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Issue #41
Posted Feb 28, 2009
Serving Hillsdale. Supported by The Hillsdale Alliance
Also in This Issue
� Bus service to be trimmed
� Tunnel Vision?
� The Datebook
� Food campaign underway
� Volunteer fair planned
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Commentary:

Stimulating sidewalks

Alissa at KorkageI've been on the lookout for the first signs of stimulus package money to show up here. Hopes are running high that it will begin to turn things around in both the private and public sectors.

Turns out it may be showing up, literally, in the streets - and that has some folks upset.

At the Feb. 24 transportation committee meeting of SWNI (that's our umbrella organization for southwest Portland neighborhoods), chair Marianne Fitzgerald noted that high on the list of proposed stimulus projects was $2 million to repave Capitol Highway out by Markham School.

Say what?

That's what the two dozen neighborhood leaders gathered around the table asked too.

Why not use the money to build bike lanes and sidewalks, which are notoriously scarce in Southwest Portland?

Here's why not. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has an auto-oriented, street and highway fixation because, under the Oregon Constitution, gas tax revenues can't be spent on alternative transportation.

Well, stimulus money isn't gas tax revenue, argued the committee's neighborhood leaders, so here's the perfect "stimulating" chance to break out of the ODOT box.

The SWNI committee is suggesting its own list of projects for the stimulus $2 million. Almost all the projects have to do with feet and pedals, not internal combustion engines.

Our new president came to public service as a community organizer. He has celebrated the role of communities in bringing about change. How the stimulus money is spent should be determined not by rigid, backward-thinking bureaucracies, but by forward-thinking communities, who best know their needs.

President Obama, we want this money to walk your talk in Southwest Portland.

Rick Seifert
Editor
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Links to Alliance Members

Rieke solar array gets money,
summer construction eyed


The Rieke solar array has won financial backing from a major investor and is on track to be built this summer, according to developers and school district officials.

With an unnamed private investor signed on, Catherine Diviney, an energy specialist with Portland Public Schools, said, "We are planning to move forward."

Solar PanelsThe district and developers had hoped to obtain funding last year, but the credit crisis and uncertainty about the continuance of tax incentives became obstacles.

School officials now plan to meet with school and neighborhood leaders to go over the final design, which calls for three solar panel segments (see photo) placed on the southwest-facing slope above Bertha Court.

The 100 KW system is estimated to cost roughly $800,000. With 500 photovoltaic panels, the system will generate about 100,000 kWh of electricity or enough to provide for 60 percent of Rieke Elementary School's needs.

Commercial Solar Ventures, developers of the project, still need to conduct geotechnical studies, and small pieces of the financial package remain to be filled in.

But Sandra Walden of the firm said, "We have most of what it is going to take and plan to begin work in the summer."

Investors will own the equipment for five or six years in order to take advantage of state and federal tax credits. After that, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation will take over ownership, said Diviney. The foundation will also provide an educational component for Rieke students. Wilson and Gray students are also expected to learn from the project.

The school district will purchase power from the owners.

Hillsdale braces for bus cuts

Bridlemile worries that loss of #55 will bring more traffic

#55 HamiltonTriMet is proposing to trim service in Hillsdale as part of the agency's efforts to close a $13.5 million budget gap for the next fiscal year.

The #55 Hamilton would be dropped altogether. That is raising concerns in the Bridlemile neighborhood to the west of Hillsdale.

The commuter service travels along Hamilton Street and Sunset Boulevard connecting much of Hillsdale, Bridlemile and Raleigh Hills with downtown.

The #55 makes five, one-way morning trips downtown and eight afternoon and evening one-way runs homeward.

The route, along with eleven other lines region-wide, are proposed for elimination. Together they serve about 1.1 percent or 3,500 of TriMet's riders.

Other proposed Hillsdale changes would end weekend service for the #39 Lewis & Clark, which begins at the Lewis & Clark campus, and Saturday service for the #1 Vermont.

John Joseph, TriMet marketing programs coordinator, said he plans to be at the March 4 Hillsdale Neighborhood Association meeting (7 p.m. St. Barnabas Church, 2201 Vermont) to answer questions and gather comments about the proposed changes, which would take effect in September.

Joseph said that low-ridership lines and trips and the availability of nearby alternative routes were criteria used to make the recommended cuts.

It wasn't clear what nearby alternative routes would be available to many riders on a recent run of the #55. On its third morning trip of the day, the #55 carried mostly Lincoln and Wilson High School students from the Bridlemile neighborhood.  The bus was about two-thirds full.

One adult passenger, who uses the route every work day, said she worried about the students having to walk along streets without sidewalks to catch buses on Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, the nearest alternative route - which, she noted, isn't all that "near."

Claire Evans, Bridlemile neighborhood chair, said students aren't the only ones affected. The loss of the #55 would also increase traffic on Hamilton and force many people to walk on the street, which has no sidewalks. She said that employees at three foster care homes on or near Hamilton, will now have to find alternative ways to get to work.

Evans said the issue would be discussed at the next Bridemile Neighborhood Association meeting, March 11, 6:30 p.m., at Bridlemile School. She said that while the dropping of the #55 is "a big problem" for many, she isn't sure whether it is severe enough to make a difference with TriMet.

TriMet buses average 34.6 rides per hour, Joseph said. "Anything under 15 rides/hour is a low-performing route." The average cost per ride is $2.72, with TriMet payroll business taxes making up 55 percent of the cost. Fares pay for about 20 percent of the cost, Joseph said.

He said that the #55 averages 11.3 rides per hour at a cost of $8.24 per ride. It is the fifth most expensive line of the 12 proposed to be cut.

Joseph said that the proposed cuts are a seeming "paradox" because the poor economy has increased ridership but it also has created the $13.5 million gap that must be addressed.

While cutting service is bad, it's nothing like what's happening in some cities. In St. Louis, he said, 40 percent of the routes have been eliminated.

For more on the proposed TriMet changes go to www.trimet.org
'Feed the Hungry' campaign
confronts urgent need


The third annual SW Hope: "Feed the Hungry" campaign, which started in late February amidst growing need, is in full swing and need for food mounts.

The goal is to collect 100,000 pounds of food.  Southwest Portland Faith congregations, many themselves being hit hard by the severe recession, are helping with the drive.

Neighborhood House, which organizes the drive, provides emergency food boxes to approximately 420 families each month, up from 270 a year ago.  The demand for food assistance is expected to increase further this year.

This year's campaign, which runs to April 5, includes local faith communities such as St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Congregation Neveh Shalom, Hillsdale Community Church, and more than 20 others.

The campaign includes collection barrels and informational tables at local businesses, community centers, and faith congregations.  "Dine Out and Donate" promotions in partnership with local restaurants are raising money for the campaign via special dining days, coupons and discounts.

To find out about drop-off sites and participating restaurants and coupons visit www.swhope.org.

Donations, both food and monetary, can be made at Neighborhood House, located at 7780 SW Capitol Hwy.

For more information about the food drive and how you can help, contact Pastor Patty Campbell-Schmitt at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church at (503) 246-4276 or [email protected].  Information is also available by visiting www.nhweb.org or by calling Neighborhood House at (503) 246-1663 x118.

Volunteer Fair seeks volunteers
 
The Southwest Community Connection newspaper is organizing a "Fair and Community Forum" at Wilson High School and seeks volunteers to help make it happen.

The event will be in the school's cafeteria from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, April 13.
 
Editor Shasta Kearns Moore says that the idea is "to bring the community together in this time of need." She wants to connect those willing to help with those who need it.
 
Groups that want a table at the fair can register by going to www.SWCommConnection.com, clicking on the "Contact Us" tab and filling out the brief form titled "Volunteer form."
 
Another way to access to form is by going here: http://www.swcommconnection.com/forms/volunteer_form.php
 
Volunteer speakers, discussion leaders, event organizers and musicians are also invited to participate in the forum and presentation. Contact Moore to help. (503) 546-0741 or [email protected]

She said that while all are welcome, she particularly would like to motivate teens and the under-30 set to join in the event.
Tunnel vision?

Metro looks to Transit future here

Metro is asking Hillsdale and other Southwest Portland residents to think ahead as far as 30 years to answer questions about "High Capacity Transit."

"High Capacity Transit," or HCT, is public transit that moves people faster than traditional buses, Karen Withrow from Metro told a group of neighborhood transportation leaders on Feb. 24.

She and her Metro colleague Tony Mendoza handed out a questionnaire that will be available on-line for a month starting March 23 at www.oregonmetro.gov/goingplaces. Also on the site will be an interactive "build a system" tool to explore  transit plan options.

The public's responses will be used to help determine which of 15  regional transit corridors should be improved first. Those receiving the highest priority could be built in as soon as five years.

At the Feb. 24th meeting of the Southwest Neighborhoods Inc (SWNI) Transportation committee meeting, Glenn Bridger, past SWNI president, questioned how competitive Southwest Portland could be for the new transit services if the City of Portland continues to be unwilling to invest in pedestrian and bike improvements here that support transit use.

Of particular interest were two alternative routes for HCT out of downtown headed to Sherwood using Barbur. One would follow Barbur's current path, but the other calls for a tunnel that would start near downtown and bore through the hills to emerge near the intersection of Capitol Hill Road and Barbur.

A map shows the Hillsdale Town Center as being directly on the tunnel route.

Mendoza said that the tunnel idea is largely a concept and a way to avoid the difficulties Barbur's cliffs and steep slopes pose to light-rail siting. He said that planners estimated that it would cost $200 million per mile to build the tunnel.
The Date Book

  Feb. 28-March 1
"Rent" (school edition) at Wilson High School

Two more performances remain for the musical "Rent" in the Cosgrove Auditorium at Wilson High School: Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m. Student tickets cost $10 and adults $15.

Tuesday, March 3 - Robert Gray Multicultural Celebration

The 10th Annual Robert Gray Middle School Multicultural Celebration will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event features ethnic foods, Hawaiian and Mexican dancers, the Robert Gray Middle School Choir, numerous displays and craft-making. Admission is free. For more information, call the school at (503) 916-5676 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 3 - Multnomah Historical Association

The Association will meet at 7 p.m. at SWNI Conference room at Multnomah Center for its board elections.

Tuesdays in March -  2009 Lenten Series: "Ways to Pray"

The Hillsdale Community Church series will
explore ways of praying including icon painting, body prayer, pilgrimage, acts of service. Simple Soup Supper at 6:30 p.m.; program from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The United Church of Christ church is at 6948 SW Capitol Highway. Enter the Fellowship Hall on Texas Street.

Wednesday, March 4 - Hillsdale Neighborhood Association

Traffic calming and proposed TriMet changes get banner billing at March's meeting. Then it's on to the eradication of invasive species in Himes Park and a report on SERA's implementation study of the Hillsdale Town Center. 7 p.m. at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 2201 SW Vermont.

Saturday, March 14 - Robert Gray Auction

The Robert Gray School benefit auction is at 7 p.m. at the Multnomah Arts Center. Tickets for admission and dessert go on sale during the Multicultural Fair (see March 3 above).Two for $25 or $15 for a single.

Tuesday, March 17 - Civic Ecology Talk

Timothy Smith of SERA Architects will give a free presentation titled, "Civic Ecology: A Framework for a Sustainable Hillsdale," 7 p.m., at The Watershed (Bertha Court and Capitol Highway).
Rick Seifert
Editor, Hillsdale News
(503) 245-7821
[email protected]