Archive of Focus Articles

Selected articles from Focus newsletters of the past couple of years

Air and Water Quality in Salem.  Land Use Planning & Measure 37.  Homeland Security.  Oregon School for the Blind.  Oregon School for the Deaf.  Oregon State Hospital.  Juvenile Drug Court.  Singapore.  Ukrainian Women Leaders Visit Salem.  Ukrainian Women Leaders Learn About Democracy.

Air and Water Quality in Salem (February 2007)

Sally Hollemon

Three guest panelists spoke on Air and Water Quality in Salem at the All-Member Meeting of February 13, 2007, at the Salem Library. Diana Bodtker moderated the forum, and Deanie Anderson explained how League positions are reached.

Jim Boylan, Senior Air Quality Specialist for Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), was trained as a meteorologist and has been involved in air quality work since the 1970s when he worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority. He joined DEQ in Oregon in 1991.

Mr. Boylan said that the national Clean Air Act authorized DEQ to write rules, and they've written volumes of them. Oregon law gives our state DEQ the same responsibility subject to federal law. Oregon has a permit program by which industry is inspected and their paperwork audited to ensure that the rules are followed.

Vehicles: While cars run cleaner now, trucks, trains, and other equipment that burn diesel fuel put out black smoke. Trucks are being encouraged by DEQ to use a lower sulfur level diesel, but it's a voluntary program at this time. There is a federal rule to require cleaner truck engines, but the manufacturers are given several years to comply.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion. There have been no violations in Marion County since 1985 due to cleaner cars even though the number of cars has increased, and that decline in CO is expected to continue. A DEQ Fact Sheet on carbon monoxide says: The highest CO levels are from on-road vehicles (41%) and are typically seen at areas of traffic congestion where running engines are concentrated within a relatively small area. ...The second largest amount of annual CO emissions comes from area sources (29%), which are small combustion sources (including woodstoves and fireplaces) located at many fixed points over a wide area. Other sources of CO emissions are non-road motor vehicles (18%) such as lawn and garden equipment, and industrial sources (12%), such as mills and power generation plants. CO dissipates quickly over distance.

The Oregon DEQ is proposing a new rule to allow new or expanding industries and the planning of new transportation projects to be subject to less rigorous requirements [than currently required] but air quality would still be protected. ...The revised requirements are consistent with what is required in the Portland area. ...CO levels are currently at half the level allowed by the health standard and are predicted to remain low. Emissions would be inventoried every three years, and, if a trend of increasing CO emissions should occur, DEQ would evaluate the causes and take action as needed to protect public health.

There will be an open house on March 26, 6 p.m., at the DEQ office, 750 Front Street, at which more information will be available. A formal public hearing will be held April 16, 7 p.m., at the DEQ office.

Technology for cleaner energy in general is 20-25 years out unless there is a breakthrough, said Mr. Boylan.

Incineration of medical wastes: DEQ categorizes medical waste the same as municipal waste. The Covanta incinerator at Brooks is currently limited to 1500 tons of medical wastes per year, a restriction set by Marion County. Covanta incinerates an average of 1100 tons of medical wastes per year.

The state DEQ enforces stack emission limits for various pollutants. Depending on the pollutant, Covanta emits 1/10 to 1/3 of the allowed standard. The mercury standard has been tightened, and Covanta is below the new limit. The exhaust from Covanta is continuously monitored for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxides, sulfur dioxides, and opacity (particulate matter). Carbon Dioxide is not monitored. Mercury, cadmium, and other metals are tested once a year (federal law). In answer to a question of why any level of a pollutant is acceptable, Mr. Boylan said that temperatures are very high in the burner, and high temperatures destroy the pathogens in the medical wastes.

However, when plastics (of which medical wastes include a lot) are burned, dioxin is formed during the cool-down period after incineration. Only one burner is used for medical wastes, and, when the stack emissions are checked, both burners show the same level of pollutants. In response to a question of if we know whether any medical wastes were being burned during annual emissions tests, Mr. Boylan said he will encourage Covanta to include some medical wastes during the testing in May.

Field burning: The Department of Agriculture monitors field burning, but DEQ has air-quality monitors in the Willamette Valley to ensure that the smoke level is within limits, said Mr. Boylan.

Outdoor burning ban in Salem: There is a proposal to expand Salem's open burning ban to the Urban Growth Boundary. Officials are discussing the proposal with nearby communities.

Heat Smart Bill: A bill before the current legislature would provide a tax credit to encourage people to trade out old wood-burning stoves for new ones that are cleaner burning.

Mark Hamlin, Water Quality Specialist for DEQ, has a degree in Environmental Toxicology and 25 years' experience with water quality concerns, including at the municipal level. He has been with DEQ in Oregon for 16 years. He handed out a brochure Strategic Directions, available on the DEQ website at http://www.deq.state.or.us/about/strategicdirections.htm, which summarizes the work of the department.

Willamette River: The Willamette River has gotten cleaner over the past 50 years. When a new problem crops up, said Mr. Hamlin, it's usually because we've started to look for that particular problem. Pollutants in the river are down because surrounding cities have upgraded their water treatment, which Salem is doing at the Willow Creek Treatment Plant. Non-point pollution from farm fields, forests, streets, etc., is the major problem now.

However, the temperature of the water in the river continues to rise primarily because of development in the valley, which has reduced the shade over tributary creeks, so warmer water from the creeks means the river is warmer. Many creeks are on the list of watercourses with problems. Increased population is the basic cause of these problems.

Legislation: There are two water-quality packages before the current legislature. One would monitor storm-water programs to identify problems and the other would provide solutions to the problems identified.

Consumption of fish and water: Criteria have been developed regarding water quality so that consumption of fish and water as well as recreational uses of water (such as swimming) are safe. DEQ uses the most stringent criteria, writes up a plan, and then begins to implement the plan, which may take time. For example, trees planted near streams to provide shade need time to grow. Mr. Hamlin said that DEQ can encourage tree planting, and, if it's cost effective for the landowner or industry, they will plant.

Pharmaceuticals: Pharmaceuticals and personal care products should not be flushed into a drain as these pollute water.

Mixing zones: Oregon rules prohibit mixing zones in the river that endanger public health. Mixing zones are areas within 100-200 feet of an outflow pipe where treated water from the pipe mixes with the water already in the river to dilute the treated water to a required level. However, Mr. Hamlin said the treated water is safe to swim in even before it is diluted in the river.

Soil erosion: DEQ has no authority over agricultural practices (Soil Conservation Districts do) or other non-point pollution (such as from roads and private yards) or over stream flow (Water Resources Department does). To give DEQ authority would require changing state and federal rules. Mr. Hamlin commented that our soil is naturally high in mercury due to the volcanic source of our rock and soil.

Lisa Milliman, Associate Planner with Marion County for 8 years, deals with water issues, including the challenge of land-use demands on a limited water supply. She has previous experience as a regional land-use planner in Florida and also worked with that state's DEQ.

Marion County was zoned in 1968, before Oregon standards were set in 1973. The focus was on protecting farmland. Concern over water quality came later and was addressed, along with many other issues, when the county's comprehensive plan was prepared for state approval. Water quality became an issue in the 1990s due to concern that, in an area with wells, a new development might cause existing wells to go dry. Some wise planners of that time came up with ground water limited area designations on the county map, and small areas were designated where residential development could occur--mostly in the south Salem hills, where water was limited, too. The planners were protecting farmland, said Ms. Milliman.

The Sensitive Groundwater Overlay Zone requires that water use by new development not exceed the replenishing capacity of the ground water. Responsibility is left to local governments to determine whether there is enough water to allow additional residential wells. Oregon's geology is volcanic; there are faults, sedimentary rock, and complex geology that make it hard to know how much ground water there is in an area, Ms. Milliman added.

Measure 37: It is harder now for people to prove there is adequate water than it was when the population was less, and Measure 37 has made old assumptions invalid where water is limited on land that was expected to remain farmland. In answer to the question, "If development is approved under Measure 37 and future residents run out of water, can people blame the county for not protecting them against themselves?" Ms. Milliman said that there are disclaimers on all the permits which say that the county cannot guarantee that there will be water. Another questioner asked, "If current residents run out of water due to new development, what recourse do they have?" Ms. Milliman said that current residents first have to deepen their wells to the bottom of the aquifer before they can sue. She added that new development isn't the only reason a well may go dry; wells have to be maintained.

Salem's water source: Salem has surface water rights to the Santiam River and hasn't yet exercised the city's full water rights.

In answer to the question: "How can we get people to adopt behavior to preserve water for coming generations?" Ms. Milliman said that local grasses are adapted to go dormant in summer if not irrigated; they come back in the winter.

Use landscaping plants that need little water or install a gray-water system for irrigation. (Gray water is water that has been used for washing dishes, clothing, etc.; sink and shower drains go to the gray-water system; toilets continue to go to the sewer.) The soap in gray water is okay for plants; grandma used it on her flowers. In general, said Ms. Milliman, people will adopt water conservation practices when they believe there is a water shortage. Also, state laws may encourage waste, such as the requirement that you use your water rights or lose them.

Status of Land Use Planning and Measure 37 (January 2007)

Cindy Burgess

There was a standing-room-only crowd at the Status of Land Use Planning and Measure 37 forum on Thursday, January 18, 2007, estimated to be between 65 and 70 people. The audience represented several different organizations and some public officials thanks to the press release going out to several environmental and land-use groups. The outstanding speakers gave very clear presentations and there was ample time for questions.

Mitch Rohse, a land-use planner since 1973 and author of Land Use Planning in Oregon, started the evening by laying out a framework of three concepts: Land, Value and Regulation. He went on to demonstrate the three factors of production: Raw Materials, Labor and Capital. He gave the example of an apple, a cell phone and his jacket as items that were produced from raw materials, labor and capital. He said that land, however, is not a commodity or a product because no labor, raw materials or capital created it. Another distinguishing factor is the connectedness of land. Separate parcels are separate only on paper. When we develop land on one parcel it affects all the other systems--artificial (such as roads) and natural (such as water, soil, vegetation, wildlife and people).

The community where the land is located influences the value of land; those influences include the quality of the schools, safety of the streets, the environment. For example, an acre of land in Northeast Oregon is worth $800 and in downtown Salem an acre may be worth 3000 times that because Salem has extensive infrastructure, a thriving economy, I-5, colleges, the state capitol, etc.

Mr. Rohse used his grandparents' ranch in Eastern Oregon as another example. The grandparents bought their ranch in 1942 and took things from the land--deer, fish, water, grass--but they didn't put much capital into it. They worked hard and raised cattle to sell. Now the value of the property is 300 times what his grandparents paid for it. With inflation it would be worth $350,000 but it is valued at $1.5 million. The remaining increase in value came from improvements by society, including roads, schools, dams, electrification, safety, police and fire, protecting natural resources, and population growth. The owners have received a huge windfall, what Mr. Rohse calls "The Great Giving."

Measure 37 came about because some people thought the land-use laws were too restrictive; they claimed the laws lowered the value of their land. There are lots of regulations on Mr. Rohse's grandparents' 1800-acre ranch--the minimum lot size is 360 acres; it is zoned for exclusive farm use; there are only certain things that can be done on the land; the John Day River, which is designated a State Wild and Scenic River, affects one-half of the ranch. The ranch is still in the same family, so they would be able to file a Measure 37 claim if they wanted to do so. Their neighbors may not be able to file, however, if they bought their land more recently. But, said Mr. Rohse, land-use laws actually raise the value of property. The connectedness to and investment by the community cause the increase in value. There is mutual gain from cooperation, responsibility, and regulations(speed-limit laws, for example).

Mr. Rohse said the people filing claims under Measure 37 have not lost the value of their property; they just don't like the size of the gift they've been given. He said Measure 37 should be repealed or, if it isn't repealed, the legislature should amend it to provide that if an owner's property value is more than inflation and more than the capital investment put into it, then the owner is not eligible to file a claim. He joked that, when owners file a claim, perhaps the property should be instantly assessed at the new value the owner claims.

Mr. Rohse said the effect of Measure 37 was not just retrospective but also has a chilling effect for the future because city and county planners have no time to plan as they are too busy dealing with Measure 37.

Lane Shetterly, attorney, former legislator, and Director of the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), spoke about the impact of Measure 37 on statewide land-use planning over the last two years. He explained that, if a person owned property before Measure 37 became law and a regulation restricts the use of the property and affects the value, then the government must compensate the owner or waive the regulation. Since governments don't have the money, they waive the regulation. Just city, county, Metro or state regulations that restrict the use are involved, not federal regulations. Also health and safety regulations and building codes are exempt under Measure 37. However, health and safety regulations are not defined in the measure, which raises more issues.

Mr. Shetterly said that Measure 37 has not put an end to land-use planning in Oregon, but it has created property- specific time zones. The zoning/land use regulations are determined by the law in effect at the time the person bought the property. The DLCD looks at the claim and attempts to determine what laws were in effect at the time the person acquired an interest in the property. If there are several owners acquiring an interest at different times, they figure out the law for each owner, but probably more recent owners can all piggyback on the oldest (in time) owner. The DLCD does not have time for hearings, but they do send written notice to neighbors of the claimants. They have to obtain the information on what regulations were in effect on a certain piece of property from the county planning departments. They also research the chain of ownership.

The claimant may file a claim with both the county and the state, and there needs to be coordination between the two. If the state and the county both give waivers, then the property owner can proceed with development based on the old law. They still have to apply to the county planning department for the development. The planning departments must apply the appropriate laws. For instance, one county was waiving state law as well as county law and DLCD is challenging that. DLCD monitors what the counties are doing. There are currently 130 lawsuits regarding the appropriate application of the appropriate law. Shetterly said it is the State's job to implement the law and make it work as best they can. They look at each case. He said the fact that they were being sued about equally by both sides of a disputed claim helped demonstrate that the State was maintaining neutrality.

A Measure 37 claim has to be processed within 180 days of filing, and, if the government does not do that, the claimant may claim damages, attorney fees and costs. DLCD has a whole new division of twelve employees just for Measure 37 cases, plus other employees who work on cases if they are not limited by their funding source. Mr. Shetterly said there are about 6500 claims pending before DLCD. About one thousand were filed on December 1, 2006, because the procedure changed on December 4th. Now the claimants are required to file with the County first and have their claim denied before they can file with the State. He was uncertain how many acres of land were encompassed by the claims, but an audience member said the number was about 500,000 acres. Shetterly said most of the claims are for land division on resource land (farms or forest land) in "rural" Oregon close to cities such as Hood River, Redmond, Bend, Portland Metro Area, Medford. For maps on where the claims are located, Portland State University has a database website which can be linked to from http://www.LCD.state.or.gov.

Richard Whitman, the Chief Attorney for the Oregon Department of Justice, Natural Resource Section, has a Masters degree in land-use planning. His section handles all the Measure 37 claims cases. Mr. Whitman said 7000 cases have been filed and it is expected that 5% (300) of those will be litigated (based upon the current trend), so they are also hiring attorneys. There are $6 or $7 billion in pending claims as the owners assert that the remedy for the government making the wrong decision or in failing to meet the 180-day deadline is for the government to pay damages equal to what the owners believe is the value of their property plus attorney fees and costs.

Mr. Whitman began his talk by reminding us of the predecessor to Measure 37, which was Measure 7. It was a constitutional amendment struck down by the Supreme Court. In Marion County Circuit Court, Measure 37 was ruled unconstitutional on the basis of unequal application of the law in the McPherson case. The circuit court's decision was overturned on appeal.

Measure 37 is short and very general, leaving lots of practical details either to be added by the legislature or failing that, the courts. It will take three to five years for the courts to work out what the law is.

There are over 130 pending court cases. Some have received waivers and the owner disagrees with the waiver such as the wrong date of the old law or the waiver isn't for the use they wanted to make of the property. Quite a few cases are brought by neighbors. The amount of litigation going on represents a lot of frustration on the part of owners and neighbors. The litigation is occuring in circuit courts, not in the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). A decision in the circuit court of a county decides the issue only for that county, so a case must be appealed to the Court of Appeals before the decision can be applicable to the whole state. For example, the Circuit Court in Crook County said that Measure 37 rights cannot be transferred to a new purchaser of the property. There is another such case pending.

If an owner cannot transfer the property to a developer, it is difficult or impossible to develop the property. Some counties may be planning to simply rezone each claimants property so they can transfer the property and develop it. Mr. Whitman did not think that the Oregon Constitution's "special laws" prohibition would prevent this because "spot zoning" was an issue raised in the McPherson case.

Some issues being litigated include controversies about what was and was not allowed by law at a certain date in the past. Does federal law exempt the Gorge Scenic Area from Measure 37? How do you measure the value? Has the definition of prime farm land changed? There are issues of date of acquisition and chain of ownership (in which a single owner may have transferred the property to a partnership, then to a corporation, and then back to the single owner; or corporations may have merged). There are three cases pending before LUBA on whether the next step after the waiver of the regulation was done correctly.

There are some small subdivisions in Clackamas County and maybe one in Wallowa County that are proceeding based upon Measure 37 waivers. Once the waiver is obtained, unless a stay is ordered by a court, an owner may go ahead with development; however Mr. Shetterly said most commercial lenders are reluctant to lend on Measure 37 waivers. Mr. Whitman said there have been cases in other states in which an owner was forced to tear down a development after it was found to be against the law.

Roz Shirack, Marion Polk County League of Women Voters Action Chair, presented the League's position on Measure 37. The LWVOR opposed Measure 37 because it undermines SB100 (Statewide Land Use Planning) and in particular Goal 19 regarding citizen involvement. LWV strongly believes in citizen involvement in all types of public policy processes. Citizens worked long and hard on the Comprehensive Plans and now their work is undermined.

The League also objects that there is no uniformity in the waiver process. Some counties will have hearings and some won't. There is no consideration of other property owners in the vicinity. LWV believes in balancing property rights with protection of the environment. The League will work to prevent legislation that would allow Measure 37 waivers to be "transferred" to a new owner on the sale of the property.

Homeland Security in Marion & Polk Counties (April 2006)

Sandra Smith Gangle

Are we safe?

Detective Griff Holland, Domestic Terrorism Specialist with the Oregon State Police, and Detective Tyler Chapman, of the Marion County Sheriff's Department, talked on "Homeland Security in Oregon." They told a group of 18 League members and guests on April 18, 2006, that Oregon is not immune to the occurrence of terrorist-type activities. We have seen such activities in the past, and we should remain on the lookout for suspicious activities that could indicate danger is lurking once again.

The murder of Ethiopian Mulegeta Surah in Portland by skinhead white supremacists gave Oregon the reputation of a "hate-crime capital." Also, someone from the Rajneesh sprinkled salmonella poison on restaurant food in The Dalles in 1984 committing our nation's first case of bio-terrorism. In addition, arson fires and other property damage have been attributed to members of certain organizations that seek to spread their messages by means of violent tactics.

Holland said that there is a potential for future attacks on our infrastructure, such as power lines, bridges and roads. He expects that, at some point, suicide bombers may begin striking heavily populated areas.

Citizens as eyes and ears

We, as members of the public, can be the eyes and ears of law enforcement, Holland said. It was a member of the public in Snohomish County, Washington, that first reported a group of suspicious persons firing automatic weapons in a quarry, and their report ultimately led to the conviction of the Portland Seven, a terrorist group. We should let the authorities know promptly of any unusual activities we might observe that could signal violence.

A Threat Assessment Network consisting of thirty law-enforcement officers throughout our state shares information on possible dangerous activities as such reports are received. Investigations can be conducted and responsible parties apprehended.

Detective Chapman told us that, here in Marion County, some extremists are believed to be encouraging others to target businesses and construction sites where they believe the business activity is threatening animal rights or trees. While the advocacy itself may be constitutionally-protected speech, the advocates sometimes cross the line and recommend killing or eco-terrorism. That is when the police should be notified.

Report criminal activity

We should call 911 if we ever see illegal activity actually occurring. The Salem Police Department's non-emergency line should be called when other observations might need to be investigated. To obtain additional information about Homeland Security, Det. Holland's number is 503-378-6347 X286 and Det. Chapman's is 503-566-6910.

Preparedness

Holland also reminded the listeners that every family should be prepared to take care of its members for at least 72 hours in the event of a natural disaster or a terrorist activity. Even if a disaster were to occur at a distant location, it could result in a loss of electric power or other interruption of services in our city.

Oregon School for the Blind (March 2007)

Tina Hansen

There has been considerable discussion recently about the possibility of combining the Oregon State School for the Blind (OSB) and the State School for the Deaf. Both schools are operated by the Oregon State Department of Education. To learn more about the situation of the School for the Blind, a group of League members visited on March 7, 2007; the tour was led by director Donald Ouimet.

As a former student and a member of the blind community, I was interested in learning about what the school offers and why the school is so important to blind students in Oregon.

Mr. Ouimet said that there are 853 blind or visually impaired students age birth to 21 living in the state of Oregon. The school was able to serve 459 during the past year. There are 50 full-time equivalent staff members, assisted by around 20 volunteers. More volunteers are always welcome.

The school serves blind and visually impaired students from across the state, but the majority of them live in the Willamette Valley. Programming is offered Monday through Friday, and all students go home for the weekends. The school's year-round population is approximately 30 students, and an additional 120 are reached through short-term summer programs. These summer programs can last anywhere from two to four weeks and may offer anything from recreation to work experience.

The 7½-acre campus consists of seven buildings, most of which were constructed before the 1960s. These include the school building itself, two student dormitories, a dining room, an athletics building, an infirmary, and the administration building. There is an outdoor athletic field that is used for physical education if the weather permits.

The dining room serves meals to students from Monday morning through Friday lunch, after which students go home for the weekend. The infirmary, while not a hospital, can offer basic medical services to students. The athletic building offers workout equipment, a gym, a bowling alley, and a therapy pool. There is keen interest in getting on the swim team or goal-ball team + a special game using a large weighted ball with bells, which is rolled over the goal line.

Local school districts retain responsibility for their students who attend Oregon School for the Blind. They provide for the student's transpiration from school to home. Most students receive a certificate of attendance from OSB. Some will have previously received modified diplomas from their school district.

The school serves students from roughly kindergarten through age 21, with the majority of students age 16 and older. According to Ouimet, the families of younger students are reluctant to send their children to a residential program for weeks at a time.

The opportunity to learn Braille is available to all students for whom this is appropriate. The school's core curriculum features areas that, while not academic, are valuable. These include activities for daily living, Braille, technology, travel skills, vocational skills, recreation and leisure, social skills, and if the student has some vision, how to use it.

All of the students served by OSB are visually impaired. About 70 percent also have additional disabilities. Ouimet explained that the causes of blindness have changed over the years. In the 1960s and 1970s, cararacts, glaucoma, babies who received too much oxygen, and rubella, were the major causes of blindness. Today most of these diseases are treatable. As a result, according to Ouimet, most congenital blindness is caused by issues of prematurity and other issues that compromise the optic nerve at birth.

Our tour took us into the school building, where we were able to observe several classes that were taking place. In the technology lab, League members expressed their amazement at the technology that now exists as a tool to allow blind people to function in both school and work. Special equipment is available to do instant screen enlargement, translate text into Braille, etc. With Open Book one can put a page on a scanner and it reads the page aloud. We also observed a reading class where students were reading materials in both Braille and large print.

We observed a class for older students who were getting practical information that could help them as they make their way in the world. On this day, a student was learning about paychecks, including withholding, etc., and practicing with a Braille writer. These students are moving from school to work, and they may take classes at Chemeketa Community College or work at a part-time job. Job possibilities include food services, grounds maintenance, computer entry, receptionist, etc.

We also observed a class for students who were blind and had additional disabilities. This was a class in basic social skills, such as taking turns, sharing, and passing things around. Most of these students were nonverbal.

Courses at the school are taught by staff trained in teaching blind or visually impaired students. Staff members are assisted by volunteers who circulate among the students or give one-on-one instruction to those who need it. Ouimet commented on the shortage of specially licensed teachers, many of whom will be retiring in the next 5 years. Special training for teachers is offered at a small number of colleges across the country, including Portland State University.

Irvine Hall is one of the dormitories where students live while they attend the school for the blind. This dormitory was built in 1936, and consists of three floors. Students are usually paired up with one roommate, although some students may need a room all to themselves.

Each area of this dormitory has a living room for a small group of students to get together and watch TV, read, play board games, listen to music, and the like. In addition, there is the main lounge, where all students and staff may congregate. There is also an instructional kitchen. When the school is not in use on the weekends, community groups may use the lounge for their meetings. The other dormitory is Howard Hall, which was built in 1924, and generally has three students sharing a room.

In the auditorium, Mr. Ouimet presented a slide show for League members giving information about the school's curriculum, the causes of blindness, and eye conditions. This was followed by questions from League members.

There was some discussion about the possible merger of the schools for the blind and deaf. The Blind School campus has 7½ acres and the School for the Deaf has 45 acres. There are about twice as many deaf children as blind children in Oregon. An important factor about location is the proximity of the School for the Blind to downtown. It is a safe place for the students with opportunities to gradually venture out for shopping, etc.

When asked about his opinion on the issue of moving the OSB program to the Oregon School for the Deaf, he said that "the goal should be whatever works best for kids." Lucia Norris expressed her view that no decision about the issue should be made until all Legislators and Department of Education staff members have a tour of the school.

All agreed that the school has an important mission: to help blind youth function independently and successfully in the world, and to live with dignity.

Oregon School for the Deaf (May 2007)

Lois Nuss

On our visit to the Oregon School for the Deaf (OSD) on May 1, 2007, our guide was Janet Johanson, OSD Outreach Coordinator.  Janet's great-great-great uncle William Smith founded the school in 1870 with a budget of $2,000.  Her great-grandfather was one of the first students at OSD, and Janet also attended for a short time when she was two years of age.  Her own two children, adopted from Colombia, attend the school now.  She was trained using the aural method, picked up sign language and lip-reading when her hearing worsened, and now has a cochlear implant which, she says, greatly enhances her quality of communication.

Ms. Johanson received her education at Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, Western Oregon University, and Portland State University.  She has served six years on the OSD staff working with students' families, providing educational support services to other teachers, and teaching.  She introduced Jay Gense, the interim director, who discussed issues relating to merging of the schools for the blind and deaf.

Mr. Gense explained that the 2005 Legislature directed the Department of Education to study ways of saving money in locating and updating both schools.  He said that while legislators advocate for tax-paying citizens who want fiscal efficiency, we also need adequate facilities for students who are impaired.

He said that both schools need more money.  If they were merged at one location, there would still be two schools--each administered separately--but there could be a savings by combining health services, food services, etc.    He reported that co-location would require some renovation at the deaf school property.  (The last new construction at OSD was in 1973.)

At present it costs $65,000 annually for each OSD student, and $160,000 for each Oregon School for the Blind (OSB) student per year.  There are now 29 students at OSB and 110 OSD students.

Senate Bill 757 is now being considered in the Ways and Means Committee.  This bill would create  separate boards of directors for each of the two schools.  The Department of Education is not opposed to this proposal.

Mr. Gense reported that there are approximately 850 blind students mainstreamed in local schools and about 1,100 hearing impaired students.  Every local school district is responsible for special education in their district.  These services are monitored by Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), and specialized teachers go to local regions to offer services. 

He feels that local and statewide services must be collaborated successfully.  There is a need to look closer at outcomes.  Are local programs successful? How are students functioning in their local communities?  What are the long-term goals?  There will always be a need for specialized services, and we must consider the needs of the students and families as well as of the State.  Both Ms. Johanson and Mr. Gense testified to the advantages of socialization for impaired students at special state schools.

Ms. Johanson presented a video featuring many highlights of the OSD program, including:  classes with peers, individualized speech instruction, signing, deaf adults as role models, preparation for careers, deaf technology and computer school, community-based instruction, driver education.  Also, guidance in practical skills, housekeeping responsibilities, equal opportunities and competition in athletics with peers from other schools, one-on-one mentoring, opportunities for leadership in all areas, developing friendships and self-worth.

She explained that OSD is an education option--not an institution.  The majority of students are from the Willamette Valley, and about half of them reside on campus on weekdays.  Dorms are closed on weekends.  There are separate dorms for primary and elementary, junior high, and high school. 

Oregon State Hospital (February 2007)

Sally Hollemon

On February 7, 2007, Don Abel, head of security at the Oregon State Hospital, gave a dozen League members a tour of the extensive grounds of the Oregon State Hospital, which was established in 1883 with the first building, called the "J" Building because of its shape. The mental hospital now includes 93 buildings (including a work shed and other support buildings) on 144 acres. Twenty-two treatment wards serve just fewer than 700 patients from all over Oregon. (The Blue Mountain facility in Pendleton treats another 80-some patients under civil commitments only.)

Patients are classified according to civil or forensic commitment. Civil commitments cover people who might cause harm to themselves or others; their cases are reviewed every six months. Forensic commitments include (a) people who have allegedly committed a crime but who a judge thinks may not be able to assist in their own defense, so he sends them to the Oregon State Hospital for mental-health treatment until they are able to do so, and (b) people who have committed a crime and are sentenced to the hospital for treatment until they have served their sentence and can be released into the community.

The largest population at the Oregon State Hospital was in the 1950s with approximately 3500 patients. There are fewer patients now partly due to better medications and partly due to preference for smaller, community treatment facilities for most patients.

Large residential buildings are no longer needed for the smaller patient numbers; older hospital buildings do not meet seismic standards; and the layout of the old buildings does not meet current best-practices standards. Old buildings, such as "J" Building, which League members visited, had long corridors with patients' small bedrooms along both sides of the corridors and, near the center of the corridor, a large communal bathroom (with individual toilet stalls and long sinks in one room and, in the other room, several shower heads along one wall plus two or three tile-covered bathtubs).

Quality treatment space now is considered to be a star or similar shape with the nursing area in the center and rooms in the short arms projecting from the center. The appearance is less institutional, and the staff can better supervise patients.

Under a plan approved in the previous legislative session, two new mental hospitals will be built in the western part of the state and two smaller facilities in eastern Oregon, said Mr. Abel. Tearing down the old buildings will be expensive due to lead and asbestos in them. A new hospital will be completed in four or five years at the very earliest. Mental health experts have input into the design of the new hospital.

Our tour took us into the tunnel system, which used to be more extensive (at one time including the Oregon State Penitentiary and the Capitol). Under the long "J" Building the tunnel appeared to be in the center of a full basement with a dirt floor. A narrow-gauge railroad track has been paved over to make a wide walkway. A few workrooms and many storage areas are scattered beside the walkway. The tunnel is used for food service, movement of supplies, and the secure transfer of patients.

The hospital's 1250 employees include medical staff as well as support staff--food service, maintenance, security, etc. There are security cameras at the gates inside each building in which patients live, and the person who monitors the security TVs opens gates electronically. The 22 treatment wards each have a psychiatrist, and a registered nurse is on every ward on every shift.

Patients are housed one to six or seven in a room. Each patient has an individual treatment program, which includes medications, individual counseling, group counseling, recreation and outings (including hiking and other outdoor activities). Recreational activities are educational for the patients as well as fun; many mentally ill people were unable to engage in recreational activities when they were growing up. Patients have visitors.

One building houses the Gero Program for elderly people and for patients with head injuries who function at a low level. The Medical Ward cares for medically fragile people (many of them elderly) and for people who are ill but not so ill as to need to go to Salem Hospital.

Children's wards were closed a few years ago. Children with severe mental illness now live in small group homes in the community. A residential Farm Home in Corvallis cares for young patients who cannot function in a small group.

Juvenile Drug Court (May 2006)

Sally Hollemon

Mike Maryanov, Youth and Family Treatment Court Coordinator for Marion County since 2001, talked about Therapeutic Justice in Marion County at the Morning Unit meeting in May 2006. Youngsters who come before Drug Court have broken the law (but have not had a weapon or been violent) in addition to being addicted to a drug. Therapeutic Justice is intended to treat the underlying problems that brought young people to court so as to avoid detention and recidivism.

Mr. Maryanov explained that each youth attends drug treatment twice a week and meets with a parole officer (usually at school so the juvenile officer can work with the school's guidance counselor) to keep school work up to date. Each youth must appear before the judge every week.

The Drug Court team is composed of the judge, Mr. Maryanov, three parole officers, a drug and alcohol counselor, a police officer and a court deputy (both of the latter in uniform). The youngsters learn that all of these adults--even a judge and police officers--care about them; that message is very important to most of the young people.

The team works to determine the reasons a youth uses drugs, for example, abuse or neglect at home, mental illness, lack of friends who don't use drugs. The team helps each youngster identify the triggers that make him/her want to use drugs.

For young people it is not correct to say "drug of choice"; the correct terminology is "drug of availability." Mr. Maryanov commented that the youths he sees in Drug Court think that everyone uses drugs because the youths with whom they hang out use drugs. Meth is a huge problem because of the physical and mental damage it does. Among other damage, meth causes depression, which creates a vicious circle of more meth use to relieve the depression. TOT (Ten on Tuesdays), a program for pregnant teens on meth, aims to reduce the number of babies born with meth in their systems.

The youths also participate in a Wellness Program (run by HOST) in which they focus on nutrition, sleep, communication, conflict resolution, and other skills for physical and mental health.

The Drug Court program tries to break the cycle of drug use by helping each youngster figure out what is special about him (who he is, what he is good at, etc.). The program also encourages the youths to become involved in their community. One assignment is to go to the library and check out a book. They don't have to read it, but they learn that there is a library where they can borrow books and videos. Another assignment is to draw a community map to learn what is available in the neighborhood. "Do I live close enough to the Boys and Girls Club to attend?" For a girl who has been sexually abused, Mr. Maryanov will arrange for someone from the Women's Crisis Center to meet her at a coffee shop to talk about what is happening to her and how to get away from it.

Mr. Maryanov said that Marion County needs foster homes for teenagers, but the limited money available is used for younger children who need foster homes. A parent support group is provided so parents can learn how to help their youngsters learn to organize their lives. This allows the youths to continue to live with their parents and also be successful in the program.

It takes nine months of treatment and two years of follow-up to destroy the urge to use meth. Although meth causes brain damage, the brain can re-wire itself to overcome the damage, but it takes a long time. Anti-depressants or other appropriate prescription drugs plus counseling (to help youths deal with the violence they've see or experienced) are needed to end addiction. Private health insurance covers too little treatment time, especially for meth addiction.

The Drug Court program (which is voluntary) lasts about a year. During this time each youngster establishes a positive support system. Graduates get their criminal records dismissed, which is a very important goal for most of the youngsters.

Research has looked at whether Drug Court graduates have stayed clean and has confirmed that the program is successful, which is why the 2005 Oregon legislature for the first time provided $2 million for Drug Courts throughout the state. The federal government is also providing funding now.

Marion County is working hard to prevent drug use by youths, but teens' brains are still developing, and they don't consider cause and effect. For example, a teenager who is shown a picture of a young adult who has lost his teeth due to the effect of meth addiction will think the toothless person is old and won't get the message that "this could happen to me."

Mr. Maryanov commented that advertisements, TV shows, and movies give the impression that all adults drink alcohol frequently. To counter those media messages, society needs to talk about how to drink responsibly and in moderation.

Singapore (April 2007)

Sally Hollemon

Jeanie Schlottmann showed pictures and talked about Singapore--the world's only city-state--at the April 19, 2007, meeting of the LWVMPC Foreign Policy interest group.

Densely populated with 5 million people, Singapore is the fifth richest nation in the world. Although it has little in the way of natural resources, Singapore is located on the Straits of Malacca, so the nation has made itself the transportation and communications center for Southeast Asia. Shippers go out of their way to use the Port of Singapore because it is so efficient that they save money. Because of its Confucian outlook as well as its dense population, Singapore is group oriented; social cohesion is more important than individual freedoms. It laws are strict. Trials are before a judge with no jury.

Singapore is a secular state that allows religious freedom. There are many different religions among its people and the state wants to keep peace among them, so there is a law against aggressive evangelism.

There is limited freedom of the press. Reporters are conditioned to censor themselves.

Electronics is a big industry in Singapore. People are now being trained to work in biotechnology, their next big industry; stem-cell research has become 5% of the city's economy.

Singapore was a British colony from the 1800s until after World War II. The British cleaned up piracy, but there was much poverty in the city. Lee Kwan Yew led Singapore's fight for independence and became the city-state's first prime minister in the 1950s, a position he was re-elected to until he stepped down in 1990. He had been educated in Britain and believed that one can't have a country unless everyone has housing and health care. He also believed that people should be responsible for themselves.

So Singapore requires that 40% of an employee's wages (matched by his employer) go to the Central Providence Fund into an individual savings account. 30% of that amount is for housing, college loans, certain insurance, and topping up one's parents' retirement accounts. Six to 8% of the amount is for Medisave, a medical savings account. Four percent is for old age. The government subsidizes health care for low-wage workers whose Medisave accounts don't grow very fast. The government controls the disbursement of funds from individual savings accounts to the extent that a person isn't allowed to spend the whole account on housing, for example.

Housing is mostly in high-rise buildings. Some apartments are rented; others are individually owned. Services are built into an area--libraries, shops, recreation, etc.

Education is a meritocracy; science and math are emphasized. Every child must learn English as well as his mother tongue. School begins with preschool, and ethics are taught strongly through all the grade levels. Between ages twelve to fifteen, every child takes an examination; the top 10% will go to college and get the best jobs. Individual choice is sacrificed for the common good. There is recognition that the rigidity of the educational system and the great stigma of failure has made people unimaginative, a problem they are trying to address by training teachers to develop more risk taking among students.

Singapore has a parliamentary system, and the prime minister is very powerful. The government is largely corruption free. Tax forms are simple. Voting is compulsory.

Health care for the growing number of elderly people is an increasing problem as there are relatively few young people to provide the tax money. Late marriages and low birth rates caused the government to establish policies to encourage high-income women to have babies.

Water is pumped in from Malaysia to the north, so Singapore is looking at desalinization in order to reduce the state's vulnerability to having the water cut off.

Since Lee Kwan Yew left office, his successor has relaxed some of the rules to allow more individual freedom; this will likely continue.

Ukrainian Women Leaders Visit Salem (August 2007)

Memories of our Ukrainian Visitors (August 2007) Sally Hollemon At the September Unit Meetings, Sandra Gangle told of some of the insights the Ukrainian Visitors got about life in the United States. The purpose of their visit was to learn how democracy works here with emphasis on the rule of law (our impartial judiciary), the leadership of women, and how government works with business and non-profit organizations. Some more personal highlights of their visit are in this report.

Sandra and her husband picked up the Ukrainian women from two days with the Portland League on the last Sunday in July. After touring the McLaughlin House and driving by other historic places, they arrived at the home of Rose Lewis for a potluck picnic and to meet almost thirty League members. The Ukrainians had never been to a potluck; in Ukraine, the hostess cooks for days to prepare for her guests (and is exhausted when they arrive). The Ukrainians thought a potluck was a good idea!

Their visit to Capital Manor brought out that in Ukraine the family is expected to take care of its old people. The women liked the facility, but Sandra pointed out to them that retirement homes are too expensive for many people to afford.

One of the Ukrainian women with an influential job said that although Ukraine has laws that allow employees to take time off when children are sick, the woman said she would lose influence if she did, so, when her children are sick, she hires someone to take care of them. She added that traffic is very bad in her city, so, when she and her husband are driving to work and traffic comes to a halt, she will get out of their car and take the subway in order to get to work before her co-workers arrive to be sure her day is organized.

One evening the women were taken to the Best Little Roadhouse for dinner and miniature golf, which the women had never played but which they enjoyed. One of them said she wanted to start mini golf in her city.

On visiting a court, they learned that judges have to consider only the facts of a case and the law. The Women Lawyers speaker explained that there used to be no women law partners or judges, but, with their efforts over the years, this has changed. The visitors watched Judge Pamela Abernethy preside over Juvenile Court with compassion and imagination. For example, Judge Abernethy gave to a grandmother a video disk on how a baby's brain develops to help her understand how to care for her grandbaby while the parents battle meth addiction. In another case Judge Abernethy gave several children's books to a 16-year-old mother to read to her toddler and told the young mother to bring the books back to her next court appearance and the judge would lend her some more books. Judge Abernethy has boxes behind her bench in which she keeps soap, shampoo, cologne, other toiletries, and small gift certificates to give to teen girls who have stayed off drugs since their previous court appearance as a reward and to encourage them to continue to stay clean. The Ukrainians were very impressed and said they would bring these ideas back to the judges in Ukraine, who tend to be very strict.

The group visited the Garten Foundation where paper, metal, plastics, and computer parts are recycled. The Ukrainian women liked the idea of recycling; they said their garbage is all burned. They were also impressed by the friendly interaction between the handicapped employees and the supervisory staff at Garten.

On Wednesday evening the women gave a public presentation about Ukraine and their jobs there. A number of League members attended. Lloyd Kumley videotaped the presentation, which was shown on CCTV in October.

The last afternoon of their visit here, the Ukrainians wanted to do some more shopping, so Sandra drew them a map of how to get from downtown Salem to Riverfront Park for the dinner cruise on the River Queen sternwheeler. The captain gave each woman an opportunity to drive the boat, which they enjoyed.

Sandra recommended that the local League apply to have another group from Russia or Ukraine visit us because our program is already planned, contacts made, and it would be much easier next time.

[For a more detailed, formal report, see "Ukrainian Women Leaders Learn About Democracy in Oregon" below.]

Ukrainian Women Leaders Learn About Democracy in Oregon (August 2007)

2007 UKRAINE CIVIC HOSTING PROGRAM LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MARION-POLK COUNTIES

Sandra Gangle, Coordinator

July 29, 2007---Coordinator Sandra Gangle and her driver/husband Gene Gangle, left Sunday Salem at 7:30 a.m., accompanied by two Salem residents with Ukrainian origins, Basil Dymytryshyn and Irene Wirth. Upon arriving in Portland at 9:00, we welcomed our four Ukrainian guests--Oksana Grytsenko, Svitlana Yasynska, Nataliya Martynenko and Olga Parasotska--and their facilitator, Halyna Kaluzhna, at the home of Pat Osborn. LWVUS representative Pilar Velasquez was with them.

We drove Hwy 99 south to Oregon City, where we were greeted at historic McLaughlin House by U.S. Park Ranger John Salisbury and his two female aides, one of whom wore pioneer dress. Salisbury guided the group through the building, explaining the history of the Oregon Territory and the role of Dr. John McLaughlin as the first territorial governor.

We then drove through the historic towns of Canby and Aurora to Woodburn, an agricultural community which boasts a proud, but very private, community of Russian Old Believers. We drove past five Russian Orthodox churches which have been established in the community and the Ukrainian guests took many photographs of the interesting landmarks.

We arrived at LWVMPC member Rose Lewis's country home in Brooks at about 1:30 p.m. About 25 League members and their spouses and friends were gathered there and a pot-luck feast was ready for our guests. The conversation was lively and the guests seemed to enjoy the fresh air and the agricultural setting. A wonderful variety of food was laid out, and soon we all began filling our plates. One of the visitors commented on the platters of deviled eggs - "Just like we have at home." They seemed quite open to sampling the various dishes, including several salads, a blackberry cobbler and a special pink gooseberry pie. Many topics were discussed during the afternoon, in small groups and large, including the geography and weather of Ukraine, the crops grown in this area, favorite books of our guests, gophers, LWV members and their families and plans for the week ahead. It was good to have this chance to begin to get acquainted with these 5 charming women, and there was great anticipation about all the upcoming events.

We next drove into Salem and were treated to a tour of Chemeketa Community College by retired professor and League President Diana Bodtker. Our excellent professional interpreter, Alexander Krainij, met us there. Chemeketa boasts approximately 60,000 students, most of whom reside in the area surrounding Salem. Students can pursue training in many trades and can take academic courses leading to a four-year degree. Popular courses of study include firefighter training, nurse's training, high-school completion and English as a Second Language, for which there is a long waiting list.

After leaving Chemeketa, we drove through the City of Salem, pointing out places of interest such as Salem Hospital, historic Deepwood House and the State School for the Blind. We stopped at famous Bush Park, donated to the City by Publisher Asahel Bush of the Oregon Statesman newspaper, and took a leisurely stroll through the Municipal Rose Gardens, where a wedding happened to be taking place.

We arrived at Anita Owen's artistic home in time for dinner. By this time, our group was well-acquainted with each other and with the group coordinator, as well as the driver and the group's interpreter. The two guests who would be staying with Anita as host family brought in their luggage and were shown to their comfortable rooms. Then the group feasted on an Italian-inspired meal of pasta and sausage with salad, having blackberry cobbler and ice cream for dessert.

Sandra Gangle, who is an Oregon lawyer and emphasizes arbitration and mediation in her practice, gave a presentation after dinner on the U.S. Constitution and the federal government. She emphasized the separation of powers between the executive, the legislative and the judicial and explained the system of checks and balances that is established in the Constitution. She also explained the Bill of Rights.

The two guests who would be staying with Sally Hollemon for the week were then driven to their host family's home. The fifth guest went with Coordinator Sandra Gangle and driver Gene Gangle to their home, to be hosted there.

July 30, 2007---City of Salem and State of Oregon Government Day: The day (Monday) began with a tour of Riverfront Park conducted by League member Jeanine Grater. The group enjoyed the wonderful Carousel that was entirely constructed with donations from community volunteer. Some of the volunteers learned the skill of carving and actually carved the beautiful wood horses that children and adults now ride on the Carousel. The group then visited the Eco-Earth ball, which was originally a huge, rusty sphere used as a container for acid products needed in conjunction with a paper mill. Visionary city residents decided to convert the ball into a tile-covered representation of the earth and worked with local artists, school children and volunteer donors to create the images of continents and oceans, as well as hundreds of historic figures, cultural items, animals and sea figures that identify significant features of the various geographical areas on the globe.

The group visited Salem City Hall at 10:00 a.m., where they were greeted by Mayor Janet Taylor and Asst. City Manager Norris, both of whom spoke about city government, its leadership and its services, including police, fire department, municipal court, library and public works.

We then visited the Salem Public Library, which has one of the highest readership ratings in the United States. The Library Director and an assistant gave a tour of all areas, including the popular children's discovery room, the audio-visual department, the book ordering and registration departments and the bookmobiles which take pre-ordered books to shut-ins in nursing homes, retirement facilities, day care facilities and other neighborhood delivery sites.

We next visited Rep. Darlene Hooley's office, where the Regional Field Officer for the Congresswoman greeted our guests. She was pleased that the Marion-Polk League had taken advantage of the opportunity to host five Ukrainian visitors under the auspices of the Congressional-based Open World Program.

After a delightful lunch at the Capitol Dog Restaurant, where a wonderful Ukrainian meal of Cabbage Rolls and Ukrainian Ravioli was served and a reporter from the Statesman-Journal newspaper interviewed the guests, we proceeded to the Oregon State Capitol, where we were met by the designated representative of Governor Ted Kulongoski, Ms. Peggy Ross, Affirmative Action Director. Ross specializes in building relationships between State agency employers and employees, fostering a climate of cooperation, understanding and respect with emphasis on outreach services to ethnic communities and other minority groups. She explained that one of the Governor's priorities is to increase the employment of women and minorities in high positions with the State of Oregon. The guests asked many questions about how that goal is being met and they shared some information about employment of women in their own government in Ukraine.

The guests signed the Governor's guest book, then toured the Capitol Building, visiting the House of Representatives and Senate chambers on their way to the Chinook Room, a basement coffee shop.

Once there, they were greeted by Representative Brian Clem and Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, who explained the work they each do--Clem, as a state legislator who serves on five committees related to agriculture, land use and education; and Bradbury, who serves as the chief enforcement officer of state elections law and procedure and is chief auditor of State agencies.

Having spent a busy day in meetings with officers of the City of Salem, the State of Oregon and the United States Federal Government, the Ukrainian Visitors were pleased to be able to relax with a game of Mini-Golf and a salmon dinner at the Best Little RoadHouse, a popular Salem family restaurant. Many of the women had never played mini-golf, saying the game did not exist in Ukraine.

July 31, 2007---Rule of Law Day: We began our day with a walk through the campus of Willamette University, the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. Sandra Gangle, Coordinator, who is a graduate of Willamette College of Law, explained the seven-year sequence of undergraduate education and professional legal training that lawyers must undergo before taking the rigorous Oregon Bar Exam and entering the practice of law. Then, she led the group across campus to the Oregon Supreme Court Building.

The women toured the Oregon Supreme Court library and met with members of the judiciary and bar. Justice Virginia Linder of the Oregon Supreme Court, discussed the Rule of Law. She explained that, basically, the rule of law means "impartial, neutral justice, with legal rules applying to all the people, with no special consideration given to political leaders". Justice Linder stated that the role of the courts is to decide difficult socially sensitive controversies, and an independent judiciary must adhere to the rule of law.

The women asked about how civil rights fit with the rule of law and the decision process as it relates to the administration of the rule of law. The women explained that judges in the Ukraine must be 25 years of age,have practiced law for three years and successfully passed a "difficult" examination. Having met those requirements and an extensive background check, names are submitted to the President of the Ukraine, who makes all judicial appointments. After five years on the bench, the name of the judge is forwarded to the legislature for final approval, which, if the judge is approved, results in tenure for life. The women characterized the judicial selection process in the Ukraine as very political. There is currently an even split between men and women serving in the Ukrainian judiciary.

Kathy Evans, a Salem sole practitioner for 25 years, discussed her experience as a member of the Oregon Board of Bar Governors (BOG). As one of 12 lawyers on the BOG, Kathy enjoys volunteering with other lawyers and four members of the public to set policies and procedures for those practicing law in Oregon. Kathy is married and has raised two daughters; her oldest daughter is a third year law student at Willamette University School of Law and, after graduation, she plans to join her mother's firm.

The women asked about opportunities to learn law through practical training opportunities, such as the supervised clinics offered by each of Oregon's three law schools. Phyllis Myles, Director of Career Services for Willamette University School of Law, related the history of Oregon Women Lawyers and its mission to promote women and minorities in the practice of law. She explained that in 1987 sixty women came together to form OWLS, which now has a membership approaching 1,000!

At the conclusion of the program, the women presented the speakers with a book about their country and everyone smiled for the many flashing cameras.

After the program at the Supreme Court, the Ukrainian visitors were the guests of the Mary Leonard Law Society and Women League of Voters, Salem Chapter, at an informal lunch held on Tuesday, July 31, 2007. Over 40 women and men gathered at Tucker's Cafe at Mission Mill to compare and contrast life in two widely separated part of the world. These accomplished women, including a legal expert at the Secretariat of the President of the Ukraine, a physician working on human resources development issues for EU organizations, a director and expert in gender issues, an executive director of "good Neighbor Relations Trans-border Collaboration and Promotion Information Center and an assistant English professor, visited Oregon to learn more about American life and culture, and U.S. democracy.

The Mary Leonard Law Society extends its best wishes to each of the women as they pursue their careers and a special thank you to Sandra Gangle, Salem attorney, who is a member of the Women League of Voters and served as the coordinator and host for the women.

After lunch, the group went to the Marion County Juvenile Court and Detention Center facilities. They were greeted by The Hon. Pamela Abernethy, Juvenile Judge, who permitted them to observe as she conducted four successive cases involving disciplinary and dependency matters. The group was impressed with the compassionate way that the judge interacted with the litigants, using techniques of positive reinforcement and education, rather than preaching or negative forms of punishment.

Later, the group toured the Juvenile Detention facilities and saw the dormitories where girls and boys who have been convicted of criminal activity are housed and rehabilited. They learned that many of the juveniles are offered job training and skill-building in a variety of programs, so that they will options available to them when released. One of those programs is a garden center, where the youths are taught how to grow vegetables and then permitted to sell the vegetables in a market setting. They also operate a coffee shop. The entire group enjoyed a much-needed beverage break in the juveniles' coffee shop.

August 1, 2007---Non-Profit Organizations and Private Business Day: We began the day with a tour of the new YWCA building, which is under construction through the auspices of the non-profit organization. The building is located in a low-income area of Salem and is designed to serve poor people, elderly as well as young, immigrants and disabled. Diana Bodtker, President of the Board of the, and Carole Green, Executive Director, explained the many services that will be provided to needy persons as soon as the building opens, including subsidized housing in small apartments, free mammograms and breast cancer treatment for women who lack medical insurance and cannot afford treatment, job-training and other life-skills programs for young women who lack such resources, particularly immigrants, and child care services.

Our guests next were able to tour the Simonka Place shelter home for homeless women and children, which is run by the Union Gospel Mission, a well-reputed facility that has long served as a men's homeless shelter. The comfortable, attractive residence was donated to the Mission by the Grande Ronde Tribes because local social workers had become aware that many women and children were homeless and needed a clean, safe place to stay. Our guests were impressed to learn that the women who come to Simonka House are able to break free of their addictions and past failures, learn skills and eventually get their lives back on track, so that they can live independently in the community.

After a pizza lunch in Bob Newton Park in Keizer and an opportunity to shop at Keizer Station Shopping Center, our guests were treated to two tours of busy factory operations in Salem.

At the Don Pancho Tortilla Factory, they were greeted by George Puentes, the owner and founder of the business, who told them that he had come to America to work as a migrant laborer and had managed to build his business from the ground up. The business is now a 24-7 operation that produces four million tortillas a day for sale throughout most of the United States and in many foreign countries.

When asked what was the secret to his success in business, Puentes told our Ukrainian guests that he had constantly pursued certain goals: he wanted to produce the best possible product in the cleanest, safest factory conditions, and he believed in treating his employees fairly and humanely, while charging the lowest possible prices for his products.

At the Garten Foundation Recycling Plant, the Ukrainian guests leaned about a business that they said does not exist at all in their country. "We just burn all our trash," they said, as they watched the workers at Garten sort metal products and shred mountains of waste paper for re-use in new products such as paper towels and toilet tissue. They also were impressed with the kind treatment that manager Don Carmichael demonstrated as he interacted with his employees, many of whom are developmentally disabled. "These people are happy to work at Garten," they observed. "In our country, the disabled do not have opportunities like this."

On Wednesday evening, our guests gave a public presentation to an audience of fifty at the Salem Public Library Anderson Room. The following is a summary of their presentation:

Oksana Grytsenko, Chief Consultant, Secretariat of the President of Ukraine, said that the country's Orange Revolution demonstrated that Ukrainians respect the right of individuals to freedom. She quoted George Washington, who said that, when freedom takes root, it can't be stopped. Oksana said that Ukrainians have become confident in their future as part of a democratic Europe.

Halyna Kaluzhna, the group's facilitator, is an Assistant Professor, Technology Instructor, and Director of the Center for English Academic Writing in the Foreign Languages Department of Ivan Franko National University in Lviv. She added that Ukraine became independent on August 24, 1991; the nation celebrates its Independence Day each August 24. Ukraine is the largest nation in Europe (not counting Russia, much of which is in Asia).

Nataliya Martynenko, Senior Project Expert for a European Union project, works on human resources development issues for EU organizations, particularly on social policy, implementation of best models in entrepreneurship, and city and rural community development. She said that Ukraine is a highly developed scientific and industrial country. Major industries are steel, coal, chemicals, machine building, agriculture and processed foods. The nation's economy is changing from being controlled by the state to becoming a market economy. Along with that, the tax and budget system is being reformed.

Olga Parasotska is Executive Director of "Good Neighbor Relations;" in that position she coordinates training, educational, and informational activities to coordinate development with neighboring Poland and Belarus. She said that similar centers in other parts of Ukraine work with other neighboring countries. The center works to modernize transportation, develop environmental protection systems, develop tourism, and develop human capital and institutional cooperation. She said that the executive committee has representatives from all three countries, and it chooses the projects to funded; people cooperate well on the projects.

Svitlana Yasynska, Director and Consultant Expert in Gender Issues for the Kherson Regional Gender Resource, helps design gender policy for the Kherson region by training local public officials on gender issues, providing information to residents, and conducting research on gender issues. She said that, from her observation this week of opportunities for women in the U.S., Ukraine has more problems with equality. However, she pointed out that Ukraine is new to considering gender issues. The first bill on equality for women to go before the Parliament was in 1983; it was amended a number of times and finally adopted in 2005. Now gender issues are regulated by the state. A current issue is that women want equal representation in Parliament (or at least not as much difference as in the past), so Svitlana's organization provides education to leaders of the many political parties to encourage them as they each make up their list of candidates to Parliament (and other offices), to include women and men who support social issues, such as education and services for children and adults. Her group also educates voters on the importance of equal representation of women and men in Parliament.

Highlights of Q & A

Ukraine has a parliamentary system, so people vote for the party, not for individuals. Depending on the percentage of the total vote a party gets, it chooses that percentage of its candidates for the office beginning at the top of the list. Women face stereotypes in running for office, so they usually get subordinate roles, not the top ones. Other government positions are appointive, and women can apply the same as can men.

There are more than 100 political parties, but a party has to get at least 3% of the vote to have any representation in Parliament, so only five parties were represented in the current Parliament. An election is scheduled for November.

Relations with Russia are generally friendly and problems are worked out.

Poverty is still a problem, but Ukraine is beginning to build a middle class.

The nuclear power plant accident at Chernobyl is costly to the Ukrainian budget because of the continuing danger of the plant as well as assistance to the people affected, such as health care and other benefits.

Ukraine's constitution grants freedom of religion. The majority of religious people belong to the Orthodox Christian Church. Other religions with smaller numbers of adherents include Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and various Protestant traditions. Since the end of Soviet domination (when religion was discouraged), there has been a religious revival. People have to go early to get a seat in church. Muslims are few because under Communist rule they were exiled to Siberia, but now they are returning, especially to the south and southeast parts of Ukraine.

During the Soviet era education and health care were free for all. Ukraine has maintained that system; the state guarantees free professional health care to all, including preventive care and a required comprehensive physical exam for all students from pre-school through college each year. People can be referred to free exercises, swimming, massage, etc.

Three years of paid maternity leave is provided by the state (although the amount is less than a woman's salary), and there is a one-time cash payment of $1600 for a baby. Child care is part of the educational system.

Kindergarten begins at age 1½. The only charge to parents is half the cost of the meals provided at school. Beginning with kindergarten the teachers are professional educators, and the kindergarten curriculum includes music and foreign language. A full-time nurse is required to be on staff.

August 2, 2007---Polk County Government and the Oregon Coast Day: Our day began with a tour of Capital Manor, an upscale retirement complex in West Salem, which is across the Willamette River from Marion County, in Polk County. The Manor is a place where over 400 senior citizens, each of whom is healthy upon his/her initial occupancy of a housing unit, may spend the rest of their lives in safe, comfortable housing, while receiving whatever care needs and personal assistance they may require during their remaining years until death.

The Manor facilities include apartments of several sizes and designs, libraries, recreational areas, a large auditorium, a hair stylist and food service that provides up to three healthy meals per day for all residents. There is a chaplain on duty at all times, to assist the residents with emotional and spiritual counseling. Our guide explained that the philosophy of the owners is to encourage and facilitate the residents' taking charge of as much of their own daily life and decisions as each of them chooses, offering as much or as little staff help as each of them may need. They do not use "cookie cutter ways" of accomplishing their goals, but rather, they strive to meet the individual needs and personalities of the residents.

Nina Cleveland, who is a resident of the Manor and a 60-year member of the League of Women Voters of Marion and Polk Counties, accompanied the group on the tour.

After leaving the Manor, the group went on to Dallas, the County seat of Polk County. The guests were greeted by County Commissioner Ron Dodge and several Deputy Sheriffs, who explained the services that are provided by County government. They toured historic Polk County Court House, one of the oldest courthouses in Oregon. In the largest courtroom they were greeted by Presiding Judge Charles Luukinen, who was proud to explain the process of American criminal justice, by which a defendant is tried by a jury of his or her peers, in front of a judge who instructs the jury on the law that they must follow.

A special treat for the Ukrainian guests followed their visit to the court. They were invited to tour the recently-constructed county jail, which is a state-of-the- art corrections facility.

Following a lovely lunch with seventeen friends, hosted by League member Jean Sherbeck at her home, the group drove to Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast. The Ukrainian visitors were happy to walk on the warm beach sand and wade in the refreshing water of the Pacific Ocean.

August 3, 2007---Rural Agricultural Communities Day: We began our day with a tour of Colonia Libertad, an apartment complex on the eastern border of Salem, that overlooks farms and hay fields of rural Marion County. The complex accommodates 44 low-income farmworker families, many of whom have several children. A feature of the complex is a 30 by 30-foot mural that was designed and painted by residents. The mural depicts farm workers on their hands and knees in the fields and their children rising above them toward a better life.

Jaime Arrendondo, of the non-profit Farmworker Housing Development Corporation, explained that the development was constructed with grant money from the federal government and other non-profit grantors, to provide safe, decent housing for families who work in canneries, nurseries, in tree-planting and in other farm and forestry activities in the region.

The Colonia Libertad complex is unique, in that the residents are self-governed by an elected board. They establish rules that apply equally to all residents, including maintenance requirements, safety rules and rules governing quiet hours. Since many of the workers who live in the complex have come from Mexico and speak little or no English, the group has organized English classes in the community room. They also have a computer lab, where residents can learn computer skills and they have a sewing room, where the women can make clothes with community sewing machines.

After leaving the apartment complex, we drove to the tiny agricultural community of Mt. Angel. Coordinator Sandra Gangle explained that the community was originally settled by immigrant farmers from Engelberg, Switzerland, in the 19th century. The German/Swiss culture that the original residents brought with them persists to the present day, in the town's architecture, language and religion. Though the town has only a few hundred residents, it boasts a large Gothic-styled Catholic church and many buildings with the gingerbread style of the residents' ethnic heritage. Also, every year, during the fall harvest season, the town conducts an Oktoberfest celebration, with German foods and beer, that is popular with visitors coming from far and wide.

We then went to the Abbey and Monastery of Mt. Angel, which is situated on top of the scenic mountain just outside the town center. Sandra Gangle explained American religious freedom to the guests, relying on the first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and various challenges that have been litigated in the U.S. Supreme Court.

We then drove to the rural community of Silverton, where the townspeople were conducting an annual celebration in honor of their hometown hero, David Davenport. Researchers Amy Lodholz and Michael Leach, who work for a non-profit think tank that researches social issues such as policies that contribute to poverty in rural communities, spoke to the group during lunch. Then the group then toured the many murals that have been painted on the downtown building walls. They eventually found their way to an art fair that was underway in McLaine Park, featuring the work of local artists and artisans.

The Farewell Banquet took place later that day, when the group embarked on a two-hour cruise on the historic Willamette Sternwheeler tour boat. Everyone was in good spirits after their very busy week. The Ukrainian guests were sorry to say good-bye to the many friends they had made during their visit to our greater Salem community.

--Sandra Smith Gangle, Coordinator League of Women Voters of Marion-Polk Counties

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