Citizens For Responsible City Government
If Your Civil Rights Are Important To You, Read On
Newberg residents,
Did you know our city council has a new “Utopian” plan for our little city? A plan that will cost us tens of millions of dollars? Against the will of the current property owners and residents of Newberg, our city council is aggressively pushing their agenda in the name of progress by stealing homeowner’s land, claiming eminent domain to make way for redundant green space, and interconnecting bike paths.
But wait…that sounds like a good idea…right?
What the current administration has failed to mention is this will involve the complete abandonment of ALL PARKING in front of countless homes! In other words, you will forfeit your parking in front of your home and potentially lose YOUR land as part of a “sidewalk widening/green space” project.
This Utopian vision is being spearheaded by the Newberg city engineer, Kaaren Hofmann, Tony Roos with Kittelson & Associates, Inc, Paul Chiu the project manager, along with council members Julia Martinez Plancarte (District 2), Patrick Johnson (Formally District 4) , Stephanie Findley (District 6), Elise Yarnell Hollamon (District 1), and Gene Piros (Formally District 5) (Our newest councilor of District 5, Mike McBride had not yet been seated).
Mayor Rick Rogers went out of his way as he attempted to implore the City Council staff to be prudent in their decisions and to stop an Eminent Domain vote. He made numerous suggestions towards alternate resolutions, and his simple request of suggesting that city staff wait and meet face-to-face with the affected residents to arrive at a mutually beneficial resolution were all ignored.
We also thank councilor Denise Bacon and recognize her as a champion of property rights, as she was the ONLY city council member to NOT only vote against this, but she was also the ONLY person to engage in any real dialogue and to acknowledge that there was apparently a substantial “push-back” against the project, and hence the need to work with property owners as opposed to simply taking land (note: Denise Bacon does NOT even represent District 5 in Newberg…)
Once again, we thank Mayor Rogers, as well as councilor Denise Bacon for their efforts to allow the public’s opinion to be heard.
In stark contrast, here is what former city council member Patrick Johnson had to say.
In summary, Patrick feels that just because you make a mortgage payment and pay taxes, that does NOT GIVE YOU the right to think that you are “entitled” (to use his exact words) to your property.
Patrick Johnson also made the ignorant and utterly misguided statement of claiming (quote) “if you can’t look down your street and see an open lot, and can’t see a Starbucks development coming in the future, then maybe you should have bought a home somewhere else” (end quote).
Well… ALL of us here on Elliott Road would like to advise Comrade Johnson that up until a year before the Panda Express / Starbuck development project occurred, there were NO EMPTY LOTS… the simple reality is that a developer purchased 3 or 4 separate parcels (one at a time) and then knocked down the dentist office, the dog washing facility and a couple of small single-family homes… Here’s an update for you Patrick, when a person “owns land” (makes the mortgage payment, pays taxes) they have an expectation of security in their investment and are indeed “entitled” to their own land.
This project will begin on Elliott Road, a historical short stretch of road ending at the high school parking lot. It has and will continue to overflow onto connecting streets,
Specifically:
Haworth
Sitka
Marie
Pecan
Walnut
Willow
Jodi Court
Orchard Drive
Oak Drive
Carroll Avenue
Carol Ann Drive
ETC……
Deborah road and Villa road are separate matters entirely…and now the residents on E. Sheridan are fighting the same battle to keep their land and on-street parking! Here is the nonchalant vote to steal homeowner’s property.
At this point, Kaaren Hofmann is anxious to spend almost four million of your tax dollars just on Elliott road….$4,000,000…..on a road already repaved a few years ago and has at least 10 years of life according to Newberg’s engineering department, specifically, Tony Roos who repeatedly disrespects homeowners by dismissing their concerns and rolling his eyes when citizen’s concerns are raised publicly.
This video is from Tony Roos (who works for the developer on this project…!!!) who has stated and claimed publicly that he ONLY HAS the residents of Newberg best interests at heart…
Yeah, sure Tony…
Tell me Tony, is that why you are ROLLING YOUR EYES in CONTEMPT when months earlier you were asked a simple yet reasonable question by Mark Carleton (with the City of Newberg Traffic Safety Commission) about this project?
Moreover, it was only a few years ago that I and other residents of Elliott road were told by the previous administration that the city had no plans or funding for any sort of projects on Elliott road.
However, behold our new city administration….and the money, apparently sent from heaven, we now have leadership with anxious desire to spend taxpayer money on needless projects.
If you live in Newberg you know the challenges of parking within our beautiful city. Imagine our little town with zero on-street parking…no parking in front of your home, no parking in front of your favorite local business, no parking anywhere within city limits. This is what our current council desires and are moving towards at a rapid rate, spending millions of your hard-earned taxpayer dollars on needless and senseless “improvements.”
Don’t believe me? Watch this video clip:
If your property is in their way, they’ll condemn your land and take it from you through eminent domain. You will be paid a paltry sum and likely pay increased taxes for the new green space that was formerly your front yard….and with the added benefit of no place to park.
We need YOU to stand up against this administration which is full of legal discord involving discrimination, sexual misconduct, and lies to cover lies.
Our city engineer, Kaaren Hofmann is under investigation for gross sexual misconduct, sexual harassment within the work place. Our city attorney, Truman Stone, has been ousted by the city of Newberg and is potentially being disbarred for false testimony and misconduct.
Brittney-Jeffries-BOLI-Hoffman-Stone-Complaint-3.pdf
Bar-Complaint-against-Stone.pdf
Newberg residents, we are at a turning point in our history. Now is the time to make some noise!
This is a call to action! We need every resident of Newberg to call, text, and email our city administration every day and tell them to STOP the ELLIOTT ROAD project!
This will take only a few minutes of your day and is vitally important to our way of living. Please contact your city councilor and mayor to tell them we do not want millions of dollars spent on needless road improvements to make Newberg more like Portland. Keep the small town feel we all love and enjoy.
Speak up. Stand up. Speak your mind! Save Newberg from the extreme progressive view of bigger is better. If you think this will not affect you, wait until city officials show up at your door demanding to take your property for the good of the people. It’s happening on Elliott Rd right now. Don’t delay. Speak up!
*Find your city councilor here!*
*Contact the mayor directly here!
rick.rogers@newbergoregon.gov
971.281.9012
*Contact the entire city administration here!
NewbergCityCouncil@newbergoregon.gov
*Contact Kaaren Hofmann directly here!
engineering@newbergoregon.gov
503.537.1223
*Contact Paul Chiu directly here!
paul.chiu@newbergoregon.gov
503.554.1751
*Contact the city manager, Dan Weinheimer here!
Dan.Weinheimer@newbergoregon.gov
503.537.1207
*Contact the city recorder, Sue Ryan here!
sue.ryan@newbergoregon.gov
503.537.1283
Speak up. Be heard. This is our city and we will defend her!
My name is Dan Dhondt and I have lived on Elliott road for over 30 years. Please help me save our town.
