Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
Instructors Bonnie and Howard Newman are now offering Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays at 1pm. Grant funding from Clackamas County allows the Senior Center to offer the class free of charge. There are currently 14 participants.

The Medical Teams International Dental Van paid a visit on Tuesday, November 25th. Eleven low-income individuals received a dental exam, x-rays, and fillings or extractions free of charge. Senior Center personnel set up the appointments, volunteer dental professionals staffed the van, and a State of Oregon Innovations grant covered the cost of the mobile facility.

Parks
Signage and trail improvements in Sandy River Park made the Final Four of projects for the Ford Family Foundation Leadership Group, Highway to Hood. The other three vying for volunteer help and financial support were the Kiwanis Camp, Oral Hull and AntFarm. The group ultimately chose the AntFarm project, so look for good things to happen at their Leathers location.

In an interesting twist, tourism funds became available, and since the Sandy River Park project was already outlined, it was submitted for funding. Voila, phase two of Sandy River Park trail construction, along with enhanced signage, will happen sometime in spring 2015.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
Youth basketball kicked off in earnest in November with 24 teams practicing in gyms at local schools. Games will begin after winter break. Great to see the kids experiencing the fun and fitness of team sports.

The Winter/Spring Recreation and Leisure Guide is in development and will be published online and through the email database around the 1st of January.

Despite the loss of support from Healthy Start, the free Wednesday playgroup is thriving. This program continues a long tradition of providing support and networking for young families in the community. It is also a great way to connect them to programs provided by the Recreation Department.

The second ever Sandy/Boring Corn Cross was held on November 1st. A race in Bend was scheduled for the same day, and the conflict made for slow pre-registration. Not to worry–hundreds of participants signed up the day of the event. Liepold Farms is a fantastic venue, and the new flyover drew lots of attention. Some dared to climb the steps and ride down the ramp, others preferred the go-under option. The event is sure to be bigger and better in 2015.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 9935. The trend of lower use from last year continues with an overall decrease of 24%. The SAM-Gresham decreased 26%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had a drop in use of 18%; STAR had a decrease of 10% this month; and ED ridership decreased by 31%.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership was 2723 in November. The ski equipment boxes are mounted for the winter season. The ridership bumped up the last weekend after Thanksgiving and a bit of snow.

We took delivery of a new STAR bus. The low-floor cutaway bus will make boarding the in-town service much easier for all, especially the elderly mobile passenger. The passengers and drivers love the bus.

Preparations were made for the additional Sunday service beginning in December. New schedules and route maps are available and posted at bus stops with the changes. A new $5 interline “Day Pass” for SAM and Mt Hood Express (MHX) will be introduced in December. It will allow unlimited boardings on SAM and/or MHX for the day of purchase. Passengers can go round-trip from Gresham to Mt Hood and between ski areas all day for $5.

We’re preparing for our 15-year anniversary on January 1, 2015 at the Transit Advisory Committee meeting on December, 17, 2014.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
Once again, members of the Center looked forward to a world-premiere Halloween skit written and performed by center staff, with special guest Seth Atkinson joining in this year’s fun. Folks were thoroughly entertained with the theme, “Dancing with the Stars–All Girl Version.” Performances of the Charleston, the Hustle and the Twist wowed the audience as did snappy dialogue from the emcee and judges.

Parks
The Park Board continues to meet with a main goal of updating the original Master Plan, adopted in 1997. There was a trail component included in the initial plan, but the new plan will feature a more extensive vision of trails in and around the city as well as potential connections to regional trails. Another goal is to pursue rezoning of all Park land as parks, rather than residential zoning with a conditional use.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
Fall recreation classes and programs were in full swing in October. Mountain Storm registrations came rolling in and it looks like we will have a record season for 3^rd and 4^th grade teams.

The new after-school Bricks 4 Kidz program concluded a successful first session and we look forward to more programs for Winter/Spring. Long-time fall staples of Kinderdance and Pee Wee Soccer continue to be popular. Sandy and Troutdale Recreation Departments are looking for ways to collaborate on more teen programs and look forward to trying out some new ideas this winter.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 12,802.  Fares were implemented in October 2013, therefore this is the first month that provides comparative annual data. Though the ridership isn’t flat, the reduction has slowed to an overall total of 21%. SAM-Gresham decreased 25%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had a drop in use of 22%; STAR had an increase of 26% this month; and ED ridership had a decrease of 20%.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership was 2439 in October.  The bike trailers are off and ski equipment boxes are being constructed for the winter season.  The City was honored with an award for partnership at the Summit-to-Summit event at Timberline.

Julie, Andi, Joyce, Janice, along with Transit Advisory Committee members Joseph Lowe and Roxy Tolva, attended the Oregon Public Transportation Conference in Seaside.  It was multi-generational themed with excellent keynote speakers and very well attended.  We focused on updated federal regulations for ADA, procurement, grant and asset management.  Julie and a colleague from eastern Oregon co-led a rural provider round-table.

In response to the top two requested improvements in the recent survey, additional runs will be added on Sundays to the SAM-Gresham route beginning December 1, 2014.  Sunday service was introduced lightly last year with fewer runs than the funding allowed.  The addition will result in 8 runs on Sunday, more evenly spaced between 7 AM and 9 PM.  New schedules and route maps are at the printer and will soon be reflected at bus stops and on the website.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
It’s time to give a shout-out to the dedicated crew of Meals-on-Wheels drivers. Iris White heats up the food and packages it for delivery. Four routes are delivered four days each week. Currently there are 49 individuals who receive a hot meal and, more importantly a welfare check, from one of 16 caring volunteers. The service boundary encompasses the entire Oregon Trail School District, exclusive of the Hoodland corridor. After people begin to receive meals, Cami Henderson conducts an in-home visit and explains the other services provided by the Center.

Parks
Joe Preston & Steve Gillis kept the parks looking snazzy for the peak use season. That was no easy task since new facilities, Bornstedt Park and the Sandy Bluff Dog Park, created quite a bit of additional work for the crew.  Many thanks to Joe & Steve.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
It has been a year since the Recreation Guide went completely electronic. For the most part the impact has been positive.  The new reader board, more flyers to schools, email newsletter blasts etc. have helped to provide the community with information about recreation and leisure opportunities. Feedback indicates they like the frequent reminders.

The Recreation Department and the Library have started to talk about collaborating more frequently on programs. Working together in the summer to provide camps, classes and other programs is an exciting possibility.

Some programs were in transition in September, namely the Wednesday playgroup. It is back up and running now, but September numbers will reflect the delay in reorganizing after Healthy Start lost funding. The turnout the first week was very strong indicating the need for such programs in our community.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month of 11,442, shows a slowing trend of declining ridership, 33% from the same period last year. SAM-Gresham decreased 36%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had the greatest drop in use, 44%; STAR had an increase of 12.7% this month; and ED ridership had a decrease of 61%.  The opening of the dialysis facility in Sandy has shifted many ED rides to STAR.  The result is significant cost savings per trip, better usage of STAR and an increase in the percent of people with disabilities using STAR.  STAR remains, however, available to the general public.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership was 2510 in September.  The bike trailers have brought out a new mountain bike ridership that takes the bus up to Ski Bowl and Timberline and rides trails back to Rhododendron.  The bike trailers will remain through October or until the snow flies.  Ski equipment boxes are being constructed for the winter season.

Julie and Clackamas County partner, Teresa Christopherson, attended the Conference on Transportation and Federal Lands in Washington, DC.   It was rich with shared information on innovative projects and areas of research affecting multimodal transportation, tourism, recreation, travel and access to and in National Parks and Federal Lands.  The Mt Hood Multimodal Plan and subsequent transit project with its unique partnerships was presented by ODOT and WFHA.

Transit staff worked to design and conduct multiple online, newsletter and on-board transit surveys in September.  The surveys were performed jointly with Mt Hood Express to fulfill a requirement for the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) Grant.  Online surveys were available for one week, newsletter survey responses are still coming in, and on-board surveys were conducted on all routes during all hours over three days—approximately 140 service hours.  A BIG thank you to the on-board survey volunteers (off-duty drivers, TAC members, PSU students, willing husbands and family) and staff who performed many extra shifts to get the job done.

Online and newsletter results are still being tabulated.  Andi has entered all 336 on-board surveys into Survey Monkey for analysis.  Preliminary results show great satisfaction with the service, especially the drivers, a desire for more Sunday service, later weekday service, a very high percentage of transit dependent riders and once again, that SAM brings as many riders into Sandy daily as those transported elsewhere.  This is significant and clearly identified because the surveys are conducted in one direction only.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
Staff time was spent preparing an application for the Clackamas County Small Grants program. The request was for money to pay mileage to those Meals-on-Wheels drivers who request reimbursement. Meals-on-Wheels can only exist with the help of the 16 permanent and many back-up volunteer drivers who deliver a hot lunch to the community’s most frail, elderly individuals. The four routes range from 20 to 30 miles and head off in all directions.

Fun excursions were planned to the Tualatin Crawfish Festival, Strawberry Island, Rainbow Trout Farm, Clackamas County Fair and Hood River. Rounding out the month was an overnight trip to Lincoln City.

Parks
Meinig Park is the place to be in August. Katie Murphy put together another fantastic line-up of musicians for the Dale Nichols Main Stage & Theater in the Woods acoustic series. Concerts culminated with the Volunteer Recognition Picnic including a performance by On the Rocks a Capella group.

Saturday night movies are always popular, however, this year’s presentation of Frozen (Sing-a-long version) was by far the biggest hit–perhaps of all time. Sound production for all offerings is provided by Shira Otchis of She-Rock Sound. After the showing of Frozen, Shira commented that the kids knew all the words to the songs AND all the words to the movie as well.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
The Fall Recreation & Leisure Guide was created in August. With the Fall Guide the transition to an electronic version completes a full year. The new board out front, along with more frequent flyers to schools etc. has helped the process.  The electronic guide is very inexpensive to produce and meets the growing reliance on and comfort with digital information.

Adult Softball completed the season with a tournament on August 9^th. The Mt. Hood Athletic Club team triumphed.

New field trips focusing on local parks and activities gained some momentum this summer, and the Recreation Department continues to create and source new programs that meet the needs of local families during the summer months. New ideas are always welcome.

The 2nd Annual Bark for the Park is scheduled to take place September 20^th at Bluff Park from 9:00am-1:00pm.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month, of 11,599, continues the same trend of declining ridership, 43% down from the same period last year. SAM-Gresham decreased 44.7%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had the greatest drop in use, 57%; STAR had a modest decrease of 8.8% this month; and ED ridership had a decrease of 47.6%.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership was 3103 in August. Operators just placed a second new bus into service.  The buses will tow bike trailers that accommodate up to 12 bicycles through September.  Standard two-place bike racks will be regular equipment throughout the year and ski equipment boxes are in production for winter use.

Staff is looking into the option of providing WiFi on the SAM Gresham route.  Ridership loss, subsequent to the introduction of fares, improved the quality of the bus ride. The intent is to appeal to the commuter as well as the silent generation who are interminably connected to technology.

This winter will see the introduction of a $5 interline day pass for use on SAM and Mt Hood Express. It will allow on/off boarding throughout the day between the systems.  Travelers will be able to access multiple destinations on the same day.

Ad campaigns as well as on-board and off-line surveys will be conducted in September to further identify transit use and barriers to that use.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
As always, the Mountain Festival Pie Booth occupied a great deal of time and effort in early July. The annual fundraiser for Meals-on-Wheels grossed over $4,000 with anticipated net profits of around $3,000. A big thank you shout-out goes to our community partners at EverFresh Fruit who donated nearly all the fruit used in the pies.

Local pioneers Howard Vaeretti and JoAnn McDermed Bernhardt organized a van tour of the area and offered historic highlights of Sandy. Mr. Vaeretti’s grandfather migrated from Italy and established a homestead on TenEyck. Howard still lives on the property along the Barlow Trail. Another Sandy Pioneer, Grace Wewer Reich, added her historic perspective as well. Her father owned the land now known as the Nicholas-Glenn neighborhood. The trip was so popular, it will be repeated in September.

Additional staff time was spent authoring an Oregon State Department of Human Services Innovations Grant. The application was for money to fund Medical Teams International Dental Van visits for each of the 10 Senior Centers in Clackamas County. A July 30th email confirmed funding of the project.

Parks
Park facilities have seen an increase in use this summer. The splash pad at Bornstedt Park has kept many families cool as temperatures rise. Sandy Bluff Park is getting lots of action with the new off-leash dog area and special events including the Family Fun Festival. Activities in Meinig got rolling in early July with another successful Shakespeare in the Park, Mountain Festival, and the launch of the 2014 Sandy Summer Sounds & Starlight Cinema. Thanks to park maintenance staff Joe Preston and Steve Gillis who keep things looking spiffy.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
July was busy as usual with Mountain Festival events, Adult Softball and a variety of camps and classes. Mountain Festival events were very well attended this year with the Pet Show growing dramatically. The Bike Derby and Parade continue to be favorite family events.

New summer camps and field trips were offered with mixed results. A survey this fall will help in planning for next summer. New field trips focused on local parks, and new, successful activities were introduced.

There were 7 softball teams playing on the High School fields this summer.  The season will end with a tournament on August 9^th.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 12,133, continuing the same decrease of 40% from the same period last year. SAM-Gresham decreased 42%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had the greatest drop in use, 54%; STAR had a modest increase for the first time in a year, 3.5% this month; and ED ridership continued to decrease by 23%.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership was 2885 in July.  A new bus is now in service, truly making it an express run.  It has a bike trailer that can accommodate up to 12 bicycles at a time.

The relocation of the bus transfer center during Sandy Mountain Festival was challenging for the first couple of days, though improved signage (thank you to Public Works!) helped this year.

Congratulations to Andi Howell who recently received word she has passed the test to become a Certified Community Transportation Manager (CCTM). Andi attended the CTAA conference in St. Paul in June and (successfully) completed the management training course. Her training and certification will be helpful as she assists the Transit Department in additional areas throughout the coming months.

Andi again took the lead with Janice and families to decorate a SAM bus for the Sandy Mountain Festival Parade in July.  Congrats again, as SAM took third place in the community organization division.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
Due to popular demand, the number of hikes has been increased to two each month. A local destination is offered (Wildwood, Tickle Creek, SHS, Cazadero) as well as a longer trip to trails including Steigerwald Wildlife Refuge, Strawberry Island and Lacamas Lake.

Parks
Despite a bit of drizzle, the Sandy Bluff Dog Park Leash-Cutting grand opening ceremony was enjoyed by many four-legged friends and their owners. Top Dog sponsors, represented by Stephanie Craven (Craven Family) and Shan Hill (Barlow Trail Veterinary) assisted Mayor Bill King with the festivities. Collapsible dog bowls were handed out and Hayden Homes sponsored snacks for the evening.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
Summer Recreation classes are off and running. Safety classes have proved popular including CPR/1st Aid, Safe Sitter and Chief Yamashita’s Self-Defense for Women.

The Co-ed Adult Softball League is underway. Teams enjoy playing on the SHS turf fields, and the only rain-outs were due to the added excitement of lightning/thunder storms.

Noah’s Quest took place, for the 9th year, on June 28th. Participation was the highest ever in the 1k Kiddie Run and 5k/10k run/walk. Brief Encounters support group worked with the City to sell bricks and install a beautiful memorial walkway, continuing the path on the west side of the playground in Sandy Bluff Park.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 11,288 a decrease of 40% from the same period last year. SAM-Gresham decreased 42%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had the greatest drop in use, 50%; STAR had a modest decrease, 16% this month; and ED ridership continued the sharp decline with 62% fewer trips this month.  ED ridership can vary greatly with only a couple of passenger changes.  Total ridership for the FY14 was 170,734 down 30% from the previous year.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership was 2235 in June.  Summer activities at Ski Bowl, the 7:00am opening of the Palmer run at Timberline and their many summer visitors will keep the buses hopping this summer.

Andi Howell attended the Community Transportation Association of America Conference (CTAA) in Minneapolis/St. Paul.  She completed the three-day transit manager certification training program.  This training will be helpful as she assists the department in more areas, such as taking the lead on the recently updated Title VI Program.

The Transit Advisory Committee convened with a full agenda on June 18^th.  Hollis MacLean-Wenzel was welcomed back on the committee as a business owner.  She had previously served during her tenure as executive director for the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce.

Once again, SAM will join the Sandy Mountain Festival Parade in July.  Andi is the creative force in that effort.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
The month began with a May Day Spring Tea & Dessert sponsored by Sandy’s Helping Hands. Center members enjoyed delicious treats and refreshing iced tea–just right for a warm afternoon.

Once again the Lion’s Club Health Van was onsite for the annual Health Fair. Hearing, vision and blood sugar testing was offered. A variety of fitness class demonstrations took place as well.

Parks
After years of anticipation and fundraising, work began on the Sandy Bluff Off-Leash Dog Park. The Leash-Cutting grand opening ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, June 17th at 6:00pm. Four-legged friends and their two-legged companions are invited to attend.

City Council and Park Board members held a joint workshop to discuss the future of trails in Sandy. Kathleen Walker, Park Board Chair, provided information on the current trail system and the vision of future trail development. Discussion centered around developing trail connections using current city rights-of-way in the immediate future and planning for long-term connections as properties annex and construction proceeds.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
The Summer Recreation Guide was completed and posted online in May. The electronic data base continues to grow and the new sign board is a great boost to programs. Exciting summer camps and field trips were added to provide a variety of summer options. New this session are drum lessons and cooking classes.

Summer Adult softball teams formed in May and teams are looking forward to another season on the new High School fields.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 12,630 a decrease of 39% from the same period last year. SAM-Gresham decreased 40%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had the greatest drop in use, 49%; STAR had a modest decrease, 15% this month; and ED ridership had a sharp decrease of 54%.  ED ridership can vary greatly with only a couple of passenger changes.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership was 2101 in May.  Summer activities at Ski Bowl, the 7:00am opening of the Palmer run at Timberline and their many summer visitors should keep the buses hopping.  Ridership on the new weekend SAM-Gresham Saturday & Sunday service continues to experience slight increases.  A “return to fareless” promotion in July will hopefully encourage riders to ride during the new weekend service hours—Saturday between 5:30-9:30am and all day Sunday and holidays (4^th of July).

Clackamas County successfully applied for a planning grant to explore the best structure for long term governance and operation of transportation services in the Mt. Hood area inclusive of Clackamas, Hood River and Warm Springs.

Bernice Powell led a Transit Adventure group of 12 to Goose Hollow for a walking tour and lunch at the Goose Hollow Inn where Bud Clark may have been sighted.

Once again, SAM will join the Sandy Mountain Festival Parade in July.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
Over 100 people attended the Senior Center’s 40th Anniversary celebration. Folks enjoyed delicious food, fun music, cool cups, cake and fellowship. The first director of the Senior Center, Dick Halvorson, attended with his wife, Nancy. He spoke of the early days and the importance of the involvement of passionate volunteers to get the Center up and running. Staff put together a video retrospective taken from the pages of 40 years of scrapbooks. The Center has been a home-away-from-home to so many over the years.

An AARP Safe Driver course attracted 20 individuals. The two-day, six-hour training covered defensive driving techniques and adjustments to make as one ages.

Parks
SOLV-It in Sandy was a huge success with 121 volunteers cleaning up parks and public spaces around town. The Skate Park, Tickle Creek Trail, Sandy Bluff Park, Sandy River Park, Fir Hill Cemetery and downtown sidewalks were among the many areas receiving a face lift. Over a ton of garbage was collected and 7200# of paper went through the commercial shredder.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
Spring classes are winding down and preparations for the summer season have begun. The Summer Recreation Guide will be online the week of May 19^th.

The summer schedule includes field trips on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and a wide variety of Mad Science camps. New classes include cooking, drumming, self-defense and First Aid/CPR.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 12,933 a decrease of 38% from the same period last year. SAM-Gresham decreased 38.6%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had the greatest drop in use, 53%; STAR had the most modest decrease, 17% this month; and ED ridership increased by 26%.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership slowed significantly in April to 2073.  Ski Bowl is closed for a short period before they resume with summer sports.  Ridership on the new weekend SAM-Gresham Saturday & Sunday service continues to experience slight increases.

The Clackamas County C4 Committee invited all transit systems to a presentation on transit service in the County.  Julie will represent rural transit in the newly created non-voting position on C4.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
Over 50 people attended a Brain Healthy Lunch on March 27th. Staff prepared and served a meal designed to enhance brain function, health and memory. As an added bonus, folks seemed to genuinely enjoy the food. Cami Henderson lined up guest speaker Bobby Heagerty from the OHSU Brain Institute. Ms. Heagerty provided valuable information on maintaining brain health and reported that the most important thing one can do to stay mentally alert is to be physically active.

Save the date! The Senior Center will celebrate its 40th Anniversary on April 24th.

Parks
Bornstedt Park ribbon cutting happened just in time for spring. Sandy’s newest park will go a long way towards enhancing the neighborhood and the community at large.

Save the date! Solv-It in Sandy & free paper shredding are scheduled for April 26th.

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
The Mountain Storm Youth Basketball season finished up for grades 3-6 with separate Jamborees for the 3rd/4th league on Saturday, the 8th, and the 5th/6th graders the following Saturday.  Numbers for participation were up for 2013-14 by about 10%.

The transition in production of the Recreation & Leisure Guide from paper to electronic is going well. Registration numbers are holding steady. Some classes started off a little slower in the fall but by winter session numbers were strong. As an example, Kinderdance programs had 41 participants in winter sessions in 2013, and 46 participants in winter sessions in 2014.

The database for email marketing is growing almost daily and the new electronic sign is a great way to provide information about upcoming classes, events etc.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 12,098, a decrease of 39% from the same period last year. SAM-Gresham decreased 39.9%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had the greatest drop in use, 51%; STAR had the most modest decrease, 21.6% this month; and ED ridership increased by 28.6%.

Continued cold, rainy weather kept many indoors, while the sunny days brought noticeably more people out for activities and transit use.

The expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership slowed a bit in March to 3381.  Ridership on the new weekend SAM-Gresham Saturday & Sunday service continues to experience slight increases.

We celebrated International Bus Driver Appreciation Day by putting flyers in buses and bus shelters along with cards for passengers to give to their bus driver.  Back at the office we had sub sandwiches and sodas for lunch with a hand written card and treat for each driver & dispatcher.  Their consistent good customer service and attention to safety makes them critical contributors to the success of our transit system.

The Transit Advisory Committee convened for its quarterly meeting on March 19^th.  We had a great discussion which included a report by Joseph Lowe who chairs the Disabled Council of Clackamas County and worked on behalf of the Campaign for Seniors & People with Disabilities advocating for the state legislature to recommit funding cut during the economic downturn.  An additional $26 million was recommitted in support of those populations, of which $4 million was added to the Special Transportation Fund for seniors and people with disabilities, bringing the state transportation funding back to the 2009 level.

Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit & Camilla Henderson)
As a support group facilitator for the Alzheimer’s Association, Cami Henderson, Client Services Coordinator, was invited to participate in the Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day on Tuesday, February 11^th at the State Capitol. She and others met with their individual legislators, including Senator Chuck Thomsen, to discuss pertinent issues before them. These included Senate Bill 1577, which would create a statewide Silver Alert system (similar to the current Amber Alert) and notify law enforcement in the case of a senior with Alzheimer’s who wanders.  Fully two-thirds of such patients are at risk of doing so, and Oregon currently has over 76,000 people with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.  The bill would also provide training statewide for law enforcement on how to deal with persons with dementia who wander.

Another discussion with legislators focused on the importance of passing Senate Bill 1553, which would create a state office of the Oregon Guardian and Conservator. The bill would provide financial and other services for persons unable to make decisions about their own safety and health, and who do not have available financial resources, family or friends to assist them.

The critical need to fund services for family caregivers was emphasized as caregiving is an intense responsibility that often ripples through the entire family. Of the top 10 diseases in the US, Alzheimer’s alone currently has no effective treatment.

Additional discussion centered on the need to further address the problem of people diagnosed with memory loss who continue to drive, despite having had their license revoked by the DMV.  Cami suggested examining laws in other states to see how they have dealt with the issue. Overall, it was a very successful day.

Note: At last report SB 1577 has been referred to the Governor for his signature, and SB 1553 has passed both the House and Senate.

Save the date! The Senior Center will celebrate its 40th Anniversary on April 24th.

Parks
The Park Board held its first meeting in February, 1996, and each year the momentous occasion is marked by a Board dinner at La Bamba. In its 18 years, Park Board members have overseen the development of a Parks Master Plan (currently in the process of updating the 1997 document); advised on the addition of 10 parks totaling 150+ acres; worked tirelessly for completion of the 1.75-mile Tickle Creek Trail; crafted park policy for Council approval; and donated thousands of hours attending meetings and completing numerous hands-on tasks. Thanks to all current and past Park Board volunteers!

Bornstedt Park Ribbon Cutting ~ Friday, March 14th at 6:00 PM

Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
Planning for summer 2014 is in the beginning stages. A shift in the focus of the summer camp schedule is in the works. Theme based camps will replace the traditional day camp format.

New Zumba classes are proving very popular, and staples like pee wee basketball, soccer, and Tae-Kwon-Do continue to draw strong registration.

Thank you to the Oregon Trail School District for its continued support of Mountain Storm Basketball. Gym use has been in high demand and the youth league has been allocated a great deal of time at the district gyms.

Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 10,831 a decrease of 43% from the same period last year. SAM-Gresham decreased 44.7%; again this month, SAM-Estacada had the greatest drop in use, 54%; STAR had the most modest decrease, 15.5% this month; and ED ridership increased by 17.4%.

Snow and ice in early February challenged transit operations. Service continued as long as it was safe, and only the last run on Friday, a couple of late night runs Saturday and all day Sunday were eliminated. Excellent communications between operations and administrative staff kept current information before the public through the media, website and Facebook. Twitter will be added to future outreach efforts.

Once again the expanded Mt. Hood Express ridership hit a new high in February, 3796.  Ridership on the new weekend SAM-Gresham Saturday & Sunday service continues to experience slight increases.

The Special Transportation Fund grant process is underway.  Sandy Transit should see approximately $90,000 more in the next biennium due to additional funds made available from the state for elderly and disabled transportation services.