Grants Pass Now

Dick Smith: Veteran’s Walk of Honor

Some people accomplish amazing things with their time. Others are just wonderful and a pleasure to know.

Occasionally, a person is both.

Dick Smith is one of those people who fall into the category of “both.”

His life started out in East St. Louis, Ill., where he was raised and later graduated from high school. When Dick turned 18 he wanted to join the military, but as he wasn’t interested in going to Korea, he joined the Air Force instead of the army. Three months later he was in Korea.

Three years later he found himself in Charleston, South Carolina, as a military police officer. There he met a finance clerk named Nancy and after three daughters, eight grandchildren, fifty years and one quadruple bypass, he is still happily married. He believes she feels the same.

Dick is a man who just doesn’t stop. He retired from his position as a criminal investigator for the Air Force in 1975 and went on to become a civilian investigator, spending a total of 28 years in this line of work. He retired for the second time in 1994, but only because of heart problems. In recent years he has been on too many committees and task forces to list. A couple of these are the Boys and Girls Club where Mr. Smith has been for almost 12 years now and the County Planning Commission. He is Chairman of the Multnomah Sheriff’s Council, where he acts as a link between the citizens and the Sheriff to resolve problems and complaints.

However, his most visible involvement has been as Chairman of the Veterans Walk of Honor at Merlin Park. He was elected to the park’s board in 1995 and came up with the concept of dedicating a portion of the park to commemorating veterans and military personell, but the committee was unsure of what it should consist of and further, they would have to raise the funds themselves. After eight months they decided to use obelisks (upright pillars). The design features nine of these obelisks, each standing eight feet high and featuring over 700 names thus far, with the capacity to hold 3600.

Name inclusion is simple: anyone in Josephine County can donate $100 and nominate any U.S. Veteran from any war. Many nominate family members, but there are also veterans who have nominated people they have served with and want to remember in this manner. Anyone who has served honorably or is currently serving in the armed forces or merchant marine services of the United States or those in active duty, reserves, or guard units are eligible. Twenty-eight names were recently added and the committe looks forward to added more in time for Veteran’s Day this coming November. As it takes at least a week to engrave names, names need to be submitted as soon as possible in order to have them up by this date.

The historical portion of the Veteran’s Walk of Honor remains incomplete. The committee hopes to make this section interactive. Visitors will have the ability to go to a name and view a short video relevant to the veteran they have chosen. For as many as possible, the audio video will include the veteran introducing himself and giving a brief biography of his or her military involvement. The project is still in its infancy, but the idea is there and when Dick Smith is involved, ideas become reality.

On the other hand, the reality of building a stunning Veteran’s memorial is that it takes time, commitment, and cold, hard cash. So far the community outpour has been amazing and includes individuals, small companies, and various businesses. Russ Heater of Sherm Realtors funded the initial drive. Carl Wilson, CFO of KAJO radio, gave the Veteran’s Walk of Honor concept six months of exposure, while Walter Slater of Wildlife Images became highly involved in fundraising efforts. Evergreen Federal gave a very generous donation, and another company provided granite for the obelisks. Continued funding remains an issue. For those interested in seeing the Veteran’s Walk of Honor completed, you can become involved by visiting the park’s website at this link: http://www.merlincommunitypark.org/ Information on sponsorship and name submission is located on the right hand side of the Veteran’s Walk of Honor photograph.

member of the air force office of special invetigations hall of fame 2005

Rick Jones is the Clinical Director and Operations Director of Choices Counseling Center. With over 170 clients to oversee and the need to ensure funding for Choices, this very busy man often feels he is going “more ways than a Greyhound Bus” at any given moment. He became interested in this type of work during his own recovery, and is now state and nationally certified as a substance abuse counselor. When the Grants Pass Clinic put out an ad in 1995 for a substance abuse professional, he jumped at the chance to be involved in a position that blended substance abuse treatment with the medical arena, and as a result of that outpatient program for alcohol and drug treatment, Choices Counseling Center was formed. Their goal is to provide quality treatment for addicts and their families. They provide assessments, screening, and both individual and group counseling. While half of those who come into treatment are there as the result of court orders, the rest are self referred.

For the past ten years, Choices has remained the sole provider of services for the Josephine County Drug Court. Rick Jones is proud of that achievement, and more than happy with the ability to work with the court and the mutual support provided by this arrangement for the benefit of those in need of help. He is pleased with the ongoing relationship between medical and rehabilitation professionals, as it helps secure the best of care for people facing the trials drug abuse brings.

Staying up-to-date with current treatments and medical advances is very important to any counseling center, and Choices isn’t an exception. The Matrix Model, an evidence based treatment program, is something Rick has involved Choices in. This model utilizes a number of outpatient tools such as family education, social support, and twelve step methods. After nearly twenty years of research, development, and modification, it is now federally recognized by a number of national research groups. While the program is, for the most part, a ready made model that lasts approximately 16 weeks, it can be arranged to work over a longer period of time, although the 16 week approach is still considered gradual in the realm of addiction treatment. The structure of the program is very clear, leaving clients with no question of what will happen with their treatment or what the expectations are.

There are some controversial issues concerning addiction treatment that Rick doesn’t necessarily agree with all of the time. For example, there is a push right now to include pharmaceuticals to help ease withdrawal symptoms or block some of the pleasurable effects of certain drugs. One of these medications, Methadone, has been shown to help opiate addicts by suppressing withdrawal symptoms. (http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/methadone/index.html) While such approaches can help in many situations, Rick still is cautious when implementing new or controversial treatments, spending much time looking over the research and studying all options in order to provide clients with the most progressive, effective ways of drug counseling while keeping them safe, using time proven methods, and keeping all referral choices open. He hopes to continue providing this quality service to every client who comes through the doors of Choices Counseling Center.

While Choices has a diverse funding stream, they have recently faced budget cuts which forced them to downsize since their rapid growth in the late nineties. Mr. Jones hopes to see people and businesses in the community help by working with clients. Of their 170 people going through recovery, nearly half are looking for jobs that can help them afford drug free housing. While many employers might shy away from helping a drug addict, Rick reminds people that Choices does regular drug testing, so the risk of someone actually using while in the program is minimal.

Other ways of helping include supporting someone in recovery, becoming a sponsor or a mentor, donating services, or donating equipment to the counseling center. Helping may even be as simple as teaching a person in recovery how you operate day to day and sharing your job skills with them.

If you’d like to give Choices Counseling and Rick Jones a helping hand or if you need more information on the center and what it offers, please contact them using the information below:

Choices Counseling Center

125 NE Manzanita Ave

Grants Pass, OR 97526

(541) 479-8847

Denise Olson and Steven Monroe, Community Corrections employees, head up the Employer Recovery Support Solutions committee of the Josephine County Methamphetamine Task Force.

“If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.” — Stephen R. Covey

Chances are, your business has a drug problem.

In a study done by the Department of Health and Human Services*, it is found that nearly 1 in 5 full time workers between the ages of 18 and 25 have used illicit drugs in the past month. While the numbers drop with subsequent age groups, the total number of drug users remains surprisingly high and does not include marijuana or heavy alcohol use.

What does this mean for your business? To be blunt, it means less profit. It means more time and money spent on repeatedly hiring and training new employees, often without knowing why the previous employee failed to work out. It means a possible increase in losses due to theft and a greater likelihood of accidents occurring on the job site.

What does it mean for those recovering from addiction or struggling with it now? Most often, they are reluctant to share information. The task force has seen clients go out to the workforce where they’re very vulnerable, and they ask them to be successful. The problem continuously seen is that the employer has no idea that the employee is struggling with this condition…this addiction. For new people in recovery, this is the most stressful time for them. Therefore you have an employee coming to work stressed out, frustrated, going through withdrawal symptoms, and the employer is left to wonder what the problem is. When the worker is afraid to say he/she’s an ex drug addict (and sometimes the employer doesn’t even want to know), there is a tremendous conflict.

Steve Monroe, a Josephine County Corrections employee, is well aware of this problem. When Denise Olsen, a founding member of the Meth Task Force, asked him to become part of a group task force to come up with new ideas for combating the issue, Steve was quick to say yes. They broke off into sub groups, and the Employer Recovery Support Solutions (ERSS) program began to take shape and is still in the process of being molded.

ERSS wants to introduce ways for both employers and employees to cope with this issue in a way that will prove beneficial to both parties. They use the analogy of a copy machine. If the machine is giving you trouble, do you waste the money you invested in it and buy a new one? No. You try to figure out what is wrong, and if needed, a repair man is contacted. That isn’t a very helpful solution, but it is often what happens when an employee isn’t working out. They are often dismissed without much ado, and a new employee is brought in to take their place. What ERSS wants to do is offer employers more productive resolutions to retain their employees, which in turn will help troubled workers be supported on the job.

Because many business owners and managers may not have the time or ability to attend classes or meetings, the idea came about to assemble packets of information and present them to local businesses. The packets would also be available for employees to hand deliver to their bosses. ERSS believes this is a way to create avenues for employers and employees to meet and strip away the anonymity of drug addiction, allowing workers to be safe in telling their employees “I’m in recovery, and need to tell you some issues that are going on.” The information given will allow businesses to understand the medical aspects of addiction and be willing to understand and help support the person going through it. A website will be set up that talks about the 12 steps of narcotics/alcoholics anonymous and will answer questions such as the definition of a sponsor, along with listing resources for both employers and employees.

So why is this the time to introduce such a program? Mr. Monroe has seen the justice system first hand and realizes that just locking up drug users simply doesn’t work. Not only that, but our county is facing a budget crisis that reduces the number of officers on the streets and reduces the availability of jail space, with some jails being completely eliminated. What we’ve done isn’t working anymore. If we continue, we will get what we’ve always gotten, and right now we’re getting a high rate of drug use and those who return to that lifestyle. Employers are getting the short end of the deal, having to hire and retrain over and over and losing money in the process. Having an alternative plan isn’t just a good idea, it’s now become a necessity. It’s time to go head to head with this problem and find solutions instead of throwing it behind bars and hoping it will go away.

This will not only benefit those who fight with addiction, it will enable employers to retain those they hired and lead to a more compassionate and caring environment. It’s a way to fight drug use in our county in a logical and humane way. Right now, people in recovery are lost in that time frame between leaving treatment and going back to work. ERSS would like to fill that gap and have them know there are people out there who are concerned enough to ask them how their day is going and if they’ve been going to their meetings, and know there are people out there supporting their recovery.

While there will always be a degree of recidivism, it can be reduced. While this program is still in the planning stages, the Josephine County Meth Task Force Employee Recovery Support Solution program will be in operation quite soon. Steve Monroe and his fellow workers are excited to be bringing this fresh new perspective to Josephine County employers and employees, and hope that they will be able to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.

While more information on this group will soon be available, those who have questions or need help now can contact the JoCo meth task force by visiting this link: http://www.josephinecountymethtaskforce.org/

Dave Toler

Confidence in County government.

An annual survey of Grants Pass citizens (about 38% of county residents) gauges citizen confidence in local government. One question queries citizens about whether “they feel they are getting their money’s worth” from the various local agencies who serve them.

A tally of the positive responses (either “always” or “often”) are as follows:

What’s really unique is that both state government (25%) and federal government (22%) actually score rate higher than Josephine County.

While it is difficult to know for sure why Josephine County government scores so much lower than other local agencies, there is one important difference between Josephine County and all these other agencies.

Josephine County is the only one of these local agencies that does not have a professional manager overseeing the everyday business. Instead of a professional CEO, three elected lay people manage the $100 million business we call Josephine County.

A professional management structure will provide three major benefits:

EFFICIENCY:

It’s simple - one is better than three. You have three politicians micro managing every little decision. Each management decision becomes a political issue. Decisions take three times longer than necessary. And for all that dysfunction, you pay much more than you should! Imagine having a business run by three lay people with no qualifications required for the job. All decisions must be arrived at collectively.

Then in addition, imagine these managers being restricted by law from ever communicating with each other unless it is in public session with media allowed. It’s what we call Josephine County government!

COMPETENCY:

There are no qualifications required to be a County Commissioner. That’s no different than the Boards who govern all the other local governments. However, Josephine County is the only agency that also demands this elected official to be a CEO of the business. And even if the three commissioners had professional management qualification, why would you want three of them?

MEASURING PERFORMANCE and ACCOUNTABILITY

Whether it is a private corporation or government, the CEO is always accountable to the Board. Any leader who fails to perform can be replaced by the board in a heartbeat. That means in Josephine County, under the current three CEO structure we are literally accountable to ourselves! Who will evaluate our performance as CEOs? We will. Who will hire and fire us, we will! Without any real accountability, how can we assure Josephine County citizens that their county is being well managed?

SUMMARY

I believe that Josephine County citizens want to support local services like law enforcement, jails, criminal prosecution, libraries, and public health. The citizens of Grants Pass provide strong support for city services, yet those same citizens often vote down county levies. I believe the difference is confidence and trust. This plan will at last win the confidence of our citizens in county government.

With the potential loss of federal funding, the time has come for competent and efficient county government under the direction of strong and experienced management . It’s time we stop investing in politicians and start investing in our citizens!

Julie Rubenstein

Does Voter Refusal to Raise Taxes Constitute a Violation of Civil Rights?

County voters have repeatedly refused, by wide margins, to raise property taxes aimed at funding essential public services. The Josephine County Long Term Funding Task Force struggles to come up with a politically viable recommendation, while County Commissioners bicker among themselves. They’re still hoping for a reprieve from Congress as the clock ticks down.

Josephine County enjoys the lowest permanent property tax rate in the State of Oregon. Curry County has the next lowest rate, and they’re already essentially bankrupt. Adequate public services – law enforcement, public health, public works, etc. – were not designed to rely on this extremely low tax rate. They were designed to rely on O&C funding.

In a discussion with the Editor of Grants Pass Now, he proffered an argument that refusing to levy a tax that would adequately fund public services might constitute a violation of our civil rights. He gave as examples the abandonment of vehicles and dead animals along public roadways, and the premature release of criminals because there aren’t enough jailers to secure them. So I looked up the Civil Rights language in the Oregon Constitution. Here’s what it says:

Article 1, Section 20. Equality of privileges and immunities of citizens. No law shall be passed granting to any citizen or class of citizens privileges, or immunities, which, upon the same terms, shall not equally belong to all citizens.

You could make the argument that refusing a levy grants privileges and immunities to property owners – who’ve escaped paying a higher tax – that don’t apply to the rest of the citizenry. The privilege of paying a lower tax comes at the expense of non-property owners, who must suffer the consequences of making that 911 call and being told there’s no one to help. However, I think it’s a big stretch.

More interesting, though, is this provision:

Article 1, Section 22. Suspension of operation of laws. The operation of the laws shall never be suspended, except by the Authority of the Legislative Assembly.

It’s possible to argue that the nay-saying voters have caused the County to violate its own charter, in effect suspending it, by making its laws unenforceable and thus inoperable. If that’s the case, then it begs the question – what remedy is available? Sue the County? It can’t raise taxes without voter approval, and you can’t sue the voters. So while it might make a neat argument, I don’t see a real solution at hand.

Michael Case

‘TIS SPRING…….2008

Spring has sprung, the grass has rizz…….. I wonder where all the flowers, is? Janet, age 8.

Remember that one? Perhaps a bit premature as March isn’t recognized as the first breath of spring. I think April gets that privilege?

“I sowed the seeds of love,
it was all in the spring,
in April, May, and June, likewise,
the small birds they do sing.” -Mrs. Fleetwood Harbergham circa; 1700
The first cycle of the new year brings hope and promise. Is your cup half full? I think every positive thinker from Confucius, Thales, Socrates, Sartre and most of our modern day positive slanters including Carnegie and Osteen fully believe in this philosophy. Come to think of it, who in their right mind would want their cup half empty? I know. Freddie, age 6, staring at a full glass of veggie juice? Conversely, a baby holding its milk bottle? A hungry person listening to their stomach growl as they stand in a soup line? They would prefer the top half in their tummies, for sure. Except, Freddie.

Spring tell-tales include a drive-by survey of city/county baseball and soccer parks….folks cleaning out their garages….vacation advertising promising paradise for a fist full of dollars or utopia for a few dollars more….. Schools winding up their class schedules in preparation of graduation day…….and, your daughter or son spending more time than usual fronting the looking glass. Spring is when a young man’s fancy turns to what the young lady has been thinking about all winter. Love is in the air!

Spring is like a child’s face…changing three times a day

Unfortunately, this Spring I’m afraid we’ll be beaten into submission via political advertising. Once again, time to vote for president. And yes, your vote counts. A good example of vote-value could be on the political horizon? Some pundits say that Oregon’s primary could possibly tip the scales, democratically speaking.

Alas, with each spring we look forward to a mail delivery from the I.R.S. Not much we can do about taxes in general, but we can do something about local levy issues. I just happen to have one that we all must address.

No matter how you count it, Josephine County needs financial help. Those looking the other way have been exposed to HITSS. (Head In The Sand Syndrome) Or, if you prefer the acronym…. Hide-it.

Once again, Michael-Pollsters (family, friends, neighbors, castaways, various pundits and others of questionable note), or MP’s for short, put forth their best efforts and came up with the following suggestions:

The question was; “How would you finance the day-to-day operations of Josephine County?” And, if you propose a tax, what type should it be?

The results are quite interesting:

Unequivocally, a property tax levy was out….again. This is no surprise due to the constant defeat of the measure at the polls.

Some ideas for the County Commissioners to ponder are:

* Lease any available county owned properties to private entities for selected commercial and/or industrial purposes. Establish privately operated (for profit) recreational facilities on county land, set up with short or long term leases.

* Around the country BLM lands are being offered back to local agencies IF their usefulness has become problematic for the Feds. There is established criteria for accomplishing this. Upon completion of acquisition, determine what for-profit uses would be compatible on these BLM properties, and adjacent to BLM lands. Search for businesses that could benefit from these properties and set up a workable lease.

* Assist as much as possible and encourage new businesses. Acknowledge the re-shaping world of entrepreneurial efforts, such as home businesses, etc.

* Do not replace some county worker positions when they become vacant. Use this money for stipends, expense re-imbursements (not wages), etc., for volunteers to perform support duties. This could lessen the work load or even eliminate some full time positions. There are many retirees in the area looking for such activities.

* County libraries could become “Community Meeting Centers”. Encourage groups, clubs, and community gatherings to its use. In return, these organizations could perform county duties, such as volunteer time with the Sheriffs’ Dept. (and, do they need help!), assist in county grounds maintenance and repair, assist in county events and those private paying events being held on and in county property.

* “Use” or sales tax is considered the fairest of taxes. Determine current revenue needed to fund adequate county operations, estimate operational costs for the next three years and tax accordingly, not to exceed 2% for three years. The tax would terminate automatically in three years, unless 60% of county voters agreed to continue its use. By this time a permanent funding solution could possibly be in order.

* Set up a volunteer operated Josephine County Visitor’s Bureau. Construct kiosks in visitor oriented areas. Sell souvenirs and hand out promotional materials.

Some wag suggested a toll booth on the Rogue;……two salmon per pass……sell to visitors stopping by the kiosks! Now, that’s an entrepreneur!

And, the winner is? No, not the salmon. It’s up to the commissioners and voters. Oh, keep in mind that the above suggestions were offered without the help of research, knowledge of existing laws, land availability, etc. Just real suggestions from real people. Have a nice Spring!

Never mind March, we know you’re not really mad
or, angry or bad.
You’re only blowing the winter away
to get the world ready for April and May.

“Effective May 31, 2007 all branches of the Josephine County Library system will be closed due to lack of funding.”

This is what you see when you click on the Josephine County Library’s website. For those who love to read, it’s a slap in the face and for those with children, an embarrassing example of what can happen when adults forget how to prioritize.

While many children in this country visited their local library for the annual Read Across America Day, a national day set up to celebrate reading. On this day, groups and individuals across the nation are encouraged to instill a love for books in the hearts of children. The celebration takes place at or around the time of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, which is March 2nd. The theme this year was “Go, Books, Go!”, and in Josephine County, they certainly have gone. On Monday, March 3rd, children and adults gathered outside the locked doors of the Grants Pass library, sitting on blankets and lawn chairs. Some brought their own books, while others took advantage of a table set up with free books for the taking. While they shivered in the chilly air and hoped the rain would hold off a little longer, they could look in the windows and see shelves and shelves of books and cozy places to curl up and read, but that didn’t stop anyone from enjoying the books they did have.

Josephine Community Libraries is a non-profit corporation hoping to reopen those doors. Parents, business professionals, educators, and many more from all walks of life have joined this group of over 200 volunteers. They estimate that with one million dollars, it would be possible to open all four JoCo libraries and still run them in a professional manner. While it sounds like a daunting task, it would happen with a donation of under twelve dollars per person. The board of commissioners has voted to match $300,000 of the donations received by Josephine Community Libraries. That would bring the amount down to under eight dollars per person. That’s less than the cost of a number seven value meal at McDonald’s and the gas it takes to get there. If gas prices continue to increase, you’ll have to change over to a Happy Meal instead, but let’s not bog ourselves down with details. When you add in the donations of businesses, corporations, and monies raised in funding drives and through foundation grants, you’re down to just a couple of dollars per person.

The point is that residents can take matters into their own hands and have access to our libraries again if we’re willing to take the steps needed to make this happen. If you’re reading this and horrified that you just gulped down a value meal when it could have been used to help open the library back up, do not panic. There are plenty of other ways to help out with the cause. For example, you could join join their mailing list and learn more about the group. The brave can dive right in and join one of their committees, each of which focus on a certain aspect of making Josephine County Libraries Inc. run smooth.

Another easy way to figure out what’s going on with our libraries is to simply attend the board meetings, which are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. The next meeting will be on March 18th in the Guild Building located at 1867 Williams Highway. They are held in order to not only discuss business, but to gain ideas from those who attend, such as how to help the community become aware that their libraries can be opened again, how to organize fundraisers, and where books can be bought at minimal cost. If you’re leary of jumping in as a volunteer for Josephine County Libraries, attending these meetings is a great way to get your feet wet before making any decisions.

Benjamin Franklin once said “a house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.” When we closed our libraries, we didn’t do ourselves any favors. Josephine County isn’t simply a place we live in, it is our home. Just as the human body craves food, the mind craves knowledge. Public libraries provide that a large portion of that knowledge in the communities that host them. Unless, of course, their doors are locked. -Gina Locke

ATTENDING THE 2^nd ANNUAL METH SUMMIT

Denise Olson, this year’s coordinator of the Second Annual Meth Summit held on January 18th in the Josephine County Community Corrections Office in Grants Pass, met me at the door. Ms. Olson works for the County Community Corrections Office and is a proud member of Zonta International of Grants Pass, hosts of this year’s Meth Summit community event. More about this great group, that included the world famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart, later in the story.

What is so gratifying about this summit is that it’s a true community endeavor. Community leaders, former meth users, city and county officials and folks such as you and me filled the large room to capacity. Denise tells us, “During our first attempt at last year’s summit, we agreed to form a task force to set up a website, community education program, seek funding, a total of six issues the group wanted us to address. So, we decided to come back to the group today with the results that we have to date. Now, we’re taking it to the next level asking them directions for the 2008 Meth Task Force and what they want us to take on.” She continued, “Today, we’ll form six round table groups and ask them, ‘in what areas might we have the greatest impact on the meth issue in our community’? After some discussion, the attendees go to a second group table for more discussion. Representatives of those individual groups then present two concerns considered most important by that group, then on to action groups.”

Today’s seminar resulted in some of the following strategies:

PUT A FACE ON THE SOLUTION

Face the issue through public awareness: increase business involvement, support advocacy for employers who risk and landlords who house recovering addicts, promote the learning of new skills through the assistance of the Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce.

PUBLIC AWARENESS

Get the message out. Let it be known that the community cares and is willing to do what is possible to correct the situation. Coordinate all media; carry the same message in all areas of communication.

RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING

Utilize existing models; engage business and the community as stakeholders in the project. Seek living assistance support.

EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTING RECOVERY

Create our mission statement, DVD’s, etc. Establish committees to educate employers, landlords and others who can make a difference.

EDUCATION AND PREVENTION OUTREACH

Establish an event calendar, create a media advertising blitz and a core prevention committee to operate the program. Some of the goals would be; utilizing existing programs and research new ones for monthly outreach programs to schools and community, collaborate with the Meth Task Force, and kick off Red Ribbon Week.

Results of the summit were focused on community involvement, understanding and access to jobs and affordable, clean housing. In prevention, a high priority was given to parent involvement and family advocacy in school centered programs. Framing of the message was seen as important, “Make sobriety and recovery popular through education, outreach and even entertainment.” I asked Ms. Olson about the group’s progress this year? “We had 32 attendees last year and over 50 today. I think that is great progress for a most important community issue. And, we have many different segments of the community represented here today and that is very gratifying. The summit has been by invitation only, but we hope to have it open to everyone who is interested in helping next year. It’s also gratifying and so exciting to see such high interest. Our community really cares. Now, we need to get the message out to everyone. We need all the help we can get on this all important community issue.” For more information you may call Denise at (541) 474-5191. The website is available at http://josephinecountymethtaskforce.org.

ZONTA, sponsors of this year’s Meth Summit, is a service organization for the betterment, enhancement and advancement of women in the community. Formed in 1919, in Buffalo, NY, the club is now 30,000 strong covering 68 countries. Many famous women belonged and further advance the club’s position in the world. Amelia Earhart, the world renowned aviatrix who was listed as missing on an historic flight in 1937, was an active member in the organization. The word “zonta” is derived from a Sioux American Native language meaning, “honest and trustworthy” and was adopted by the club upon its inauguration. And, for you trivia buffs, Amelia was the 16th woman to obtain a “Flying license”, a major accomplishment back then. The Grants Pass chapter was established in 1947 and is going strong today. You may contact Denise for more information on Zonta International at (541) 474-5191. -Mike Case

Julie Rubenstein

Reinventing County Government
Learning to live with or overcome starvation-level revenues is a critical problem for Josephine County government, and for the people it serves. None of the various strategies considered, proposed or deployed to date –restructuring of county departments, hiring freezes, waiting to see what dribbles out of Congress or the State Legislature, suing to take back our timberlands for lumber production — have much prospect of success. Even if something does work, taken alone or together none of these solutions will achieve the most-desired result — a high-functioning local government. Such coping strategies are only biting around the edges; they don’t address the inadequacies of an antiquated system that can no longer run in the same old grooves, fueled by an unstoppable supply of big timber.

It’s not necessary to re-invent the wheel. Reinventing government is a notion that’s been kicking around this country for over 15 years, thanks to a book of the same name by authors Ted Gaebler and David Osborne. Maybe it’s time our County’s elected leaders took a thoughtful look at some of its principles:

1. Government does not have to be a bureaucracy geared to delivering all public services at every level. Elected officials should focus on “steering” rather than “rowing.” “Steering,” say Gaebler and Osborne, “requires people who see the entire universe of issues and possibilities and can balance competing demands for resources. Rowing requires people who focus intently on one mission and perform it well.” Bureaucracies are full of rowers, and they’re led by rowers.

Our County Commissioners take up the oars every day, so focused are they on details of county administration (since they have no manager for this function) and so disconnected are they from one another that there is no chance they can even approach a good policy discussion, much less keep a steady hand on the helm or a keen eye on the horizon.

2. Tap into the power of the entrepreneurial process, free market forces and the committed communities that already exist to get the best bang for the buck. Public employees themselves can be incentivized to save money by allowing their departments to keep any cost savings they find within their own budgets, and apply it to other purposes instead of giving it back to the general fund. Freeing policy managers to shop around for the most effective and efficient service providers allows competition to drive up quality and accountability. As for committed communities, just take a look around at Josephine County: we have an unusually high concentration of volunteer-based nonprofits in the service delivery business, most of whom can operate leaner and meaner than any counterpart within the civil service system. Mental health services grew without any additional cost to county government when Options took it over. Gospel Rescue Mission is another agency that comes to mind, capable of providing a bed when our county jail cannot.

3. You can cut taxes, cut costs and improve services all at the same time by transforming from a rule-driven to a mission-driven organization.

Yes, this sounds a little like a product that guarantees you can lose weight without sacrificing any food, but it’s true. Our county, if it ever had a mission, seems to have long since forgotten it. To the average citizen looking at it from the outside, Josephine County’s mission appears simply to be a savage struggle for survival. Petty fights over who’s breaking rules or personality disputes dominate the headlines, and all the while we wonder when is anyone going to take on the challenge of how we fund our essential services five, ten or twenty years down the road? Our Sheriff tries to get a little entrepreneurial about relocating his headquarters - he’d save money and improve efficiency - but his good idea gets frustrated by rules made at a time when funding was steady and reliable. Yet I don’t see any policy makers working to make such rules more flexible or responsive to today’s needs - you get back to that rowing problem again.

There are more principles covered in Reinventing Government, including chapters on “Results-Oriented Government: Funding Outcomes, Not Inputs,” and “Customer-Driven Government: Meeting the Needs of the Customer, Not the Bureaucracy.” The book’s ideas are radical, visionary and transformative in the hands of the right reader - someone who actually holds the power to initiate change.

“Change” has now become the buzzword of the 2008 Presidential contest - and it wouldn’t be a bad thing to start looking for changes in County government as well. Maybe a good time to start such a dialogue will be in the run-up to the May primary, as two Commissioner seats go up for grabs. Let’s have a little talk with the candidates about steering versus rowing, maybe even ask them what they think the County’s mission is, or ought to be.

Michael Case

SAY IT…IT LOOKS GREAT FOR 2008 !
    Just the other day while in the bank to withdraw some needed (after Christmas buying) cash, I heard a couple of older dudes chat about the new year as though it was a sure bet for Armageddon. They didn’t specify the exact date, which made me feel better. Now, according to Webster, Armageddon is the final conclusive battle between the forces of good and evil.  Rather a harsh prediction by the octogenarian gentleman, don’t you think?  Unfortunately, there’s a bunch of folks in the same mode, feeling the new year will be one of recession, lost values, runaway inflation, no jobs, etc.  I don’t think so. What is the axiom? If it looks like a recession, sounds like a recession, smells like, etc, then it is one?  Wait a minute…hold your horses! If you think it will be bad…so be it. If you know you can prosper during negative-thinking times, you will succeed beyond your wildest imagination. ”Buy now.” J.P. Morgan said that a lot and he did quite well.

     The Economic Cycle Research Institute, who just happens to keep its finger on the pulse of our national economy, says job figures are holding up. Industrial manufacturing figures are also holding…but, down from the June high. As we all know, housing is down nationally, and could go lower.  Locally, due to pent up frustration on the part of some California retirees, we could see some R.E sales activity in the spring or summer of this new year. Remember, the Baby-Boomers will  begin their exodus before long. And, corporate earnings are still holding…but some slowing is possible. In other words, a recession isn’t inevitable. 

TWO, FOUR, SIX, EIGHT, WHAT YEAR DO WE APPRECIATE? 2008

     The Kiplinger folks have a few tips on saving money this new year. Take advantage (if you can) with the higher IRA rates. Eliminate as much debt as possible. Sign up for auto-pay on your monthly bills where you can. The trick here is to make sure your bank balance is appropriate. Easy to overlook this…ask me? Keep three to six months of expenses available in a liquid account. And, start today tracking down all of your 2007 receipts, W-9’s, interest and dividend statements, any and all evidence of tax breaks.  Remember the guy who tried to list the family bow-wow as his newborn child? He could still be in the slammer, for all I know? You don’t have to go that far, just find everything that will assist you in lowering your taxes…and start doing it, now! The IRS offers many publications and tips on what to do. Yes, they want you to take advantage of what is due you…but, they want their due as well. I think they called it a win/win situation? I consider what some other countries take from their good citizens and I’m willing to pay my tax bill…after I’ve exhausted all means of tax deductions offered.

A GOOD YEAR…

     Just my opinion, but since you asked…here’s my prognosis, predictions, summaries and other great thoughts on the advantageous year before us.
     We should see that small spurt of real estate sales activity during the year. It will take more time to get the kinks out of the home lenders rope before any big time movement can take place. Those planning on moving to our pristine area in the near future is vast. With the influx of baby-boomers and others, you’ll see another good size jump in property values.  Yes, it can go higher and probably will. But, are we ready? Money is needed to operate our municipalities and counties to maintain the increase in public services. Just how we do that is up to us. You know the drill? Write your city council person or county supervisor. Tell them your thoughts…it’s really worth it. The big question to me is, how do we keep low key, laid back, provide needed services and remain pollution free with all of this going on?  Aha…guess what? We have to come up with a plan…you and me and thee.
 
FOR BETTER OR WORSE IT’S THE NEW LAW…

    By the by…new Oregon laws effective Jan 1 that might affect you; Insurance companies will be required to pay for birth control pills, if they already provide benefits for other drugs. Employers will have to provide nursing mothers a quiet place to pump breast milk…and time off to do so.  Grandparents will be expressly allowed to take advantage of family medical leave laws to care for ill grandchildren. Merchants will no longer be able to sell gift cards that expire, or decline in value over time. There are new identity crime stoppers…it is officially a crime now to steal someone’s identity, even if they are dead, and if you are 18, or younger, no more cell phones while behind the wheel.  You can check all of this out in Mondays (Dec 31st) Daily Courier.  

     Hope you had a great holiday? We got set for New year’s Eve…fire crackling nicely in the fireplace…my favorite lounge chair fluffed up for some serious sitting…hot cider on the convenience tray…Old Shep asleep by my feet…now, we’re ready and waiting for that New York ball to drop at midnight (recorded earlier). At precisely 10:30 my snoring sent Old Shep out of doors and Pam, my beloved wife, locked herself in the bedroom. I was fast asleep…couldn’t hear a ball drop, if I wanted too? 
     From all of us at Grants Pass Now, have a happy and very prosperous new year. It could be a great one!