Serving the Sweet Home community since 1929
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 Vol. 83, No. 50
75 Cents
Kari Bennett solos in "Mary Rocked the Little Baby" dar-
ing Friday's Singing Christmas Tree performance. At right,
Mrs. and Santa Claus (Penny and Don Gonzalez) wave at
spectators during the annual Christmas Parade on Saturday.
Christmas fun last weekend included the Singing Christmas
Tree, with performances Friday through Sunday, the parade
and four bazaars, including the Genealogy Library, the
Sweet Home Public Library, the Sweet Home Evangelical
Church and Sweet Home Christian Church. For more photos
see page 11.
Potos by Sean C. Morgan
ard
holds off
dmin
contract
By Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The District 55 School
Board Monday tabled a proposed
five-year master contract for
administrators until the January
board meeting.
The proposed contract
changes little from the previous
contract, said Chairman Jason
Redick, who has been Working
with administrators on the
contract.
The board approved a
new salary schedule and step
increases for the administrators in
November, but it hasn't approved
contract language yet.
Chanz Keeney wanted
to discuss further a "me-too"
clause in the contract that gives
administrators the same cost-
of-living raises and insurance
premium increases as teachers.
"Is there any reason this
contract can't be negotiated
separate from the "certified?"
Keeney asked. He said the board
should retain as much power as it
could, the ability to freeze wages,
• See Schools, page 12
Fifth-day options for kids still going strong
By Sean C. Morgan start of the school year to plan Friday "Day opens on Jan. 11, and the other schools open
Of The New Era Five Enrichment" activities for District 55 theirs on Jan. 18.
Three loc. al organizations are continu- students. The centers will provide an opportunity
ing to offer activities to students on Fridays, District 55 reduced the school week for students to get caught up on homework
and School District 55 will soon open up to four days this year. Students have most and get organized to be more successful in
an opportunity for students to get help with Fridays off from school. They attend school class, Strong said. High school students will
their school work on Fridays. on Fridays when holidays close schools on be able to access online projects as well.
Those were among the reports given at Mondays. Each school will set its own times,
Thursday, Dec. 6, during a "Day 5 Enrich- School District Strong said, and they're still working out
ment" follow-up meeting held at the Sweet "We're right now in the process of start- details. Information will be posted on the
Home police station community room. ing what we call Student Resource Centers district's website, sweethome.kl2.or.us.
Eight representatives of local organiza- on Fridays," said District 55 Business Man- Boys and Girls Club
tions gathered to discuss how Fridays are ager Kevin Strong. The Resource Centers The Boys and Girls Club program is
going this year and update each other on provide one more option for students on Fri-
their activities. The group met before the days. The Sweet Home High School center • See Fridays, page 13
SH Municipal Court collections at $1 million
By Sean C. Morgan tions agency the following year to begin col- collected otherwise.
Of The New Era lecting that cash. The city's auditors would The amount of unpaid fines is higher than ,,
The city of Sweet Home has collected write off fines after 10 years, in 1999, but some of the outstanding $3.5 mil-
about $1 million in delinquent fines through its The city hired an employee with a finance lion has been written off as well. During the
Municipal Court since it began turning unpaid background specifically to start turning those 1990s, the amount of unpaid fines was already
fines over to a collections agency in 1999. fines over to collections and tracking the infor- increasing, which prompted the decision to be-
lt has turned about $4.5 million in fines mation, said Finance Director Pat Gray. "We gin turning fines over to collections.
over to collections since then. couldn't collect them any other way.""I think you hve fewer people paying,"
In 1998, the city had $1.1 million in out- It's working, Gray said. Without aggres-
standing fines, and the city turned to a collec- sively pursuing the fines, the fines wouldn't be • See Court, page 7
Wish come true
Sawyer Slack, 18, holds an Alienware
computer he received through the Make
A Wish Foundation of Oregon and Clark
County,. Wash. He is in remission from
Hodgkin's Lymphoma. A social worker
at Doernbecher initiated the Make A
,Wish process prior to the remission.
Slack ate dinner and received his wish
at All-Star PizzaSaturday, Dec. 8, with
family and friends.
