Stayton's News Archive 2016-2019

The City of Stayton is seeking community feedback as part of the master planning process for Mill Creek Park. The latest concept plan for the park is now on display at the Stayton Public Library until January 25th. There will be a comment box placed by the exhibit for comments which will be forwarded to our master planning consultant. Be sure to drop by and submit your comments. You can also view a high resolution PDF by clicking the link below and comments can be sent to cityofstayton@ci.stayton.or.us. 

Draft - Mill Creek Master Plan.pdf

The Stayton Public Library is creating a map of holiday lights in our area. You can share your festive efforts with others by submitting your address via the form at: http://goo.gl/forms/iEKrNfWZsHLA2s0i1

And you can access our map to tour, stroll or drive through a neighborhood lit for the season. Find all the details on our website: http://www.staytonoregon.gov/page/library_lights

As the holiday season approaches, the Stayton Police Department would like to remind the public to be aware of your surroundings as you go about your holiday shopping. The following are some tips to keep you and your purchases safe:

• Always park your vehicle in a well-lit area.
• Be aware of your surroundings prior to exiting your vehicle.
• When walking to and from your vehicle, listen to your instincts and be watchful of who is around you.
• Keep your vehicle locked at all times.
• Place any shopping bags or packages in the trunk or out of sight.
• If you are uncomfortable walking to your vehicle alone ask a store employee, most businesses will escort you to your vehicle.
• While shopping, keep a close eye on your purse/wallet, never leaving them in your cart as you browse.

It’s also important to remember to stay safe at home and on the roads:

• If driving in inclement weather or heavy traffic, give yourself plenty of room between your vehicle and other vehicles.
• Don’t drink and drive! If you are going to drink, plan ahead and have a designated driver.
• Always keep your residence locked, even if you are home.
• Do not advertise you are going out of town on social media.

The Stayton Police Department will have enhanced patrols and our officers will be out ensuring the safety of our community this holiday season. If you have questions, contact us at (503) 769-3421.

The Stayton Public Library is excited to announce a visit and reading with Oregon Poet Laureate Kim Stafford on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 7:00 pm in the E. G. Siegmund Meeting Room. There will be a reception accompanying the event.

Kim Stafford is an Oregon writer and teacher who has published books about his poet father, his brother's suicide, nine books of poetry, and essays about resonant landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. He is the founding director of the Northwest Writing Institute, a zone for exploratory writing, and he co-founded the Fishtrap Writers Gathering in Wallowa County in 1987. In 2018 Gov. Kate Brown selected him as Oregon's ninth Poet Laureate to travel the state witnessing for poetry, succeeding Elizabeth Woody. He views the practice of writing as a fundamental doorway to happiness and discovery, and travels to witness for this process.

This event is sponsored by the Stayton Friends of the Library and “Salem for All!” Salem for All strives to be a resource valuable and meaningful experiences for members of the Salem community and providing free or low cost tickets to cultural events to people of low incomes.

The Stayton Public Library is excited to announce a presentation featuring award winning author and photographer Tim Palmer on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 7:00 pm in the E. G. Siegmund Meeting Room. There will be a reception accompanying the event.

Palmer will present a slide show based on his book, Wild and Scenic Rivers: An American Legacy, published in 2017 by Oregon State University Press. His program presents an illuminating portrait of the world's premier system for the protection of natural rivers.

Please join us in celebrating this path-breaking approach to conservation as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 2018.

Tim Palmer is the author and photographer of 26 books about rivers, the environment, and adventure travel. As a writer, citizen conservationist, and environmental planner he has been involved in the Wild and Scenic Rivers system almost since its founding. See his work at www.timpalmer.org.

The Stayton Public Library’s speaking events for 2018 are sponsored by the Stayton Friends of the Library.

On Wednesday, November 21st from 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the Covered Bridge Café is once again hosting its annual Community Dinner. This event is open to everyone in the community, no questions asked! The dinner is a traditional Thanksgiving feast plus dessert. The cost is FREE and open to anyone in the community.

Please call (503) 767-3945 to make your reservations, whether you prefer to dine-in or have your meal delivered, no later than November 20th. Donations are greatly appreciated.

The Stayton Public Library will be spending the week of October 21-28, 2018, celebrating its Friends of the Library group as part of the 13th annual celebration of National Friends of Libraries Week.

The Stayton Friends of the Library were established in 1968 and have been raising money and supporting the Library ever since. Their funding comes from semi-annual book sales, the Stayton FOL Used Bookstore, dues and monetary gifts. Currently the Friends have over 50 members, and 12 members volunteer at the Friends of the Library Used Book Store.

In the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the Stayton Friends of the Library contributed over $30,000 in Library program support, the lease of the public copier and printer, 9 cultural passes, books for babies at the Santiam Hospital, and more.

Learn more about the Stayton Friends of the Library by visiting www.staytonfol.org.

The City of Stayton is offering disposal of yard debris, including leaves and brush, on Saturday, November 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 15th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The collection site is at the City of Stayton Shops located at 1820 N. 1st Avenue, Stayton. The only cost to Stayton residents is a donation of canned food to be given to the Stayton Food Bank. Those who reside outside city limits, the cost is $1 per bag.

Seniors needing assistance raking, bagging, or having yard debris picked up and delivered to the drop-off site should contact Stayton Public Works at (503) 769-2919.

Please join us for part two of the Mill Creek Park master planning process as we build on your ideas and feedback from the first community meeting this past spring. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 13th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Stayton Community Center (400 W. Virginia Street). If you are on Facebook, you can RSVP "going" to the event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/321405315109204/

The City of Stayton is seeking community feedback as part of the master planning process for Mill Creek Park. Join us for an interactive evening to view the latest park plans and discuss the improvements you would like to see for Stayton's newest park. This meeting is open to all members of the general public, so bring your family, friends, and neighbors!

During the recent League of Oregon Cities annual conference, the City of Stayton received a well-deserved safety award. The City took home the Silver Safety Award.

CIS (Citycounty Insurance Services) presented the award in recognition of the City’s good employee safety record during the 2017-18 year. The award showcases cities that foster employee safety, have a proven track record related to safely operating equipment and machinery, and where management has a clear commitment to a safe work environment. This year’s winning cities also have a strong focus on training.

CIS’ annual safety awards are presented in three categories: gold, silver and bronze. Cities are grouped by their number of full-time employees, and award-winning cities are determined by the number and duration of time-loss injuries the city has, compared with the number of hours their employees worked in a year.

“At CIS, we take the safety of our workers’ compensation program members seriously,” said CIS’ Executive Director Lynn McNamara. “The City of Stayton has adopted safe work practices — and makes sure those practices are followed, day in and day out. Their commitment and vigilance produces results: employees stay on the job, and costs stay down.”

For the annual safety awards, open to all members of the League of Oregon Cities, qualifying cities may win a gold, silver or bronze award.

Cities are grouped by the number of full-time employees:

• Group 1 (1-14 employees)
• Group 2 (15-29 employees)
• Group 3 (30-79 employees)
• Group 4 (80-149 employees)
• Group 5 (150-399 employees)
• Group 6 (400-above employees)

The City is recognized based on the number of time loss injuries the city has, and their duration, compared to the number of hours worked in a year. Gold awards went to those cities with zero, time-loss injuries. If no cities in a group had zero time-loss injuries, then the gold went to the city with the lowest injury ratio.

To learn more about the CIS safety award, please visit cisoregon.org/SafetyAwards.

If you were unable to attend the Candidate Forum, which was presented by the Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce, it's now available on YouTube by visiting: https://youtu.be/0J6FJycbxF0

Calling all artists and crafters! Clean out your craft closets and bring in surplus supplies to swap at the Stayton Public Library, Saturday November 3rd. This is a great time to share what you aren’t using, and pick up items can you can put to good use now.

“Creatives have so many great ideas, sometimes it’s hard to finish all of the projects we start. Swaps are a great way to share materials like paint that have a shorter shelf life. Swaps enable us to avoid throwing usable items away and helps showcase how fun reuse can be,” says Jessica Ramey, a Waste Reduction Coordinator with Marion County.

Starting October 15th through November 2nd, bring clean, usable art and craft supplies to the Stayton Public Library. Please no aerosols or food containers. Those who contribute items will receive a ticket admitting them to the swap for first crack at the loot at 1:00 pm on November 3. The doors will open at 1:30 pm to the general public.

To sign up or learn more about this event, contact Stephanie at Stayton Public Library at (503) 769-3313 or email srubel@ccrls.org.

The Stayton-Sublimity Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Candidate Forum on Wednesday, October 10th at 6:30 p.m. at the Stayton Public Library on behalf of the local Stayton community, to afford voters the opportunity to meet and hear from candidates regarding their experience and position on various issues of importance to local businesses and the community.

The forum will be live streamed via Facebook, as well as recorded and uploaded to YouTube for citizens who are unable to attend in person.

Be sure to visit the Facebook event and RSVP that you are going so you'll be notified as the date approaches.

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The Stayton-Sublimity Chamber of Commerce is conducting and regulating this Candidate Forum. The City of Stayton, its employees, officers and agents have no connection with the forum in any manner. Any concerns with the conduct or rules of the forum should be directed to Stayton-Sublimity Chamber of Commerce only.

The City of Stayton is updating our Transportation System Plan (TSP). The current TSP was written over 15 years ago. The update project will identify a long-term vision for Stayton’s transportation system as well as near-term solutions to address community concerns and support city needs. You are invited to the first of several scheduled open houses about the update process.

The first open house will be held on Wednesday, October 17th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Stayton Public Library E.G. Siegmund Room. The Open House will provide participants with an introduction to the project and an overview of the planning process. Participants will be free to ask questions and share their thoughts and concerns on transportation-related issues with City staff and consultants Kittelson & Associates. A series of poster boards will be used to illustrate the existing conditions and future needs associated with each of the major travel modes (pedestrian, bike, transit, and motor vehicle) and to facilitate the discussion.

If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, a Virtual Open House will be available online starting Wednesday, October 17th, continuing through Sunday, October 28th. The Virtual Open House will offer the same opportunities to provide input as the in-person meeting. Please plan on attending either the Open House or Virtual Open House and help guide the City’s future transportation system. If you have questions, please contact the Public Works office at (503) 769-2919. To learn more about the project including draft memos and upcoming meeting dates, please visit http://sites.kittelson.com/StaytonTSP

Starting in 2018, the Stayton City Council allocated money from the General Fund to the Neighborhood Improvement Grant program. Funding for the Neighborhood Improvement Grants comes from the 2018-19 fiscal year City of Stayton budget. Money will become available on July 1, 2018 and must be disbursed and spent before June 30, 2019.

This initiative is designed to improve communication between neighborhoods and City government, and to forge partnerships to address neighborhood issues. The grant program is intended to fund items such as landscape improvements, neighborhood social events, and public art installations. Groups of at least three neighbors may apply for funding for projects that benefit a clearly defined geographic area within Stayton city limits. The group must authorize one individual to manage the grant contracts and funds.

To learn more, visit our Neighborhood Improvement Grants page and download an application packet and brochure. 

The City of Stayton is now on Nextdoor, which provides us an additional way to reach out to our community members and engage with you and your neighbors.

If you are already utilizing Nextdoor, you can subscribe to our updates by visiting https://nextdoor.com/agency/city-of-stayton and clicking subscribe.

Not a Nextdoor member yet? We are inviting you to join us by going to https://nextdoor.com and signing up for an account. 

At the November 6, 2018 General Election, the positions of Mayor and three Councilors will appear on the ballot. The Mayor position and all three Council positions will serve four year terms.

The following people have appropriately filed for candidacy per ORS 249.722:

Mayor

• Henry "Hank" A. Porter
• Scott Vigil

City Council

• Priscilla Gaylene Glidewell
• Paige Hook
• Ralph R. Lewis
• Jordan Ohrt
• David Patty

If you have any questions, please contact Elections Officer & Deputy City Recorder Alissa Angelo at aangelo@ci.stayton.or.us. 

The Stayton Public Library is excited to be offering a new Cultural Pass to the Oregon State Parks. The Parks Pass is a Day-Use Parking Permit that can be checked out with your Stayton Library Card. Cultural Passes check out for two days and can be reserved by calling (503) 769-3313.

The Library currently offers Cultural Passes to nine different venues thanks to help from the Stayton Friends of the Library. For a complete list of passes, visit the Library Services page.

The 2018 Stayton National Night Out event will be held on Tuesday, August 7th beginning at 6:00 p.m. National Night Out debuted in 1984 in the Philadelphia area in an effort to bring neighbors together to help prevent crimes and make neighborhoods feel safer. The event grew in popularity with both the community and police departments nationwide.

Stayton’s event will be held at several local parks including:

• Pioneer Park
• Quail Run Park
• Santiam Park
• Westown Park

Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided by the Stayton Police Department. If you plan on attending, please bring a store bought item to the event like chips or a dessert.

In addition, if you are planning a block party separate from the events above and you’d like to ensure one of our officers stops by to say hello, please contact Stayton Police Sergeant Danielle Wetzel at (503) 769-3421 or via email at dwetzel@staytonpd.org. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our generous community members who have donated to this great event!

The City of Stayton is scheduled to begin construction of the Mill Creek Park Regional Detention Facility along Kindle Way beginning July 16, 2018. K&E Excavating will be performing the work.

The work will include:

• Excavation of 50,000 cubic yards of native material
• Construction of stormwater conveyance system along the east side of Kindle Way
• Construction of stormwater detention facility and outfall to Mill Creek, east of Kindle Way
• Fencing and Restoration

The project is scheduled to be completed by October 2018. Plans for the work are available on our Public Works Engineering page under the tab "Current Bid Advertisements" at the bottom of the page. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Public Works office at (503) 769-2919.

The City of Stayton has partnered with Marion County for slurry sealing streets in the Stayton area. The work is to install a slurry seal over the entire roadway. The slurry will minimize oxidation and aging of the asphalt, fill minor cracks, reduce water infiltration, improve skid resistance, and restore aesthetic of the asphalt.

Work for this project is being performed by Intermountain Slurry Seal Inc. and is scheduled to be performed in Stayton on Friday July 13th and Monday July 16th.

On Friday July 13th, vehicles will need to be off of the following streets for the work to be performed. Any vehicle remaining on these streets after 8 am, July 13th, 2018, will be towed at the owner’s expense.

• Eagle Street
• Weldon Street

On Monday July 16th, vehicles will need to be off of the following streets for the work to be performed. Any vehicle remaining on these streets after 8 am, July 16th, 2018, will be towed at the owner’s expense.

• Quail Run Ave.
• Partridge Ct.
• Meadowlark Dr.
• Goldfinch Ave.
• Hummingbird Ln.
• Cardinal Ave.
• Grier Ave.
• Hobson St.
• Whitney St.

Please plan on having your vehicle off the street from 8 am until 5 pm. The contractor will need access to the entire street during these hours. Vehicles may be parked on any streets that are not listed above. Vehicles may be parked on Eagle Street or Weldon Street on Monday July 16th. Access to your property will be limited during the construction period of 8 am to 5 pm each day.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Public Works office at (503) 769-2919. 

The City of Stayton adheres to water testing standards issued by the Oregon Health Authority. The City of Stayton follows the protocols, standards, and testing of the Oregon Health Authority.

Oregon Health Authority is working with the City of Stayton to continue testing our water. To learn more about the testing for cyanotoxins, and for our most recent results, you can visit our Water Testing Information page.

The City of Stayton adheres to water testing standards issued by the Oregon Health Authority. The City of Stayton follows the protocols, standards, and testing of the Oregon Health Authority.

This morning the City of Stayton received it's most recent water testing results back from the lab. The sample showed no signs of contaminants in Stayton’s water. Oregon Health Authority is working with the City to continue testing our water. To learn more about the testing for cyanotoxins, and for our most recent results, you can visit our Water Testing Information page.

The City of Stayton continues, in coordination with the Oregon Health Authority, to test our drinking water. We have not received a positive test for cyanotoxins in our water system. We are providing this information as a public service to our residents because the City of Salem and the City of Stayton both use the North Santiam River as our water source.

We have just been advised the City of Salem received a new positive test for cyanotaoxins in their drinking water distribution system in the Salem area. Salem’s Drinking Water Advisory applies to the following populations ONLY:

• Children under the age of six
• People with compromised immune systems or pre-existing liver conditions
• People receiving dialysis treatment, or other sensitive populations
• The elderly
• Pregnant women or nursing mothers
• Pets

Please follow our Facebook page for updated information.

This afternoon, the City of Stayton received test results which show our water is safe for everyone to consume. The City will no longer be following the City of Salem’s Water Advisory.

On May 23rd, the City of Stayton performed testing which indicated our drinking water was safe.

Late on the afternoon of May 29th, the City of Stayton received notice that over the Memorial Day Weekend the City of Salem received two positive tests indicating that low levels of cylindrospermopsin and microcystin. The City of Salem’s water intake system is approximately two miles upstream from the City of Stayton’s water intake system. Due to the proximity of the two water systems and Salem’s test results being more recent, the City of Stayton recommended our resident’s follow Salem’s advisory as a precaution of a potential public safety risk.

With the new test results the City water is safe for everyone. We will continue our testing and will notify the community if there are any changes.

Late yesterday afternoon the City of Stayton was notified of a pending water advisory from the City of Salem. As a precaution the City of Stayton is advising residents to follow the City of Salem’s Water Advisory. There seems to be confusion about the advisory.

The advisory is for:

• Children under the age of 6
• Pregnant or nursing mothers
• Pets
• People with compromised immune systems
• People receiving dialysis treatment
• People with preexisting liver conditions
• People with sensitive immune systems

The water is safe for everyone who does not meet the above criteria. Low levels of cylindrospermopsin and microcystin (cyanotoxins) have been found in Salem’s processed drinking water. These toxins are created by algal blooms from the Detroit Reservoir. The City of Stayton has the same water source. The City will continue to provide updates as they become available.

The City of Stayton is issuing a Drinking Water Advisory following an advisory just released by the City of Salem. We have the same water source, the North Santiam River, and are taking the same precautions as the City of Salem.

You can read more by visiting: https://www.cityofsalem.net/Pages/drinking-water-advisory.aspx

The Oregon Association of Water Utilities 40th Annual Technical and Management Conference, is held each March at the Sunriver Resort. At its annual awards banquet, for the second year in a row, the City of Stayton was named as the Best Tasting Surface Water in Oregon.

The City of Stayton has excellent water which was proven this year by an unbiased panel of three judges who blind taste tested drinking water from around Oregon, judging it on clarity, bouquet, and taste. The City of Stayton has now won the Best Tasting Surface Water in Oregon for two years in a row.

City Manager Keith Campbell noted, “The back-to-back award shows the hard work and dedication of our Public Works staff and their commitment to providing our community the best water in the state of Oregon.” Stayton’s Public Works department includes Tom Etzel, Bob Zeller, Michael Bradley, Kendall Smith, Mark Flande, Lance Ludwick, Lisa Meyer, and Michael Schmidt.

The City of Stayton has been a member of the Oregon Association of Water Utilities (OAWU) since 2015. OAWU is a non-profit organization with over 700 members and serves Oregon’s water and wastewater utilities in hands-on training and technical services. The association serves as a legislative liaison and is active in supporting legislation that improves the utilities that serve Oregon’s residents. For more information about OAWU, visit their website at www.oawu.net or contact the office at (503) 837-1212.

Congratulations to our own Tom Etzel, who was honored this evening as the Oregon Association of Water Utilities Operator of the Year!

Tom has dedicated 29 years of service to the City of Stayton Public Works Department and more specifically, to water treatment. He works tirelessly to educate himself on the latest rules and requirements to keep our drinking water safe and flowing to the community. Thank you for all you do for our community Tom!

If you were unable to attend last week's Mill Creek Park: Pick Your Park meeting, don't worry. We are looking for committee members to serve during the master planning process. If you are interested, please fill out the form below and bring it to City Hall or email it to cityofstayton@ci.stayton.or.us. 

Mill Creek Park Committee Application.pdf

Join your community in designing the new Mill Creek Park on Thursday, February 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Stayton Community Center (400 W. Virginia Street). If you are on Facebook, you can RSVP "going" to the event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/527273024322080

The City of Stayton is seeking community feedback as part of the master planning process for Mill Creek Park. Join us for an interactive evening as we select the features and amenities for Stayton's newest park. 

Did you hear that Smart Meters are coming your way soon from Pacific Power?

Stayton’s Pacific Power home and business customers are getting an upgrade this year with the installation of new smart meters in February 2018. A smart meter is a digital electric meter that can send and receive simple communications with Pacific Power through a secure wireless network. Your new smart meter can:

• Help Pacific Power respond faster to outages
• Give you insights into your energy use
• Provide a forecast of your next power bill
• Allow you to set usage budgets and alerts
• Support the transition to clean energy

The replacement of your meter is quick and won’t cost you anything. For additional information on smart meters and Pacific Power’s installation of the technology in Oregon , visit www.pacificpower.net/smartmeter or call 1-866-869-8520.

This event is a community fundraising event where you'll be able to experience an evening of beer & food pairings with live music and is presented by Three Creeks Brewing.

To learn more and purchase tickets, visit the event page. Tickets are $20 per person and include a 4-course beer & food pairing and non-alcoholic beverages. This event is for those 21 years & older.

Did you hear about the new traffic laws that went into effect in Oregon as of January 1st? If not, here's a quick recap:

• Motorists are required to move over if they see any vehicle with hazard or flashing warning lights on the side of the roadway. If it is unsafe to change lanes, drivers must slow down. Previously, this requirement only applied to emergency vehicles but now applies to any vehicle employing warning lights.
  
  
• Cities that utilize electronic red-light enforcement technology can now also issue electronic citations for speeding at those intersections. Prior to issuing both types of citations, a city is required to enact an ordinance establishing the authority to issue both citations, conduct a public information campaign and place signage at the intersection. Please note Stayton does not utilize this technology.

• Finally, businesses in Oregon’s rural counties, which are defined has having 40,000 people or less, may now offer full-time self-service gasoline. Self-service was previously allowed in those counties, but only after dark.

Also, a reminder of the enhanced distracted driving law, which clarified that using entertainment apps or programming of navigation devices while driving are unsafe driving behaviors, which took effect on October 1, 2017.

The Stayton Public Library is announcing a call for art for our Art Show to be held at the Library from February 3 through February 16, 2018.

Any artists that live or work in Stayton or its surrounding communities can submit a maximum of two works of 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional art. Art may be of any subject, but must be family friendly. There is no submission fee.

To be included in the show, the artist needs to submit a registration form and release available at the Stayton Library, 515 N. 1st Ave, Stayton, or online at www.staytonlibrary.org. All art and registrations must be delivered to the library by Thursday, February 1, 2018. All 2-dimensional artwork must be wired and ready to hang at time of delivery. On Friday, February 2, 2018 there will be an opening reception for the public to meet the artists from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm.

For more information please call (503) 769-3313 or email staytonpl@ccrls.org.

The Stayton City Council currently has one vacancy after the recent resignation of Councilor Jennifer Niegel. Mayor Henry Porter is accepting Letters of Interest from interested community members who would like to serve on the Council.

The councilor term runs through December 2020. Meetings of the City Council typically occur at 7:00 p.m. the first and third Monday of every month. On occasion, the City may need a Special Call which most likely would occur on the second and fourth Mondays. Council members also serve as liaisons to other City Boards and Commissions and as a Budget Committee member. For more information, please visit: www.staytonoregon.gov/page/gov_cc_home

The first review of Letters of Interest will be on October 27th, 2017, but will continue to be accepted until the position has been filled. If you would like to submit a Letter of Interest, please submit your letter to City Hall at 362 N. Third Avenue, Stayton, OR 97383 or via email at aangelo@ci.stayton.or.us.

On Friday, November 3rd from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the Stayton United Methodist Church will be hosting a delicious spaghetti dinner to help raise money for the Stayton Police Department’s K-9 Drug Dog Program. Free will donations are accepted. All donations go to the Stayton Police K-9 Drug Dog Program and will help with dog food, veterinary bills, etc. The Stayton United Methodist Church is located at 1450 Fern Ridge RD SE in Stayton. If you have questions, contact the church at (503) 769-5700.

The Stayton Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is offering a free training starting September 19th. This training is for individuals who want to become a CERT member or just learn to be more prepared. Training topics include personal and family preparedness, first aid, fire extinguisher use, disaster psychology, light search and rescue, operations, etc. Curriculum is from FEMA. Classes are about 3 hours each for 8 consecutive Tuesdays. 

For more information and to register, contact CERT Team Leader Jamie Mattison or Sgt. Michael Meeks at (503) 769-3421.

The City is of Stayton is deeply saddened to announce the passing of longtime City Attorney David Rhoten. For almost 30 years Mr. Rhoten has loyally and faithfully served the community.

Mr. Rhoten was an esteemed, highly respected and regarded attorney who was admitted to the Oregon State Bar in 1961. Additionally, he was a member of the Marion County Bar Association and the Northern Willamette Valley Leadership Council. Mr. Rhoten was the 2015 recipient of the Marion County Bar Association Paul J. De Muniz Professionalism Award.

Stayton’s Mayor Henry Porter shared, “I’ve known David for almost 30 years and considered him a friend. I enjoyed working with him, he was a great guy. David will be missed.”

“I am deeply saddened by the news of David’s passing,” shared City Administrator Keith Campbell. “He was a gifted and talented attorney who was passionate and dedicated to our community. More importantly David was a warm and kind individual whose joy and happiness was infectious. He will be greatly missed.”

In addition to his service with Stayton, Mr. Rhoten served on the committees of Oregon State Bar - Election Laws; Chair of the Law Economics Committee; Special Assistant to the Attorney General of Oregon; Chair of the Oregon Arts Commission and Oregon Arts Foundation; Chair of the Salem Civil Service Commission; Marion County Bar Association Board; Oregon Community Foundation Board (Chair, Scholarship Committee); Chair (Hon.) of the Friends of Halley Brown Ford Art Gallery (Willamette University); Chair of the Historic Elsinore Theatre Board; and MERIT Board Member.

For more information, please go to David Rhoten’s facebook page.

We’ve received many inquiries about camping within city limits. The City of Stayton would like to remind guests camping is prohibited on public property unless a camping permit is obtained.

Permit applications are available at the Stayton Police Department, which is open 24 hours a day during the eclipse weekend, or via our website under the Document Center tab.

Camping permits will only be issued to those who have self-contained water, sewage, and garbage containers. Permits may be revoked if visitors disturb the peace and become disruptive. A full description of the municipal code on camping is available here. 

For those taking advantage of our beautiful parks please be mindful of local regulations:

• No tobacco or marijuana use
• No alcoholic beverages
• No open flame fires
• No swimming in the Stayton Ditch

If you have questions or would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Stayton Police Department at (503) 769-3421. We will have officers dedicated to park patrol during peak hours of the weekend.

Stayton has free on-street parking throughout the city unless otherwise posted. The Library, Community Center, and Stayton Family Memorial Pool parking lots are for Library, Community Center, and Pool patrons only.

There are two public parking lots available in downtown Stayton, one on the corner of Second Avenue and Florence Street (behind the Municipal Court) and another at Third Avenue and Florence Street.

The City of Stayton would like to welcome all of the visitors to our town during the Eclipse weekend. We encourage those who are visiting to become familiar with our Park rules which are posted in each park.

The police department will be doubling our staff throughout the weekend of the Eclipse, with the addition of dedicated traffic personnel along with those dedicated to patrolling our local parks and our front office.

Our front office (located at 386 N. 3rd Avenue) will be open 24 hours a day starting Friday, August 18th at 7:00 a.m. until Tuesday, August 22nd at 7:00 a.m.

We would like to remind our residents that with the influx of people who are not familiar with our City to exercise patience so we can all enjoy the Eclipse as it unfolds.

The City of Stayton would like to remind its citizens of the dangers attributed to swimming in our local waterways. Please use flotation devices for those who are entering the Santiam River, as it can often be very swift with very low temperatures.

Swimming in cold water can increase the danger of drowning as the body will begin to shutdown to preserve its core temperature. We encourage you to use flotation devices when using the waterways.

Also, please remember there is absolutely NO swimming (by either people or pets) in the Stayton Ditch (Power Canal), which flows through the north side of Riverfront park.

We are expecting an influx of visitors to our community this upcoming eclipse weekend. To be sure everyone is aware, we wanted to share our Park rules with not only our community, but also with visitors.

All City of Stayton Parks are closed from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., unless a permit has been issued by the Chief of Police or his designee.

The City's Park rules are as follows:

1. Boisterous, disturbing, threatening, abusive or indecent behavior is prohibited. There is absolutely no obscene gestures or language or unnecessary noise will be tolerated.
   
   
2. There is no spitting, urinating or defecating on the floors, walls, partitions, furniture, fittings, or any portion of the public restroom located in any park, or in any place in a public restroom except for directly into the particular fixture provided for that purpose.
   
   
3. No vandalizing of any property, water ways or facilities within the city parks.
   
   
4. No using any recreational equipment and facilities for activities other than their intended or approved purpose or in any way which could result in damage to them.


5. No smoking of tobacco, marijuana, or any other substances including e-cigarettes and use of smokeless tobacco in any City parks, facilities or property.


6. No fires except within designated fire rings or barbecue stands.


7. No swimming, floating, kayaking, rafting, boating fishing, wading or playing in the Stayton Ditch/Power Canal, which runs through Riverfront park. No person shall put anything into or cause anything to end up in the waterway known as the Stayton Ditch. Also no pets are allowed in the Stayton Ditch.


8. No person shall drink or consume alcoholic beverages in or upon any public street or sidewalk, alley or public grounds, parks or City-owned facilities and properties except for when a permit is issued.


9. It is important to remember any violations of the City Park Rules will result in an exclusion from that park or public facility for a period of 30-days. Returning to the park or public facility will result in the person being charged with Trespass.

Join us at Santiam Park for a Community Eclipse Watch Party on Monday, August 21 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Staff will be on hand with refreshments and will have a limited amount of eclipse glasses to hand out to community members. Hope to see you there!

The City of Stayton is in the path of totality for the Solar Eclipse. The eclipse will occur on Monday, August 21st. The eclipse will begin at 9:06 a.m. and end at 11:39 a.m. Peak totality will be from approximately 10:18 until 10:20 a.m.

The video at this link is from an update from the Stayton Police Department to the Governing Body. The City has worked hard to prepare for the events and its expected impacts.

Expectations are that there will be a large influx of people into the Willamette Valley and along the 60 mile wide path of totality. Area hotels and car rental agencies have sold out. The influx is expected to have a significant impact on the service industry and public safety officials.

Projections are that I-5 could be slow to a standstill as early as 6:00 a.m. and that Hwy 22 will be slow to a standstill near the peak totality.

If possible it might be good to try to avoid travel outside of Stayton on August 21st. If you do need to leave the City it might be good to check travel conditions prior to leaving your home. Basically, be smart, use common sense, avoid excess travel, expect delays in travel and increased crowds and restaurants, coffee shops, bars, grocery stores and other service based industries.

Most of important take some time to enjoy the eclipse.

For more information you can go to www.SalemAreaEclipse.info.

The first of three electric car charging stations has been installed in Stayton! The first station has been installed at the Stayton Public Library.

After working with an electrician to identify viable locations to install the stations, the two additional charging stations will be located in downtown Stayton near City Hall and at Pioneer Park. You will see these stations being installed over the next few months.

The charging stations were made possible by a generous donation to the City.

The City enjoys looking for progressive ways to provide services to our community, and we are all extremely excited about this project.

The Stayton Water System provides a reliable supply of high quality drinking water.  We are pleased to report on our annual testing in accordance with EPA and Oregon Drinking Water Program guidelines.  Our water surpasses all state and federal water quality requirements. The City of Stayton strives to provide the best water possible.

An electronic copy of the report is available on our Water webpage.

Scroll to the bottom to view Stayton Consumer Confidence Report 2016. Paper copies are available upon request by calling (503) 769-2919 or send a written request to Water Quality Report, Stayton Public Works, 362 N. Third Ave., Stayton, OR 97383.  Copies are also available at City Hall, 362 N. Third Avenue.

El Informe de la Calidad del Agua en Stayton de 2016 ya está disponible para descargar.  ¡Es Información importante!

The 2017 Fishing Derby is approaching quickly. Fill out the registration form and submit no later than June 12th!

Derby One Page 2017.pdf

On May 8th, 2017 at about 11:55 am, units from Stayton Fire Department, Stayton Police Department, Sublimity Fire Department, Santiam Ambulance and Jefferson Fire District (water rescue team) responded to a report of truck that drove into the pond on the south side of the Stayton Pharmacy (102 Martin Dr). 

It was unknown at the time of the report if anyone was still inside the partially submerged vehicle.  Stayton Police arrived and were advised of two occupants still in the vehicle.  A bystander had already entered the water and was attempting to assist the two elderly occupants.  Stayton Fire Department, with the assistance of the Jefferson Fire Department water rescue team, were able to extricate the two occupants from the vehicle.  No injuries were sustained from the crash with the occupants refusing medical assistance. The investigation concluded the driver hit the gas instead of the brakes causing the vehicle to leave the Stayton Pharmacy drive thru and crash through safety cables into the pond. The truck was removed by a tow company. Please feel free to contact the Stayton Police Department with any questions.

As a precautionary measure this morning, Stayton Middle School was placed in "lock out" while the Stayton Police Department served a search warrant in the 2100 block of Kindle Way. The search warrant was the result of a several month drug investigation.

The "lock out" was put into place because of the school's close proximity to the police activity. A "lock out" means all entry doors are locked, however, activities and school continue as usual inside the building.

STAYTON, Ore. -- The Stayton Public Library is excited to announce a presentation “The Great American Eclipse” with Chris Claysmith on Thursday, May 18 at 7:00 pm in the E. G. Siegmund Meeting Room. There will be a reception accompanying the event.

For 2016-2017 only seventeen Oregon municipalities were given this prestigious award. Including Stayton, only three other municipalities received the award with populations less than 10,000 people.

Stayton City Administrator Keith Campbell had the following comments about the honor, “This award is a reflection of the values and expectations of the City of Stayton Governing Body. We may not be a large City, but our community should expect for us to be a benchmark for quality, transparency, and best practices.”

The award was made possible by the hard work of our Financial Consultant Andy Parks, as well as the dedicated management team of Police Chief Rich Sebens and Lieutenant Charlie Button, Public Works Director Lance Ludwick, Planner Dan Fleishman, Library Directors Janna Moser and Pam Pugsley, Deputy City Recorder Alissa Angelo, and Associate Accountant Cindy Chauran.

Is your home in need of repair? New furnace, insulation, or safety improvements?

The City of Stayton Housing Rehabilitation Program still has funding available for home improvements for income-qualified home owners. Properties must be owner-occupied. The owners must meet the current guidelines as low or moderate income households and have enough equity in their homes to meet the loan guidelines. The loans may be used to repair or replace roofing, plumbing and electrical problems, carpet or linoleum, painting, dry-rot, foundation repairs. The maximum loan amount is $25,000. No monthly payments are required – the loan is repaid from the proceeds of the sale. An interest rate of 4% is charged for the first four years and following that, no additional interest accrues. The funds for the Program come from a Community Development Block Grant from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

For more information, contact Dan Fleishman, Director of Planning and Development at (503) 769-2998 or via email at dfleishman@ci.stayton.or.us. Applications for a loan may be received from Garrett Jensen at the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments, (503) 588-6177.

The City will be holding multiple Town Hall meetings to share a presentation on the current state of streets in Stayton and to answer questions from community members. These meetings will be held at the Stayton Public Library in the E.G. Siegmund Meeting Room on these dates:

• Tuesday, April 18th at 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 19th at 1:00 p.m.
• Saturday, April 22nd at 10:00 a.m.

At the May 16, 2017 election, there will be a measure for establishing a $0.03 motor vehicle fuel tax within the city of Stayton. In Stayton, 9 miles of streets need reconstruction and 12 miles of streets need pavement overlays. The total cost of improving and maintaining the City's streets is estimated at $23.5 million. A tax on motor vehicle fuels in the city of Stayton would generate funds dedicated to the repair and upgrade City-maintained streets. Presently, Stayton's Street Fund is comprised of revenues from transportation maintenance fees shared state gas revenues and the Surface Transportation Program. The $0.03 per gallon motor vehicle fuel tax is estimated to raise approximately $165,000 per year and will contribute to the revenue necessary to properly maintain and improve City-maintained streets.

When you visit the link below you will find a video of the presentation given to City Council at their February 6, 2017 meeting. In addition there is also a downloadable version of the PowerPoint presentation and a copy of the City's Street Ratings spreadsheet.If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact City Hall at (503) 769-3425.

Thanks to generous support from the community, including an anonymous $10,000 donor, the Stayton Friends of the Library has reached their goal to fund an electronic reader board! Once the proper permitting is in place, the current reader board in front of the Library on First Avenue will be upgraded to an electronic reader board sign.

Once again, thank you to everyone who supported this effort!

Congratulations to Aleya Hill, Billie Hight-Maurer, and Jacob Rothrock for receiving the American Red Cross Life Saving Award!

They were honored for their efforts in saving Pool patron Mike Hafner on June 23rd, 2016, when he began to show signs of a medical emergency while swimming. Preparation for this type of emergency is continuous and on-going for the lifeguards and the hope is they will never need to use their training.The City wants to once again commend Aleya Hill, Billie Hight-Maurer, and Jacob Rothrock for their quick thinking and action. ??

It appears congratulations are in order for our hard working Public Works crew!

At their conference last week, the Oregon Association of Water Utilities named the City of Stayton’s water the “Best Tasting Surface Water” of 2017. City Administrator Keith Campbell noted, “This award validates the hard work and dedication of our Public Works staff.”According to their website, the Oregon Association of Water Utilities is a nonprofit, independent association of water and wastewater utilities. OAWU was formed in 1977 to represent water utilities’ interests in the state legislature and provide onsite technical assistance. OAWU is a state affiliate of the National Rural Water Association. NRWA is one of America’s largest and strongest voices for rural and small systems, representing over 27,000 water and wastewater members.

The DAR Distinguished Citizen Medal was introduced in 2013 to recognize individuals eighteen years of age and older, who fulfill the qualities of honor, service, courage, leadership, and patriotism. The DAR Distinguished Citizen Medal is awarded to emergency first responders; active duty military and veterans of the United States Armed Forces; and citizens who have contributed to the defense and security of the community, state, or nation in an exceptional manner. This was the first Distinguished Citizen Medal to be awarded by the Abigail Scott Duniway Chapter of DAR.

In response to the expected cold temperatures, the City of Stayton is opening an Emergency Warming Center at the Community Center. It will open Monday January 2nd at 6:00 p.m. through Tuesday, January 3rd at 8:00 a.m. The warming center is available to anyone who may be at risk for exposure to the chilling temperatures.

Please share this information with anyone who may need a warm place. For more information, contact (503) 769-3425 (please note City Hall is closed today, Monday), or our after-hours line (503) 769-3421.

The center will be staffed with members of the Community Emergency Response Team and other community volunteers. It will not be a substitute for a homeless shelter, food and bedding will not be provided. The shelter will be extended for additional nights if the need is there and volunteers are available.

The weather reports are calling for frigid temperatures in Oregon in the coming week.

The following tips are offered to help prevent your water pipes from freezing during winter weather and freezing temperatures.

• Close all foundation vents – this will stop the cold winter wind from blowing into around, and beneath your house. Not only will this keep your pipes from freezing, but also your floors will be warmer. Failure to close the foundation vents is probably the single greatest cause of frozen or split water lines.

• If you have a kitchen sink or bathroom fixtures located so that the outside wall faces north or strong winter winds, let a faucet drip during cold weather conditions. The small cost of the dripping water during very cold weather will be minimal when compared to the cost of repairing a frozen or split pipe. Leave cupboard doors open so pipes within those cupboards are exposed to interior heat.

• Wrap exposed water lines – outside faucets, under the house, in the walls, and in the attic. Newspapers make an economical pipe wrapping. Lay the newspaper flat, then roll around the pipes one or two inches thick and tape, making sure the tape overlaps itself. On pipe elbows, angles, etc. wad the paper, wrap and tape. Near the ground or floor, push the paper rolls tight.

• If you are going to gone for any length of time, shut off all your water at the water main shut-off valve (your side), or you may want to call us to turn the water off at the meter. Turn on all the faucets and flush the toilets to drain pipes and allow for expansion.

IF THINGS DO FREEZE DESPITE ALL YOUR PRECAUTIONS:

• If your pipes are frozen, assume they are broken or split at some point. Have some repair clamps ready when they thaw, and know how to shut off the water in a hurry! 

• Use hair dryers, heat lamps, or electric heaters to thaw the lines. 

• Don’t Use An Open Flame To Thaw Pipes! This may appear to be the most rapid way, but it presents a tremendous fire hazard. 

Don't forget... this Saturday, November 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the City of Stayton is offering disposal of yard debris, including leaves and brush at the City of Stayton Shops located at 1820 N. 1st Avenue. As a reminder, if you are a Stayton resident, the only cost is the donation of canned food. If you reside outside city limits, the cost is $1 per bag.

The City has completed installation of a bicycle maintenance and repair station which is located at Santiam Park, 2250 N 3rd Avenue. The maintenance and repair station comes with an air pump and all the tools necessary to perform basic bike repairs and maintenance, from changing a flat to adjusting brakes and derailleurs.

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Do you have an overload of leaves and brush?

The City of Stayton is offering disposal of yard debris, including leaves and brush, on Saturday, November 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 10th from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

The collection site is at the City of Stayton Shops located at 1820 N. 1st Avenue, Stayton. The only cost to you as a citizen of Stayton is a donation of canned food to be given to the Stayton Food Bank. If you live outside the City limits, cost is $1 per bag.

Spread the word! Stayton residents can now add food scraps and other organics to their yard debris bin for curbside collection. For more information on the program, including what can be collected, please visit http://www.mcrecycles.net.

Once again the Stayton Police Department will be participating in No-Shave November! The intention of No-Shave November is to increase cancer awareness and honor those fighting cancer. The Stayton Police Association will make a donation to No-Shave.org, a charitable organization committed to cancer research, prevention and education.

Officers will also be wearing brown wristbands in support of No-Shave November. We are asking the Community of Stayton to rally behind the fight against cancer and make a donation to organizations such as No-Shave.org or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Thank you for coming together with us for this worthy cause!

The City of Stayton is aware of several local Facebook groups that have become a place for rumors, gossip, innuendo, and information that is simply devoid of fact or truth. It is impossible for the City to actively try to respond or squelch these irresponsible posts. Our policy is, and will continue to be, to utilize our time and resources to more constructive dialogue and communication. Simply put, we don’t have the time or resources address social media gossip.

As a reminder, social media is not the appropriate place to report crimes, possible crimes, and unsafe situations. If you need Police assistance, or to speak to a Police Officer, you can contact us 24 hours a day 7 days a week at the following numbers

During the recent annual closure of the Stayton Family Memorial Pool, the water slide was rehabilitated. The funding to complete this project was made possible because of the the voter approved Stayton Parks, Pool, and Library Local Option Tax Levy.

The Stayton Friends of the Library Fall Used Book Sale is this week at the Stayton Community Center.

The Sale runs from October 6th thru October 8th.

Thursday, October 6th from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday, October 7th from 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 8th from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Bag Day)