Waste Not

January 9, 12:00 noon to 1:15 p.m.

Banquet Room of the Renaissance Building, 136 SW Washington, Corvallis

Speakers: Brian May and Julie Jackson,

Allied Waste

Waste management is changing. May will discuss the anatomy of a modern landfill and food waste composting. Jackson will cover the current status of Allied Waste's recycling and composting programs.
 

As the Operations Manager for the Pacific Region Compost Facility (PRC), May is a leader in food waste composting in Oregon. He was responsible for improvements at the PRC that allowed the facility to become the first in Oregon permitted by the DEQ to compost all food wastes. Brian also manages the Coffin Butte Landfill where he oversees 25 employees and the disposal of more than a half-million tons of waste each year. During his 20 years of experience in the waste industry, he has seen sustainable practices become the norm.  A graduate of Western Oregon University, he and his wife live with their two daughters in Dallas, Oregon.

Julie Jackson has come full circle from high school teacher to director of a non-profit and back to recycling education and outreach. She is the recycling coordinator for Allied Waste, working in the Corvallis, Albany and Salem divisions, and enjoys spreading information about the company’s sustainable practices to people of all ages. A graduate of Oregon State University, Julie and her husband live in Albany.

Attendance is free. Lunch is $8 for members, $10 for nonmembers. To register, send email to nickhoutman8@aol.com by Jan. 6 with "City Club Jan. 9" in the subject line.

Ethical Issues in Contemporary Medicine

Nov. 14, 12:00 noon to 1:15 p.m.

Banquet Room of the Renaissance Building, 136 SW Washington, Corvallis

Speaker: Dr. Cliff Hall 

Attendance is free. Lunch is $8 for members, $10 for nonmembers. To register, send email to nickhoutman8@aol.com by Nov. 10 with "City Club Nov. 14" in the subject line.

Doctors take an oath, often simplified as "do no harm." Day to day, in hospitals, clinics and doctors' offices, it's often more complicated than that. An accident victim may be unconscious and unable to give informed consent for emergency medical treatment. Another patient with a life-threatening illness requires, but can't pay for, a costly surgery and future care. In a third case, a physician recommends that a child receive a vaccine despite the parents' objection. 

Each of these situations requires the application of medical ethics. Physicians sometimes struggle to balance their growing ability to enhance and maintain life through technology with fundamental principles of dignity, autonomy, cost effectiveness and confidentiality. Ethicists consider the factors that underlie medical decisions and advise providers on courses of action.

At the November 14 City Club meeting, Dr. Cliff Hall, chair of the Ethics Committee at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, will address these and other circumstances that affect the delivery of modern medical care. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency and Pulmonary Disease/Critical Care Fellowship in 1973, practicing at the Corvallis Clinic until 2001, when he became director of Good Sam's Hospitalist Service. Subsequently he became the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director (2007-2009) and is currently a Palliative Care physician at Good Sam.

Crime in Corvallis: Fact or Fiction?

12 noon — 1:15 p.m.

October 10th, 2011

Renaissance Building

136 SW Washington St.

Corvallis

THE ISSUE: Crime in Corvallis

We often read or hear about articles acclaiming Corvallis to be very secure and livable community. Does that mean we are safe? Rumors of possible gang-related graffiti circulate along with those about illegal drug activity. The Sept. 26 editorial in the Gazette-Times is titled “Property Crime Among the Biggest Risks in Corvallis.” Yet, on Sept. 16, the same newspaper had an article stating that countrywide, violent crime has gone down a whopping 70% since 1993. Is Corvallis really a safe city? Join our speakers today for an investigation of the issue.

SPEAKERS

Benton County Sheriff Diana Simpson will give the broad county perspective on the issue and, along with the other two speakers, help to delineate responsibilities of the city and the university.

Corvallis Police Chief Gary Boldizsar will discuss crime trends and clarify terminology, such as “secure” and “safe,” when used to refer to quality of life issues in communities.

OSU Director of Public Safety, Jack Rogers, will share the university’s roles and responsibilities in addressing crime as well as its relationship with the other two represented departments.

To register, send e-mail to Nick Houtman, City Club president, nickhoutman8@aol.com, by October 6th 2011, with "City Club October 10" in the subject line. Attendance is free to all. Lunch is $8 for members and $10 for non-members. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

The Changing Face of America: What the 2010 Census Isn't Telling You

Monday, Sept. 12

12 noon to 1:15 p.m.

Banquet Room in the Renaissance Building

136 SW Washington St.

Corvallis
Attendance is free. Lunch: $8 for members, $10 for non-members. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. To reserve a space, send email to Nick Houtman, nickhoutman8@aol.com, with City Club Sept. 12 in the subject line, by Sept. 8.

Speaker: Terryl Ross, 

Director of Community and Diversity, Oregon State University

This presentation will examine the findings and implications of the 2010 census for America, Oregon and Corvallis. Specifically, we will discuss the census data, changing demographics and new ways to explore economic diversity in our region. Participants will leave this presentation with a solid understanding of what these changes mean for Oregon and how they are likely to affect Corvallis. 

Terryl completed his Ph.D. in Educational Communications and Technology at the University of Washington. His dissertation topic was, “MOSAIC: The Case Study of a diversity-based, E-learning Community.”  He received his MA from Syracuse University in Public Relations and he double-majored at Eastern Washington University in Government and Commercial Recreation.

Terryl has served as the campaign co-chair for the Inclusive Corvallis Ballot Measure 02-56, facilitator for the 509J Diversity Action Planning Team, co-chair of the 2010 United Way of Benton County Needs Assessment, and producer of the OSU Voices Project. He has served  on the United Way of Benton County Board, University of Washington College of Education Alumni Advisory Board and Corvallis Police Department Citizen Review Board.

Terryl is a class member of Leadership Corvallis 2005 and a Senior Fellow of Oregon’s 2006 American Leadership Forum.  His leadership helped Oregon State University win Minority Access Inc. 2008 and 2010 awards as one of America’s most promising diversity programs. He is also executive director of MOSAIC Nation, a project to examine social justice in America. 

Growth in Corvallis: How, When, Where?

12 noon — 1:15 p.m., June 13 

Banquet Room, The Renaissance Building

136 SW Washington St.

Doors open at 11:30. Attendance is free. Lunch is $8 for members, $10 for non-members. To save a seat, send email to Nick Houtman (nickhoutman8@aol.com) by June 9.

Corvallis' 2020 vision statement forecasts a population of 57,500 to 63,500 by that year. At more than 55,000 in 2011, the city will accommodate growth at Oregon State University and an influx of people to the mid-Willamette Valley for its highly regarded quality of life. Growth requires adjustments in infrastructure (transportation, utilities, public safety, education) and a planning process to resolve conflicts in land use for agriculture, conservation, residential, business and other purposes. 

In February, the City Club discussed student housing and neighborhood issues brought about by a growing student population. In this session, Kevin Young, manager of the Corvallis Planning Division, and Patricia Daniels, former city councilor, will set the stage for a discussion of the process that guides land use decisions and of the hot growth issues currently facing the city. 

Publicly Funded Health Care for All

Monday, May 9, 11:45 am - 1:15 pm

The Renaissance Building, 136 SW Washington St.

Attendance is free. Lunch is $8 for members, $10 for non-members.  To save a seat, send e-mail to nickhoutman8@aol.com with "City Club May 9" in the subject line by May 5.

In the wake of last year’s federal health care law, we continue to see proposals for reform. Portions of the federal law face legal challenge, and in Oregon, Governor Kitzhaber’s Health Systems Transformation Team has proposed the creation of “Coordinated Care Organizations” to manage health care on a local or statewide basis. State Senator Frank Morse has proposed a system funded by a constitutionally dedicated sales tax.

At the May 9 meeting of the Corvallis City Club, Dr. Michael Huntington and Dr. Paul Hochfeld will discuss the rationale for a publicly funded health-care system and how it prevents physical, emotional and financial suffering for individuals and communities. They will review reform efforts currently under way in Oregon and how they complement a single-payer system. They are active members of Mad As Hell Doctors (http://madashelldoctors.com/).

An emergency-room physician at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis for 31 years, Paul graduated from MIT with B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering and from the University of California San Diego in medicine. He produced a documentary — Health, Money and Fear — which has been widely viewed within the health-care reform community and is available for viewing at www.ourailingheatlhcare.com. He has been actively advocating for definitive health-care reform.

Mike grew up in Southern California, went to OSU, then OHSU for medical school and later residency in radiation oncology. From 1984 through 2006, he was Medical Director for the Radiation Oncology Department and Cancer Center at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis. Since his retirement he has joined with other physicians and activists in Corvallis to form a group whose mission is to engage colleagues and the public in discussion about the urgent need for health-care reform. The group has co-sponsored public forums and given many talks to civic groups in Corvallis over the past four years. In 2007 this group became the Oregon Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program and helped form the Mad As Hell Doctors, which toured the U.S. in September 2009, California in 2010, and is now touring Oregon.

Up to the Voters: A tax-levy proposal

Monday, April 11, 11:45 am - 1:15 pm

The Renaissance Building, 136 SW Washington St.

Attendance is free. Lunch is $8 for members, $10 for non-members.  To save a seat, send e-mail to nickhoutman8@aol.com with "City Club April 11" in the subject line by April 7.

On May 17, 2011, Corvallis voters will decided whether or not to approve an additional property tax levy of 45¢ per $1,000 of assessed property value. If passed, the measure is expected to raise $5.6 million over its three-year life. It targets funds to the Corvallis Public Library, Osborn Aquatic Center, the Chintimini Senior Center and social services.

In its first year, the revenue would reduce a projected $3.1 million city budget deficit by $1.8 million. Additional cuts would be made to close the spending gap.

At the April 11 Corvallis City Club meeting, two Corvallis residents will present their thoughts about the proposed levy. Karyle Butcher is a citizen member of the Corvallis Budget Commission, which recommended the tax levy to the Corvallis City Council on Dec. 13, 2010. She was head of the Valley Library and the OSU Press at Oregon State University before retiring in September 2010. She has also served a term on the city council and is a member of Friends of Corvallis, which promotes a "yes" vote on the proposal.

John Detweiler is an independent professional in statistics, cost/economic analysis and statistical support of real estate appraisal. He has masters degrees from Oregon State University in statistics, business administration and physical oceanography and has served as budget and operations research analyst and engineer and in other positions for the U.S. General Accounting Office, U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Navy. In a March 24, 2011 letter to the editor of the Gazette Times, he advocated a "no" vote on the proposal.

Conversation with the Mayor

In January, new mayor Julie Manning shook City Recorder Kathy Louie's hand after she was sworn in. (Andy Cripe/Gazette-Times)

Monday, March 14, 11:45 am - 1:15 pm

The Renaissance Building, 136 SW Washington St.

Attendance is free. Lunch is $8 for members, $10 for non-members.  To save a seat, send e-mail to nickhoutman8@aol.com with "City Club March 14" in the subject line by March 10.

There is no shortage of long-term issues facing the City of Corvallis: taxes, sustainability, homelessness, housing, economic development, open space, OSU's growth and traffic. In the short term, the City faces decisions on budget, the search for new city manager and immediate issues for the city council to tackle. As one of her first orders of business, recently elected Mayor Julie Manning is developing goals with the council. At this City Club meeting, the mayor will discuss those goals as well as budget options and the replacement of retiring City Manager Jon Nelson.

Manning is Vice President for Development, Marketing and Public Relations at Samaritan Health Services. Her department is responsible for public relations, marketing, and fundraising activities for the system’s five hospitals, 25 physician clinics, three health plans and one senior care facility.

Prior to her election as mayor in 2010, she served eight years on the Corvallis Budget Commission and chaired the city’s 2020 Vision Committee. She served as a high school and college instructor in journalism and mass media, as a daily newspaper reporter, and as Assistant Press Secretary to former Oregon Gov. Vic Atiyeh.

Manning is an active community volunteer. She is a past president of the Corvallis Area Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Greater Corvallis and the United Way of Benton County. She currently co-chairs Benton County’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness and chairs the Public Relations Committee for Rotary’s District 5110. Manning is the board chair of E3: Employers for Education Excellence, which is the education arm of the Oregon Business Council. She was named Corvallis’ Junior First Citizen in 1997 and Corvallis’ First Citizen in 2005.

Good Neighbors

12 noon — 1:15, February 14, 2011

Banquet Room, The Renaissance Building

136 SW Washington St., Corvallis

Speakers

Tom Scheuremann, Director, University Housing and Dining Services, Oregon State University

Bob Loewen, Housing Division, City of Corvallis

Rentals and owner-occupied residences can co-exist peacefully in the same neighborhood, but in college towns across the country, relations can be strained. As Oregon State University continues to grow, Corvallis residents are likely to have new rental developments as neighbors, and competition for available rental space will increase. Maintaining the city's safety and quality of life will require a planned approach to building positive relations among full-time residents, student renters and landlords. 

At the February 14 Corvallis City Club meeting, Tom Scheuermann and Bob Loewen will discuss legal requirements, current and anticipated residential facilities and services at OSU and in Corvallis, and housing standards and programs aimed at maintaining positive neighborhood relations. They will address issues such as parking, rental housing quality and landlord obligations, as well as the importance of a planned and collaborative approach to these issues. (Note: Corvallis City Club will address broader issues regarding land use, traffic and commercial development in a future session)

Attendance is free to the public. Lunch is $8 for City Club members and $10 for non-members. To register, send e-mail to Nick Houtman, City Club president, nickhoutman8@aol.com, with City Club Feb. 14 in the subject line. Indicate whether or not you will have lunch at the meeting.

Construction Zone: ODOT's proposal for Corvallis

11:45 a.m. — 1:15 p.m.
January 10, 2011

Renaissance Building
136 SW Washington St.

Corvallis

THE ISSUE

Everyone who commutes across the Willamette River knows that it’s a dangerous drive. Three highways converge in downtown Corvallis, creating a bottleneck that backs up traffic in all directions. Over the past five years, 23 crashes happened at the South Bypass intersection, and 71 crashes were reported at OR34 and Peoria Road. If nothing is done by 2030, traffic will back up in all directions for over a mile, and crashes will send many more commuters to the hospital.

ODOT has studied this problem and has come up with a short- and long-term strategy to fix it. It begins with improvements at the South Bypass intersection and Peoria Road and includes investments in transit, park and rides, and multi-use facilities. This plan requires change from everyone who drives, cycles, or walks between the river and Peoria Road.

SPEAKERS

Jerry Wolcott leads planning for the project in ODOT’s Corvallis field office. He says that it will take investment in infrastructure and transit, reducing the number of vehicles, and streamlining the intersections in Corvallis to relieve congestion. Steve Rogers, Corvallis Public Works Director, has reviewed ODOT’s plans and suggests that expanded bus service will present the city and region with a challenge. Short-term planned projects also may cause difficulty for the biking community, which cannot travel easily east along Hwy. 34 across the Van Buren bridge.

To register, send e-mail to Nick Houtman, City Club president, nickhoutman8@aol.com, by January 6, 2011, with "City Club January 10" in the subject line. Attendance is free to all. Lunch is $8 for members and $10 for non-members. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.