State law on ID with checks, credit card rules

Here's a handy link to the section of Oregon's Revised Statutes which explains what a merchant can do when you pay by check.

Also, merchants are contractually obligated not to refuse a sale by credit card without ID.

Lime-lit Democracy

Sodium floodlights illume voters queued up in the rain, to drop off their ballots at the Multnomah Co. Elections office at Morrison & SE 11th in Portland, OR, the day before the election at 6PM. That's dedication in democracy.

Sentenced to School

http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11535645

Think about it.

Where would you rather have been sent to as a teen?

Worst restaurants of Milwaukie, Oak Grove and Gladstone

I've also been the victim of gut-busting, agonizing pain from food poisoning so bad I spent three days in hospital. Think about these eateries and their inspection scores, and then consider, the next time you visit them, asking what they've done to make sure they ace the inspection next time.

http://www.clackamas.us/community_health/eh/restaurants.htm explains how the rating system works. Critical issues cost 4 or 5 points, whereas lesser failures to protect your health only 1 or 2 points. Points for repeat offenses of both kinds are doubled. Italicized results below are the result of a complaint to the health department (503-655-8384) and the subsequent inspection.

You can click on the title of this post for an updated list of restaurants and scores, or get scores for any other food service establishment in the county.

And, now for the Hall of Shame:

Score	Restaurant			Inspected
70	Dragon Inn Rest.	14411 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-9686	02/14
77	Chan's Steakery	10477 SE Main St	503-653-2709	12/17
77	Domenic's Bar & Grill	16065 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-6969	11/06
79	Chopsticks Express I	10801 SE Main St #0	503-659-2950	05/13
82	Panda Buffet	16251 SE Mcloughlin	503-652-0515	05/09
82	Tartan & Thistle	11050 SE 21st	503-657-1507	11/19
82	Winchells Donuts	19500 Mcloughlin	503-657-3197	01/16
83	Chan's Garden Rest.	14790 SE Webster Rd	503-652-2828	11/19
85	Casa De Tamales	10605 SE Main St	503-654-4423	02/26
85	Dolphin Seafood Rest.	17180 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-9366	02/14
85	Mai Wah Rest.	18088 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-0323	05/13
85	Oak Grove Bar & Grill	2099 SE Oak Grove Blvd	503-654-6343	12/10
85	Panaderia Cinco De Mayo 2	17419 SE Mcloughlin	503-998-2960	12/18
85	Super Burrito Express	10546 SE 42nd	503-786-9370	05/13
85	Hong Kong 97	17405 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-3336	04/08
86	Arrivederci Wine & Gifts	17025 SE Mcloughlin	503-781-3873	04/22
86	Porterhouse Rest & Par Lng	14611 SE Mcloughlin	503-794-9450	05/13
86	Soy Grill	20010 Mc Loughlin Blvd	503-655-5780	03/24
87	El Tapatio Rest.	15192 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-8654	03/17
87	Int'l Hse o'Pancakes 681	14617 SE Mcloughlin	503-653-2710	03/17
87	McGrath's Publ Fish Hse	11050 SE Oak St	503-653-8070	05/13
88	Hartwell's	10608 SE Main St	503-387-5866	05
88	Lew's Drive Inn	14911 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-6648	03/17
88	Wichita Pub	6106 SE King Rd	503-654-4201	04/18
89	Brew Bar & Grill	10933 SE Main Street	503-653-6369	12/19
89	Buster's TX Style B-B-Q	17883 E Mcloughlin	503-652-1076	05/09
89	Chang's Mongolian Grill	18925 SE Mcloughlin	503-655-2323	05/08
89	Gaffers Pub	18515 Webster Rd	503-516-5295	03/16
89	Kwang Chow Rest.	7980 SE King Rd	503-659-1160	12/26
89	Mekong Thai Cuisine	10880 SE Mcloughlin	503-594-2888	12/05
89	Stanley's Corner	19905 SE Mcloughlin	503-655-5544	04/23
89	Subway #10335	19516 SE Mcloughlin	503-803-4923	01/16
89	Wind Horse Coff & Tea	10611 SE Main St	503-659-1000	02/25
90	High Rocks Pub	915 E Arlington	503-656-1111	04/13
90	Mike's Drive In	3045 SE Harrison St	503-654-0131	04/28
90	Sharis Rest.	11030 SE Oak St	503-652-4035	03/31
90	Taco Bell #4088	11000 SE Oak St	503-659-2960	02/19
91	Elk Rock Bar & Grill	14211 SE Mcloughlin	503-786-0410	04/17
91	Historic Broetje House	3101 SE Courtney	503-659-8860	04/22
91	Imperial Garden Rest.	15350 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-1280	03/17
91	Pizza Schmizza	14624 & Sstreet &	503-496-0873	04/28
91	Ranch Tavern	18601 SE Mcloughlin	503-653-9152	02/25
91	Stuart Anderson's Cattle Co	16323 SE Mcloughlin	503-653-2700	12/17
91	Vogies Bar, Llc	464 Portland Ave	503-657-3626	03/16
92	Gladstone Card Room	420 Portland Ave	503-657-1977	03/16
92	Kentucky Fried Chik313	14715 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-2580	02/14
92	Mi Pueblo	10543 SE Fuller Rd	503-653-4194	05/08
92	Quizno's	10983 SE Oak St #107	503-594-2118	04/24
92	River Road House Pub	11921 SE 22nd	503-653-5885	12/27
92	Roake's	18103 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-7075	03/17
93	Big Town Hero	4630 SE Int'l. Wy #201	503-652-5428	04/24
93	Dominos Pizza - McLouglin	15117 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-4950	04/29
93	Foxy's	11094 SE Main St	503-654-8800	01/15
93	G-G's Rest.	15717 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-5553	04/18
93	Healing Place Cafe	10330 SE 32nd Ave	503-513-8342	02/06
93	Lacey's Bomber Inn	13515 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-9306	12/05
93	Libbeys Rest.	11056 SE Main St	503-653-2044	03/13
93	Maddy's	18080 SE Mcloughlin	503-786-4761	01/10
93	Oak Grove Cinemas	16100 SE Mcloughlin	503-653-3511	02/14
93	Wendy's - Milwaukie	17217 SE Mcloughlin	503-653-2472	04/08
93	Wongs Garden	10820 SE Oak St	503-794-2879	12/17
94	Amadeus Manor	2122 SE Sparrow St	503-659-1735	11/29
94	Cha Cha Cha Mexican Taqr	11008 SE Main St	503-659-2193	02/26
94	Econolodge	17330 SE Mc Loughlin	503-654-2222	05/14
94	Gladstone Lanes	20100 SE Mcloughlin	503-656-4266	02/20
94	Got Curry	2818 SE Park Ave	503-652-4050	12/31
94	Little Caesar's Pizza	17038 SE Mcloughlin	971-570-2504	02/14
94	Pogys #3	17185 SE Mcloughlin #h	503-652-0120	02/25
94	Red Brick Pizza	10843 SE Oak St Suite 106	503-702-7422	05/06
94	Tonys Bistro	6400 SE Lake Rd #101	503-353-8900	11/27
95	Amer Legion Post #180	2146 SE Monroe	503-659-1300	12/28
95	Da Vinci's Italiano Ristorante	12615 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-3547	05/08
95	Drift On Inn Bar & Grill	12611 SE Mcloughlin	503-652-7966	01/15
95	Figaros	18911 Portland Ave	503-656-5556	02/25
95	Happy Rock Coffee Co	465 Portland Ave	503-650-4876	04/13
95	Mcdonalds - Gladstone	820 E Berkeley	503-557-9951	02
95	Mcdonalds - Johnsn Crk	8151 SE Lamphier	503-774-2960	04/08
95	Mcdonalds - Mcloughlin	15870 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-6268	03/10
95	Mcdonalds - Milwaukie	10970 SE Oak	503-659-0979	03/17
95	Milwaukie Luth Church	3810 SE Lake Rd-6097	503-653-0250	02/20
95	Mo Betta Deli	6110 SE King Rd	503-653-5487	04/18
95	Rigoberto's Taco Shop	15855 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-8124	12/18
95	St John The Bapt Chrch	10955 SE 25th Ave	503-654-5449	01/17
95	Subway - Milwaukie	15031 SE Mcloughlin	503-786-1660	03/17
95	Tods Pizza Pit Stop	17254 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-5555	02/25
95	Waterfalls Cafe	12705 SE River Rd	503-652-6330	01/18
96	Cafe Bon Jour	4360 SE Int'l. Way #200	503-697-3242	04/11
96	Dominos Pizza -32nd Av	10586 SE 32nd Ave	503-659-5585	01/15
96	Dottys #10	10812-B SE Oak St	503-786-2516	01/10
96	G G's Delicatessen	15717 Mcnerthney Ent Inc	503-654-2428	01/14
96	Hong Kong 97	6128 SE King Road Suite B	503-786-4567	04/18
96	Larry's Rest.	8081 SE King Rd	503-771-0216	03/10
96	Pete's Lair Tavern	17720 SE Mcloughlin	503-652-1430	03/17
96	St Johns Episc Church	2036 SE Jefferson	503-653-5880	02/20
96	Sushi Kata Japanese Rest	13809 SE Mcloughlin	503-653-0302	12/18
96	Taco Bell #19200	16300 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-8097	02/19

And, these eateries get an honorable mention, for they scored 97-99 points, which means they could not have had a major violation. Not perfect (and, why not, one might ask?) but nothing major:

97	Bo's Pub & Eatery	18650 SE Mcloughlin	503-652-0302	04/11
97	Great Amer Video & Esprsso	6130 SE King Rd	503-794-9573	04/21
97	Happy Cafe	4620 SE Int'l. Way #100	503-654-2488	12/18
97	Main Street Soda Fountain	10909 SE Main St	503-659-7632	03/10
97	Pietro's Pizza	10300 SE Main St	503-659-7770	04/08
98	Burgerville #8	19119 SE Mcloughlin	503-655-3932	03/17
98	Christ The King Parrish	7414 SE Michael Dr	503-659-1475	01/1
98	Dottys #20	1503 SE Mcloughlin	503-652-7221	01/29
98	El Taco Loco	4607 SE Boardmand Ave	503-653-1715	02/27
98	Flying Pie Pizzeria Milwaukie	16691 SE Mcloughlin	503-496-3170	03/10
98	Grove Rest. And Bar, The	15300 SE Mcloughlin	503-653-1930	12/10
98	Hale's Breakfast & Lunch	17502 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-7566	04/22
98	Lucky Lady Deli	16690 SE Mclouglin Blvd	503-786-5165	04/02
98	Milwaukie Cinemas	11011 SE Main	503-653-2222	03/13
98	Oak Grove Coffeehouse	2144 SE Oak Grove Blvd	503-654-4389	03/04
98	Original Philly's	17252 SE Mcloughlin	503-594-0303	02/25
98	Pizza Hut #2857	19640 Mcloughlin	503-722-8834	01/16
98	Providence Milw Hosp	10150 SE 32nd Ave	503-652-8300	04/21
98	Starbucks Coffee #3374	10826 SE Oak St	503-652-7962	01/10
98	Subway - Milw Mktplace	10818A SE Oak St	503-653-2100	02/19
98	Tebos Rest.	19120 SE Mcloughlin	503-655-6333	03/13
98	The Deli	4160 SE Int'l. Way #d10	503-786-9388	03/31
99	Baskin Robbins - Milwaukie	13735 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-2474	04/29
99	Dillinger's Pub Inc.	13305 SE Mcloughlin	503-652-8702	02/14
99	Great Waldo & Peper Warehs	13515 SE Mcloughlin	503-513-4949	01/28
99	Jack In The Box #7123	14811 SE Mcloughlin	503-353-9435	02/14
99	Quizno's	18040 SE Mcloughlin	503-652-1633	01/10
99	Starbucks Coffee #434	14620 SE Mcloughlin	503-659-3653	01/14

Best Restaurants of Milwukie, Oak Grove and Gladstone

Best, why? Because they aced their last health department inspection.

Folks, I've worked in public health, and some of the prettiest, cleanest-looking restaurants can be public health menaces. I think these establishments deserve kudos for getting it 100% right.

Tomorrow, I'll post the rest, including the Hall of Shame...

Amis Coffee Buzz	13119 SE Mcloughlin Bl	503-657-4975	03/12
Bally Total Fitness	4330 SE International Way	503-653-0377	01/17
Baskin Robbins	19510 SE Mcloughlin Blvd	503-656-0311	01/16
Bistro Catering	6025 SE Alderhill Loop	503-659-6216	05/14
Clackamas Rvr Racquet Club	790 82nd Drive	503-657-1806	01/22
Desert Inn	14535 SE Mcloughlin	503-654-6380	01/10
Doll House Tea Room, The	3223 SE Risley Ave	503-653-6809	11/28
East Side Athletic Club	4606 SE Boardman	503-659-3845	02/27
Foxy's	15224 SE Mcloughlin	503-353-6885	01/10
Frog Thai Cuisine, The	18601 SE Mcloughlin Bl #b	503-786-8893	12/26
Full Gospel Comm Church	4007 SE Llewellyn	503-774-2663	04/02
Gladstone Senior Center	1050 Portland Ave	503-655-7701	01/30
Gray Gables Estate	3009 SE Chestnut St	503-654-0470	04/02
Happy Restaurant	270 Portland Ave	503-657-4097	04/22
Holly Station	3610 SE Concord	503-724-9896	04/02
J Gelati	3650 Concord Road	503-382-9450	03/10
Jamba Juice - Milwaukie	10814 SE Oak St	503-513-6385	01/10
Joes Place Saloon	4400 SE International Way	503-653-6798	01/24
Kellog Bowl Inc	10306 Main St	503-659-1757	02/21
K-mart Deli #4406	13750 SE Johnson Rd	503-659-6773	04/22
Lew's Drive Inn	14911 SE Mcloughlin Bl	503-654-6648	03/17
Lighthouse	18010 SE Mcloughlin Blvd	503-312-1404	01/08
McQueen's Bar & Grill	14680 SE River Rd	503-736-3308	04/24
Milwaukie Bowl	3056 SE Harrison St	503-654-7719	02/21
Milwaukie Center	5440 SE Kellogg Creek Dr	503-653-8100	03/05
Milwaukie Christian Church	5197 SE King Rd	503-654-6597	02/20
Milwaukie Elks #2032	13121 Mcloughlin Blvd	503-654-9588	12/28
NCPRD Concession Stand	5440 SE Kellogg Creek	503-654-3030	03/05
Oxford Suites	75 SE 82nd Dr	503-650-0562	03/04
Round Table Pizza	16550 SE Mcloughlin Blvd	503-653-6444	05/01
Spring Creek Coffee House	10600 SE Mcloughlin Bl #105	503-496-5555	02/25
Sully's Cafe	2035 SE Jefferson St	503-786-0285	01/24
Tsunami Cafe	7300 SE Harmony Road	503-659-1756	12/26
Westwood Tan & Beauty	6960 SE Theissen	503-654-8171	03/05

Safety deposit boxes not safe from the state

Which is a safer place for your valuables: Under the mattress, or in a California safety deposit box?
Be surprised. Very surprised.

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4832471 or http://silverbearcafe.com/private/5.08/ripoff.html

Note that Oregon's safeguards in this area are also weak... and you can check to see if they have taken something of yours at http://www.oregon.gov/DSL/UP/yourmoney.shtml

We are top officials of the United States Senate Government who are interested in importation of oil into our country with funds that are presently...

CONFIDENTIAL/URGENT POLITICAL PROPOSAL

Dear Sir

First we must solicit your confidence in this issue. This is by virtue as being utterly confidential and "top secret".

We are SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON, the wife of the former United States head of state, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, and also SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN, friend and associate of current head of state PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH. We got your contact through business inquiries as we were searching for contacts of a citizen who can help save our and our family's political careers since our country has been frustrating us.

We are top officials of the United States Senate Government who are interested in importation of oil into our country with funds that are presently trapped in the FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND dedicated to improving transportation. We wish to send this money to overseas accounts in the MIDDLE EAST but cannot due to restrictions in Congress Transportation Equity Act requiring that this money must be spent to build roads, bridges and high speed trains.

If you accept we will deliver to your a sum of 30 DOLLARS in the summer 2008 in form of a "GAS TAX HOLIDAY". You will then deliver this money to accounts of our friends in Middle East by taking it to your nearby gasoline station where they have information to forward the money. Please supply your bank account, social security number, address and your vote in DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES AND NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION.

But bear in mind that this transaction requires absolute confidentiality. Do not visit WWW.GASTAXSCAM.COM where there is information about dangers of our proposal and a petition to stop us from this diversion of funds.

PLEASE NOTIFY US URGENTLY OF YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS PROPOSAL

Awaiting your rapid response

Yours truly

SENATORS HILLARY CLINTON AND JOHN MCCAIN

Target matches Wal-Mart $4 prescription plan

Target stores just expanded, again, the list of generic drugs it sells for $4/30 day supply, to match the expanded Wal-Mart $4 prescription list. Excellent.

What will $10 / gal gas do to you?

http://www2.nysun.com/article/75363

Start thinking, for the cost of fuel is no longer the least expensive item in the cost of your ride.

The cost of fuel will no longer be the cheapest component in the cost of food.

How dependent is your job on cheap transport?

Go do your budget before you vote... and maybe ask your national candidates what they will do to encourage restoration of production in Mexico, Nigeria, and (oh, dare I say it) Iraq?

You'd think oil execs-turned-politicians would make darned sure Iraqi oil production was restored ASAP, if they had our best interests in mind... but, instead, ask your Democratic and Republican federal candidates, Jeff Merkeley, Steve Novick, Earl Blumenauer, Gordon Smith, et al. Ask early, ask often, and send me their responses.

Scientific expedition to Oregon quake swarm launches Friday

Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) will launch an expedition to the area of hundreds of recent quakes offshore on Friday. Quakes hundreds of miles offshore, if small, pose no tsunami risk, but when the quakes start exceeding five?

Here's another map link, auto club tips on what to do if you're behind the wheel and a quake hits, and guidance on preparing your disater plan.

Plus, here's a link to multiple stories on the Oregon off-shore quake swarm:
http://news.google.com/?ncl=1151691996&hl=en&topic=t

Is Portland's gift to OHSU upside-down?

Here, Sam Adams admits Portland can't afford to pay its obligations to development plans in South Waterfront: http://bojack.org/2008/04/its_official_sowhat_is_broke.html

The Cos' and his campaign

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200805/cosby

There's a lot for us to listen to, regardless of our race.

Aghast at the Bush Administration

The Bush Administration may have a concealed internal legal opinion which, at their whim, makes any action of the National Security Agency, by fiat, legal, overruling the Fourth Amendment.   

... our Office recently concluded that the Fourth Amendment had no application to domestic military operations. See Memorandum for Alberto R. Gonzales, Counsel to the President, and William J. Haynes, II, General Counsel, Department of Defense, from John C. Yoo, Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Robert J. Delahunty, Special Counsel, Re: Authority for Use of Military Force to Combat Terrorist Activities Within the United States at 25 (Oct 23, 2001). (emphasis added)

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/04/administration-asserts-no-fourth-amendment-domestic-military-operations

Enhanced Law Enforcement Service District Citizens' Advisory Committee of the Clackamas Co. Sheriff (Part One of ...)

2008-03-06 Enhanced Law Enforcement Service District Citizens' Advisory Committee of the Clackamas Co. Sheriff (Part One of Two)

Opened 18:40 on 3/06 at the Public Safety Training Center by John E. Bartley, Vice-Chair, a tech writer @ Intel who lives on Oatfield Hill above Oak Grove. Absent: Chair Ralph Radmer


1. Introductions

Bill Andrews, lives by Rex Putnam HS
Kristen Buren, Customer Service Rep for Laminations in Wilsonville
Paul Ellison, Bank of the West, Webster & Clackamas
Ron Hinson, Customer Service Mgr for the Estacada branch of BOTW, lives by Clackamas HS
Trish Jorgenson, retired nurse, Maple Lane
Charlie Paul, USAF (Ret.), Miramonte Point
Shelly Radmer, Investigator, lives near 152nd/Sunnyside
Nancy Whitley, retired teacher from Oak Grove

Ex-officio members
Kathleen Stewart, CCSO Administration for 6 yrs & Main staff to committee
Patrol Captain Dave O'Shaugnessey

Brief discussion of roles of chair & vice chair by Kathleen. Chair sets tone of meeting, plans agenda, can assemble letters & speak for the committee. Vice-chair fills in for chair when chair absent.



2. Discussion of 2008 Sheriff's goals


2.1 (Captain Dave O'Shaugnessey) Interviewed for all 14 unfilled patrol officer positions; six or seven are in background checks (six weeks to several months), rest awaiting other requirements or have start dates. 171.5 FTEs allocated including ELED and levy positions. No college requirement for an officer; last week eight interviews were conducted; four had degrees, and three about to graduate from college. Nancy asked about diversity of applicants; Capt. O'S. replied they have; Spanish speakers, Asian, other diverse members.


2.2 Increasing training opportunities for all staff.

Certification agency requires only 84 hrs every 3 years; the CCSO dept std is 40 hrs/yr. All supervisors are trained in crisis intervention including dealing with the mentally ill, and 40 of the deputies also trained. Also sharing training w/ other agencies to share costs.


2.3 Five-year strategic plan; collecting all-employee input before new plan written.


2.4 Work hard to consolidate all staff into one building, very cramped and spread across multiple sites. Want to consolidate all in soon-to-vacate Sunnybrook building (ETA EOY) but civil (required to be in the courthouse), property and special investigations not be consolidated. Will keep the dollar-a-year Shaver building below the County Public Services Complex which was donated by the Feds. County administration not yet approved. Old co. fin plan counted on selling Sunnybrook Building for 5M$ to pay for new Development Services Building, and the county is working on alternatives.


2.5 Open remaining closed jail beds ASAP; 44 remaining just opened. 500 early releases/mo now, this will reduce. New jail needed to eliminate it. Bill commented on War On Drugs as a bad joke.


2.6 Implement inmate work crews as per levy, but will limit to low risk criminals.


2.7 Beginning new design jail construction at current site of Dog Control, ASAP. New podular design will have 880 beds and will staff w/ current jail employees (which only serves less than 500.) Still planning, project management assigned to Capt. Howard.


2.8 Expand CCITF interagency task force, does ton of work on middle- and upper- level criminals, but expect increase in crime in September 2009 when Tri-Met opens Green Line at Town Center. (Ed. note: Tri-Met is unhelpful in addressing concerns.)


2.9 How to use better new staffing from levy; Patrol? Detectives? A full-time crime analyst position was created to watch for crime changes. The department is interviewing the top six candidates within two weeks, with a hire following soon thereafter.


2.10 Relationship between Community Corrections (Parole & Probation, Work Release) now supervised by Co. Administrator) & the CCSO. Decisions of Community Corrections affect what can be done w/ jail resources. Consultant studying now.


2.11 Identify & plan for long term funding; several other counties went to dedicated funding assessment. The CCSO budget was $62M last year, $40M from county general revenue funds, but timber monies are shrinking, which makes more counties shift to general fund sources and consider a dedicated tax assessment just for law enforcement.


Capt. O'Shaugnessy was in a work session w/ Commission last week on creating a county Justice Court (not Community Court, which is similar to a diversion program). Nineteen Oregon counties have 32 Justice Courts for traffic violations, evictions and other landlord-tenant matters, and perhaps code violations. It would increase the county's share of revenue from fines levied, an important financial improvement.

Justice Courts were consolidated into District Courts in the 50s, and in the 90s, District Courts were absorbed into Circuit Courts. Commissioners have authority to establish it, but presiding judge expressed unidentified concerns and then cd not attend the workshop, but judge in Lane Co. (which has a Justice Court) had excellent info. Next step is a month out. Last time it went to commission, one commissioner wanted public input, so all the county's Community Planning Organizations were consulted and all like it.

Now, Commissioner Peterson is new to the commission and needs to be brought up to speed.

Each motor officer writes about 2,000 citations/yr, resulting in 5,000 court appearances with at least 2 hrs off patrol per hearing. A Justice Court would reduce the time motor officers are off patrol and increase service to the public, another of the many advantages of a Justice Court.


3. Surveys: A packet to provide info to the public within the ELED only as well as ask the public their concerns. Dick Jones of the Oak Grove CC did pick some up & had at their 2/20 meeting. Many returns have come back & are ready to compile. (Chair Ralph Radmer arrived). Trish volunteered to compile them and John volunteered to help her with preparing a form to automate the compilation.

4. Patrol: Oregon City plans to annex 166 acres which would remove it from the ELED and Lake Oswego has several single lots to annex as well. Both would remove those properties from the tax base of the ELED. The Commission will consider these annexations at their April 16 public hearing.


A list of categorized calls for service and reported crimes from 1/1/2008 to 10AM today (3/06/200) was distributed. In that period, there were over 9,000 calls for service, resulting in 1,095 reports written.


(Ed. Note: Those reports will be scanned and posted on Clackablog later.)


The new Green Line MAX is due to open in the fall of 2009. The CCSO is concerned more crime at end of the line and the stop preceding is likely, and the department prepares an aggressive plan to discourage crime from the beginning. TriMet says TriMet crime happens on TriMet property, but that excludes crime which led from their property. Gresham, Portland and Hillsboro track crime near TriMet stops, and several years of statistics will help the CCSO understand any changes caused by TriMet-delivered criminals.


(Ed. Note: Sadly, TriMet is not directly responsible to the people, insulated as it is from the electorate by its appointed board.)


Annual incident reports were also provided. Kristin asked for definitions of categories; Capt. O'Shaugnessy noted ORS chapter 160 explains the crime categories. The demarcation between the 99E and 82nd areas is Webster Rd, and 205/Schumacher is the boundary for the Clackamas area.


(Ed. Note: Those reports will also be scanned and posted on Clackablog later.)


5. A revenue forecast was not yet ready for the ELED CAC to consider. Nancy asked what the tax rate is; John noted the original tax rate is reduced by millage caps, a percentage reduction which changes with every change in all assessments as per caps imposted by ballot measures.


6. Election of Chair & Vice Chair for CY2008.


Ralph and John were elected unanimously to serve another term, with no competition or dissent.


7. A free-ranging discussion of possible priorities for the ELED followed, and the perceptions, and misperceptions, of the public. The recurring myth that the ELED does not get what they paid for was dissected, and John explained the cause.

When the ELED was created, a specific goal of (35?) more road deputies was prominent in the original campaign. However, since then, the tax rate caps mandated by statewide ballot measures reduce every tax assessment to fit under the cap, including the ELED tax rate. The people of the ELED are not allowed to pay as much as we need to collect enough to reach that original goal, but the ELED does get what we pay for.



The committee adjourned at 20:10, with the next mtng planned for 18:30 on Thursday 1 May, also in the PTSC unless announced otherwise.

ELED History + Sheriff's Services to cities

Here's a map of the District (requires Adobe Reader; it's 2MB, a long download on dial-up).

The District was approved by voters in the November 1994 general election and became effective July 1, 1995. Its purpose is to increase the level of sheriff's patrols to meet the increased demand of urban Clackamas County. It serves approximately 85,000 residents in the unincorporated areas of Clackamas County within the Urban Growth Boundary, and the city of Johnson City. - From a county press release.

Scroll down to Other Counties in Oregon in this report from Multnomah County for an auditor's perspective on the ELED.

In Clackamas County, cities were invited to join unincorporated areas within the urban growth boundary in the establishment of an Enhanced Law Enforcement District (ELED) with a tax base which supports an additional .5 officers per thousand in addition to the rural level of .5 per thousand. Johnson City and Happy Valley joined the ELED, but Wilsonville chose to continue its contract with the Sheriff.

Also of interest:

The Clackamas County Sheriff has contracts with Estacada and Wilsonville to provide patrol services. The Sheriff's Office reports that no patrol services are provided to these cities free of charge. The cities pay an hourly rate for patrol services which the Sheriff's Office claims is fully costed, including both departmental and County overhead. The current hourly rate for a deputy is $51.84, and for a lieutenant $60.50.

Writing to the County Commissioners

This link, bcc@co.clackamas.or.us sends an e-mail to all three, using the default e-mail client of your computer. The Commissioner's office may also be reached at phone: 503-655-8581 or by fax at 503-742-5919.

To send a message to only Commissioner Martha Schrader or Commission Vice-Chair Bill Kennemer, put 'Dear Commissioner Schrader' or 'Dear Commission Vice-Chair Kennemer' in the subject line, as per the Commissioner's office with whom I just spoke.


Chair Lynn Peterson has her own posted e-mail address lynnpet@co.clackamas.or.us, but uses the same phone and fax numbers.

Casa de Tamales

The current lunch/dinner menu for Casa de Tamales may be found at tinyurl.com/yub5au. Dinner there last week found their asparagas tamales, the same as these folks have served at the Farmer's Market for years, to still be very fine.