The 2004 State of the City

By Mayor Chris Nusbaum

Many Philomath Citizens may not realize that your City Council resolved numerous controversial issues that have been bottlenecked in Council Chambers for the last decade. Some examples of accomplishments for 2003 are as follows:

·  Couplet Issue:                   RESOLVED

·  Community Center Siting:    RESOLVED

·  Street Repair Funding:         RESOLVED

·  Lakeside Industrial Park
Funding:                        RESOLVED

·  New Police Facility Siting:      RESOLVED

·  Lions Club Park Playground:  COMPLETED

·  Mary’s River Park Playground: COMPLETED

·  Plan new Children’s Park
 at Westbrook Subdiv:      COMPLETED

·  South 13^th Street Storm Drainage Construction:                                  COMPLETED

·  Lower City Property Tax Burden to Citizens:
($6.70/$1000 to $6.35/$1000)                                                                            
                                        COMPLETED

·  5 Year City of Philomath Periodic Review:  
                                        COMPLETED

·  2003 Citywide Fall Cleanup Program:
(41 tons of junk removed) COMPLETED

·  Citywide Major Repairs of 11 Residential Streets:                        COMPLETED

·  Free of general obligation bond debt in Dec. 04

Everything is Getting Better ...Getting Better all the Time

Dear Philomath Residents:

Yes, I realize that the title of this year’s State of the City Address has been borrowed from a popular Beetles song. However, the song reflects how many of us on City Council feel after surviving a turbulent year in 2003.

The successful resolution and completion of several controversial growth issues have come at a high cost to good mental health of all Councilor volunteers. As many of you are aware, activism ran rampant in 2003 attempting to influence City Council outcomes. In 2003 your City Council endured: 3 threats of lawsuits, 2 election complaints to Oregon’s Secretary of State, 4 ethics complaints to Oregon Government Standards and Practices, 2 recall attempts, 2 citizen appeals to Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals and threats of no confidence votes to many who serve on our Council. Nearly all of these threats and complaints have been dismissed as without merit.

It is my pleasure to report that your City Council is still here, standing tall and intact as you the public elected us. This young Council is very much in control of your City Government. I now call members of our Council “Couplet War Veterans”. Each Councilor (and the Mayor) has become a little wiser, and a little more seasoned to the strategies of activism politics.

2004 holds great promise to Philomath residents. Our economy is on the rebound.

(continued on Page 2)

State of the City cont…Jobs will be coming back to Benton County in full force. When they do, we have positioned Philomath to be a receptor of new start up industry with the Lakeside Development Park and the Business Enterprise Center. Our City will take advantage of the many Linn Benton Community College and Oregon State University Graduates looking for a start up location. They will bring to Philomath new research knowledge and technology creating numerous family wage jobs.  These new enterprises will be sharing space with entrepreneurial youth who desire to enter the work force fresh out of Philomath’s Public and Private Schools. Philomath (meaning “lover of learning”) will embrace all education and business opportunities alike.

The approved Compromise Couplet Design will keep westbound coastal tourism traffic on our main street ensuring summer jobs for all of our high school youth while protecting the residents of College Street from interstate freight route traffic.

Our Community Organizations have taken on the tasks of building a Community Center, an Interpretive Center and Senior Center. Volunteer labor organizations such as the Philomath Food Bank and ARC of Benton County are addressing issues of ample nutrition and plenty of warm clothing for families in need. Benton County’s Historical Museum (located in our restored college on Main Street) has spearheaded historical preservation of our community thus making our past at the heart of all Philomath Volunteers. The Philomath Frolic and Rodeo reminds us of the Pioneer Wild West “Can do” spirit that keeps our town thriving. During our summer we had fun “cruising” the Chamber sponsored Classic Car Show and enjoyed great live music at the Blues and Jazz Festival.

In 2003 the Philomath Library shared numerous bedtime stories of great adventure to our children and the Lions Club convinced Santa Claus to take time out of his holiday schedule to spend a Saturday with our kids. Philomath is known throughout the State as “City of Volunteers”. We cannot begin to say “thank you” loud enough to the volunteers, staff and teachers of our school system. Our schools continue to be a powerful draw to all who want to live in our community.

The summer of 2003 saw citywide construction at a breakneck pace. Philomath Public Works Department oversaw and completed a major storm drainage system project that will protect our downtown business district during the worst of floods. Across the neighborhood you saw major repairs and upgrades of our city streets. The $211,000 Philomath Street Repair Project was the most ambitious road repair and upgrade undertaken in the last decade. We successfully repaved 11 of our city streets in dire need of repair. 

These upgrade efforts ensure that property values in Philomath (your home) continue to increase while the City Hall Finance Department has once again been successful in lowering your City of Philomath property tax burden.

Our Council (working with the Philomath Chief of Police) is still on track to complete construction of the new Police Facility at no additional cost to you the taxpayer. Our goal is to complete a state of the art law enforcement structure, utilizing existing city funds. If all goes to plan, there will be no ballot measure coming before Philomath residents asking for bond money.

As a Philomath Citizen you can hold your head high. We have survived the worst growth issue controversies seen at City Hall. During the last recession, our finances stayed strong, our city services intact and our personnel at full force.  (continued on page 3)

College building renovation planned

SENIOR CENTER INTENDED FOR HISTORIC SITE

The College of Philomath Community Corporation (CPCC) is a newly formed non-profit group dedicated to renovating the historic College of Philomath building. The goal is to preserve the building’s historic charm while creating a comfortable community center where seniors can meet one another and receive services, and where a local non-profit preschool can help young children get a good start on their education.

The building, which once housed the United Brethren College of Philomath and was later used as the Philomath grade school, is at the corner of Pioneer and North 10^th streets. Two floors of the building will be dedicated to a full-service Senior Center that eventually will house the Senior Meals program, and it could offer space for such services as the Benton County Health Department and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (R.S.V.P).

"Bringing these services to Philomath, would be a great benefit to our seniors,” stated Scott Ramsey, chairman of the new group. “The shared location should also facilitate interaction between our older and younger citizens.”

Recently, CPCC appointed an Advisory Board to help guide its Board of Directors through the process of preparing a business plan for the project, fundraising, and sharing the progress of the project with the community. Members of the Advisory Board include:

·         Dr. David Grube, physician at Philomath Family Medicine

·         Kathi Harwood, Philomath City Councilor

·         Cynthia Hylton, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)

·         Annabelle Jaramillo, Benton County Commissioner

·         Bill Lewis, Director of the Benton County Historical Society and Museum

·         Christie Locke, Director of Benton and Linn Counties Senior Meals and Meals on Wheels programs

These people bring a wealth of expertise, ideas, and energy to the project. In addition to the Advisory board, a formal partnership with the City of Philomath gives the project a community backing that may help the group secure funding as they ready to apply for grant money through regional foundations.

True to the nature of a community project, CPCC has received many generous donations from private individuals and local businesses. Most notable are generous commitments from Georgia-Pacific and Corvallis Hardware to provide all the lumber and paint needed for the project. Local electrician Dan McCabe of Solid Ground Electric will provide in-kind electrical services, and the Philomath High School Forestry students, under the direction of Christie Shaw, will assist with tree trimming and removal as well as other landscaping needs.

If you have any input about the project or if you would like to volunteer, please call Scott Ramsey at 929‑2909. Also, if you have any stories about the building, or if you attended school there, they would love to hear from you! The CPCC volunteer group and senior committee meet once a month at City Hall to plan and work on the project. The current CPCC Board of Directors include Willa Evans, Meredith Howell, Toni Hoyman, Faith Junghans, Scott Ramsey, Sha Sifford and Maggie Sweetin.

The Philomath Police Department has teamed up with  Project ChildSafe in the hope of keeping kids safe.  Project ChildSafe is a nationwide program with the purpose of promoting safe firearms handling and storage practices among all firearm owners.  This partnership distributes free gun locking devices and provides key safety education. 

The goal of Project ChildSafe is to inform and educate all firearm owners on key safety issues and to provide firearm safety kits that include a gun-locking device.  The Philomath Police Dept. has free gunlocks and educational safety kits available at the Police Station, located at 1215 Main Street.

The following is an excerpt from the ChildSafe Safety Kit:

A Message for Your Children

Young people are naturally curious about firearms and, as a result, may be tempted to "play" with a firearm they find. Make sure young people in your home are aware of and understand the safety guidelines described below.

· Don't go looking for guns in your house or a friend's house. Don't let other kids look for guns in your house.

· If you find a gun in your house, or anywhere else, STOP! Leave it alone. Don't touch it. Don't let anyone else touch it. Leave the area and be sure to tell an adult at once.

· Even if a gun looks like a toy, don't touch it. Some real guns may look like toy guns, so don't take a chance. Leave the area and immediately tell an adult.

Don’t wait; contact the Philomath Police Dept. for your free gunlocks and safety kit!            

Philomath Police Department

1215 Main Street

Philomath, OR

929-6911

C O N T E N T S:   The 2004 State of the City | Accomplishments for 2003

STREET MAINTENANCE INITIATIVE APPROVED | COMMITTEE OPENINGS ON TTSC

A SPECIAL THANK YOU | FALL CLEANUP RESULTS

College building renovation planned | SENIOR CENTER INTENDED FOR HISTORIC SITE

Childsafe | ChildSafe Safety Kit | A Message for Your Children | free gunlocks and safety kit

EASY ACCESS TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL | CITY COUNCIL MEETING TIMES |  top

EASY ACCESS TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL

Citizens can now have direct e-mail access to the Mayor and Councilors to communicate any thoughts they might wish to share.  In addition to the general comment link on the City web page at http://www.ci.philomath.or.us/feedback.htm, each Councilor can be contacted at their individual address:

CITY COUNCIL MEETING TIMES:  The Philomath City Council meets on the 2^nd and 4^th Mondays of each month at 7 pm in council chambers at City Hall.

 INSIDE:
DON’T MISS THE MAYOR’S STATE OF  THE CITY ADDRESS

City Of Philomath
PO Box 400
Philomath, OR   97370