Page. 18
- October 17, 2012
ail
neighbors told to seek strength in numbers
By Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
Neighbors of the Albany &
Eastern Railroad line between
Lebanon and Sweet Home are being
advised that they need to work
together in dealing with the railroad
over its demands that they pay $720
in maintenance and permit transfer
fees.
A group of some 25 of those
neighbors gathered Tuesday evening,
Oct. 9, at the Sweet Home Police
Department meeting room to discuss
their optio as.
Mike Martel, a resident of
Country Lane, which crosses the
railroad line perpendicular to
Highway 20 across from Harmony
Road, led the discussion.
He said the purpose of the
meeting was to form a coalition to
deal with the railroad's demands and
gather facts.
"We need information from
everybody," he said. "Without the
networking of the folks here, we're
pretty weak as individuals. But we
have power as a group."
Neighbors discussed the
implications of the railroad's
contentions that it controls a 50-foot
right-of-way extending from the
line.
One, Chet Elder who said his
family has lived at 28501 Highway
20, across from Liberty Road, since he
was 5, said a railroad representative
has told him that a grove of fir trees,
planted by his mother when the
family moved there, will be cut down
because it is in the fight-of-way.
"My house will be exposed to
the highway," Elder said.
"The tree huggers who shut
down our timber industry should
get involved," suggested another
attendee. "Think about all the trees
they would take out in a 50-foot
fight-of-way."
"I think I'd rather suffer," Martel
noted, wryly.
Contacted later, railroad
spokesman Jared Comell said the
trees pose a danger because they
brush locomotives as they pass.
"God forbid that one of our
stacks catches a branch on fire and
then the house goes up," he said. "It's
a huge fire and public safety issue."
Richard Knowles, a Sun Lane
resident, said the railroad's demand
that neighbors carry $1 million
insurance policies covering the
il
Secluded, quiet, treed property ready for you and your animals.
Almost 6 acres bordering private timber land. Abun-
dant wildlife and recreation opportunities. Nice,
1440sf stick-built home w/ attached garage.
Updated country kitchen, refinished beautiful maple
floors in LR/DR. Two-stall barn, plus a nice goat or
sheep barn and storage sheds. $239,000 mls#655852
Herimg~ ~W
(541)401-9559 or
Creek
REALTY
Kitsey Trewin (541) 409-4962 I Angela Weld (541) 401-5612
Debbie Adams {541) 409-9132
Todd Branson (541) 409-1800 J Linda Renoud (541) 401-5770
FOR SALE
Great country lot located next to a new subdivision. City water
and city sewer services available at the street. Owner will
consider all reasonable offers and will carry a contract. Priced
at $50,000 MLS#649442
Great horse property near Crawfordsville areal This 4bd/2bth
1920 sq/ft Adair built home is located on 9.16 acres of flat,
usable, fenced ground with a small barn. Home boasts vaulted
ceilings, roomy kitchen with lots of cupboards, living room and
a family room in addition to a dining nook. Easy access to
Highway 228 and I-5. $235,000 MLS#635263
Endless possibilities, are available with this 2 bedroom, 1 bath
home that is Zoned C-2 Commercial. An amazing price for a
place to live and have your business in the same building.
Home has Hwy 20/Main St. frontage. Home is move-in ready.
Let your creative juices flow - don't miss this opportunity! MLS#
657288
FOR RENT
AVAILABLE NOW: I/I Apt in 4-plex. W/S/G Pd. Rent $350 +
Deposit 921 Oak Terrace #C
AVAILABLE NOW: 4/2.5 Home on 44 Acres. Call for details. Rent
$1600 + Deposit. Rice Rd.
AVAILABLE NOW: 3/2 Home with garage, fenced yard &
covered patio. Rent $825 + Dep. 1441 Westwood
AVAILABLE NOW: 3/1 Home close to town. Rent $650 + Dep.
1893 Kalmia
AVAILABLE SOON: 3/I Home in good neighborhood. Rent $675
+ Dep. 617 Juniper
j: : rl
541367.6364 J www.amescreekre lt3
Mike Martel, right, and other neighbors of the Albany & Eastern Railroad
the rail line.
crossings is another problem. He said
he was "arguing" with Burlington
Northern, former owner of the line,
about that issue 12 years ago, and
that Burlington Northern agreed
to accept the "maximum coverage
allowed" by Knowles' insurance
carrier at that time.
Doug Gadsby, who has lived on
Sun Lane since 1996, said the railroad
wanted to charge him $3,500.
'Tve had a permit before," he
said. "I've had the insurance they
asked for. Burlington Northern
was charging $100 for a five-year
period. There's nothing to maintain.
The only thing the railroad does is
defoliate. I've got pot holes in my
driveway up to the track and I had to
fill them with gravel."
Martel said Country Lane
neighbors have had problems with
their road flooding at the railroad
crossing and thfit, despite promises,
Albany & Eastern has done nothing.
Cornell said later that the
railroad believes the problems
stem from culverts installed by the
county.
"We've looked into it, but it's
~UNITEpSTA TES Statement of Ownership, Management, and Cimulation
POST/JL SERVICE (All Periodicals Publications Except Requester Rublications)
1 lTl t-I, lobl
4 Is~,ue ~uency 5, N~ofi~u~sPc~L~hl~:~i~ 6 A~k~S~c~o~mPl~J~
8 Co~p~e ~liil~ ~d~.~ t~ or Generl lu~,w~ s Offl * of FVo~sh~ 'N I pn~aed
12o, ~ ]Sq. S~e 4" /4=,< oK q7"JY6
F'~s~r tName ~ ~ ~ ~o~ress}
,5~,-r-r,=~.~ Nt,W'~ C,~,-,';
.~; :"r"f" A ,u,~s~,-,
-~'--''~ H,"-~, oe qG3gg"
1,1. ISS~ i~t, ft~ Otcu~at~a Data ael~v
~. Flee or
F.~ ~ Noa~ Ra~e ~n tYmaae tha Ma~
A' eragl ~. Coak~, E*~ I~,~ e
outing Pnn:~dlno ~l mon~=
Z lS'~
-3o
9
0
30
. X4 73~
'4Za~
Pub~hed ~ to
Fi}Mg D~te
qql
0
~t6
f
c
Pere.e*~ Pale
Photo by Scott Swanson
gather to discuss demands made by
not the result of our work,'; he said.
Martel told residents at the
meeting to contact him with their
problems and he would take photos
of their crossings and prepare a
presentation for legislators.
He said state legislators he has
discussed the situation with had
counseled residents to sit back until
the state Legislature has time to act,
which won't happen until February.
"If they set up barricades, don't
tear them down," Martel said. "Just
take pictures."
He said legislators had told him
they felt "sold out" by the railroad's
tactics after they gave Albany &
Eastern some $2.6 million in a
Connect Oregon III grant to repair
the line between Lebanon and Sweet
Home.
Martel suggested that neighbors
e-mail legislators with descriptions
of their experiences.
"If all the folks on the rail line
describe their situations, there's
power in numbers. I can't emphasize
that enough."
He also cautioned neighbors
against taking out their frustrations
against Rick Franklin Corp. workers
who are rebuilding the rail line.
"These poor souls are just trying
to make a living," he said.
From page 1
The end of fire season is close,
Pettinger said. Fire officials are
waiting for a little more rain to
finish soaking the heavy fuels.
More rain was anticipated for
Monday night with a couple of nice
days afterward and another system
moving in over the weekend,
Pettinger said. "It's anybody's
guess, but we could be days away."
Last week, fire crews were
sitting around in T-shirts wondering
if it would ever rain, and they've
been busy.
The Sweet Home Unit has
responded to 64 calls this year,
Pettinger said. At the end of the
month, the unit was at 50 calls. The
biggest fire to date was one just
west of Holley that burned nearly
two acres. It was started by target
shooting.
The majority of calls were
abandoned campfires, and that
continued through last week,
Pettinger said.
The burn ban remained in
effect as of Monday, but the ban is
under discussion now. ODF is part
of it along with the Linn CoUnty
Fire Defense Board.
For more information about
fire season and burning, contact
the Sweet Home Unit at (541) 367-
6108.
