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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Tuesday Emergency Services, April 21 Students participate in fuel reduction effort at Ruch School Since You Asked: Didn't we already have In-N-Out in Medford? 10 things to know for Monday Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services, April 21 Woman beat girlfriend with police-style baton OSP: Bee in cab caused Sunday semi crash Firewise to host yard debris dropoff day in Ashland Emergency services, April 20 Politics and Elections Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Kent Bush: Clinton 2.0 is neither new nor improved Arthur I. Cyr: Britain’s earthquake election Former state Senate President Brady Adams dies Education Students participate in fuel reduction effort at Ruch School New funding formula awards universities for graduating more students Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Crater dropout says graduating high school would've saved him time and money New Medford middle school would offer Montessori approach Environment Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste Sugar Pine Mine co-owner: "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel" Oath Keepers say they'll defend contested mining claim on BLM land Central Point's Arbor Day project will provide shade along Mingus Creek State News Les Schwab descendant plans to close Central Oregon road popular with hunters Oregon bill would prohibit charges for filming police Woman, 98, gets birthday wish: horse-drawn carriage ride Some Seaside hotels resist city's tsunami awareness initiative Oregon gun-rights advocates seek recalls of three Democrats Nation - World Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Eileen Rose White Betty Louise Dawson Nora June Shepherd Teresa Wears Marie Anthony Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories RESULTS / STANDINGS Breaking Barriers Cascade Christian places third at Tetherow Bucs have front-runner for draft, stay mum Vogt homer powers A's past Angels Varsity 541 College Sports Marshall stays with Ducks to get better Eckert, Beavers take series from Arizona Randall drives SOU into postseason Beaver fans get first look at Andersen, Collins Raiders drop two pitching duels at EOU Pro Sports Bucs have front-runner for draft, stay mum Vogt homer powers A's past Angels Warriors overcome sluggish start, lead 2-0 Eagles sign quarterback Tebow for one year Big leagues to roll out souped-up stats today Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015.5 Volvo V60 Cross Country Rogue Credit Union nearing $1 billion in assets Burger joint coming to Ashland Ride & Drive: 2015 Ford F-150 Cars We Remember: Chevy Impala SS history Real Estate News Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house GREEN ACRES: Southern Oregon provides escape from the maddening crowd Since You Asked: Metro Medford rebranding proved economical Jackson County median home price hits $215,000 in first quarter People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Erickson shores up business with three contracts Lithia Motors shares break the $100 mark Agriculture Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, April 21 Other Views: Delay edible marijuana products for safety Esther Cepeda: What happens in Latin America should be reported Dianne Williamson: Beneath beauty, ugliness Letters to the Editor, April 20 Editorials Other Views: Delay edible marijuana products for safety Our View: The rule of law vs. armed confrontation Other Views: State Board of Education dragging its feet over Native American mascots Our View: Impeachment should be an option Our View: Gun background check bill is worth passing Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, April 21 Letters to the Editor, April 20 Letters to the Editor, April 19 Letters to the Editor, April 17 Letters to the Editor, April 16 Columns Esther Cepeda: What happens in Latin America should be reported Kathleen Parker: Presidential election 2016: The woman trap Dana Milbank: America's new cycle of partisan hatred George Will: Don't seize the raisins Charles Krauthammer: The queen travels by van Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history Guest Opinion: Removing barriers to walking, biking benefits everyone Guest Opinion: Conversion therapy on LGBT youth is child abuse Lifestyle Latest stories Garden Cameos: Spring is time for azaleas in the garden Barbara Presnell: What wife does when husband is away Wholesome baby foods: Chef, nutritionist team up for book of homemade recipes Dear Monty: Seven costly mistakes of new real estate investors Ride & Drive: 2015.5 Volvo V60 Cross Country Food Garden Cameos: Spring is time for azaleas in the garden Wholesome baby foods: Chef, nutritionist team up for book of homemade recipes Food for Thought: The new place of dairy on a paleo plate Kitchen Call: Asparagus with a ‘spring’ chicken Tammy Kelly: Soft-shell crab is in season Home and Garden Dear Monty: Seven costly mistakes of new real estate investors Paul Rogers: Enjoy convenience of container gardening Home Help: 3 quick, easy kitchen and bath upgrades Carol Link: Tea olive shrubs can be propagated from new growth 12 ways ceiling fans keep you comfortable and save cash Health Brent St. Germain: One year and counting Community blog: The Healing Power of Nature Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Health Watch: How to avoid the dreaded weight-loss plateau Book Notes: A big body is not a bad body Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Religion briefs: Friday, April 3 Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Milestones and Achievements Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Drizzle doesn't dampen Pear Blossom Parade spirit New Arrivals: Sunday, April 12 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Five picks for entertainment this week L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art Theater 'Secret Love' playwright Stan Lai appears in Ashland REVIEW: 'Secret Love' strikes comical, poignant balance Ashland New Plays Festival chooses new artistic director A tale of two plays at OSF Oregon Cabaret Theatre's "The Musical!" delivers five clever Broadway parodies in Ashland Music Alex de Grassi and Andrew York play SOU Live Music in Local Clubs L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Community Events Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art 'BRAND,' 'Western' among Ashland Independent Film Festival award winners Ashland Co-Dependent Film Festival 2015 Pear Blossom Festival kicks off in Medford Ashland Independent Film Festival announces 2015 lineup Dining Restaurant inspections: April 19, 2015 Siam Cafe offers 'mild' to 'very spicy' Thai cuisine Restaurant inspections, April 12, 2015 La Tapatia offers authentically delicious cuisine RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: Sunday, April 5 Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Les Schwab descendant plans to close Central Oregon road popular with hunters ... Oregon bill would prohibit charges for filming police ... Local radio personality R. Charles Snyder dies ... Les Schwab descendant plans to close Central Oregon road popular with hunters ... Oregon bill would prohibit charges for filming police ... Local radio personality R. Charles Snyder dies ... POLICE AND PARKS Central Point considers new fees for parks, school police By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 18, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 18, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> CENTRAL POINT — The city Budget Committee voted 12-1 Monday to recommended a pair of $1 fees that would begin showing up on water bills July 1 if the City Council approves. The move comes as the city works to craft the proposed $42.8 million 2015-17 budget, the first biennial budget in Central Point's more than 125-year history. The extra $2 per month, which would raise $150,000, would pay for a second school resource officer for District 6 schools and for maintenance and repairs in the city park system. City Manager Chris Clayton said a long-range plan conducted last year showed that the city would need to count on future growth or increased revenues to maintain existing service levels. "This budget is the first one we're not just maintaining or reducing services but actually proposing a small increase. The city is in an above-average financial position but, long term, unless you get growth back to pre-2007 levels, eventually there's going to be a systemic problem." Clayton said surveys in 2012 and 2015 showed citizens would be willing to pay fees if necessary to maintain existing services. "With just a fee scenario, not counting on growth, adding a $3 per month public safety fee and $3 parks fee would have stabilized these services long term," Clayton said. "We don't expect to get back to 2007 levels until 2020, but our hope is if we did one dollar for parks and one dollar for public safety, which is only a third of what was suggested, we're hoping for economic growth filling the void." Clayton said a second school resource officer would provide better coverage for all schools. The proposed parks fee would cover unfunded repairs and upgrades to parks, said Matt Samitore, the city's parks and public works director. "We can't have zoning that requires new parks yet no funding source to maintain those parks once they're dedicated to the city. We have parks that have got to be replaced, or we literally are going to have to shut down playgrounds," Samitore said. "The council can decide to fund it with this fee or they can fund it out of the general fund. There's more than one way to solve the problem, but the bottom line is that there has to be a designated funding source to keep these parks maintained." Councilor Rick Samuelson was the lone dissenting vote Monday. "They're calling them fees, but they're a tax. It's not a service you're paying for. It's a tax," Samuelson said. "The only difference with these is that they'll be earmarked. We had our long-term financial plan sessions, and it was inconclusive as to whether we would need to implement fees or raise taxes." "When I ran for council, I spoke to hundreds of citizens in Central Point. Their No. 1 concern was that the city not raise their taxes. I promised I would not vote in favor of new taxes unless there was a true emergency. These new fees are not emergencies and were created to add new services." Councilor Brandon Thueson, a prosecutor for the district attorney's office, said he valued the service provided by school resource officers and felt that the city's growth warranted the second position. Maintaining existing parks, he noted, was also important. "I have seen great results from having resource officers in our schools," Thueson said. "They're stopping a lot of the problems before we need to intervene. If I were told that the only way we could have school resource officers is by creating this fee, then I would really have to look at that as something that would be favorable for the city." Clayton said the city is sensitive to residents still grappling with the effects of the recession but has to plan for the future. "Coming out of the recession, we don't want to ask for too much, too soon. We're not indifferent to what people have gone through, but at the same time we're trying to strike that balance with community investment." For details about the city's long-range plan, see www.centralpointoregon.gov/finance/page/long-term-financial-plan Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Email her at [email protected]   By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 18, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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