Dam Awareness web site http://www.97381.com/dam/index.html
Silverton, Oregon resident Steve Payton addresses the Silverton City Council with his concerns about the Silverton Dam, during it's regular monthly meeting on April 2, 2007. The dam is a large earthen dam constructed in the early 1970s. The Silverton Dam Awareness Committee, A group of citizens, are now lobbying the City for its removal due to safety concerns.
Silverton, Oregon Mayor Ken Hector reponds to Steve Payton's concerns about the dam at the regular April meeting of the Silverton City Council.
March 11, 2009
Silverton needs to start a community garden
My idea is to start a community garden. But I need some input from you as a community to see
if there's enough interest.
Benefits from a garden are bringing people together that normally would pass each other and
never whisper a word. I think most of us that grew up in a certain time period remember the
family gardens and remember that it wasn't always fun, but the benefits made all the work
worth the trouble.
I'm trying to get people to think in a different direction instead of feeling trapped by what
society has thrown at us. Putting that negative energy into something else and growing food or
flowers can relax a person and start a positive flow of energy once again.
There are many towns doing gardens right now, it's amazing to see and read about. It's not just
gardening, some are sponsoring programs in which there will be canning and cooking classes.
Remember canning with your mom and how to food tasted in wintertime? You don't get a taste
like that from a grocery store. The older ones are leaving us and taking secrets with them. The
younger ones should know, but don't have a clue and that's sad.
We need family unity and bringing the community together, a garden, canning and cooking, is
the right medicine. So, let's put the gloves on and get dirty.
Remember when your mom or dad would send you out to pick tomatoes? You always had a
salt shaker in your back pocket. Let's have our children experience that feeling of biting into a
over ripe tomato with the juices running down their chins. Let's get healthy together and start a
garden.
David Wilson, Silverton.
March 11, 2009
Silverton city goals have been set and prioritized for the next two years.
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Topping the list are prioritizing the downtown master plan, developing a strategic vision and partnerships for economic development, and implementing a plan to relieve traffic congestion.
The list has nine goals, which were developed by the council in January and were voted on individually at the March 2 meeting.
One goal that was on the original list didn't make the final cut. Improving pedestrian safety by addressing the downtown traffic pattern was eliminated when the majority of the council voted against it.
The other goals on the list were maintaining existing streets and sidewalks, funding and constructing a new police facility, funding and constructing a new senior center, reviewing and prioritizing a parks-and-recreation master plan, formalizing parks-and-recreation facility maintenance agreements and program agreements with community partners, and increasing public awareness of Silverton Dam safety.
The last item sparked a debate at the meeting.
Mayor Stu Rasmussen said he was disappointed that the Silverton Dam was not listed as a higher priority, and he wrote a letter to the editor about it in the Feb. 25 edition of the Appeal Tribune.
He said that many of the goals listed as higher priorities would be irrelevant if the dam were to fail.
"I believe that the dam-safety issue is of such overriding importance to this community that I think you guys are wrong, and I'm going to continue to think you're wrong until you can prove that the dam is perfectly safe," Rasmussen said.
Council member Randal Thomas questioned Rasmussen's letter to the editor and said he is concerned that the community now has the impression that the council as a whole does not care about dam safety.
"Several individual council members came to the goal-setting session with goals that had in mind dam safety," Thomas said.
He cited council protocol and guidelines.
"After an issue has been voted on, I'll speak for myself carefully in a manner that does not undermine the integrity or the motive of the council if my opinions are different from the council," he said.
Rasmussen defended his right to voice his opinion, even if it's different from that of the council.
"I have a deep and abiding concern for this community that honestly cannot be quashed by council protocols that say you must put common sense aside and go with the common agreement of the council," he said.
When you are at the stop traffic light when heading South on Waters Street at the C street intersection- Are you unable to see the lights when they turn green? Or is it just me? They turn green but it is very, very faint- I would think that for brand new lights they would work better then this.
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Once again the Silverton City Council is trying to build a new "Police Station"...Last year the idea was brought up in a community survey, and it seems the community felt it was not needed....Now, the City Council has listed it as one of their "TOP 10" goals for the next 2 years...How the new police station will be funded, is not quite clear, maybe from the general city fund, or a possible grant, or a new tax bond. Where the new police station would be located, is not known at this time.
Jeff Jaeger KATU News and KATU.com Staff
video- http://www.katu.com/news/42638777.html?video=YHI&t=a
SILVERTON, Ore. - Silverton's controversial mayor may be at the center of a new reality show.
On Tuesday, crews were filming five-minute 'teasers' with Mayor Stu Rasmussen. These are short clips that will be pitched to several networks in an effort to spark interest in a possible show.
The mayor thinks this would be a good avenue to teach tolerance in small towns across the country. But there are some who worry it would bring more attention to the town than it needs - and the wrong type of attention. As expected, the news brought a mixed reaction from folks.
Rasmussen made headlines last year by becoming the first open transgender mayor in the nation. He has been a fixture in Silverton politics for more than 20 years and twice before had been the mayor of the small Oregon town - before he had breast implants and started wearing women's clothes in public.
By Danielle Peterson • Appeal Tribune
April 15, 2009
Silverton residents got a taste of what it would be like if a reality television show starring Mayor Stu Rasmussen comes to fruition.
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A camera crew from RDF USA production company finished filming a teaser for the show last week, which will be presented to interested networks. The five-person crew spent three days shooting scenes around town, including segments at the April 6 city council meeting and the Silver Creek Dam.
The crew has returned to Los Angeles and will begin editing the footage and creating a three- to four-minute teaser. Although the project is in its infancy, Sara Hansemann, manager of development, said she thinks it has a good chance of reaching television.
Rasmussen's challenge of being a transgender person living in a small town would be the reoccurring theme. Aside from a glimpse into his daily life, each episode would feature intertwining stories, he said.
Some ideas for the
Hello,
We have a new arcade SilverFUN with 2-8' pool tables, Table Tennis, Air Hockey, Foosball, Soft Tip Darts, Pinball and was wondering if anyone would be interested in this location? Hourly rates for table games per person. If you just want to hang out we have Free board games, cards, dice, checkers, chess, etc. Free Wifi. Party Rental, Team or Group rates negotiable. We are open to all ages and our hours are Tue-Sun May-Sep Noon-10pm Oct-Apr Noon-9pm, closed Mondays. Seating for 18 available, small concession (snacks & pop) large 1400 square foot room with 5'+ around pool tables. Occupancy limit is 49.
My wife, son and I have been residents in Silverton for 12+ years.
Thank you for your time and consideration on this, just doing our part to provide a much needed, safe place for kids to play or hang out.
TVB Group LLC dba: SilverFUN
207 High ST
Silverton, OR 97381
You may want to get groups like Greenpeace, Serria Clup, etc. involved. They know how to oppose these types of things. Espicially if there are egles effected.
Do not expect DEQ to save us. DEQ has neither the time nor the resources nor the incentive to address the public's health, welfare, and livability in what is currently the sleepy little "Garden" City of Silverton, and especially on such issues as toxics and noise. Citizens of Silverton, take action. Do not let the pockets of a few, with vested interests in this boondoggle, cause an unforgiveable blight on our City.
For those of you who believe that if Quikrete goes in and fails to keep the standards up, that DEQ, or anyone else for that matter, will be able to stop them...or that there will actually be air quality tests done, I suggest a few things. 1: Call DEQ yourself, and ask them, you will likely be quite surprised by what you learn. 2: Go to the written testimony from the Planning Commission reports, both on this site and the Silverton site, and read the article submitted there from the Molalla Pioneer, (that's the Molalla newspaper for those that do not know that), about what they are going through and have been for quite sometime, DUE IN PART TO PARTICULATE MATTER NO LESS, they even have quotes from people with DEQ! 3: Do some research on Quikrete, and how well they handle the penalties and fines in their other plants that they had issues with, I think you should start with the Tennessee one...lets see...do you suppose they fix the problem, or just pay the fine and go on with business as usual, and chalk it up to the cost of doing business?
Also, here's a question for you, if the filters Quikrete will be using are 100% effective on the larger PM, but not on the smaller PM, you know, the particles that are REALLY HARMFUL and are so small that when inhaled, they can't even be coughed out...then wouldn't that mean that 100% of the 1.6 tons will be the bad stuff??? (The 1.6 tons are what they are saying, what if it ends up being even more, with the extended hours and/or should filters fail, or whatever else might cause their estimate to be low).
Before you decide that Quikrete is OK for Silverton, PLEASE do some research.
"The City shall require a $1,000,000 performance bond, prior to issuing an occupation permit and the permit shall remain in effect for any and all Plant operations, to ensure that affective sampling, testing and evaluation of the nuisances of 1) harmful air emmissions, 2) harmful water pathway transmissions, and 3) noise, associated with Plant operations, are made on a continual basis and that incurred costs are paid for monthly. The City may require additional "sampling" to be taken by independent parties on a "random basis", without prior Plant notification, to address any issues brought into question by any citizen or report. All tests shall be conducted by independent laboratories acceptable to the City. The City shall issue orders to stop all Plant activities for which credible evidence of public health concerns are documented. Credibility of such evidence shall be at the sole satisfaction of the City. Additionally, test data shall be evaluated and reported within 90 days of Plant startup, and yearly thereafter, by independent health and environmental professionals addressing adverse health and environmental issues. All sampling, testing and evaluations shall be conducted by parties acceptable to the City. The Plant owner shall pay for all such sampling, testing and and professional report costs."
It's Up to YOU... not the DEQ
Do not expect DEQ to save us. DEQ has neither the time nor the resources nor the incentive to address the public's health, welfare, and livability in what is currently the sleepy little "Garden" City of Silverton, and especially on such issues as toxics and noise. Citizens of Silverton, take action. Do not let the pockets of a few, with vested interests in this boondoggle, cause an unforgiveable blight on our City.
All The Safety Measures May Not Work
For those of you who believe that if Quikrete goes in and fails to keep the standards up, that DEQ, or anyone else for that matter, will be able to stop them...or that there will actually be air quality tests done, I suggest a few things. 1: Call DEQ yourself, and ask them, you will likely be quite surprised by what you learn. 2: Go to the written testimony from the Planning Commission reports, both on this site and the Silverton site, and read the article submitted there from the Molalla Pioneer, (that's the Molalla newspaper for those that do not know that), about what they are going through and have been for quite sometime, DUE IN PART TO PARTICULATE MATTER NO LESS, they even have quotes from people with DEQ! 3: Do some research on Quikrete, and how well they handle the penalties and fines in their other plants that they had issues with, I think you should start with the Tennessee one...lets see...do you suppose they fix the problem, or just pay the fine and go on with business as usual, and chalk it up to the cost of doing business?
Also, here's a question for you, if the filters Quikrete will be using are 100% effective on the larger PM, but not on the smaller PM, you know, the particles that are REALLY HARMFUL and are so small that when inhaled, they can't even be coughed out...then wouldn't that mean that 100% of the 1.6 tons will be the bad stuff??? (The 1.6 tons are what they are saying, what if it ends up being even more, with the extended hours and/or should filters fail, or whatever else might cause their estimate to be low).
Before you decide that Quikrete is OK for Silverton, PLEASE do some research.
Effective Trustees
We need a Planning Commission and a City Council that will act as effective trustees for the common heritage of its citizens.
Do Not Injure Others
"Use your... property in such a way that you do not injure others." [Place your operations elsewhere!]
Environmental policy, UN Conference on the Human Environment
The Polluter Pays
The polluter can be civilly liable for financing environmental consequences.
Proposal - Plant Owner to Pay for Testing
"The City shall require a $1,000,000 performance bond, prior to issuing an occupation permit and the permit shall remain in effect for any and all Plant operations, to ensure that affective sampling, testing and evaluation of the nuisances of 1) harmful air emmissions, 2) harmful water pathway transmissions, and 3) noise, associated with Plant operations, are made on a continual basis and that incurred costs are paid for monthly. The City may require additional "sampling" to be taken by independent parties on a "random basis", without prior Plant notification, to address any issues brought into question by any citizen or report. All tests shall be conducted by independent laboratories acceptable to the City. The City shall issue orders to stop all Plant activities for which credible evidence of public health concerns are documented. Credibility of such evidence shall be at the sole satisfaction of the City. Additionally, test data shall be evaluated and reported within 90 days of Plant startup, and yearly thereafter, by independent health and environmental professionals addressing adverse health and environmental issues. All sampling, testing and evaluations shall be conducted by parties acceptable to the City. The Plant owner shall pay for all such sampling, testing and and professional report costs."