouraged my potential appointment to the council. I did not learn until last Thursday that there was a whole stack of support letters submitted to City Hall encouraging the council to appoint me. I truly appreciate that.

And thank you to those who criticized my candidacy and campaigned against my appointment. Criticism helps me keep things in perspective, and a variety of opinions vitalizes the democratic process.

And one other quick note of appreciation. One thing I enjoy more than a compliment is a well-phrased insult. Thank you, Mr. Tessman, for your letter to the editor suggesting I would be waiting to lead the community out of darkness into light. Well spoken sarcasm. Thank you, I smile every time I think of that one.
Roger Harris
Canby

CTA can find
right plan for you

In response to a letter from a concerned Canby Telephone customer, we wish to clarify a pricing issue related to our long distance telephone service.

Canby Telephone Association, through its subsidiary DirectLink, offers two long distance plans: 10 cents per minute with a monthly charge of $4.95, and 16 cents per minute with no monthly charge.

These rates are available any time day or night, anywhere in the U.S. CTA customers average 40 minutes of long distance calling per month, which calculates out to $6 to $9 per month. In addition, our SimpleChoice calling plan offers 25 free long distance minutes per month of DirectLink Long Distance.

There have been many instances when we have been able to save customers money with DirectLink Long Distance because many "low rate" plans from competing companies have unadvertised monthly charges, minimum calling times in order to get discounted rates, and/or times of day that calls have to be placed in order to receive the discounted rates.

CTA customers have a choice of who they want to be their long distance carrier. Our customer care specialists are more than happy to give customers a list of long distance carriers from which to choose.

Please contact the CTA Customer Care Center at 503-266-8111 for information.
Jeff Pearson
Canby Telephone Association

Canby needs strong
commercial base

It was interesting to note the comment from the Planning Commission in last week's article on the possibility of the relocation of Milgard Windows in Canby.

If I recall, the comment was made that the citizens of Canby may not want or need to fund the Sequoia Parkway, which would service the business. However, it was noted that the City Council would address the issue. Looking at the composition of the new Council, the faces are very much like those we saw on the Planning Commission.

The issue of supplying infrastructure is an important discussion in that 1) how much should businesses shoulder, 2) how much should the taxpayer shoulder, and 3) what blend of responsibilities will impact the viability and vitality of Canby?

With the discussions of new streetscapes downtown, will this Planning Commission/City Council expect the already struggling businesses in the downtown core to should the bill? I hope not. Canby needs businesses and a commercial base, not just a residential base.
D. Shuman
Canby