Working hard

I’m writing this letter to you because I don’t want my daddy to lose his job. You see, my dad works for the city of Hood River public works department and there’s been a lot of talk about the cuts for the City of Hood River and my dad would be one of those cuts.

A lot of the focus has been on the police and fire department, and not very much has been said about the public works department and them losing their jobs. I just want people to know how hard my daddy and his co-workers work for each and every one of us to be able to get to work and school safely every day. During the winter when there was really bad storms there were times that I was getting up to get ready to go to school and my daddy was just getting home from plowing and graveling our roads so I could go to school. My dad does many more things. I’m only 11 years old and I don’t know much about the city budget and what all that means, but I’m just wondering if there’s anything else that the city can cut besides all these jobs they’re talking about cutting.

Anyisa Ybarra
Hood River

Protect skin

We are writing again to remind you of Relay For Life at the Hood River Valley High School track on July 18-19 starting at 9 a.m. July 18. Please come walk with us — even start a team of your own. Call Terry Joyer at 399-2061 if you have any questions.

May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Nearly half of all cancers are some form of skin cancer. Non-melanoma skin cancers are typically referred to as either basal cell carcinomas or squamous cell carcinomas. When detected early, these types of skin cancer have a cure rate of 95 percent.

Melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer, is on the rise in the United States. The good news is that most cases of skin cancer are preventable. One of the main causes of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet radiation or UV rays. UV rays are produced by the sun and tanning lamps. Most often skin cancer is the result of overexposure to the sun.

1. To minimize your risk, use sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Make sure it has  both UVA and UVV protection.

2. Avoid overexposure to the sun, especially between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the summer months.

3. Be aware that certain medications can make your skin more sensitive to UV rays.

The best way to detect skin cancer in its earliest stages is to examine your skin often. See your doctor right away if you notice any abnormally dark or discolored patches or spots, or if there is a change in the color, size or shape of a mole.

We hope that his information brought to you from Relay For Life media team is a help to you. Join us for 24 hours of Relay fun!

Kathie Alley
Lorrie Wingerd
Hood River

Tasty thanks

I would like to thank several local businesses for supporting the taco feed at May Street Elementary.

In a time when the United States is in a serious recession, Safeway, Rosauers, Juanita’s and Taco del Mar came through for our beloved school.

Tad Primus and Linda Hutson (Safeway) always come through for me when I need them. Doug Bohn and Kevin Harris from Rosauers gave generously as well. The Dominguez family provided the delicious chips and tortillas. And Taco del Mar owned by a May Street family, the Woods, gave salsa and beans.

We are so grateful for all of the people who provided the food. Also a special thanks to Becky Brianson and Danette Level for all their hard work preparing the food.

Annie Bryant
Hood River

Save city jobs

I am the wife of Public Works foreman David Smock. I am hoping that the powers to be — will find alternative ways to keep our city service men and women employed.

The citizens of Hood River are aware these times are stressful. We are all looking for stability so that we all may ride out these rough conditions. This is why I am hoping the elected officials will find a way to save city jobs.

Do you remember what your 2008 holidays were like? Our family holidays did not take place on the actual date of celebration. Christmas was canceled until the roads were cleared and safe. On New Year’s public works dealt with storm floods and plugged sewer lines, due to the melting snow and rain.

When our 72-year-old water line has issues, public work crews are out making sure the line is repaired, so that our city faces no interruption. This takes days and nights of continuous work; again we do not see our husbands, fathers, and caretakers until the job is finished.

As wives, children and parents of these people we accept the rushed interruption in the middle of the night, a movie, dinner, or quality family time to keep the city safe. These people are on call 24 hours and they come at a drop of a hat. So imagine what it would be like with less public service people.

How will these cuts affect us if Hood River faces another heavy winter? What will these cuts do to the families who rely on these jobs for stability; as we the citizens rely on these employees to keep this city clean and safe?

We the citizens have expected to have necessary work done to keep this town alive; is it not justice that these employees expect secure employment in return, to keep their family alive? This city keeps growing with no growth in the staff.

Imagine Hood River with overgrown weeds, dirty streets, rough roads, broken water and sewer lines. Imagine Hood River slowly becoming unsafe. We are a very creative species; please allow other minds to help come up with alternative choices.

We are not a car company flying in with private jets, asking for a handout. We are proud Hood River citizens, who want to keep an open mind! We want to keep our town clean and, most importantly, safe!

Denise Jiminez
Hood River

Something positive

Thank you once again, Mr. Cliff Mansfield, for adding a little sass to the weekend local news. Although I have yet to agree with you on any of your policy suggestions, I do admire your consistency, tenacity and courage to persevere in the face of the many rebuttal letters and one even asking that your contributions be limited.

It would be refreshing for most Letter to the Editor readers, if you would choose to point out something positive about Hood River and the people who live here and expound upon it at some length, as you do for those things that anger and upset you.

I know the shock value of a positive letter from you would be huge. Think about it. We’ll all be waiting with much anticipation.

Peg Bogard
Hood River

Forever green?

I would first of all like to applaud Alan Winans for his letter to the editor in the May 20 Hood River News. It sheds a little light on the management, or lack thereof, on our national forests in Oregon and Washington as well as most of the rest of the country.

A well-managed forest will stay green forever and provide us with an endless and renewable supply of wood and forest products to help sustain our lives and communities. The dollars generated by the active management of these national forests will also help pay for our schools and roads.

A forest that is not actively managed will eventually burn up in a forest fire or die from outbreaks of insect and disease infestations. If you go up to Flag Point Lookout on the East side of the Mt. Hood National Forest and look to the north you will see thousands of acres of trees that are dead or dying as a result of bark beetle infestations.

Does anyone think it is good management to allow this to continue? These dead trees will eventually fall down and provide the tinder for a large forest fire.

If you go up to Cloud Cap Inn (when the road gets opened for the season) and look out over the results of the Gnarl Ridge Fire you will get a glimpse of what we can expect in much of the Mt. Hood National Forest during the next several decades. Without active management we cannot prevent fires like this from occurring.

We can stop them after they have already started, but at what cost? We spent close to $15 million putting out the Gnarl Ridge fire. The result is a lot of dead trees, unstable hill slopes and a steadily rising federal deficit.

The Forest Service actively managed our national forests through most of the 20th century. This included the active suppression of forest fires. The suppression of these fires allowed the forests to grow up from what was once burnt off ground on much of the east side of Mount Hood in the early part of the 20th century. These forests were then actively managed to maintain their health and vigor as well as producing a steady stream of dollars to the county and the federal government.

This is no longer happening. We are currently paying hundreds of millions of dollars every year to put out forest fires in areas that were producing revenue and forest products in the past.

If you agree with me, please write to the president, your congressman, and your senator to let them know you want our national forests returned to a state of active management for the good of all of the people as well as wildlife that live in the area.

Richard Larson
Hood River

Vote on tax

We the people of Hood River County have a right to vote on the fuel tax that is being pushed by the Hood River County Commissioners.

This is not a fee. This is a tax. The timing of this fuel tax is a little strange, as well. The summer is coming and as all of us know the fuel prices will be increasing significantly (30 cents in the last 30 days). The governor is also pushing for a 6-cent increase in the state gasoline tax.

The county is trying its best to take your money and spend it before you have a say in it.

I am not personally saying that a gas tax is the wrong answer. I am saying let the people decide if it is the right one. Both the City of Hood River and the county have tried to justify this tax by comparing us to The Dalles and their fuel tax. Well, guess what: The people of The Dalles passed their fuel tax by a vote.

I would also like to make one more comment to the county commissioners. Don’t get in the habit of following the City of Hood River on tax policies. You can read the last couple weeks’ worth of papers and realize that their policies aren’t exactly working.

I would like to encourage people to attend the county commissioners meeting on June 1 at 7 p.m., at the county building on State Street. Let’s make them put this on a ballot.

Russ Gray
Hood River

Thanks to Metsger

On behalf of Oregon’s 242 cities, the League of Oregon Cities would like to acknowledge Sen. Rick Metsger’s leadership as a member of the Senate Rules Committee which responded to unintended consequences of the 2007 ethics reform bill that resulted in the resignations of more than 200 volunteer city councilors and planning commissioners.

Sen. Metsger responded to this situation with a measured and studied approach to develop a solution in Senate Bill 30 that preserved the ethics reform legislation’s transparency and accountability, while providing greater clarity and guidance for public officials in following the law.

The 2007 bill’s provisions requiring disclosure of information on relatives and persons without decision-making authority were adjusted to remove unneeded intrusions on the private lives of both public officials and their relatives.

SB 30 has removed a serious impediment to the continued public service of many current city elected and appointed officials and the decision of new persons to enter into public service. Sen. Metsger heard the concerns of city officials from across Oregon and made it a priority to develop a workable solution that makes the Oregon’s ethics law stronger through greater clarity and focus.

The League thanks Sen. Metsger for his service and leadership on the Rules Committee that created a more workable and enforceable ethics law.

Mike McCauley
Executive director
League of Oregon Cities

Wind exchange

Stephen Curley, the author of “Wind farm unnecessary” (Our Readers Write, May 20), should understand that Whistling Ridge is not visible from White Salmon. I doubt, although I don’t spend all of my efforts to find out, that it’s even visible from Mosier. Nonetheless, even from Hood River this project’s visual impacts are minimal — very minimal.

Your cause is noble, but perhaps you are biased due to other inconveniences and wish to appeal to people’s hypocritical views that nothing should distort the look of the Gorge unless it’s their house that decreases the visual ambiance, or their ugly condominiums that turn places like Mosier into eyesores.

Imagine what the Columbia River Gorge looked like 20 years ago before all the stewards of the Gorge moved here to protect it. Thank God you’re all here now, for I was beginning to worry.

Put a moratorium on all construction that is visible from anywhere in the Gorge. Pull out (ugly) condominiums. Do all that, and then talk to me about what is and what isn’t destroying the beauty of the Columbia River Gorge.

You just might wake up one day to find that where wind turbines could have gone, you’ll find houses and condominiums that use energy, not produce it. Imagine what an inconvenience that would be — forever.

Kevin Herman
White Salmon, Wash.

Value teachers

Recently my grandson’s class at Mountain Orchard Academy, a part of HRVHS, had planned a trip whitewater rafting on the Owyhee River. When the last budget cuts came down I assumed that the trip was off due to lack of funding. Not so! The wonderful people at Wet Planet donated the guides, equipment and rafts and the kids had an incredibly memorable experience.

Thank you so much to Lance, Gianni, Todd and John who led 13 teenagers into the woods and down the river. They came back with stories of “tuna soup” (the tuna mix fell into the river and rather than do without they made soup to kill any bacteria), magical scenery and wonderful times.

Thank you, too, to Rob, Brooke and Scott, the teachers at MOA, who made it happen and braved the rapids along with the kids.

Each time there is a shortage of money the teachers and staff seem to “hitch up their britches” and take on more responsibilities, work more hours and work even harder so our children have a good education. Their commitment is inspiring. We thank them by cutting their pay.

It’s time for us to realize that education is vital to our economy and the quality of our lives. Money is short for everybody but our schools should be at the top of our priority list.

The teachers and support staff at our schools deserve our gratitude. I want to thank them all. Their efforts are noticed.

Chris Burgess
Hood River

Welcome music

When I was at Idlewilde Cemetery over the weekend I was pleasantly surprised to hear soothing music being played over a loudspeaker near the office. What a nice ambiance! Thank you!

I don’t know who their manager is now but the cemetery is looking better and I thank them for their care.

Marilyn Barney
The Dalles

Editor’s note: Bob Huskey is the sexton of Idlewilde.

 

Hood River Mayor's message on city budget

By ARTHUR BABITZ

City residents and employees have expressed grave concerns about the City Budget Committee considering actions which would cause a major layoff of city employees. I certainly understand that concern. These employees provide vital services to the city, and they are our friends and neighbors.

I know as mayor I am supposed to say soothing things, but I need to make it clear that as a citizen I too am angry and frustrated at the circumstances and decisions that led us to this point. It’s not at all hard to see why people faced with losing their jobs would be even more angry.

I’d like to do my best to explain how this crisis came about, and then address some of the concerns I’ve heard.

This crisis has three contributing causes:

n The economy got very bad very fast, leaving the city short in many of its normal revenue sources.

n Costs have continued to escalate, led by health insurance.

n The city is just emerging from a decade-long deficit. We have no rainy day fund to cushion revenue shortfalls.

Separately each of these is a problem, but together they make a crisis.

The Budget Committee is tasked with adopting a fiscally responsible budget. If revenues fall we must reduce expenses to match. Through eight long meetings we have analyzed the city’s fiscal health. It has become clear that we simply cannot afford the size of the city’s current payroll.

I have no doubt that layoffs would result in serious service reductions. I won’t hide the fact some of these reductions may even put life and property at greater risk. At the same time, we’ll need to keep some perspective: Services will be reduced, not eliminated.

Our city manager and his staff are assessing the impact of various options. Their job is to find the best way to deliver critical services to the city with the money we have.

They will present their recommendations to the Budget Committee this week, but no one should expect a rosy picture. When almost all resources go to providing critical services, you cannot make cuts this size without some pain.

I also know that layoffs would mean losing highly trained people. When we can afford to refill these positions we will pay to recruit, train and equip replacements. Layoffs are never smart fiscal policy, but we do not have the reserves to pay these salaries. We’ve been working without a net for a while, and our options are limited.

Concerns have been raised about which positions have been initially proposed for layoffs. Questions have been raised about fairness and impacts on public safety. The simple fact is that there are good arguments against every one of our options, but that can’t stop us from acting. Our single goal is to minimize service impacts while not spending more than we have.

I invite all residents to follow this process. Budget documents are available for anyone to inspect. You can attend any of the meetings and you can comment at the scheduled public hearings or in writing.

Hearings are scheduled on June 3 and June 8. We will certainly listen to all members of the public who wish to help us through this process.

I appreciate the positive tone of the comments I have already received. Despite the natural anger and frustration people are feeling, they are telling me how much they value city services. They are putting a real face on the numbers, and telling me what we should know before we make cuts.

I know we all share the same goal: keeping Hood River a great place to live and work. Together we will resolve this budget crisis and build a stronger city.