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A crop of issues
Community topics are springing up like wildflowers this April.
Book Sale?
We're getting a lot of questions about the Hillsdale Books Sale. Will there be another one? When? Where?
The answer to the first question is yes. The sale, the Hillsdale Alliance's fifth, will coincide with the annual blueberry pancake breakfast on Sunday, July 27. We'll start collecting book donations at the Sunday Farmers Market on June 15. No textbooks or out-dated material (computer tech manuals, for instance) please.
The exact location of the sale is unclear. We would like to use the old Estby gas station again but haven't received approval yet. The Watershed building is another possibility, but storage space is limited there. One way or the other, we'll make it happen.
By the way, books sale proceeds go to the Alliance, the coalition of neighborhood organizations listed below. The Alliance currently has $10,570 in its account. An Alliance loan to the "Light-up Hillsdale Fund," which paid for the lighted Hillsdale signs on the Watershed building, still has an outstanding $1,780 balance. We are still seeking tax-deductible donations to "Light-up Hillsdale" to pay back that relatively small loan balance.
Light-Up campaign continues
The community has already contributed approximately $19,300 toward the lights and the drinking fountain in the mall plaza at Capitol and Bertha Court, just under the sign. Let's pay off the loan. Checks should be made out to "SWNI" with "Light-Up Hillsdale" in the note line. Send to Southwest Neighborhoods Inc. 7688 SW Capitol Highway, Portland,Or 97219. If half the 350 readers of this newsletter would send in $10, we'd have the loan paid off.
With donations and expected proceeds from the summer book sale, we hope to have $15,000 in the Alliance account by August. An Alliance subcommittee is setting up a non-profit Hillsdale Community Foundation that will distribute the funds.
Righting an "S"
On Thursday, April 10, contractors who put up the landmark "Hillsdale" sign but got the "S" wrong side up, made the letter right. The Oregonian made note of the aberrant "S" in a "Keeping it Weird" item in the newspaper's inPortland section last week.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, flipping the "S" made the sign decidedly unweird.
Tarnished "halos"
As noted in this issue, most of those turning out to comment on four Southwest Portland "halo" taxing districts, aren't happy with the concept, which would provide funds for pedestrian improvements on several dangerous stretches of streets.
The "halo" name comes from the taxing district's allocation that has those who live closest to the improvements paying the most.
I've been interested in the concept because it might be an equitable way to pay for undergrounding unsightly utility wires along Capitol Highway in the two-block-long business district. In the late-Nineties Hillsdale voted on an "Underground Utility Taxing District," but it wasn't graduated as the halo's taxes are. Voters narrowly approved the undergrounding tax, but the City Council wanted a larger majority and defeated the measure.
Results from this spring's meetings shows that the halo approach doesn't seem to hold much promise either, but it is worth discussing.
Rick Seifert
Editor
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Links to Alliance Members
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The slope east of Bertha Court offers needed sun exposure, as shown in this rendering of what the flat panel solar array would look like.
Below left, some panels come with a sculptured look.
Rieke School could be
solar-powered by year's end
 By the end of this year, the slope above Bertha Court on the Rieke School property could be covered with a large solar panel that would generate electricity for the school.
With a boost from state and federal tax incentives, Portland Public Schools is looking at a 100 kilo-watt project that would provide 60 percent of Rieke's energy needs.
Although the solar array would cost between $800,000 and $850,000, the school district would pay nothing for it, said Catherine Diviney, who is working on solar projects for the district. Instead, the district would lease its land to developers and would buy the electricity at a rate slightly below what it normally would pay PGE. Under one option, the district would be able to purchase the photo-voltaic system after 20 years.
Diviney said that the district and the developers, who have not yet been named, would be talking with neighbors about the project in coming weeks. One issue that has been raised is the appearance of the array, which could be a simple large flat panel, or a more attractive, sculptural wave design (see photos).
Diviney said the district also is looking at converting water-heating panels on the Wilson High School roof so that they do more than heat the park bureau's swimming pool water during the summer. The conversion would heat water for the school building year round.
Both projects would have to be completed by December because federal tax credits expire then, Diviney said.
Hillsdale Neighborhood Association president Don Baack, who is leading a tour of the Rieke site on Monday, April 14, believes another promising solar site in Hillsdale is at Robert Gray Middle School.
The school district has small 1.1 KW demonstration projects at four other schools, Lincoln High School, DaVinci Middle School, Rosa Parks School and Cleveland High School.
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Many residents oppose "halo" tax plan
for pedestrian improvements
"Halos" look more like collars to a lot of property owners who have shown up to register their opinions of so-called "Halo LIDS" designed to pay for pedestrian and bike improvements in Southwest Portland.
"LIDS" are local improvement taxing districts, and in this economy, more taxes, even for good causes, face mounting resistance.
Recent meetings to consider the tax plan for the improvements on four streets in Southwest Portland drew large numbers - most in opposition.
At an April 10 open house at Bridlemile school, opponents voiced their concerns - often loudly. An estimated 150 people showed up for the session devoted to discussing how to pay for and to how to improve Hamilton Street from 39th Drive to west of 60th Place,
Earlier meetings were held for improvements on Vermont between 30th and 37th, 35th between Arnold and Stephenson, and Vermont from 45th to east of 66th Court. They too met opposition from people who would be taxed for the improvements if the Halo LIDS were formed.
The most support was registered for improvements at the east end of the Vermont 30th to 37th section near "Hoot Owl Corner."
The "halo" name refers to the shape of and assessment within the districts. The farther from the improvement property owners are, the less they would pay.
The Transportation Committee of Southwest Neighborhoods Inc, the regional coalition of neighborhood associations, will meet with City Transportation officials on Thursday evening, April 24, to weigh the future of the Halo LIDS proposal.
The "halo" funding mechanism was suggested to the SWNI Transportation Committee last year by Sam Adams, the elected city commissioner for transportation. Adams is running for mayor.
Bev Vogt, the acting transportation chair for Bridlemile Neighborhood, found herself presiding over an at times raucous April 10 meeting. She said that based on a survey of the neighborhood, most people agree they want improvements, they just don't want to pay for them. "They want to know why it can't be paid for with the taxes they pay now."
Both she and Don Gardner, the City's traffic engineer, who has shepherded the proposal, agree that the faltering economy may be contributing to the opposition.
Estimates put the improvements proposed for Hamilton at $5.4 million, which Gardner called a conservative figure but also one that reflected the extent and complexity of the improvements needed along the street with its narrow shoulders and steep terrain. Hamilton was the most expensive of the four proposed projects, he said. adding, "It's a lot of money."
Andrew Aebi, the transportation department's LID administrator, held out hope that changes could be made in both the proposals and the method of funding that might lead to neighborhood approval. But he admitted, "We have a lot of work to do to achieve a consensus about whether we move forward."
On Hamilton, according to the scenario presented at the open house, a property owner abutting the street would pay $5,000 under the Halo LID. Costs would decline to $2,600 for those a half mile away. The payments could be amortized over 20 years.
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Briefly:
Robert Gray to stage "Fiddler on the Roof"
Performances of Robert Gray Middle School's production of "Fiddler on the Roof" are Thursday, May 1, 6:30 p.m.; Friday, May 2, 7 p.m.; and Saturday, May 3, 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 for children, $7 for adults, or a family pack of 5 tickets for $20. To purchase tickets please contact Rosemary Schwimmer (rjschwimmer@comcast.net or 503-484-6921).
Neighborhood historical association seeks space
Multnomah Historical Association, which is dedicated to preserving the history of Southwest Portland neighborhoods, is looking for a home.
The non-profit volunteer organizations currently pays a small rent for approximately 200 square feet, which is devoted to file cabinets, a computer desk, a chair, a printer, a table and the association's collection.
If someone knows of a space that can be rented at a modest price, please contact Patti Waitman-Ingebretsen at (503) 341-0039.
Rummage Sale for Wilson Graduation Party
Parents of Wilson Seniors are holding a rummage sale to support this year's Graduation Party. The sale will be Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26, at Burlingame Baptist Church. Parent Kathy Phillips will collect donated items. Contact her at (503) 803-0510, or tkphillips6@gmail.com.
Pub Grub for Wilson Cluster Arts and Rieke Elementary
McMenamins is donating half their sales on two evenings to two local school programs.
Rieke Elementary school will benefit from a Hillsdale Brew Pub night on Tuesday, April 15. Organizers are suggesting that school supporters spend their tax refund checks for pub fair. The Rieke fundraiser starts at 5 p.m. The Hillsdale Pub is at 1505 SW Sunset Boulevard.
On Tuesday, May 13, at the Raleigh Hills Pub, a McMenamins Friends and Family Night, will benefit the Wilson Area Arts Council, a volunteer-based, not-for-profit that advances arts education in the nine schools in the Wilson Cluster. The pub is at 4495 SW Scholls Ferry Rd, Portland, across from Safeway and next to Parr Lumber.
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Letter to the Editor: Thanks to SW Trails leader
I'd like to acknowledge the tireless, often quiet work of one of our neighbors, Don Baack.
We are frequent users of the popular pedestrian cut-through on the short public right of way that parallels SW Sunset Boulevard and connects SW 25th to the end of SW Seymour Drive. Until recently the connection was little more than a couple of railroad ties and broken pieces of concrete that resembled a slide more that a path.
In response to concerns that the connection was dangerous, Don and his SW Trails crew worked with the adjacent neighbor to create a safe stair of railroad ties.
Sadly, within the last two weeks, someone removed the stair. The convenient cut-through no longer exists.
With this vital connection missing, our family will probably choose to walk to Hillsdale less, as Sunset Boulevard is too dangerous for children on foot. What a loss.
I understand that Don and his colleagues are working with the City of Portland Pedestrian Office on restoring the stairway.
Without Don, a tireless neighbor and leader, we just wouldn't have the pedestrian connections we all rely on. The trails network was Don's vision and, through founding SW Trails, he and the volunteers continue to maintain and expand the network.
Thanks, Don, for all you do.
Celeste Lewis
SW Washouga Avenue
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For more information contact:
Rick Seifert
Editor, Hillsdale News
(503) 245-7821
editor@hillsdalenews.org
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