Mayor’s Corner: I-205 Tolling Options

Frank Bubenik
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Mayor’s Corner: I-205 Tolling Options

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is looking at tolling options on I-205 to decrease congestion between Stafford Road and OR-213. The I-205 Toll Project would toll all lanes of I-205 at – or near – the Abernethy Bridge. ODOT says tolls could help pay for improvements along I-205 and the seismic work needed on the Abernethy Bridge. 

Before March 2020, about 100,000 vehicles traveled the section of I-205 between Stafford Road and OR 213 on a typical day, causing over 6.5 hours of daily traffic congestion. As the risks of COVID-19 are reduced, traffic congestion is expected to return.

Currently ODOT is conducting the federally-required environmental review (otherwise known as NEPA) process for the I-205 Toll Project to examine different alternatives to address identified problems, needs and goals. ODOT has reviewed their project plans with city council and the council was not very receptive of their ideas, nor was the Clackamas County Coordinating Committee (C4). ODOT has five alternatives for tolling I-205: 1) toll on the Abernethy Bridge, 2) toll the Abernethy Bridge, with tolling gantries off bridge, 3) individually toll multiple bridges to be rebuilt, 4) segment-based tolls – Stafford Road to OR 213, and 5) single zone toll – Stafford Road to OR 213.  ODOT is recommending alternatives 3 and 4. An additional option requested by C4 is a no-build alternative that envisions a full 6-lane improvement to I-205 without tolling. It is felt that this alternative provides the best baseline to determine the impacts of the tolling alternatives.  

The three major concerns expressed by both council and C4 are:

  1. The financial necessity and the benefits of tolling this section of I-205 have not been clearly articulated.
  2. The need for Oregon Transportation Council (OTC) to clarify its policy for funding of major highway improvements so that residents can be assured that tolling will be applied equitably to major highway improvements in the region.
  3. The lack of clarity around the intentions and policies regarding toll revenue allocation. Would toll revenue generated on I-205 remain in that corridor?

The public comment period continues through Sept. 16, 2020. During that time ODOT is hosting activities where you can ask questions, offer feedback, and learn about the project, including alternatives being studied, how modern tolling systems work, how different options could pay for roadway improvements and manage congestion, and the program’s approach to equity. I ask that you take some time and look into ODOT’s proposal as it may impact our community with possible diversion of traffic off of I-205 and on to side roads to avoid tolls. Another council concern is equity in terms of how tolling impacts those residents that are low income or residents that need to commute longer distances for work. Be assured that your council and city staff will remain highly involved in this process and relay our concerns to ODOT.

Visit ODOT’s online open house:
English and Spanish: www.oregontolling.org

Visit ODOT’s online engagement site:
English: oregonevents.org/openhouse/i205toll
Spanish: oregonevents.org/openhouse/i205toll-esp

Take (and share) the online survey:
English: surveygizmo.com/s3/5678377/ODOT-I-205-Outreach-OOH-Summer-2020
Spanish: www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5678377/ODOT-I-205-Outreach-OOH-Summer-2020-esp

You can submit comments to ODOT via:
Email: oregontolling@odot.state.or.us
Voicemail: (503)837-3536

Frank Bubenik
fbubenik@tualatin.gov
(971)420-7443

Rotary Sharpens Scholarship Scope

Diane Bonica
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Rotary Sharpens Scholarship Scope

The table could be anywhere in Tualatin, but the people seated at it and the work in front of them is unique and powerful. A Rotarian and a scholar are focused. An educational plan is getting a roadmap. New opportunities are coming to life. A college career is becoming a reality. One generation before, such a plan would not have been possible. Things have changed and doors have opened. Rotarians and young adults alter life trajectories; one club member and one student at a time.

This scene has played out in our city for the past seven years. A student from Tualatin High School has been awarded a Rotary Scholarship. In 2013, the Tualatin Rotary Club began to offer a financial pathway for first generation college students. In addition to funds of $18,000, the club provided the scholar an additional means of support in a mentor. A member of the club volunteers to work with a student for five years. The future college graduate is selected in the junior year of high school. Mentoring is in full swing during the important senior year in Tualatin and continues for the four years of higher education. One scholar admitted that “it is hard to go through this world without a role model and advice.” A member of Rotary provided these necessities for her educational journey.

Scholarships are no stranger to Rotary members. As a service organization, Rotary has been on the forefront of educational opportunities worldwide. Teacher training and coaching; schooling for refugees and students living in poverty; scholarships for low income communities; and help for basic education and literacy have been tenets of service for Rotarians around the globe. Lisa Thorpe, a mentor in Tualatin’s scholarship program, explained that “while offering scholarships to students is not unusual for Rotary Clubs, offering a mentor for the recipient’s college preparation and journey is, and it is what makes our program unique and special.”

The Rotary Club of Tualatin had provided honorary scholarships to high school students since Tualatin High School opened in 1997. These monetary gifts were one-time honors and much smaller financial commitments. In 2013, members voted to change direction and hoped to increase the impact of a scholarship on each recipient. Knowing that the college drop-out rate is the highest in the freshman year, the club made provisions for a mentor to be in place one year before college and every year after until the student graduates. Each student now receives $4,500 a year for the four years of education. The plan has been successful. The club now has four college graduates and five students in the program.  The community of Tualatin will soon have new social workers, teachers, political activists, physicians and business entrepreneurs. One graduate stated, “My plans did not consist of going to college. My parents hoped I would graduate from high school and then I would get a job. It is surreal that I am a college graduate. It is a dream that became real thanks to Rotary.”

Being a mentor is also a learning experience. The expectations and support needed vary from scholar to scholar. There are no cookie cutter instructions on how to mentor. Some students are very self-sufficient and manage to navigate their education with minimal assistance. Other scholars spend countless hours with their mentor. They learn how to set up bank accounts, how to select the right classes, how to ask important questions of college counselors and how to balance family and school life. As the five- year relationship continues, most mentors and recipients build hard and fast friendships.  Personal growth is a two-way street for both participants.

Becoming a Rotary Scholar is a challenge.  Students apply for the award in their junior year. The application is designed to discover a qualified and confident student. Grade reports and extracurricular activities are examined. Job experience is noted. Talent and passion in the arts, academics and sports are included. A committee of staff members at the high school sort through the twenty or more applications each year. They narrow the field down to four candidates. The Rotary Scholarship Committee then interviews the students and makes the final decision. At the young age of sixteen, students affirm their own ambitions and undergo a lengthy interview process. Their personal stories are filled with moments of trial and triumph. Each student has risen to a place where college is a challenge that is well deserved.

Ariana Organiz is the 2020 graduate from the University of Oregon. She has a major in political science and a minor in international studies. She is doing advocacy in campaign work and nonprofit management. She has a fulltime job with the Oregon Student Association and provides trainings for students to advocate for themselves. She is also working part time to ensure reproductive rights and health care for women, especially Latina women. Ariana said, “Because of Rotary, I was able to work for all that I now have and will do in the future.” Her mentor, Lisa Yarborough, added, “The scholarship made a life changing impact for Ariana and I trust she will steward her education well. She has grown into the confident, self assured and socially minded young woman she is today.” 

Rotary’s first COVID-19 quarantined scholar will begin her college experience in a few weeks. Asia Jean Petrus heads to the University of Oregon. She may take some classes online. She might encounter a hybrid college module. Asia is ready. She will study Family and Human Services and looks for a career in social work. She is grateful for the Rotary scholarship and hopes to repay it through service to others. She sees herself working to shore up and strengthen the Foster Care System in our state. She has mentored struggling teens in high school through the InterCambio program and feels that she can use her education and drive to make foster care a better place for children of all ages.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have success.” The fifty members of the Tualatin Rotary are not willing to accept just one life’s improvement. They are striving to add a new student every year. To keep this program strong, the club must raise $20,000 a year.  Anyone reading this article can join with the club and support a scholar. Your financial contribution will be accepted with gratitude and cheers!

Our community will be stronger and richer thanks to these scholars. If you are interested in becoming an educational steward, contact the Rotary club at www.tualatinrotary.org.  

Five Fall Yard Safety Tips for Pets:

Sarah Harwood
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Five Fall Yard Safety Tips for Pets:
  1. Composting is a wonderful, environmentally friendly way of breaking down kitchen waste into nutrient-packed matter for your garden. It can also sound like easily accessible table scraps to your pooch. Make sure that your compost bucket and pile are properly secured from pilfering prone canines. Decaying food waste naturally creates different types of mold. These molds produce spores that produce mycotoxins. Which, if ingested by your pet can result in tremors, vomiting, diarrhea and fever.
  2. There are three types of mushrooms when it comes to pets: safe, highly toxic and fatal. It is often difficult visually to identify which fungi fall into those three categories. And each type of toxic mushroom can contain its own symptoms ranging from hypersalivation, vomiting, diarrhea and increased urination to neurological signs, liver failure and death. It’s best to err on the side of caution and remove any mushroom that pops up in your yard.
  3. Fall plants such as Autumn Crocus, Lilies and Chrysanthemums make for a lovely garden view or flower arrangements but can be harmful to your pet if consumed. Autumn Crocus and Lilies are especially dangerous. Signs of ingestion are vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, multi-organ failure and death. 
  4. As trees begin to drop their seeds, be aware of your pet scavenging fallen nuts. These mouth-sized dangers are often picked up during walks or during play in the backyard. Fermented Black Walnuts, for example, contain a toxic ingredient called Tannic Acid, which can damage internal organs and cause lethargy. Ingestion of nuts, such as Acorns in their entirety, can potentially cause intestinal blockage, which can be life-threatening, and most cases require abdominal surgery to remove.
  5. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, also known as the ASPCA, is a great online resource for toxic and non-toxic plants. ASPCA’s poison helpline (888)462-4435 is available 24/7, 365 days a year to help with any possible toxicity concerns or questions you may have in regard to poisonous plants or food, unprescribed drug ingestion in pets or exposure to household cleaning products.

Self-Care in 2020

Dr. Bijana Kadakia
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Self-Care in 2020

Change is inevitable, but 2020 seems like it’s getting more than its share. With everything going on, it’s not an exaggeration to say that things may never be the same again. We are going through something more than normal and everyone is responding to that in their own way. In my conversations with patients and friends throughout this year, self-care has become an important theme. If you are struggling through 2020, self-care can help you find your center and stay balanced through the strangeness of this year. If you feel like you’re getting through things well, self-care can be what keeps you moving forward with purpose.

When I talk about self-care, I refer to activities that 1. prioritizes you and your needs; 2. reduces stress and 3. do not harm you in the short or long term. Because of this, self-care always involves a level of introspection and self-awareness. Self-care can include a lot of different activities and will look different for each person. 

Here are some self-care suggestions as we move forward in 2020: 

Sleep – Everything seems harder when you don’t get enough sleep. If you aren’t commuting or your schedule has changed, this may be a good time to experiment with an earlier bedtime, an afternoon nap or waking without an alarm clock.

Exercise – Exercise releases endorphins, reduces stress, increases fitness and can be fun if you choose activities you like. Add 15 minutes of your chosen activity to your daily routine.

Eat great food – Many people are reporting spending more time gardening, cooking and baking and enjoying the fruits of those labors. Healthful, delicious meals can be very simple or if you enjoy cooking, you can take the time to learn a new or more complex recipe. 

Stay socially connected – It’s so important, even while physically distancing to maintain our social connections to friends and family and luckily, there are lots of ways to do this. A weekly video chat with a group of family or friends is a great way to stay involved and provides something to look forward to for all involved. Phone calls, text messages and even snail mail are fun, but I encourage you to use video sometimes even if it’s new to you — there is something about seeing your loved one that does seem to make a difference. 

Meditate – Look up “5-minute meditation” on YouTube, sit down and breath through the guidance. Yep, it’s that simple.

Your self-care may look really different than these suggestions and that’s okay. In the end, the most important thing is that you take care of you the best that you can and reach out for help if you need it. If you need additional support, I’m available by telemedicine or in person. See our ad for details. 

Tualatin Lions Oktoberfest is on and “Drive-Through” safe!

Tualatin Life
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Tualatin Lions Oktoberfest is on and “Drive-Through” safe!

The Tualatin Lions are happy to announce that their annual German-style celebration of harvest time, “Oktoberfest,” is ON! And it’ll be safe! It’s “drive-through” Oktoberfest this year!

“Drive-Through” Oktoberfest will take place on Friday, Oct. 9 and Saturday, Oct. 10 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. each night in the driveway of the Tualatin Valley Elks Lodge, 8325 SW Mohawk Drive, Tualatin.

The Lions, with help from their Scouts of Troop 530 and Venture Scouts, will serve their traditional dinners of locally sourced Zenner brand German sausages, Willamette Valley sauerkraut, Hamburg style fries (salt and vinegar) and famous apfel kuchen (German-style apple cake made from local apples). All dinners will be served in a “touchless” fashion in biodegradable takeout containers.

Each dinner is $12 and the Lions can take cash, checks and, this year, credit cards. We’re sorry that we won’t be able to have local merchant raffles this year, but we will have our famous 50/50 raffle. A Lion will be ready to sell you a 50/50 ticket for only $5, take your name and contact info and, after the winning ticket is pulled at closing, 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10, we’ll call you and you win 50% of the pot! The Tualatin Valley Elks Lodge will provide Beer Garden waiting for those 21 and older.

Dinner orders will be taken on Friday, Oct. 9 and Saturday, Oct. 10 at 971-832-9146, call or text or at the Lions email address, tualatinlions@gmail.com.

All funds raised at the 2020 Tualatin Lions Club “Drive-Through” Oktoberfest go to help our under-served neighbors receive help with sight and hearing saving surgery or treatment, exams and eyeglasses or hearing aids; state-of-the-art vision screening for local students; and exams and eyeglasses for those in need as well as support for local and regional food banks, the Tualatin Caring Closet, Scout Troop 530, pack 35 and the Venture Scouts. “If there’s a need, there’s a Lion”.

To contact the Tualatin Lions about Oktoberfest or any service need in the community, please email tualatinlions@gmail.com. “Komen sie! Essen und macht gemutlich!” 

City Authorizes $1.2 Million in COVID-19 Assistance

Tualatin Life
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City Authorizes $1.2 Million in COVID-19 Assistance

With an end to the COVID-19 pandemic nowhere in sight, the Tualatin City Council is taking further action to ease the economic burden for local businesses and residents, alike. 

Councilors on Monday approved a trio of programs that would direct roughly $1.2 million in federal funding to locally owned businesses and parents with school-age children, as well as set aside further money for the same purposes if and when it is needed in the future. Roughly $600,000 will be directed toward small business relief, another $250,000 toward scholarships to fund childcare services and another $360,000 for future disbursement. 

“This is wonderful,” Councilor Nancy Grimes said at Monday’s council meeting held via Zoom teleconference. “We have $1.2 million to help our community with, and that is a huge amount of good that we can do in our community. I’m so thrilled we’re able to do this.” 

Money for these programs is provided by the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act approved by Congress in March. $278,000 is coming from Business Oregon, another $252,000 from reimbursement of Economic Stabilization 1.0 and $680,000 from a Washington County Small Business Assistance Grant 

Small businesses with 50 or fewer employees will be given priority for funding under Economic Stability Fund 2.0. They must be affected by Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s executive orders that have shuttered or limited operations or have had larger economic impacts on revenue, as well as those who have not previously received economic relief funds from local, state, or federal sources. An earlier requirement that eligible businesses have a physical storefront has now been eliminated. National chains are not eligible. 

Meanwhile, Tualatin residents with school age children and a household income at or below the city’s median income of roughly $80,000 will also be eligible for $250,000 in childcare scholarships. This money will be paid out through 34 licensed childcare providers working in the city. Individual families will be eligible for up to $1,000 in scholarship funding per child, with the requirement that each family also at least a 10 percent reduction in income and a concurrent 10 percent or greater increase in childcare costs. The scholarships will be given for up to three months’ worth of costs.

The balance of the $1.2 million, some $360,000 will be set aside for future disbursement through those two programs should the need arise, said City Economic Development Manager Jonathan Taylor. 

“The city intends to also work with community based organizations to let them know this is a program offered by the city through the Cares Act,” Taylor said. “We anticipate launching in mid September, and the first disbursements will be in October.” 

Staff initially proposed funding childcare scholarships to the tune of $100,000, but councilors asked that this be increased significantly due to the significant need in the community. 

“I don’t think 250 (thousand) is going to be enough,” Councilor Paul Morrison said. “It may be our most popular program we’re offering. We can see how it plays out, but I would go with the 250 in round numbers.” 

Councilor Robert Kellogg agreed. 

“It’s pretty obvious to me we need to put more funding into this program,” he said. “There’s a ton of need in the business community, but not only is the child care requirement large, it’s pending the Tigard-Tualatin School District sending kids back to school September 14, so there’s an immediate deadline.” 

The most recent funding comes on the heels of earlier economic assistance provided in April under the federal CARES Act that was approved by Congress last spring. It is being distributed under the auspices of Business Oregon and Washington County’s Small Business Assistance Grant program. 

The city’s first round of economic assistance distributed $252,000 to 54 businesses with an average grant of $4,600, Taylor said.  

City staff will now finalize details of the latest round and begin marketing the two programs. Applications will be accepted starting Sept. 1, with all funds required to be spent by Nov. 15. 

For more information on small business grants contact Kathy Bazan at the Tualatin Business Recovery Center:  brcconsultant@tualatinchamber.com, or visit the City’s Economic Stabilization web page: www.tualatinoregon.gov/economicdevelopment/city-tualatin-economic-stabilization-fund-program-20. 

CERT Now Offers Online Emergency Response Training!

Cathy Holland
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CERT Now Offers Online Emergency Response Training!

Despite everything going on in the world, you can still train and prepare for an emergency!

CERT volunteers and the City of Tualatin wants you to get prepared. Since COVID-19 and physical distancing measures currently limit our ability to meet in person, Tualatin CERT now offers an online course for a Tualatin CERT-Ready Certificate. This hybrid course includes 12 hours of online independent study and another 3 hours of Zoom training. Volunteers completing this course will receive CERT equipment, and instruction to respond to an earthquake or other emergency during a pandemic using social distancing and protection equipment. Once the COVID-19 threat has passed, volunteers receive 16 hours of hands-on training and emergency simulation to complete the Basic CERT course.  

If you only have a few hours, Tualatin CERT offers a two-hour neighborhood preparedness presentation via Zoom: “Tualatin Neighborhood Ready”, to help your neighborhood get prepared. Experts tell us we may be on our own for sometime. We can help.

All training is free. For more information about CERT, or the online CERT-Ready program, contact Membership Director Brian Fant at info@TualatinCERT.org.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is a National program designed to prepare Tualatin’s residents and company employees to help themselves, their families and neighbors in the event of a disaster. Trained instructors guide participants through a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) course covering basic skills that are important to know in a disaster when emergency services are not available. 

This online Tualatin CERT-Ready course teaches individual and neighborhood preparedness, and team response by CIO for communication and other tasks, which can be performed with social distancing.  Once social distancing rules are lifted, participants may complete the other skills in hands–on classes and will receive a CERT Basic Training Certificate.

CERT provides training in earthquake awareness, disaster fire suppression techniques, disaster medical operations, first aid/triage, light search and rescue as well as team organization and management. 

Attorney Threatens Action Over City’s Pot Regulations

Luke Roney
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Attorney Threatens Action Over City’s Pot Regulations

An attorney for a chain of dispensaries has asked the City Council to revisit Tualatin’s marijuana business regulations sooner than later, saying that if the council doesn’t act in the near future his client will take the issue to the Oregon Department of Revenue (DOR).

Anthony Stewart, who represents Western Oregon Dispensary, has claimed that the city’s laws regulating cannabis dispensaries, wholesalers and manufacturers are a “disguised ban” on such businesses in Tualatin. As such, he claims, the city should not collect marijuana tax revenue from the state, which it does.

The city was planning to gather community input on potentially increasing the area in which marijuana businesses could operate in the city. The issue was sidelined with the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We had talked about community organizations providing their input sometime later in the fall. Given the circumstances, we’d really like the council in one of its upcoming sessions to address this a little bit sooner,” Stewart said during the July 27 council meeting. “Western Oregon has indicated to me that if we don’t get some movement on this before we get the [Community Involvement Organizations] involved, we’re going to go down the process of notifying the DOR, as I described in my prior letter.”

Oregon voters passed Measure 91 in 2014, legalizing marijuana in the state and allowing local jurisdictions to regulate marijuana facilities. Tualatin’s regulations, passed the following year, call for a 3,000-foot buffer zone between marijuana businesses and schools, parks, residential zones and the library, limiting potential locations for such businesses to a portion of industrial land on the west side of the city. The city restrictions exceed the minimum state restrictions, which call for marijuana businesses to be located at least 1,000 feet from schools. 

There are no dispensaries or other cannabis businesses in Tualatin.

The regulations passed in 2015 for a 3,000-foot buffer zone from residential districts, parks and schools allow for marijuana facilities to only be located in the bright yellow area.

During councilor communications at the end of the July 27 meeting, Councilor Robert Kellogg referenced Stewart’s comments and said, “I think it’s time to address these concerns and make a decision.”

“We’re still functioning as a city – we’re taking input on In-N-Out; we’re taking input on other issues,” Kellogg said. “And I think it’s time to put this issue in front of us, get all the community input we need and make a decision. I don’t want to call it a threat, but I don’t want anything looming over our heads about what might happen at the Department of Revenue or circuit court or where ever.”

When marijuana business regulations were discussed in January, Kellogg and Mayor Frank Bubenik said they were open to loosening the city’s restrictions. Councilors Maria Reyes, Bridget Brooks and Valerie Pratt were open to further discussion of the topic. Councilor Paul Morrison and Council President Nancy Grimes opposed changes to the 3,000-foot buffer.

Those positions have not  changed during the intervening months.

Grimes said that revisiting zoning for marijuana businesses “doesn’t really rise to the level of some of the projects … that I think are worthy of staff time and staff effort,” adding, “Frankly, starting off a meeting with being threatened with litigation doesn’t exactly make me want to bend over backward to try to rezone something that’s currently zoned.”

One concern, Grimes said, is whether the city will be able to gather “a critical mass” of community input during the pandemic for the council to make a decision. 

“Getting people, getting people’s attention, getting them to focus on something right now outside of the urgent financial, medical and emotional wellbeing of a family. I just think it’s such a difficult time to talk about something,” she said.

Throughout the ongoing discussion of marijuana regulations, Morrison has maintained that the city is following best practices and does permit marijuana business to operate in Tualatin.

“Mr. Stewart can say anything he wants. He’s an attorney,” Morrison said. “But he cannot file and say we’re not giving him an opportunity, when we’ve given him an opportunity. He can set up shop; he’s just not happy with where he gets to set up shop.”

Opposition from Grimes and Morrison notwithstanding, the council majority asked staff to come up with a plan to gather community input and bring it back for their consideration.

Aging in Place: Meals on Wheels 50th Anniversary

Susan Noack
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Aging in Place: Meals on Wheels 50th Anniversary

2020 marks Meals on Wheels People’s 50th anniversary year for continuous service to the metro area senior community. Our Tualatin MOWP program has been at the Juanita Pohl Center for over 40 years. The following is an interview with the Tualatin Chamber of Commerce, commemorating and acknowledging this anniversary.

How Did This Business Get Started?

Meals on Wheels People, originally called Loaves and Fishes, was founded in 1969 in Portland by three caring ladies who saw a need in the community that was not being met. They gathered in the basement of the Lincoln Street Methodist Church in February 1970 to serve a hot lunch to a dozen seniors and then delivered 14 meals on paper plates wrapped in newspaper to home bound seniors. 

Now, MOWP meals are available to anyone over the age of 60. While each meal costs $7.39, seniors are only asked to donate what, if any amount, they can afford. No senior is ever turned away or denied a meal. 

What Problem Does Your Product Or Service Solve?

MOWP fulfills the needs of seniors in the community. Today, there are 24 MOWP dining centers in Multnomah, Washington and Clark County and they prepare and deliver more than 1.3 million meals annually for center dining and home delivery. Since the COVID-19 Pandemic started, all the centers are closed but home delivery still continues. Daily meal production has increased from 5,000 meals a day to 8,000 meals daily. Deliveries are made once a week and each delivery contains seven days of a nutritious meal, beverage and dessert/fruit. The volunteer driver with the friendly smile delivering a hot meal is often the only person some of our homebound seniors will see on an average day. Over 600 volunteers log in 2,000+ hours each week to support the program.

Before COVID-19 when the Juanita Pohl Center was open, the MOWP dining program served 40-60 meals daily and 40-50 meals were home delivered. There was also an average of 50 volunteers each week either in the kitchen or driving for home delivery.

What Is Your Business Philosophy?

Our vision: No senior will go hungry or experience social isolation.

Our Mission: We enrich the lives of seniors and assist them in maintaining independence by providing nutritious food, human connection and social support. 

Our Values: Integrity, Respect, Inclusion, Creativity, Commitment and Teamwork.

How Does Our Business Give Back To The Community?

We partner with, volunteer and offer support to other community programs for seniors by making sure to inform our clients of the services and resources available in Tualatin, such as the Borland Free Clinic, the School House Pantry, the library, the Juanita Pohl Center to name a few.

If You Could Say One Thing To The People Of Tualatin, What Would It Be?

It would be a huge thank you to the City of Tualatin for over 40 years of support for this program at the Juanita Pohl Center, a huge thank you to the Tualatin Chamber of Commerce and all its members for their support and interest in this program, a huge thank you to the community and all the volunteers who so willingly give of their heart and time to support this program. 

For more information on MOWP or to sign up for a meal, go to www.mowp.org. For information to volunteer, go to www.mowp.volunteerhub.com. For information on the MOWP Virtual 50th Anniversary Gala event, go to MOWP50.org. 

Family Auto Repair: For the Community

Jenny Lind Conlee
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Family Auto Repair: For the Community

In 2017, Jonathon Peloquin and his family packed up and moved to the green and lush Pacific Northwest. They had visited close family friends who lived up here many times over the past decade and decided it was time to make a change. They made their home in Tigard. 

All of this change included the family business; the shop. You see, Jonathon, who was once an architecture student, is a third generation mechanic. He ran a successful auto repair shop for twelve years. He handed the keys over to his trusted apprentice when they decided to relocate. 

Jonathon’s wife, Heather, and their three children, Caleb, Zach and Felicity, share a love of community. Heather taught first grade in Tualatin for two years, and is gearing up to begin teaching Kindergarten in our neighboring city of Sherwood this Fall. She and her daughter continue to be involved in Girl Scouts where Heather is a leader, and they love all of the outdoor activities the Northwest has to offer. This crew loves the people, nature and weather of the Pacific Northwest. 

Now that they’ve settled in, the Peloquin’s are at it again and have decided to open up Family Auto Repair in Tualatin. You may be wondering – why open a business now? They believe their shop will bless the community during these difficult times. They aim to be the shop everyone can trust. With so much uncertainty, they felt like people needed the service they provide right now more than ever. 

Since being a mechanic runs in this family’s veins, maybe the future of this shop is in the hands of the Peloquin kids! We wish this local, family-owned business a long and prosperous future right here in Tualatin for generations to come.

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