Speech: Patriots Day 2003

Remarks On Patriots Day
Delivered In Absentia By Crook County Judge Scott Cooper
Sept. 11, 2003, Prineville, Oregon

Greetings, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens:

Today, we gather again with the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and others who love their country to honor patriots across our nation and throughout the history of our nation.

I am sorry I cannot be with you this day, but I am celebrating patriotism in my own way by flying from Central Oregon to Boston on this, the second anniversary of the day our nation’s enemies thought they would strike a blow to crush the American spirit forever.

I am making this trip today to make a personal statement that those who conceived this evil plan did not succeed. I have chosen this fateful day, Sept. 11, to prove that I and other Americans are neither cowed nor bowed in the face of fear. I have chosen Boston as my destination because it is the Cradle of American Freedom, the city where the ideal of Democracy was first conceived, nurtured, raised and defended on American shores. Graced by names such as Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and John Hancock and by places such as Bunker Hill, Boston Common and Lexington and Concord, it is a living monument to a people who were not daunted by world opinion, who were not swayed by threats of terrible destruction and who were not deterred by questions of resources.

I too have chosen to be present at this historic place on this historic date to make a symbolic statement to those evil-doers who would force a mighty nation to its knees.

To them, I say this: “You have not frightened me. You will not frighten me. You cannot frighten me. For I am an American; And therefore I look forward and never backward. I do not yield to terror or intimidation, and I do not yield to you.

“Bring on your cowardly attacks if you must. You will not likely succeed, but if perchance you should, neither I nor my countryman will be swayed by your awful deeds.”

From Oregon to Massachusetts, from Alaska to Florida, we Americans are united in a common bond—a bond of love for country and confidence in the righteousness of our founding principles. It is a strong bond, and one which gains strength each time it is tested—a strength more than sufficient to carry us through even the darkest of hours.

Although I cannot join you today, I send greetings and affection to all of you along with regrets that I cannot join you at this event this year. Know, however, that my thouhts are with you. God bless you all. God bless Crook County and God bless America.

10 Good Things

By Scott R. Cooper, Crook County Judge
published in the Central Oregonian, September 2003

With the election season upon us, the news is full of charges and countercharges by candidates that “things have never been worse.” Experts actually caution that listening to too much news can be bad for one’s mental health. Fortunately, most citizens and voters are savvy enough to know not to make judgments based on a single candidate’s assertion. In keeping with that idea, this month’s column is dedicated to the good things happening in Prineville, Crook County and our state, which ought to provide plenty of ammunition to keep your spirits up this election season.

Falling Unemployment
Unemployment figures for the month of July were released last month. At 7.4 percent, Crook County’s unemployment has fallen to its lowest level for the month since 1999. This was the fourth straight month to show a gain. Total employment was up 2.7 over last July, with gains being felt in almost every sector, the exception being, oddly enough, construction. Particularly encouraging were the gains in the retail sector which posted a 6.4 percent increase.

Area Roads See Upgrades
At the urging of Crook County, ODOT has been paying serious attention to Crook County Roads. The passing lane project on highway 126 is complete, helping traffic sort itself out on that road. Construction of two additional lanes is slated for the west end of the highway (in the area approximately in front of the “white fence” bordering Powell Butte Estates) in spring of 2005. The O’Neil highway got a much-needed overlay, and work is beginning on an upgrade to the Madras Highway as well. Meanwhile, both city and county are both working hard on replacement of bridges with the help of a fresh infusion of state funds. These fixes should last at least 50 years.

Farm Incomes Rise
The Oregon Dept. of Agriculture reported at the beginning of the month that farm income in 2003 rose 27 percent over 2002 levels. The wealth wasn’t shared statewide (nursery crops not grown in Crook County got the bulk of the benefit and crop sales in the tri-county area were actually down), but cattle sales—the major part of Crook County’s remaining agricultural base— increased a substantial 17 percent. The department attributes the increase to the popularity of low-carb diets, which are fueling demand for beef and to a ban on Canadian-imported beef in the wake of the mad cow scare.

Corporate Tax Collections Point To Growth
Tom Potiowski, Oregon State Economist, surprised legislators at the end of August that Oregon “is finally on track to recovery.” Potiowski noted that Oregon corporate taxpayers can expect a rebate of an estimated 12.1 percent on taxes in 2005, based on predictions that the economy will generate $68.1 million in tax revenue than was originally expected. Such increases will trigger Oregon’s unique “kicker” law. Critics of the “kicker” groused that the state is barely recovered from the revenue shortfall of 2003-05 and that now is not the time to be writing rebate checks, but no one argued that the numbers are a solid indication that the state’s troubled economy is finally on the rebound.

Bookmobile Performs Above Expectations
The bookmobile purchased with grant funds to support Crook County library outreach efforts has outperformed expectations. At present, circulation on the bookmobile accounts for about 4-6 percent of the material being checked out of the library each month, and it has proven particularly popular in the remote areas of the county. The bookmobile has also had a positive impact in reaching out to non-English speakers. Preliminary stats show that Spanish language materials carried aboard the bookmobile circulate at just under twice the rate of Spanish language materials distributed through the main library. Starting next month, the library staff and staff of the Crook County Health Department will combine forces to roll the bookmobile and the county’s mobile health clinic on the same day and the same schedule. This “government on wheels” approach will continue to further the County Court’s goal of access to county services.

Teen Pregnancies Continue To Decline
Although the data always lag, the most recently available numbers show that Crook County’s teen pregnancy rate continues to decline. In 2002, the rate among females 15-17 was 19.1 per thousand, with a 5-year average of 24.1 per thousand. Both those numbers meet state benchmarks and show a statistically significant downward trend over the decade. At this writing, Crook County’s teen pregnancy rate is the lowest in Central Oregon and the fourth lowest of any county in the state reporting a statistically reliable rate.

“Vets Van” Funded
Crook County has received two grants, one from John and Linda Shelk and one from the Sam Johnson Foundation of Redmond to be applied toward the purchase of a “Vets Van”. The van will shuttle veterans needing healthcare to and from Redmond, where they catch a shuttle which takes them to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Portland. The use of the Portland facility helps transfer healthcare costs which otherwise be the responsibility of local and state government and medical facilities to the federal government. The van, which is being partially donated by Roberson Ford of Prineville, replaces the use of motor pool cars currently used for veterans transport. Unlike some motor-pool cars, the new van can travel in all-weather conditions and can better accommodate some individuals with disabilities.

District Attorney Achieves Efficiencies
One of the functions assigned by the state to county governments is to collect delinquent child-support. This effort is critical in a county where 25 percent of the households in poverty are headed by single moms with children. A single individual with a part-time assistant in the district attorney’s office is responsible for administering collections on behalf of counties. Small though the staff may be, its results are anything but! In a single quarter, the staff collected $1,455,928.17 in child support payments at a net cost to Crook County of $20,586.32. Excluding five counties which didn’t report expenses, Crook County was only one of four counties statewide to report expenditures to collections ratio of less than 1.5 percent.

County Voting System Is ADA Compliant
As part of the federal Help America Vote Act, inspectors hired by the Oregon Secretary of State recently turned up at the Crook County Courthouse to check the county’s compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The federal act, among other provisions, requires public facilities to be constructed in such a way that access to the disabled is assured. Fortunately, recent efforts by Crook County to comply with the act, including an audit of county facilities conducted in 2002, were well rewarded. The inspector found only minor discrepancies (a drinking fountain was too high and a sign posted on a handicapped parking space was too low). Most problems were solved with a few screws, some signage and a few buckets of paint. The inspector was particularly complimentary of the county’s accessible drive-up ballot deposit box behind the Courthouse which provides access to disabled voters without forcing them out of their cars.

Most Voters Satisfied With Government Services
A random survey of registered voters in Prineville conducted the last week of August found that 78 percent of city residents reported that they were either “very satisfied” or “fairly satisfied” with city services. The Crook County Parks and Recreation District got an even more ringing endorsement garnering an 86 percent approval rating. The consultant hired to conduct the survey deemed results like that “phenomenal,” noting they were the highest he had ever seen.

Unemployment Rates: A Keyhole View of a Much Bigger Picture

By Scott R. Cooper, County Judge
Published in the Powell Butte Views, August 2003