Janice Allen: Citizen support critical for footbridge project
About the writer: Janice Allen is a direct service professional with MV Advancements in McMinnville. She served previously as associate director of public relations at George Fox University, assistant director of publications at Lewis & Clark College and features editor at the Newberg Graphic, where her husband serves as managing editor.
Attention nature lovers: Please attend an open house Wednesday, Nov. 19, to show your support for a walking bridge across the creek at Ewing Young Park.
The footbridge would allow access to 11 acres of Park and Rec land, allowing walking trails to follow. The open house is set for 5 to 7 p.m. at Chehalem Park & Recreation District headquarters at 125 S. Elliott Road in Newberg.
The park district will also host a virtual open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 20 via Zoom. The URL is tinyurl.com/msdxzd9x and the meeting ID 842 3129 7328.
A little background as to why citizen support is vital to getting the bridge:
In 2023, newly elected park and rec board members Jason Fields and Matt Smith voted it down.
At a CPRD board meeting prior to the election, Fields snarled to longtime CPRD Superintendent Don Clements, “I’m telling you, Don, the moment we get elected and sworn in, that bridge idea is dead, OK? I want to be clear about that. That bridge idea is dead … I’m not in charge right now, but I’m telling you for sure we are going to kill the bridge idea.”
Why such vicious opposition by the two new board members? Because they felt its approval might lead to approval of other bridges and trails in Yamhill County, and some big-money campaign contributors were adamantly opposed to one trail in particular — the Yamhelas Westsider.
It is widely known that one source of big money in Yamhill County politics is the George family, which owns and operates one of the largest hazelnut processing companies in the country. Political action committees controlled by or primarily funded by the George family spent more than $35,000 in the May 2023 election, according to a News-Register article, “Shell game: How the hazelnut-heavy George family is dominating elections spending in Yamhill County.”
So, the Georges funnel loads of money into helping elect Newberg and Yamhill County candidates. There’s nothing wrong with that. They may donate to any candidates they please. Where it becomes very wrong is when candidates represent only the big money that helped get them elected and blatantly ignore the wishes of the citizen majority.
Newly elected CPRD board members Jason Fields and Matt Smith were perfect examples.
According to the “Shell Game” article, some of the George money in the 2023 election went to supporting Fields and Smith. And it paid off handsomely for the Georges.
Don responded to Jason’s and Matt’s heavy-handed decimation of the bridge by saying Newberg residents have indicated over the years that they want the additional land developed. His words proved prophetic at a board meeting later that year, when people filled the room to show their support, many standing for the entire meeting,
The same goes for the Yamhelas Westsider Trail. Yamhill County commissioners who have received campaign money from the Georges have been working stealthily to get rid of the trail. This is the polar opposite of what Yamhill County citizens want, as 3,200 signatures in favor of the trail attest.
Yamhill County citizens, let’s stand up to big money. Let’s show up to support the Ewing Young footbridge.
Comments
manyhands
TESTIFY TO KEEP YAMHELAS TRAIL!
ATTEND TRAIL HEARING TO BE HELD 7 pm Thursday, December 4, at YC Court House 525 NE 5th St McMinnville Room 32 (basement of the court house).
1. You may email comments before 5 pm. Wednesday Dec.3 to planning@yamhillcounty.gov
2. Any comments received day of hearing must be submitted in writing (you must provide 12 copies) to YC Planning located on the second floor of the former Oregon Mutual bldg, 400 NE Baker St., McMinnville.
3. If anyone wishes to testify at the hearing they can sign up the night of the hearing to testify.
A little background:
In 2020 construction on the trail was well underway with support from citizens and a $1.5 million from the state. Despite its popularity, Mary Starrett (who had initially voted in support of the trail) and newly-elected County Commissioner Lindsay Berschauer killed the project.
By spring of 2021 building had come to a halt and a bridge outside Yamhill stood half completed. Then the county spent money to tear it down. Mary and Lindsay returned the $1.5 million.
In short, the two bowed to wealthy farmers who said the trail would adversely affect farming. The farmers also made it clear they did not want city people (ugh!) to sully "their" county.
They killed it even though there have been many successful workarounds for all kinds of concerns. After all, “rail-to-trail” projects exist all over the United States. There are 23 in Oregon alone.
They killed it because wealthy farmers like Celine McCarthy and the George family, who own land next to the trail, made large campaign donations to Mary and Lindsay and also to Jason Fields. Jason, who got elected to the park board in Newberg, viciously blocked a simple walking trail in that city because he and his supporters did not want to set precedent for the Yamhelas trail. Jason is now running for YC commissioner.
But good news! Funding is again available. OR Park & Rec announced $1.6 million in grant funds available.
Let's get the trail back!
manyhands
The good news is, Yamhill County's nine planning commissioners must hold the Dec. 4 hearing to allow citizens to submit letters and testify. After receiving testimonies the planning commissioners must make a recommendation to YC commissioners to keep or remove the trail.
The bad news is, county planning commissioners are appointed by Yamhill County Commissioners.
Let's just hope the nine planning commissioners are not beholden to Mary and Kit. I say this because in 2023, Mary, Kit, and county commissioner at the time Lindsay Berschauer appointed six candidates with jaw-dropping conflicts of interest and lack of qualifications to the county parks advisory board.
The appointments included Celine McCarthy who owns land adjacent to Yamhelas trail and has been a vocal opponent of the trail. McCarthy and her husband, Greg, who was convicted in federal court the previous year of financial fraud, were among the largest campaign finance donors to Lindsay, according to the News Register article "Commissioners engineer takeover of parks board; two resign in protest."
All we can hope is a large outpouring of letters and testimony will convince the planning commission to drop any allegiance to the commissioners and recognize two very important things: Yamhill County citizens and businesses have indicated repeatedly they want and would benefit greatly from the trail.