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Few attend discussion of two fee initiatives By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT - Of the nearly 30 who attended a "town meeting" Wednesday night to discuss two controversial initiatives, only seven chairs were filled by people not on the City Council or the city payroll. The meeting's purpose was to encourage dialogue about Measures 15-25 and 15-26, which, if approved, would amend the city charter by requiring voter approval for any fee increases or implementations. While the actual measures can become law by simple majority, any fee changes under the initiatives would require 50 percent of all registered Central Point voters to turn out and a majority of them to approve the fees - a so-called double majority. With only two weeks before ballots are mailed, and what seems a lack of public interest, council members expressed concern over the outcome of the March 12 election. "Either people see the fallacies of what's going on here or they just don't care," said council member Dr. David Gilmour, who hoped turnout was "better for the election than at the meeting." Mayor Bill Walton said his concern was for the lack of participation from those who placed the measures on the ballot. He said "accusations of the city running rampant and raising fees" were unfounded, and he challenged petitioners, who were sent registered letters of invitation, to appear at the second meeting to "state exactly what fees and taxes have been passed." "If we've raised so many fees, and we haven't, then it's justified. "But when we have passed no fees and no taxes in three years." Spokesman Willie Fischer said petitioners declined to appear because the measures were self-explanatory and because voters signed the petitions because they wanted the measures on the ballot. "After three and a half years, the City Council has finally decided to call a community meeting. We did not show up just to engage in a one-sided debate," he said on behalf of the Citizens to Protect Voter Rights. "These meetings quite frankly are like closing the barn door after the horse is out. The city had four months to review these measures and decide they had problems with them. Hell or high water, there will be an election and there's nothing they can do about it." One man, who declined to give his name, called the meetings slanted and ridiculous, but another spoke in support of the city. "If a city doesn't experience growth, it dies. They have to plan for growth and figure out how to pay for it," said business owner Carol DeKorte. "We have a city that is prudent with its funds and we need to trust them. It doesn't make sense to have to hold all those elections. It's an exercise in futility." The second of the two meetings will be held in the library at Scenic Middle School from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Central Point newcomers or residents who have moved must register by Feb. 19, or if mail-in registration is used it must by postmarked by the 19th, to vote in the election. Ballots will be mailed Feb. 22. Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.