Ferry Street News - December 2024 - February 2025

Ferry Street News City of Dayton, Oregon

Quarterly Newsletter

December ‘24-February ‘25

Photo Credit: John Collins

Town Talk with the Mayor / Conversación de la Ciudad con la Alcaldesa Dear Residents of Dayton, As the holiday season unfolds, I want to take a moment to extend my heartfelt wishes to each and every one of you. This is a time of celebration, reflection, and gratitude—a time to cherish the bonds of family and friendship and to embrace the spirit of giving that makes our community so special.

Dayton is not just a city; it’s a home filled with warmth, resilience, and shared dreams. This year, we’ve faced challenges and celebrated successes together, growing stronger as a community.

Let us carry that same spirit of unity into the new year.

IN THIS ISSUE

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I encourage all of us to support one another, check in on our neighbors, and become a part of the community by volunteering at an event or by being a part of the organizaEvent Information - Caration of an event. There are many favorite city events to come in the new year such as van of Lights, Breakfast Cinco de Mayo, Stars and Stripes Fireworks, and Old Timers Weekend to name a few with Santa that need you and your help.

Dayton School Superintendent Update May your holidays be filled with peace, love, and happiness. And may the coming year bring hope and prosperity to all.

Historical Highlight Economic Development and Tourism

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Code Enforcement Corner

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Calendar for December, January and February

Happy Holidays, Dayton!

Well wishes, Mayor Annette Frank Queridos residentes de Dayton, A medida que se acerca la temporada navideña, quiero tomar un momento para extender mis más sinceros deseos a cada uno de ustedes. Esta es una época de (continua en la página 3)

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Dayton Community Food Pantry Despensa de alimentos de la comunidad de Dayton “vecinos ayudando a vecinos” Abierto 2do y 4to martes del mes de 4:00pm – 6:00pm en 300 Flower Lane Debra Nissen, Directora Cell: 503-569-8788 Correo electrónico: debera.nissen1@gmail.com Para Donaciones de ropa y botes: Nadine Sampson, Directora Cell: 503-522-1133 Correo electrónico: 43csam@gmail.com www.daytonfoodpantry.com

Cajas de despensa navideña jueves, 19 de diciembre 4:00pm – 6:00pm 300 Flower Lane

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celebración, reflexión y gratitud: un momento para valorar los lazos familiares y de mistad, y para abrazar el espíritu de generosidad que hace que nuestra comunidad sea tan especial.

Dayton no es solo una ciudad; es un hogar lleno de calidez, resiliencia y sueños compartidos. Este año, hemos enfrentado desafíos y celebrado éxitos juntos, fortaleciéndonos como comunidad. Llevemos ese mismo espíritu de unidad al nuevo año.

Los animo a apoyarnos mutuamente, a cuidar de nuestros vecinos y a formar parte activa de la comunidad, ya sea como voluntarios en un evento o ayudando en su organización. Hay muchos eventos favoritos en nuestra ciudad por venir en el nuevo año, como el Cinco de Mayo, los Fuegos Artificiales de Stars and Stripes y el Fin de Semana de los Old Timers, entre otros, que necesitan de ustedes y de su ayuda.

Que estas fiestas estén llenas de paz, amor y felicidad. Y que el año nuevo traiga esperanza y prosperidad para todos. ¡Felices fiestas, Dayton!

Les desea, La Alcaldeza Annette Frank 3

As of 14th of November we have responded to 769 calls for service. That is an average of 74 calls per month.

With the nastier and darker days, be more cautious and use your headlights.

Update on Hopewell and main station projects. Hopewell property has the zone change approved. we can now proceed with the project. We have decided on a design and are working with an architecture company on the details. Main station project is sleeping quarters upstairs.

Already done are gender restrooms, kitchen, laundry room and day room. This will be big addition for our district. It will help with the night time responses.

We are halfway into our fall academy. Dayton has five students attending this fall. Four of the five are high school students. After they graduate the academy, they will have the opportunity to take an EMR course (emergency medical responder). When they pass that course, they can respond to medical calls from school.

The students are a vital part of our daytime response.

Dayton responded to five conflagrations this summer in central and eastern Oregon. They were the Larch Creek, Loan Rock, Telephone, Elk Lake and Copper Field fires. This brings income to us for the use of apparatus and personnel. Thank you to Jeremy McLoud, Richard Upmeyer, Hyrum Carter and Dustin Zook. I would like to thank the other volunteers for stepping up when they were gone on conflagration.

The last day for backyard burning is December 15th and will start up again March 1, 2025. You still have to call everyday to find out if there is burning. 503-472-3344.

With the upcoming holidays and new year be safe, kind and enjoy family. From our fire family to yours HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

Chief Putman

Photos are curtesy of the Dayton Fire District Facebook Page . Follow the DFD on:

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Historical Highlight - Hidden History In recognition of November’s Veteran’s Day, and in the spirit of gratitude that fills the coming holiday season, let’s take a deeper dive into one of the stories at rest in Dayton’s historic Brookside Cemetery.

I call this “Hidden History” because as one visits the Cemetery, the headstones convey little about the lives of those buried there. A few volunteers have researched several of these people, to learn more about our community and the sense of place that comes from times shared as we live here, together, in Dayton.

Lillie LaPorte’s headstone simply says “Mother,” her name and years she lived. She is the only one of her family buried at Brookside. There is a small American Legion stake next to her headstone. Was she a veteran? Where were her children for whom she was “Mother”?

Lillie LaPorte had 2 sons by a previous marriage – Fred Aune and Walter Aune. At the time of World War I draft registration in 1917, Fred was 24 years old, and Walter 21. Both sons worked on Willamette River steamboats which were the major source of transportation on the river at the time.

Fred was inducted into the Army in September 1917. Walter remained in northwest Oregon working on the river, then logging, farming and fishing.

Fred Aune was transported to France in December, 1917. He saw battle in 4 places in France before being severely wounded, and dying in July 1918. The Army listed Dayton as his place of residence, which is where his mother Lillie LaPorte was living with her second husband.

With Fred’s death, Lillie became a Gold Star Mother. We have heard of Gold Star Families over the last 2 decades in modern times. But, where did this term come from? According to Arlington National Cemetery, during World War I, family members would wear black armbands or place banners on their homes with a gold star to represent a loved one who had died in the war. In 1928, a group of women who has lost sons in WWI, banded together to create American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. — a group that still exists today — to honor their children, heal together, and support veterans and the nation.

In 1930, Congress passed a law that provided $5.5 million dollars for women who had lost sons or husbands in WWI to make a trip to France to see where their loved ones fought and were laid to rest. Called the “Gold Star Mother’s Pilgrimage,” this was a big deal – to provide military escort, transportation, meals and lodging so that their entire round trip from New York to France and back would be paid by the federal government.

Every woman who had lost a son or husband received an invitation to make this journey. There was no sight-seeing offered; this trip was a solemn, personal experience. From June through October, weekly trips were made; in 1930 -1933.

The trips were made via ocean liners as there were no airplanes that could transport large groups of people at that time. First class accommodations were provided for the women, as required by the law authorizing these trips.

On the receiving end, the people of France welcomed these Gold Star Mother’s with overwhelming gratitude for their sacrifices during WWI. Will Rogers, America’s favorite cowboy philosopher of that time, said, “This will be by far the most representative American pilgrimage that ever left our shores. There goes our real “good will” delegation. No diplomacy, no schemes to put over, just mothers, the same the whole world over…We wish them contentment.”

Lillie volunteered to do this pilgrimage, during its first year. She joined dozens of other Gold Star Mothers from Oregon to make this trip in mid July 1930. After arriving in New York, the women were taken to France on an ocean liner, which took about 8 days, each way. Upon arrival, they would have 2 days to rest up and then go in groups to the various WWI sites and military cemeteries in France. After these emotional encounters, the women were escorted to Cherbourg for return to New York on the S. S. Roosevelt. Lillie arrived home in early August, 1930.

After she suffered a stroke, Lillie’s final years were spent in Dayton where she lived with a friend, Mrs. Helen McDonald, who took care of her until Lillie’s death in 1935. The American Legion honored Lillie as a Gold Star Mother by placing their emblem by her grave.

Article notes:

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Many of you know that Dayton’s own Mr. Jim Connelly is tirelessly gathering information about Dayton military veterans, any branch of service, any year of service. If you know of someone, please talk with Jim and share. His contact information is coachconn@hotmail.com.

Here is a link to more information about Brookside and its map. https://tinyurl.com/3s4w7hnk

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Information in this article came from Ancesty.com, Newspapers.com, and Arlington National Cemetery web site.

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Economic Development & Tourism When McMinnville’s Economic Development Director left his role to return to Arizona several years ago, I spent a moment with him discussing the challenges one encounters in the role of moving economic projects forward. He left me with some advice that resonates with me to this day.

“Economic Development Directors rarely see the fruits of their labors. It’s a long play you rarely get to touch when completed. Reward comes from being a part of the process, and knowing you got to be a part of it.”

With supply-chain issues, labor needs and rising cost of materials, timelines are hard to predict.

But you persevere in knowing that if you stay the course, you can eventually realize your objective.

Last issue we talked about adoption of an Urban Renewal Plan that would greatly assist the city in addressing infrastructure needs and expand recreational opportunities for residents. Over the past year we have worked hard to create a plan that would do just that. But our plan required the approval of Dayton taxing districts that might be financially impacted by its creation. Efforts initially were met with questions and concerns, but through open discussions and creative ideas, we managed to gain the trust and ensuing approval of both our fire district and school district. We made sure that a portion of future urban renewal dollars would assist both entities with their own capital improvement projects. The plan has now been approved and will go into effect in December. Dollars won’t be realized for a year or two, but the 25-year plan promises to enable all of us to act on needed improvements and upgrades. A special thanks goes out to Dayton Fire Chief Brett Putnam, School Superintendent Amy Fast, their board of directors and the entire city council and our mayor. We worked to arrive at a win-win result, and we got there working together.

The footbridge is open with some additional enhancements that will be constructed over the next few months. We plan to decorate the bridge for the holidays so all of Dayton can celebrate its opening. It’s been six years since it was operational, and we will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony once everything is finished.

I had hoped the Courthouse Square Park bandstand would be completed in November, but some engineering questions and a delay in securing a building permit has pushed the project back till after the first of the year. The replacement columns have arrived, so once we get past the holidays work should commence.

We also have scheduled replacement of the hardwood (softwood) floor upstairs at the Palmer Creek Community Center.

The new floor will greatly enhance the existing space and be far more resilient than the current flooring.

Our planning department secured both a Housing Study grant and a Transportation Study grant that we are actively working through to update outdated plans. These studies will help in our pursuit of funding for projects identified as needs. W e also received a grant from Travel Oregon to develop our “Discover Dayton” website that will assist our to-be completed Merchant Block in creating commerce.

Speaking of the Merchant Block, construction continues to move along at a rapid pace. They are still targeting completion of significant construction in January, with the hope to have the hotel and first floor bays occupied in the 2 nd quarter of 2025 (see my comment above about challenges to timelines). The developer has spared no cost relative to quality and safety.

The decision to make seismic upgrades to the buildings was not mandated but will likely ensure its resilience for year to come.

Be sure and participate in the DCDA’s Caravan of Lights Parade Saturday, December 14 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. The neighborhood parade will commence from the Dayton Elementary School parking lot. Access the registration from and details at https://forms.gle/xzWnUwGKeHygvhRw9.

Embrace the holiday season and we’ll see you in the New Year.

Dave Rucklos TED Director drucklos@daytonoregon.gov

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Contact Us Give us a call for more information about our services.

City of Dayton 416 Ferry St, Dayton, OR 97114 (503) 864-2221 Email us at: ferrystreetnews@daytonoregon.gov

Newsletter Coordinator : Rocio Vargas Editor: City of Dayton Staff

Advertising in the newsletter does not reflect any direct or implied endorsement by the City of Dayton. The City of Dayton does not, and shall not, discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. The city is an equal opportunity employer.

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Dayton School District Superintendent Update It’s hard to believe it is already November. In August I wrote a letter to our community and, in it, celebrated the gains we made last year, acknowledged the areas we still need to grow, and announced that teamwork would be our focus as a district this year. Why teamwork? Because we have big plans for Dayton School District, and it will take our whole pirate crew working together to be successful in achieving our goals.

Our big plans include re-envisioning our School District as a community hub that serves to unite Dayton under the shared purpose of growing together. Success in this endeavor looks like ultimately expanding public preschool and opening it up to all parents of our youngest learners at free or discounted prices. Success looks like providing a rigorous educational experience that empowers students to be curious, collaborative, resilient, driven, empathetic, and optimistic. Success looks like our athletes not only winning competitions but taking pride in representing our community and our schools on and off the courts. Success looks like having robust CTE programs including Agriculture, Hospitality, Health Sciences, Fire and Emergency Services, Business, and Education, in which our students gain internship and work experience while giving back to their communities.

Success looks like growing our own IAs and classroom teachers through students’ experiences serving as cadet teachers in our own schools. Success looks like students serving as interns in our health sciences pathway by working in our athletic program under our athletic trainer or by working as personal training interns in our newly expanded weight room (allowing students to gain skills while opening greater health and fitness opportunities to the public). Success looks like local entities hiring Dayton’s own Business and Hospitality students to design products, roll out marketing campaigns, to run fundraisers, plan and cater events, and for those same students to help manage the operations and events within our district. Success looks like continuing to invest in and expand the partnerships who have (often thanklessly) served our students in our Ag and EMS programs for years. Success is providing students with the credentials, experiences, and college credits to more easily obtain credentials, employment, or a college degree.

Over the course of last school year, we conducted a thorough audit of district programs including a needs analysis that elicited the voices of our families, students, staff, and greater community. As a result of this work, we determined we did not have many of the systems and

structures in place that would serve to support and leverage the caliber of teamwork needed to realize this vision and to improve our students’ achievement and engagement. As such, staff have been teaming since the beginning of the year to create those structures that were surfaced in an effort to build the framework for the fastest, strongest pirate ship Dayton has seen in some time.

As mentioned in my last letter to the community, we continue to examine, revise, and rebuild our ship’s infrastructure: from how we communicate expectations and processes, to how we respond to student behavior, how we encourage and enforce attendance, how we schedule and communicate about events, how we ensure each student’s academic progress is tracked, how interventions are provided, how we map out a curriculum that puts students on a trajectory of success, how our budget process captures the voices and needs of all stakeholders, etc.

And since we have deemed teamwork is the key to our success, I challenge us as a community to think of the ingredients of an outstanding team... whether that team is in sports, business, or otherwise. Successful teams are centered on high stand-

ards of behavior, hard work, individual sacrifice for the greater good, and a relentless desire to push each other to be better. Members of those teams, while far from comfortable, are unquestionably fulfilled, confident, and excited to show up and be a part of something bigger than themselves... a part of something special. The work that unites and that brings us camaraderie and pride is the work that comes from doing hard things, together.

Amy Fast, Ed.D Superintendent Dayton School District

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Actualización de la Superintendente del Distrito escolar de Dayton Es difícil creer que ya estamos en noviembre. En agosto escribí una carta a nuestra comunidad y en ella celebré los avances que logramos el año pasado, reconocí las áreas en las que aún necesitamos crecer y anuncié que trabajo en equipo sería nuestro enfoque como distrito este año. ¿Por qué trabajar en equipo? Porque tenemos grandes planes para el Distrito Escolar de Dayton, y será necesario que toda nuestra tripulación pirata trabaje en conjunto para lograr nuestros objetivos.

Nuestros grandes planes incluyen Re imaginar nuestro Distrito Escolar como un centro comunitario que sirva para unir a Dayton bajo el propósito compartido de crecer juntos. El éxito en este esfuerzo parece lograr, en última instancia, expandir el preescolar público y abrirlo a todos los padres de nuestros alumnos más jóvenes a precios gratuitos o con descuento. El éxito consiste en brindar una experiencia educativa rigurosa que capacite a los estudiantes para que sean curiosos, colaborativos, resilientes, motivados, empáticos y optimistas. El éxito se ve en que nuestros atletas no solo ganan competencias, sino que también se enorgullecen de representar a nuestra comunidad y nuestras escuelas dentro y fuera de las canchas. El éxito parece tener programas CTE sólidos que incluyen agricultura, hotelería, ciencias de la salud, servicios de emergencia y bomberos, negocios y educación, en los que nuestros estudiantes

obtienen pasantías y experiencia laboral mientras contribuyen a sus comunidades.

El éxito consiste en hacer crecer nuestros propios AI y maestros de aula a través de las experiencias de los estudiantes sirviendo como maestros cadetes en nuestras propias escuelas. El éxito consiste en que los estudiantes sirvan como pasantes en nuestra carrera de ciencias de la salud trabajando en nuestro programa deportivo con nuestro entrenador atlético o trabajando como pasantes de entrenamiento personal en nuestra sala de pesas recientemente ampliada (lo que permite a los estudiantes adquirir habilidades y al mismo tiempo abrir mayores oportunidades de salud y acondicionamiento físico para el público). El éxito se ve cuando las entidades locales contratan a los propios estudiantes de Negocios y Hospitalidad de Dayton para diseñar productos, implementar campañas de marketing, organizar eventos para recaudar fondos, planificar y atender eventos, y que esos mismos estudiantes ayuden a administrar las operaciones y eventos dentro de nuestro distrito. El éxito consiste en seguir invirtiendo y ampliando las asociaciones que (a menudo sin agradecimiento) han servido a nuestros estudiantes en nuestros programas Ag y EMS durante años. El éxito es brindarles a los estudiantes las credenciales, experiencias y créditos universitarios para obtener más fácilmente credenciales, empleo o un título univer-

sitario.

Durante el transcurso del año escolar pasado, llevamos a cabo una auditoría exhaustiva de los programas del distrito, incluido un análisis de necesidades que obtuvo las voces de nuestras familias, estudiantes, personal y la comunidad en general. Como resultado de este trabajo, determinamos que no teníamos muchos de los sistemas y estructuras implementados que servirían para apoyar y aprovechar el calibre del trabajo en equipo necesario para hacer realidad esta visión y mejorar el rendimiento y la participación de nuestros estudiantes. Como tal, el personal ha estado trabajando en equipo desde principios de año para crear las estructuras que surgieron en un esfuerzo por construir la estructura para el barco pirata más rápido y fuerte que Dayton haya visto en algún tiempo.

Como mencioné en mi última carta a la comunidad, continuamos examinando, revisando y reconstruyendo la infraestructura de nuestro barco: desde cómo comunicamos expectativas y procesos, cómo respondemos al comportamiento de los estudiantes, cómo fomentamos y hacemos cumplir la asistencia, cómo programamos y comunicamos eventos, cómo garantizamos que se realice un segui-

miento del progreso académico de cada estudiante, cómo se brindan las intervenciones, cómo trazamos un plan de estudios que coloca a los estudiantes en una trayectoria de éxito, cómo nuestro proceso presupuestario captura las voces y necesidades de todas las partes interesadas, etc.

Y dado que hemos considerado que el trabajo en equipo es la clave de nuestro éxito, nos desafío como comunidad a pensar en los ingredientes de un equipo sobresaliente... ya sea que ese equipo se dedique a deportes, negocios o cualquier otra cosa. Los equipos exitosos se centran en altos estándares de comportamiento, trabajo duro, sacrificio individual por el bien común y un deseo incesante de impulsarse unos a otros para ser mejores. Los miembros de esos equipos, aunque no se sienten cómodos, sin duda están satisfechos, confiados y emocionados de presentarse y ser parte de algo más grande que ellos mismos... una parte de algo especial. El trabajo que une y que nos trae camaradería y orgullo es el trabajo que surge de hacer cosas difíciles, juntos.

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Superintendente, Distrito Escolar de Dayton

We are proud to celebrate the students of Dayton Jr./Sr. High School who achieved outstanding attendance during September and October. Your efforts are not going unnoticed—keep up the great work!

September

Mateo Covarrubias

Elisa Molina-Carrillo

Zayne Factor

Renata Gonzalez

Cristobal Gonzalez Vargas

Natalie Guzman Del Rayo

Opal Holland

Berenice Reos

Scarlett Cloudy

Easton Moody

Luciano Castro

Kendra Fuller

Victor AlvarezCampos

Zulema Milian Vargas

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tudents of the Month for the trait of :

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eadership

Left to right: Cristobal Gonzalez Vargas, Zayne Factor, Renata Gonzalez, Elisa Molina-Carrillo, and Mateo Covarrubias.

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Thomas Sedivec

Kailana Bingman

Tanner Olivera

Kaylee Perez

Alexis Upmeyer

Jade Austin

Jesus Cuevas Martinez

Sarah Mayer

Elizabeth Perkin

Erick Chinchilla

Danika Moody

Kyra Navari

Anthony Olague Duarte

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tudents of the Month for the trait of : itizenship

Left to right: Kaylee Perez, Alexis Upmeyer, Kailiana Bingman, Tanner Olivera, and Avarice DiLorenzo

October

Avarice DiLorenzo

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Code Enforcement Corner— Keep Dayton Safe Leaf Management and Winter Preparations As autumn settles in and leaves begin to carpet our yards, sidewalks, and streets, residents of Dayton are reminded of the importance of maintaining clear outdoor spaces. The accumulation of leaves can create not only an unsightly mess but also significant safety hazards during the fall and winter months. Our city’s street sweeper is unable to pick up leaves from these areas, making it crucial for homeowners to take proactive measures.

To ensure the safety of our community, we urge all residents to regularly rake and dispose of leaves from their properties, especially those that may obstruct sidewalks or roadways. Piles of leaves can obscure visibility, create slippery surfaces, and hinder pedestrian movement, posing risks to both drivers and walkers alike.

Additionally, this is an ideal time to trim back any overgrown trees and bushes. With the arrival of storm season, ensuring that branches are well-maintained can prevent potential damage during high winds and heavy rains. A well-kept yard not only enhances the beauty of our neighborhood but also contributes to the overall safety and well-being of all residents.

Let’s work together to keep Dayton safe and beautiful this season. By taking these simple steps, we can all contribute to a cleaner, safer community. Thank you for your cooperation!

Jason Shirley Code Enforcement Officer

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From Public Works Supervisor Some of the citizens in our community may have received a letter in the mail regarding your water service line. There are instructions you can follow to complete a self-inspection, or the Public Works Department will be working through the remainder of the addresses that have not yet been inspected. This was a Federally Mandated and the City is working to complete this requirement. You may see crews in your water meter box as part of the inspection.

Construction continues all around our little town. Please be careful and cautious while driving through the active construction sites. Hwy 221 lift station project has started back up after a delay on parts. This project is slated to be completed in early 2025.

Street sweeping is the first and third Wednesday of each month. Please refrain from putting your leaves out into the street. If the leaves are wet, they don’t pick up very well and get smeared around by the sweepers brushes and make a mess on the roads. They also find their way into the storm water system and clog catch basins. Public Works crews will be cleaning stormwater catch basins to help keep stormwater flowing. Please do your part to help keep your leaves from covering catch basins. If you see crews out cleaning catch basins don’t be alarmed and give them some space so they can complete the task.

Crews will be finishing fire hydrant flushing and exercising blow offs. This is done annually and should be completed by January.

The utility bridge project is open and awaiting the last of the repairs. The bridge has been a long-term project that we all have anticipated the completion of. Please take caution while using the bridge until the last of the repairs have been completed.

We have been dealing with vandalism at both Courthouse Square and Andrew Smith parks. If you happen to see something damaged or vandalized while at either of these parks, please contact us so we can get it resolved.

We would like to welcome Justin Warren to the Dayton Public Works team. He is a Maintenance Worker and will assist with our parks and other general city maintenance.

The entire Public Works team would like to wish you a happy holiday season. As always, we welcome your questions and comments. Please contact me at dcutler@daytonoregon.gov.

Don Cutler Public Works Supervisor

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Para mas info: www.daytonoregon.gov 15

CITY OF DAYTON 416 FERRY STREET DAYTON, OR 97114

For more info: www.daytonoregon.gov

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