Figure 23
Polk County Courthouse in Dallas, Built in
1859
hill, there is
also new shopping - Wal-Mart, Safeway and Rite-Aid. Down the sloping hill to the
southwest outside of town, the highway reveals a significant amount of very
expensive homes, old trailers, and small homes in need of repair. The road
toward Monmouth is flat and has a few tree farms, but the area is predominated
by seed grass.
Farmers outside of town are reportedly selling portions of their land
for high-end houses to be built. Evidence of this style of settlement is
already evident south of town, where gigantic homes are being built. The
building is not so restricted as in Amity, for instance, but they are
attempting somewhat to control growth by only issuing 125 building permits a
year. Recently, some developments have spring up on the northeast and east central
area of town. They are medium priced homes that typically are occupied by
families who work in Salem and have either moved from Salem or from California.
The more relaxed growth controls have raised concerns over the ability for the
Rickreall Watershed to provide increasing water demands. Inter-county
collaborations are beginning over this issue.
"I've been here 40 years, but I'm going to move out farther because of
all the housing that has come in near me. It's losing its charm. I have some
friends that have moved recently out to county lands and they like it."
"This is
an excellent community because of its livability. It has low crime, a great
library, a senior center, supported schools, and good public works. Our
daughter has stayed and is raising her son here because of that, even though
she lives in Salem."
"We moved here six months ago from Corvallis so that
my husband and I could be closer to our grandchildren. It's a very welcoming
town. I have already made friends."
Publics
The key social
segments of the community include farmers, commuters, business people,
oldtimers and newcomers, youth, and retired people. Very few minority people
were observed. Latinos are growing as a proportion of the population but they
still tend to be invisible in this area. For example, they were not noted in
government offices, public facilities, and stores. Latinos are not moving
through the community like years ago, but they are settling, working at
nurseries outside of town or in the local vineyards.
Networks
See
Section Two.
Work Routines
For a long time,
Dallas was a mill town. The mill is still operational but has cut back on
employees. It has changed from a Willamette Industries mill to a Weyerhaeuser
mill. Willamette Industries started in Polk County as the Willamette Valley
Lumber Company in 1906, and has had a long and important presence in the
community. Its loss was an active topic of conversation. However, according to
local residents, the amount of land holdings Weyerhaeuser has in this area
makes it unlikely that the mill will close anytime soon.
Although Dallas is
no longer a "mill town," a sector of the economy is still dependent on natural
resources from public lands, including mill workers, loggers, and gatherers of
special forest products. Residents stated that other manufacturing, such as
tractor, recreational vehicle and others, have not lasted long and that
hundreds of people have been laid off. The City administration listed the
following employers, with the number of employees included, as important for
Dallas citizens:
Praegitzer
Industries, Inc., Circuit boards: 663
Willamette
Industries, Plywood and lumber: 252
Balderson,
Inc., Caterpillar machine parts: 114
Dallas
Planing, Finished wood products: 27
Westview
Products, Specialty wood products: 20
Source:
Community
Profile, Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, 2002.
Tyco Printed
Circuit Group acquired Praegitzer Industries and currently has 375 workers.
Most of the farms
nearby are rye grass, although a dairy out of town has 1,000 cows. There are
also a few vineyards and tree farms in the surrounding areas.
People in this
community rely on commuting to Salem for livelihood. We heard variations on the
comment below several times during our stay in the community:
"I can make it to Salem in less time than it takes
to drive through Salem."
The town is in
transition from a manufacturing-based economy to a service economy as people
find work in Salem and live in Dallas. Although the downtown has some empty
store fronts, the quaint beauty of the courthouse and the downtown has real
potential to compete with large corporate stores outlying the city to the north
of town.
"It's
hard to own a small business in a small town."
Support Services
This area of Polk
County has become a "Service Integration" site, one of several in the state
designed to promote more efficient delivery of services among social service
agencies. Agency people reported that it has worked very well, that Polk County
has a reputation of working together well, and that its mission of streamlining
services is being realized.
4-H
and Kids, Inc. were cited as being very active. Kids Inc. was well regarded in
the community. It is located in the old library near downtown and had 2200
registrations last year. "Practically every child in town plays one sport or
another through us," a staff person stated. Kids Inc. also serves as an
informal service broker, directing parents about where to get immunization
shots, cheap hair cuts, and so on.
Church youth
groups are very popular in town and a Christian coffee house/ bookstore in
Dallas is also very popular. There is a senior center and two assisted living
homes in town. A bus runs through Dallas to Salem and Portland.
The Food Bank
reported being "swamped" with cases since Tyco (printed circuits) laid off
workers during the last year and one-half. The Marion-Polk Gleaners serve about
800 families a week with food and other essentials, depending on volunteers
gathering up left over produce in the fields. This group received the
"Outstanding Organization" award from the City of Dallas this year.
A number of
residents cited increased cooperation between other towns in recent years that
has netted benefits for all parties. Collaboration between the schools and in a
tourist pamphlet between Dallas, Monmouth and Independence was cited as
evidence of more collaboration.
"Salem more and more is becoming our commercial
competition. We knew if we didn't work together, we would not do so well."
Dallas residents
were very proud of the Dallas City Park, referring our team members to it
regularly. It has nearly 40 acres - six playgrounds, an arboretum, and Rickreall
Creek. In addition, East Dallas Community Park is 17 acres and includes a
modern aquatic center, soccer and softball fields, tennis courts and skateboard
facility. Polk County Museum, local wineries and the Spirit Mountain Casino,
in Grand Ronde, 20 miles west of Dallas, are local attractions as well.
The Dallas
community is active in supporting its youth through a number of different
programs. Dallas Action Together, for example, offers small grants for people
and organizations that provide youth activities, reduce substance abuse, and
enhance positive relationships between youth and adults.
Recreational Activities
Refer to Section
Three.
B.
Trends, and Citizen Issues
Related to Community Life
Trends
The Dallas and
Salem economies are intertwined, with some people living in Salem and working
in Dallas, and others living in Dallas and working and Salem.
The Dallas City
Council is considering expanding the urban growth boundary to accommodate
growth and new business. Industrial development is likely to happen to the east
of the city.
Community Issues
Governance
Polk County
Commissioners, as well as Dallas city officials, are lobbying for Highway 22
improvements to address safety hazards near Dallas.
Dallas city
government is taking steps to foster more industrial, commercial development
and multi-family housing through planning, and expanding its urban growth
boundary. This interest is hampered somewhat by the Exclusive Farm Use (EFU)
land designation currently in place through Polk County, which creates
countervailing pressure to preserve farm lands.
Water availability
is an issue that affects Dallas, as well as other communities in this area.
They are looking to acquire water from Adair Village, which, as an old military
base, has huge water rights.
Recreation
"It used to cost a buck to get in the pool. Now it's
$5. A lot of people can't afford that. Now kids have no place to hang."
Agriculture
"I'm beginning to sell out my land because I can't
afford to farm anymore."
Section
Two:
Communication
Strategies
A. Informal Networks and Communication
Gathering Places
North Dallas Bar
and Grill
Murphy's Grill
JJ Sweet Shop
McDonalds, for
seniors and farmers
The Place Café is
a place frequented for forestry people and farmers.
Guthrie Park is
host to a country jam session on Friday nights.
Key Community Contacts
Old family names
are still important in Dallas - the Woods, Bevens and Lambs.
The Lamb family
recently received the "First Family" award by the City of Dallas to honor
families involved in community affairs for more than one generation.
Delbert Hunter is
a well-respected 83-year-old gentleman known for conservation efforts. The
public arboretum is named after him, as is a local environmental group (see
below).
Kids Inc.
interacts with a large number of parents in the community. The organization
would be extremely useful in bridging to families and children.
Walt Miller,
well-regarded outdoorsman (see below)
B. Formal Groups and Communication
Figure
24
Organizations
With Interest in Public Lands in the Dallas Area
|
Organization
|
Contact
Information
|
Mission
|
|
Friends
of Delbert Hunter
|
|
Clean
up projects on Rickreall Creek
|
|
Very
Active Outdoor Club
|
Ron
Crebs,
503-623-5844
Walt
Miller,
503-623-3631
|
Proved
that salmon and stealhead runs exist on Rickreall
|
|
Rickreall
Watershed Council
|
Nancy
Lamb
580
Main Street Suite A
Dallas, Oregon 97338
(503) 623-9680 ext. 110
|
Watershed
restoration
|
|
Dallas
High School Environmental Youth Group
|
Stephanie
Preuitt
503-623-8336
|
Clean
up of local camping areas; Greening the school;
Annual
creek clean-up
Bluebird
boxes in coastal range.
|
|
Luciaymute
Environmental Association
|
Bob
Reed
(503)
623-4007
404 - not
called?
|
|
|
Dallas
Sportsman's Club
|
Walt
Miller
(503)
623-3631
|
A
variety of environmental projects; Transporting smolt up the creek during
drought; prevented further damning of the Rickreall by videotaping spawning
Coho salmon; plant hatch boxes in the river near Hebo for Chinooks; fishing
derby; stream enhancement
|
|
Ash
Creek Water Control Board
|
(503)
838-0925
|
|
|
Dallas
Chamber of Commerce
|
580
Main St., Suite C, Dallas, OR 97338 (503) 623-2564
|
|
Section
Three:
The
Public Lands Perspective
A. Uses of and Orientation to Public
Lands
It is clear that
Dallas people as a whole are not very outdoor oriented - they may have been in
the timber past, but not currently. Although the forest is used, people are
more directed toward urban areas for entertainment. Popular activities for
townspeople include Spirit Mountain Casino, only a twenty-minute drive.
"This
town has changed so much, I really don't know where people go on the weekends."
[logger]
Hunting and
fishing are done by a segment of the population, but the activity is not as
pronounced as other communities, nor did practitioners express strong
recreation issues. Boats and RVs in Dallas numbered less than other communities
also. Outdoor spots include Cascade High Lakes, Detroit Lake, and coastal
areas. It is evident from local descriptions that the Cascades are not used as
much by people west of the Interstate 5 as east. Moreover, often the Cascades
are not a destination for people on the west side of the freeway.
"I spend three months a year hunting. I even do some
reluctant guiding in the coastal range."
A local
destination is "The Valley of the Giants," an old growth park managed by BLM.
Many people reported that their favorite outdoor spots are too crowded now for
enjoyment. Rather than go to places like Detroit Lake, many opt to continue on
to northeastern Oregon.
When people used
the forest, use patterns appeared to be related to income levels. The people
with lower income levels tended to camp near the coast, in the Lincoln City
area. If they choose to go east, they said they prefer the Mill City, Detroit
Lake area. Some said that the Luckiamute, a river running south of town about
14 miles, was a local favorite.
Meanwhile, people
who seemingly had more disposable income that accessed the forest tended to
have a wide range of designations. Namely, the Cascade Lakes of central Oregon
and the three reservoirs - Detroit, Foster and Green Peter. To the west, they
have various destinations. Although many claimed they would hike in the forest,
few said they camp on the coast.
Wal-Mart is the
only sporting goods store in town and its staff was very uninformed about
public lands, local camping, or outdoor activities in general.
Traditional
people (loggers, mill workers, long time residents) knew that permits were
necessary for gathering special forest products and they tended to know where
to locate maps showing different property ownerships and how to use them.
Newcomers and urbanites, on the other hand, tended not to be as aware of
property ownership.
Some local
residents still make their living from the forest, including horse logging and
the collection of special forest products, including mushrooms, moss and native
plants. The mushroom business is currently depressed because the weather
patterns have made business unpredictable. It is primarily Mexicans who are
doing foraging in the forest. They go as groups to pick; many are from Salem
and Independence.
"I buy only dry moss in the summer. I sell the
mushrooms I buy to ____ _____ in Portland."
"I try to buy local mushrooms when I can for my
business. Falls City is the chanterelle mushroom capital of the world. They
have a festival every fall." [The last festival apparently was 1999.]
The Rickreall
Watershed Council has written a grant to put manufactured logjams on Rickreall
Creek near the town to build up the embankment so that the creek won't meander
but still have a healthy riparian zone.
Dallas High School
has an environmental club. A number of environmental groups are active in the
area. And there are a number of events staged each year to accomplish
environmental objectives or to raise awareness about environmental issues or
just have fun. For example, Dallas hosts a festival each march called the
"Shoot and Suck" which is archery target shooting and an oyster cookout. No
other school programs were identified related to outdoor education or to
getting children and youth in the forest.
The Sportsman's
Club has been in existence for over a hundred years. They were about the first
group to become involved in the state-sponsored STEP program for spawning fish.
It is a loose knit group that "just does stuff" and avoids "getting into the
bureaucratic mode." They have done numerous habitat projects over the years in
Rickreall Creek in conjunction with the City, scouts, and other kids. The group
used videotaping to prove to the City of Dallas that there were still fish runs
happening in the Rickreall. They made the case that fish ladders needed to be
installed in certain areas and that a level of flow in the creek needed to be
maintained. In general, group members feel that state and federal agencies are
not responsive enough to be able partners.
"We'd
like to do collaborative projects with the Forest Service but they can't act
quickly enough on the issues like our group can."
The City of Dallas
has applied for funds to create a pedestrian and bicycle trail along Rickreall
Creek. The trail would connect with city bike paths from Main Street.
B. Themes, and Citizen Issues Related to
Natural Resource Management
Themes
"We used to be a logging town, but now we are
looking for other ways we can use the forest to make a living."
"Our old places are too crowded now."
Citizen
Issues
General
"Elk were wreaking havoc on my friend's property but
I wasn't able to get a permit to shoot one of them until this year. It is a
nightmare dealing with the government agency on this issue."
"Last year was dry and it was tough on them [Hispanics]
because the gates were closed on Forest Service land to protect the forest from
fires. They could not get to their picking spots." [mushroom pickers]
"The Forest Service and Park Service are closing
many of the local campgrounds. I think it has to do with vandalism. Only about
one in five clean up after themselves. At a campground near Mill Creek, there
were some Russian people trying to homestead and they eventually had to close
the campground."
Gates
"One thing people talk about is the gates. Gates are
good because it is an easy way for people to know if they should be there or
not. Land boundaries are so confusing, it is nice to just know that if the gate
is open, you can enter the forest from that point." [logger]
"One time I was up on private land and the gate was
open. When I came back it was locked. I had to drive hours out of my way to get
back home."
"I don't like how they spray for moss up near the
reservoir. This could contaminate the Dallas water supply. Also the gate is
open for hunting season and some of the hunters are rumored to use lead
bullets. Lead in drinking water is not good."
C. Management Opportunities
People who
grew up in this region have had long practice in dealing with gates and access
issues because of the presence of large industrial timberland owners. As the
Forest Service and the BLM begin grappling with these issues on a region-wide
basis, stories from these local residents would provide ideas for how to
structure management options culturally so that they would blend in and also
work.
Training about the
ecology and economics of mushroom picking could be undertaken to foster
economic livelihood while protecting the quality of the resource.
Are there
opportunities to work with special forest products gatherers during forest
closure periods in a way that still protects agency objectives?
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