2005-11-15

HIDDEN SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MINUTES MEETING OF NOVEMBER 15, 2005 Approved 12/20/05 CALL TO ORDER. The meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM at the West Linn Adult Community Center by Acting President, Lynn C. Fox. Other officers in attendance: Donna Baker, Treasurer. QUORUM DATA. Eligible members in good standing as of the previous meeting: 42. At 10%, the quorum for this meeting was 4.2. The number of eligible members in good standing in attendance at the start of the meeting was 4. Therefore, the meeting stands as an official meeting of the Neighborhood Association. Twelve Hidden Springs residents attended during the course of the meeting. GUEST SPEAKERS. 1.)Ann Short, W.L. Parks Board, speaking on the recent installation of a water line in Wilderness Park 2.)Ted Kyle & Hilda Stevens, Clackamas Water Environment Services, speaking on Clearwater Project 3.)Eugene Shoenheit and Jim Knapp speaking on District One and the Clearwater initiative MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 18, 2005 MEETING. Motion To Approve: Curt Sommer Second To The Motion: Bob Thomas Vote On The Motion: 4 Aye, 0 Nay, 0 Abstentions ? Motion Carried TREASURER’S REPORT. Treasurer Donna Baker reported a current account balance of $937.51. POLICE REPORT. W.L. Police Dept. Sgt. Kempas reported that Police Advisory Chair Bill Hewitt has moved out of West Linn, and Marilyn Torsen is the new Chair. The Advisory Committee will be evaluating a site for the proposed new police station. A photograph of a person wanted by the police was circulated. HSNA POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Harvey Schultz reported that Sgt. Singer is completing negotiations with West Linn/Wilsonville School District before implementing the McGruff Program. OLD BUSINESS. HSNA member Bob Thomas reported on three position papers he recently forwarded to the Mayor and Council regarding misleading financial impact statements on the Hogue property annexation that appeared in the voters’ pamphlet and in the private mailings made by Mr. Hogue prior to the annexation vote. Mr. Thomas explained that the assumptions and calculations are quite complex and require extensive explanation to understand the why and the how of the published errors and that it is impossible to explain the matter fully to Council in the five minutes allotted per person for oral testimony. The report by Mr. Thomas is attached to the minutes. NEW BUSINESS. Parks Advisory Board Member Ann Short explained the issues and concerns regarding the recent placing of a water line through Wilderness Park to service new development on Rosemont Ridge. Basically, a swath 30-50 ft. wide and approximately 1,000 yards long was run through the park. Several large trees were bulldozed down, and all vegetation was scraped away and pushed to the sides of the swath, leaving a steep and muddy corridor. Such operations are not allowed by the terms of the deed giving the land to the City and under Chapter 11 of the City Charter. The latter requires a vote of the citizens before any modifications may be made to the park. According to city employee statements, the line was put through the park instead of around it to save money. Apparently, this decision was made by Ken Worcester, Acting City Manager, and carried out by Public Works Director Ron Hudson via a contract to a private company. She read from both her oral and written testimony presented to Council on November 19, 2005. Both the Parks Board and private citizens will be actively following up on this to hold the Mayor, Council, and City staff accountable. The action may be illegal. Page – Two HSNA Minutes November 15, 2005 GUEST SPEAKERS TED KYLE & HILDA STEVENS. Mr. Kyle and Ms. Stevens represent Clackamas Water Environment Services (WES), which currently operates the collection systems and treatment plants at Kellogg Creek and Oregon City (Tri-Cities plant). Due to development in Happy Valley and the Damascus area, WES has been planning for a new and substantial treatment plant at the site of the current Tri-Cities plant. The Kellogg Creek plant will be closed and dismantled, and wastewater will be pumped six miles up stream to the expanded Tri-City plant. Wastewater from the rapidly developing areas of Happy Valley and Damascus will be pumped west to the expanded Tri-City plant. The entire effort has been named the Clearwater Project. The cost for all of this will be covered by bonds, SDCs, and rate increases. Contention has arisen because existing rate payers will esperience substantial increases with no apparent change in level of service. The citizens of the Oak Lodge Service District have recently voted not to join the proposed Clearwater Project. The financial impact of this decision is still not clear, but it will make it very difficult to decommission the Kellogg Creek plant. The County Commission has stated that their decision to proceed with Clearwater is not subject to vote by citizens. This decision has been recently challenged in court, and the administrative judge has not yet ruled on the suit. The WES representatives stated that many benefits would accrue for West Linn citizens, however these supposed benefits were questioned by meeting attendees. Questions from HSNA members included projected rate increases, the reality of proposed benefits versus costs, public involvement, and the issue of current ratepayers subsidizing growth in Happy Valley and Damascus. Additional documentation was requested from Clearwater representatives so West Linn residents can make informed decisions. GUEST SPEAKERS EUGENE SCHOENHEIT AND JIM KNAPP. Residents of District One presented information regarding their recent initiative to place the Clearwater issue on the ballot. Their reasons for taking this action are because the Board of Clackamas County Commissioners have made a decision to close the recently updated Kellogg treatment plant and pump the sewage to Oregon City at a cost of $450,000,000 to current customers! This is just Phase One of the Clearwater Project that current residents will have to pay for through increased sewer rates. Are the reasons commissioners decided to merge the Tri-City and Kellogg Sewer Treatment plants political, and economically unsound? Clackamas County is running out of treatment capacity due to growth in East Clackamas County. Do they want to pay for the infrastructure needed for more growth by increasing the sewer bills of current residents Does it make sense to close a state of the art, recently updated treatment plant that won an Environmental Excellence Award? Does it make sense to spend $100,000,000 to relocate that plant? Why have the staff of Clackamas County Sewer District #1 been offering sweetheart deals to participating cities? Why should Milwaukie receive a special reduced service rate of $13.00 per month, subsidized by other cities? Are your increased sewer rates being used to fund a Trolley Trail Project? Why did Oak Lodge vote not to participate with Clearwater? For more detailed information visit www.ortem.org/scam NEXT MEETING DATE TO BE DECEMBER 20, 2005 Motion To Meet In December: by Curt Sommer Second To The Motion: by Chuck Lytle Vote On The Motion: 6 Yea, 0 Nay, 0 Abstentions ? Motion Carried ADJOURMENT. The meeting was adjourned at 10:12 PM by Acting President Lynn C. Fox DRAFT MINUTES TRANSCRIBED FROM TAPE AND RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY C.R.