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Wednesday October 23, 2024 | Volume 148, Issue 43

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County seeks to preserve historic cemetery

Trunk-or-Treat

Clerk’s office returns to in person ballot observation By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

The Polk County Republicans have reached an agreement with the county clerk’s office to reinstate in-person election ballot observation for the November 5 election. Penne Ryan, Chairman of the Central Committee updated the County Commissioners last week of the agreement her organization reached with County Clerk Kim Williams. On Feb. 8 this year, the Polk County Central Committee unanimously approved a resolution returning to in-person observation of elections in Polk County, Ryan told the commissioners. “Last week, members met with County Clerk Kim Williams and discussed the possibility of restoring in-person election observation. We are pleased to say we came to a mutually agreed solution,” Ryan said from a prepared statement. “Therefore, election observers will be present during the processing and counting of ballots in Polk County. As our elected government embraced transparency trust grows. We believe this level of transparency will continue to instill confidence in our Polk County elections.” Williams said the members of the Polk County Republican Central Committee have been requesting in-person observation for awhile now. “ I felt the need to allow them in person for this election since this election is contentious and I do want to be as transparent as I can,” Williams said. Polk County has not had in-person observation of ballot counting since 2004. It was basically discontinued in our office because of a couple reasons,” Williams said. “Our space is limited during a busy time with the elections boards working and we began live streaming.” Committee members have complained in the past the video process was unreliable as the feed would cut out at times, requiring viewers to call the Clerk’s Office to get it back up and running. In their agreement, Williams drew up a set of 10 rules in person observers must follow while performing their duty. “I will have a square the observer must stand in for observation,” See BALLOTS, page A2

Creek erosion threatens privately owned land By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

PHOTOS BY DAVID HAYES

Brinlee Dunn, 4, is a little wary of the caged skeletons guarding a trunk full of candy, while attending Synergize Auto’s first ever Trunk or Treat with parents Jordan and Morgan and sister Rylie, 3. Synergize Auto has hosted Cars and Coffee once a month since May and for the last event of the season, turned to Halloween for inspiration. For more photos, see page A8.

Dallas student evaluator named psychologist of the year

Now, a decade later, Darr’s love for her vocation as district wide school psychologist in Dallas didn’t go unnoGrowing up, McKenzie Darr thought ticed. She was recently named psycholshe wanted to pursue a career as a ogist of the year by the Oregon School teacher. That was until she developed Psychologist Association. a fear of public speaking in front of “I enjoy working with families and large audiences, i.e., a classroom full of students. Working with students is like eager-eyed students. the sparkle of the job. I really enjoy “I wanted to be a teacher when I was that,” Darr said, now aged 28. “That younger, but don’t have the personality paperwork side, however, is not always to be a teacher, at least up and front of McKenzie Darr my favorite. Just working with the teams people publicly speaking,” Darr said. “I within the Dallas School District has been more like the rapport building and meanreally fun and a blessing. I admire all the teachers do ingful relationships on the more personal side.” Then, while a student at Dallas High School, to ful- to support students across the board.” Only now, Darr lends her support getting students fill requirements in her careers class, Darr had to job shadow some sort of career figure. At her local church where they need to be in their learning journey. Now in her fourth year with the Dallas School Jackie Bolman was an early childhood psychologist District, Darr is one of two school psychologists who recommended shadowing her. serving students at Whitworth and Oakdale Heights “I really liked what she was doing for early childelementary schools, Dallas Community Charter School, hood. It sounded like something I could do,” Darr and Dallas High School. Last year she served 86 recalled. “I really liked seeing her passion working with individuals and was helpful towards steering me in this direction.” See STUDENT PAGE A2 By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

A small cemetery is proving to be a big problem for Polk County Commissioners who have to weigh preserving the historic site against moving it in the wake of encroaching Mother Nature. The Nesmith Family Cemetery may have only eight members buried there, the County Commissioners are taking it no less seriously than any other historic site in need of preservation. The issue came again before the commissioners Oct. 15 when Todd Whitaker, director of public works, sought guidance for next steps after FEMA reneged on a possible funding solution. Whitaker recounted the situation began during the 2021 ice storm. He said trees around the Nesmith Park, located just north of the Polk County Fairgrounds, had become heavily laden with ice, causing them to lean out toward the river. “When they collapsed, they took a whole bunch of bank with them, causing the bank failure to get four to five feet from the cemetery. There was concern any continuation of that would impact the cemetery,” Whitaker said. FEMA offers grants to recover from storm damage. Whitaker said Nesmith Park is part of FEMA’s repair program. Nesmith Cemetery is not because it’s privately owned. But because the park is eligible under the FEMA program, the county wanted to repair the embankment. “What we really wanted to look at was moving the cemetery because we ran across a project on the East Coast that was very similar,” Whitaker said. “They found they See CEMETERY, page A3

Hand Deliver your ballot to local drop box or clerk’s office

by November 5th

SUPPORT CANDIDATES... Donald Trump, President Mike Erickson, US CD 6 Will Lathrop, Attorney General Dennis Linthicum, Secretary of State Brian Boquist, State Treasurer

Kevin Chambers, Rep. HD 20 Lucetta Elmer, Rep. HD 24 Anna Scharf, Rep. HD 23 Bruce Starr, Sen. SD 12 Mark Garton, Sheriff

VOTE “NO” MEASURES 117 Ranked Choice Voting ........Oregon Assoc. of County Clerks oppose 117 118 Largest Tax increase in Oregon’s history .......Even Governor Tina Kotek opposes 118

119 Infringement of speech for cannabis business owners

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paid for by Polk County Republican Central Committee #338

IN THIS ISSUE Voices Corrections Obituaries Puzzle Solutions Social Public Records Classifieds Puzzles

A4 A4 A6 B2 B2 B6 B8 B9

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