GT: County issues sanctuary declaration

By a 3-0 vote on Tuesday, the Board of Commissioners declared Benton County a “sanctuary county.” --The declaration reads, in part: “The recent political climate has galvanized support of anti-immigrant, Islamophobia, anti-LGBTQ, anti-people of color, anti-women policies resulting in many individuals afraid for their safety and the loss of civil liberties. … We must act now and always to uphold our commitment to be a community free of prejudice, bigotry, and hate.”

Read more at Corvallis Gazette-Times

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Benton County voters reject jail bond

According to the Corvallis Gazette-Times, "A proposed $25 million bond measure to build a new Benton County Jail was defeated Tuesday night, but backers vowed to revive the issue in a future election." The County website reported that the tally was 11,599 NO votes to 10,520 YES votes, thereby sending the bond measure (2-91) to construct a new jail into defeat. Read More......

The latest on the Bailey Branch Corridor Draft Management Strategy

Benton County released the Draft of its Bailey Branch Rail Corridor Management Strategy on July 2nd.  Public hearings were scheduled for July 8^th in Monroe and July 10^th in Corvallis to get public input on the proposed strategy.  The input they got from the public was surprising.

The Strategy itself contained five options for the future of the corridor:

1.         Railroad Only

2.         Develop Hiking/Biking Trails
3.         Maintain Current Condition and Uses
4.         Transfer (move) the Corridor Location
5.         Selling, Leasing and Granting Easements

The consensus, at least at the Corvallis meeting, turned out to be a combination of these.

Public testimony was pretty much evenly divided between cyclists, hikers and nature enthusiasts and homeowners and farmers located along the Corridor.  Many of the homeowners and farmers turned out to be in favor of Option 2, but only if it could be combined with Options 4 and 5.  Many of the Hiking/Biking community agreed for some very common sense reasons:

1.         Farming is a serious industrial operation using practices, methods, chemicals and animals to produce a product.

2.         Farming is one of the ten most dangerous occupations in America.
3.         At times, certain practices or methods can produce drifting dust or chemicals.  Even though they are non-toxic, they are not pleasant.
4.         A long, straight trail through farm country and through people’s back yards is not very scenic.

Some of the families along the Bailey Corridor have proposed purchasing the portions they are adjacent to and maintaining the right-of-way as an easement for possible return to rail use in the future.  That discussion led to a discussion of the County using the funds to widen Bellfountain Road and provide a safe, hiking/biking trail connecting the Corvallis To The Sea Trail to Alpine and the east-west Hull-Oaks section of the Bailey Branch.  Nearly everyone seemed to agree this might be the best strategy for the Bailey Branch.

Hopefully the Commissioners will agree.

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Take an active role in local government!

Benton County has announced they are looking for members of the community to fill vacancies on a variety of panels that work with county services.  In all, the county has 18 advisory boards, commissions and committees, each of which has significant impact on what and how things get done around the county.  Please consider volunteering for one of the following panels:

• Alpine County Service District Advisory and Budget Committee
  
• Alsea County Service District Advisory and Budget Committee
  
• Environmental Issues Advisory Committee
  
• Fair Board, which is seeking a resident of the North Albany area
  
• Historic Resources Advisory Committee
• Mental Health, Addictions and Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee
  
• Public Health Planning Committee, which is seeking a health care practitioner
  
• Solid Waste and Disposal Site Advisory Committee, which is seeking one member each from Adair Village, Monroe and an unincorporated area of the county
  
• Special Transportation Advisory Committee, which seeks a service user

For more information about county committees, advisory boards or the application process, contact Teresa Farley at 541-766-6890, by emailing her at teresa.farley@co.benton.or.us or go online to http://www.co.benton.or.us/boc/volunteers.php Read More......

GT: OWEB weighs local conservation grants

Bennett Hall of the Corvallis Gazette-Times reports that, "A state agency will take comments on two grant requests to help fund conservation projects in the Corvallis area at a pair of public hearings this week." [That would be tomorrow, Thursday, January 31st from 10am-Noon at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library]. The state agency is Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board.

• Benton County is asking for $41,300 for an easement to protect habitat for an endangered butterfly
• The Greenbelt Land Trust is asking for $940,000 to complete the purchase of Bald Hill Farm.

Read more: Corvallis Gazette-Times Read More......

New 2012 Benton County Precinct Maps available online

(Hat tip: John H. Detweiler) - NEW Benton County Precinct Maps available online on the Benton County website.

There are significant changes to legislative district boundaries in Benton County as a result of the latest redistricting effort. To learn what changes were made in your area, please, check the 2012 Precinct maps now in effect. Maps showing political boundaries before the most recent redistricting process are now referred to as Old Precinct maps.

We suggest that you zoom in on your area on the Benton County Map to see what precinct you are in now. Sorry, we don't yet have an easy way to let you know what your current precinct number is, or if it has changed since redistricting. Read More......

Charles Fischer loses 5-year fight to build six houses on his 30-acre farm

$67,000 NOT substantial, according to Commissioners Modrell and Jaramillo, whose lack of compassion was stunning.
Read article at Corvallis Gazette-Times: Commissioners reject M49 claim

Disgusting! Republicans, don't forget this ruling.  Caught between Measures 37 and 49, the outcome of Mr. Fischer's case was not written in stone. The Commission had the latitude to grant Fischer his due but chose not to. Please note that Commissioner Annabelle Jaramillo (also chair of the Benton County Democrats) plans to run for a fourth term! --bc Read More......

Does Benton County need a Chief Operating Officer?

Corvallis Gazette-Times: County nears end of COO search

Should Republicans comment on this article and attend the interviews (if possible) and meet the candidates?

What: Public reception for the four finalists
When: 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6th
Where: Main meeting room, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave. Read More......

Visit the Benton GOP Food Booth at Corvallis Fall Festival

It's Corvallis Fall Festival weekend, September 24th & 25th, and we hope you'll visit the Benton County Republicans' Pasta and Meatballs booth (#18) at Central Park near the main stage on Monroe (across from the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library). The food booth is a fundraiser to help the Benton GOP prepare for the 2012 election. On the menu is Spaghetti with or without Meatballs, Meatball Subs, Meatballs-on-a-Stick (with your choice of marinara sauce or Swedish style white sauce), Strawberry and Chocolate Sundaes and assorted beverages. We'd like to thank the many Benton GOP and Benton County Republican Women who have have prepared for this event and those who have volunteered to man the booth. Can we count on you as a patron this weekend?

Don't want to fight the traffic and parking? There is FREE PARKING and SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE every 10-15 minutes from the Avery Square Parking Lot on 9th Street, Saturday 10am-10pm and Sunday 10am-7pm. Getting there can't get any easier than that! Read More......

GT: Protesters decry riparian rules

CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES, 7/20/2011 - Rural landowners challenge county over property rights: A county rulemaking process that has been stirring up discontent among rural property owners drew its first full-fledged protest Tuesday evening. Read more at the GT...

Also see article with photos and video at Corvallis Tid-Bits... Read More......

Alsea Valley Alliance Showing Important Video - You're Invited!

VIDEO
UNITED NATION’S PLAN
NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED
BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
RESULTING IN EPA’S ATTEMPT TO CONTROL ALL WATERWAYS IN THE U.S. & BENTON COUNTY’S PLAN TO IMPLEMENT REGULATED RIPERARIAN BUFFERS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
VIDEO WILL BE SHOWN ON FRIDAY, JUNE 24 AT 7PM IN THE ALSEA LIBRARY MEETING ROOM
EVERYONE INVITED
PRESENTED BY ALSEA VALLEY ALLIANCE

All Benton County residents should become well-informed on these issues. --bc Read More......

Remember Armed Forces Day on Saturday, May 21

Your Freedom Wasn’t… and Still Isn’t… Free! - World War II cost the United States dearly. Our country lost nearly half a million citizens. Many more who lived through combat still carry the scars. Our nation honors all who have served our country to protect us. At this time, we’d like particularly to remember our vets from World War II. A beautiful memorial has been erected in Washington DC to honor them, and veterans are flocking there to see it and to remember their comrades. Don’t miss this 2-minute video! It’s the least you can do for those who kept America free! Subject: WWII Documentary (Trailer)

A local Armed Forces Day Tribute with Flag Rally will be held from 11am-1pm in front of the National Guard Armory, 1100 NW Kings Blvd. Bring your beautiful American flags to wave as we celebrate our nation and those who defend it. Extra flags and "Support our Troops" signs will be available for those who need them. Refreshments will be served. Read More......

March 1: Benton County ‘Riparian and Wetlands’ Meeting in Alsea

ALSEA VALLEY VOICE, Last Updated 02/20/2011 - ATTENTION! IMPORTANT MEETING MARCH 1st FOR RIPARIAN AND WETLAND OWNERS - "On Oct 27th Benton County held a meeting to present to the community the results of the county’s project to identify and protect riparian and wetlands. At this meeting it was learned that the county was considering requiring a 50 foot setback from any river, creek, ditch, pond and wetland to be kept in natural vegetation. The county personnel held this meeting and several like it in other parts of the county in order to explain the water project and the resulting inventory to the residents. They also wanted to get the ideas and opinions of the local people before actually writing the regulations. Because only a very few people from Alsea attended this meeting and because possible regulations could affect landowners property rights, the Alsea Citizens Advisory Committee requested that another meeting be held in Alsea. As a result there will be a meeting to explain this project and answer questions and listen to ideas and concerns. This meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 1st at 7 pm at the Alsea Grange. (MORE MEETINGS Feb. 5 and 7)

In order to give Alsea people more opportunity to give their input an OSU graduate student, Julie Ryden, is going to come to Alsea and meet one on one with people in the ACE office in the library on Saturday, March 5th and Monday, March 7th. She will record people’s concerns and present them to the county’s Riparian and Wetlands Advisory Group (RWAG). To sign up for a time slot to talk with her call Mimi Stout at 541- 487-5444 or e-mail. or signup at the March 1st meeting.

Want to learn more? Check the Benton County Riparian and Wetlands Project Inventory draft report in the Alsea Library and/or attend the presentation and meeting that Benton County is holding on Monday, March 1st in the Alsea Library Community Room. More information can be found on the internet at www.co.benton.or.us/cd/riparian."

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ADDITION TO POST
Opinion by M Stout

Ever heard of the United Nations Agenda for the 21st Century (Agenda 21)? This is an agreement with the United Nations signed in 1992 by many countries including being signed by then President George H. Bush. It was never ratified by the U. S. congress but has been quietly implemented little by little by the executive branch of the country. An off shoot of Agenda 21 is the “wildlands project”. The information attached to this article explains things like why the government has closed off and decommissioned so many forest roads, why Benton County created the butterfly zone and now wants to put controls on all the riparian lands in the county. Map

M Stout

Want to learn more about Benton

County Water Resources Work?

http://www.co.benton.or.us/cd/riparian

http://www.co.benton.or.us/boc/water

www.co.benton.or.us/cd/environment/stormwater

(541) 766-6085 (office); (541) 766-6891 (fax)

Benton County Community Development
360 SW Avery Ave.
Corvallis, OR 97333-1139 Read More......

Feb. 23: Benton County Stormwater Meeting

How does the rain that falls in Benton County lead to pollution in the Willamette River? The problem is not the rain, but pollutants in the ground it falls on, and the Benton County code is being updated to address this issue. ∴ The county is planning a public meeting – scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 23 at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library meeting room – to focus on the updates to the county code, which are designed to improve water quality through local erosion control and some “post construction” stormwater management requirements. Read more at The Benton County Website

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President Lincoln's Press Conference

Last night, February 12th, President Abraham Lincoln held a Press Conference at the Linn & Benton County Republican's Lincoln Day Dinner in the CH2M Hill Alumni Center in Corvallis, Oregon. It was his birthday. He began the conference with his own remarks and then took questions from the Press (the guests). Due to the seriousness of his message, all present could have heard a pin drop as he spoke. The president contended that the abolition of slavery was indeed the reason for the war between the states. He felt it was biblical, that the country was unable to avoid war and that it was a punishment for the sin of slavery. He reported on the progress of the war and about his choice of disappointing generals to lead the union. One and all could see the great personal toll it took on him over the horrible loss of life as the war wore on. Yet one could see a little colour returning to his gaunt face when he spoke of eventual victories. The President talked about the ugly reception his Emancipation Proclamation received. Some called him a tyrant or worse. The Abolitionists were furious that it did not inclued all slaves. Mr. Lincoln brought out his spectacles to read the brief remarks he'd made at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The gathered press corps could hardly agree with Mr. Lincoln's assessment that his concise words would not long be remembered. Finally, the president explained why, under extreme criticism, he refused to hang the Generals and leaders of the Confederacy in an effort to heal the nation at war's end.

Mr. Steve Holgate of Portland, is the actor who so passionately and truly portrays President Lincoln. A number of guests asked about his next scheduled event. Mr. Holgate will be presenting a longer version of President Lincoln at the Coaster Theater (MAP) in Cannon Beach, Oregon on Friday and Saturday, March 11-12 at 7:30 p.m. (Whichever way you go to Cannon Beach, you'll want to come home via Newport and Corvallis, unless you want to spend the night. The tunnel on Hwy 26 will be closed during night-time hours due to roadwork.)

For the members of the Lincoln Day Dinner Committee, it was a wonderful pleasure to host Mr. Holgate and his lovely wife, Felicia. From the feedback we've received, our guests were impressed.

The Committee offers its gratitude to all the members of the press (our guests) who contributed to the success of the evening. We thank you for generously supporting the 'buy it now' tables, the silent auction and the oral auction. We hope you enjoyed the evening. Read More......

Feb. 12: President Lincoln's Birthday Celebration

PRESS RELEASE
Lincoln Day Dinner, February 12, Corvallis
If you've never heard him speak, now is your opportunity to come hear President Abraham Lincoln. ∴ What American wouldn't love to have a conversation with our first Republican President? Imagine hearing him talk and then being provided an opportunity to ask about that era and the momentous decisions he made. This year’s keynote speaker at the Linn and Benton Republicans Lincoln Day Celebration is President Abraham Lincoln.  Our speaker is an actor, Steve Holgate, from Portland who strongly resembles Lincoln.  He gives audiences all over Oregon, throughout the West Coast and overseas a chance to hear Lincoln (in period costume) talk about his years in the White House.  Mr. Holgate has been highly praised by a member of the National Lincoln Bicentennial Commission saying that "he's the best Lincoln in America."
 
The evening’s events include no-host wine bar, hors d'eourves and buffet dinner catered by the popular El Sol de Mexico in Corvallis. A sampling of our live and silent auction items includes a BBQ dinner for 40 to 45 people in June 2011, gun training classes, blown glass items by an Oregon artisan, and beautifully created theme baskets with hotel, resort and restaurant certificates.  Pinkerton guards will be in attendance for the President's security.

The event will be at the OSU CH2M Hill Alumni Center on Lincoln's birthday, Saturday, Feb 12, 2011 from 5:00-9:00 PM. Go to www.LincolnDayDinner.net or call Jo Rae Perkins at 541-928-6077 to get all the details and make reservations ASAP for an evening you won't want to miss.
 
This is a major fundraiser for Benton County - your support is greatly appreciated.  Read More......

Linn-Benton ALERT Emergency Notification System

The Linn-Benton ALERT Emergency Notification System is a mass notification system that allows public safety officials to provide rapid notifications to Linn and Benton County residents of emergencies, evacuations, and other urgent events. Sign up HERE. Read More......

Voters will have chance to meet Republican candidates Monday

See Corvallis Gazette-Times article HERE.

What: Republican Candidates' Fair & No-host Luncheon (optional)
When: Monday, September 27th
Where: King Tin Restaurant, 1857 N.W. Ninth St., Corvallis
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Candidates attending:

• Jim Huffman for U.S. Senate
  
• Rose Cook for State Representative, Dist. 16
  
• Jerry Jackson for County Commissioner, Position 1
  
• Mark O'Brien for Corvallis City Council, Ward 1
  
• John Detweiler for Corvallis City Council, Ward 6
  
• Rick Schroff for Corvallis City Council, Ward 7

See you there! --bc Read More......

GT focuses on Chris Dudley's appearance at Benton GOP Barbecue

CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES, 8/20/2010 by Bennett Hall - Dudley energizes GOP faithful Read More......

GT: Activists aim to revamp county government

CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES, 6/14/2010 by Bennett Hall - A group of local political activists, citing what they say is a widespread feeling of disenfranchisement with Benton County government, are holding a public meeting at the library this Friday [no time given] to discuss ways to make it more responsive. UPDATE: This meeting is scheduled from 7pm-9pm.

“We’re not prescribing anything,” said peace activist Leah Bolger, one of the meeting organizers. “We just want to have a civil discussion where people can throw out their ideas on how to improve county government.” ∴ Bolger said the idea for the meeting came out of a discussion group formed around the David Swanson book “Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union.” ∴ While Swanson is advocating political reforms at the national level, the Daybreak group decided to see what changes they could accomplish locally. They decided to focus on the County Commission in part, they said, because people on both the left and the right of the political spectrum feel locked out by the fact that no one but Democrats have been elected to that body for more than a decade.
“The three-commissioner form of government is not the most democratic form of government around,” said Vernon Huffman, a Green Party member helping to organize the meeting. “When the winner takes all in the election, you end up with three members of the majority party representing everybody.”

Huffman said he’d like to see a county government based on proportional representation and elected by instant-runoff voting. He’s also in favor of neighborhood councils with control of county funding.

Huffman and Bolger said they’ve invited the current county commissioners to attend and have also reached out to Tea Partiers, Republican leaders and a group of GOP activists backing term limits for the commissioners.

Annabelle Jaramillo, who chairs the County Commission, said she plans to go to the meeting.

“I’m really curious to see what they’re talking about,” Jaramillo said. “I think it would be a great discussion to have.”

Bennett Hall can be reached at 541-758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net.

More on David David Swanson Read More......