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Editorial: Can't Marion County find somewhere else to tighten
its budget belt besides Woodburn?
When fiscal responsibility requires budget cuts, no one is going to be happy. They are an
unpleasant and distasteful part of meeting the bottom line and virtually never leave
anyone with a good taste in their mouth.
Marion County will not be spared the budget axe, as the county struggles to cope with a
financial shortfall. Each elected official and department head was asked to submit cut
proposals in September.
It turns out that one of those cuts would be the Marion County Sheriff's substation here
in Woodburn. After taking a look at some of the particulars, we wonder just what that will
accomplish.
We have to wonder if Marion County Sheriff Raul Ramirez couldn't have found more
substantive cuts elsewhere. Problem is, when you're asked to trim $1.5 million, we guess
you do it where you can. It is our hope that Ramirez fights the substation cut tooth and
nail. He helped get it started, we hope he's willing to fight for it. He should.
Marion County and the Woodburn Police Department share costs on the facility, located in
Mall 99, so the savings there wouldn't appear, at least on the surface, to be that great.
With officers not stationed here, there will be more driving back and forth from Salem to
this area, so from a gas cost standpoint it would seem to actually be a negative.
In fact, other than the fact that there would probably be some cost savings in shutting
down the substation, unless there are personnel layoffs, we don't really see where a huge
savings is coming from.
In fact, the closing of the substation is a horrible blow to this area.
Woodburn is Marion County's second largest city, and is the only other one, besides Salem,
that sits so perfectly on the I-5 corridor.
Woodburn is a hub for activity, both good and bad in the Willamette Valley. The town's
location and busy parking lots near the freeway make it an attractive place for people
coming south or heading north to meet.
While the Woodburn Police Department does a good job working the town, there can be little
doubt that having the Sheriff's Department as a permanent resident of the city offers the
area a unique presence.
That presence is going to be missed, and we're not sure that the financial savings the
county is expecting to gain really is an even trade.
Woodburn is no longer a town, it's a small city in a unique location. Combining the local
police and county sheriff presence in once locale sends a strong message to those in the
area. Cutting that presence in half for minimal savings just doesn't seem like it's worth
it.
We hope Sheriff Ramirez continues to voice his objections to the cuts and convinces the
board of commissioners that Woodburn could continue to use the Sheriff's Department
presence in town.
Maybe it makes sense to those pushing the numbers around, but not to those who enjoy that
added presence. Sometimes, the truth is, those numbers fail to tell the whole story.
Government meeting calendar
Woodburn City Council: Meets the second and fourth Mondays of every month at 7 p.m.
at Woodburn City Hall.
More information is available by calling 982-5222.
Woodburn Planning Commission: Meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month
at 7 p.m. at Woodburn City Hall. More information is available by calling 982-5222.
Hubbard City Council: Meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at Hubbard
City Hall. More information is available by calling 981-9633.
Donald City Council: Meets the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at Donald
City Hall. More information is available by calling 678-5543.
Donald Planning Commission: Meets the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at
Donald City Hall.
More information is available by calling 678-5543.
Aurora City Council: Meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at Aurora
City Hall. More information is available by calling 678-1283.
Gervais City Council: Meets the fourth Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at Gervais
City Hall.
More information is available by calling 792-4222.
St. Paul City Council: Meets the second and fourth Monday of every month at 7 p.m.
at St. Paul City Hall.
More information is available by calling 633-4971.
St. Paul Planning Commission: Meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in
St. Paul City Hall.
More information in available calling 633-4971.
Woodburn Fire District: Meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the
headquarters station on Newberg Hwy. More information is available by calling 982-2360.
Woodburn Public Library Board: Meets the second Wednesday of the month at noon in
the library conference room. More information is available by calling 982-5252.
Woodburn Recreation and Parks Board: Meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7
p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
More information is available by calling 982-5264.
Woodburn Downtown Association: Meets first and third Wednesday of the month at 7:30
a.m. at Katya's Restaurant on Front Street.
More information is available by calling 982-4191.
Marion County Board of Commissioners: Meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., in
Hearing Room 1330, Marion County Courthouse, 100 High St., NE, Salem.
Also meets the first Wednesday of the month at noon in Yun Wah Restaurant, Woodburn. More
information is available by calling (503) 588-5212.
Woodburn School Board: Meets the third Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the
middle school library. More information is available by calling (503) 981-9555.
North Marion School Board: Meets the second Monday of every month at 7 p.m. in the
middle school library. More information is available by calling (503) 678-5835.
Gervais School Board: Meets the second Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the
elementary school cafeteria. More information is available by calling (503) 792-3801.
Friends of the Library: Meets the first Monday of every month at 2:30 p.m. at the
Woodburn Public Library
Where to write
City Councils
Aurora -- Mayor Loretta Scott, Aurora City Hall, P.O. Box 101, Aurora,
Ore. 97002, (503) 678-1283.
Donald -- Mayor Naomi Parker, Donald City Hall, P.O. Box 388, Donald,
Ore. 97020, (503) 678-5543.
Gervais -- Mayor Ron Foote, Gervais City Hall, P.O. Box 329, Gervais,
Ore. 97026, (503) 792-4222.
Hubbard -- Mayor Don Thwing, Hubbard City Hall, P.O. Box 380, Hubbard,
Ore. 97032, 981-9633.
St. Paul -- Mayor Tom Kirk, St. Paul City Hall, P.O. Box 7, St. Paul,
Ore. 97137, (503) 633-4971.
Woodburn -- Mayor Dick Jennings, Woodburn City Hall, 270 Montgomery St.,
Woodburn, Ore. 97071, 982-5222.
County Commissioners
Patti Milne, chairperson
Randall Franke
commissioner
Mike Ryan
commissioner
Marion County Board of Commissioners, Marion County Courthouse, 100 High St. NE, Salem,
Ore. 97301, (503) 588-5212.
State Legislature
Senate, District 15 -- Marylin Shannon, Capitol Building, Room S-218,
Salem, Ore. 97310, (503) 986-1715.
House, District 38 -- Juley Gianella, Capitol Building, Room H-391,
Salem, Ore. 97310, (503) 986-1438.
Congress
U.S. Senate -- Ron Wyden, 707 13th St. SE, Suite 285, Salem, Ore. 97301,
(503) 589-4555; Gordon Smith, 1 World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon, Suite 1250, Portland,
Ore. 97204, (503) 326-3386.
U.S. House, District 5 -- Darlene Hooley, 315 Mission St. SE, Suite 101,
Salem, Ore. 97302, (503) 588-9100.
White House
President George Bush, White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington,
D.C. 20500, (202) 456-1414.
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