Number of Homes Razed Hits Ceiling

AN ALIEN INVASION! — SEE LIFE, B1 PortlandTHURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014 • TWICE CHOSEN THE NATION’ S BEST NONDAILY PAPERTribune • PORTLANDTRIBUNE.COM • PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND THURSDAY How can ■ Historic downtown church turns to public to repair aging bell tower utility rates be lowered? Ideas fl oated to cut water, sewer costs — some viable, some not By STEV E LAW The Tribune For several years, Portland- ers have heard a dizzying ar- ray of allegations about City Hall’s misuse of water and sewer funds. There’s been many a tale of politicians’ pet projects, alleged use of water and sewer payments as slush funds, and reckless over- spending. But as voters ponder a May 20 ballot measure aimed at wresting con- trol of the water and sewer bureaus from city commissioners, for many it boils down to one question: Will handing the “I don’t Bureau of En- think you vironmental Doug Emmons, facility manager at F irst Congregational Church, puts his back into ringing the church bell. The tower around the bell needs $ 5 0 0 ,0 0 0 in repairs, and the church is Services and asking Portlanders to contribute. should Water Bureau reduce to an indepen- rates on dent elected board lower the back of their water low-income and sewer rates? seniors.” No one can — Nick F ish, say for sure, city commissioner because we don’t know who might be elected to the board and what policies they’d pursue. But many ideas for cutting STORY BY PETER KORN • PHOTOS BY JAIME VALDEZ spending have surfaced during the past several years, and others might be considered by a board elected with a mandate to he Rev. Charles Svendsen under- reverse Portland’s spiking water stands that the life of a church can “Y ou don’t realiz e that bell and sewer rates. be a tricky thing. Svendsen is in- weighs, G od knows, how much. Here’s a snapshot of some of T terim minister of First Congrega- them, and how viable they real- tional United Church of Christ. Perched on And when you let go, the rope ly are. the South Park Blocks, First Congregation- ■ D ON ’T CAP TH E RES ERV OI RS : al is one of the city’s oldest and most impos- swings way up twice as far as Some of the impetus behind ing churches. For 60 years, its 175-foot-high Measure 26-156 comes from bell tower was the tallest structure in Port- you pulled it down.” neighbors who prize the scenic land. Only First Congregational’s bell rings reservoirs at Mount Tabor and out over the South Park blocks on Sunday — Ross Runkel, F irst Congregational church member Washington parks and insist the mornings. city could have done more to op- But that bell tower, basically unchanged pose a federal mandate to stop since its construction in 1895, has been crum- “These churches down here, they’re his- putting drinking water in open- bling. Once, the church would have prevailed torical, they’re central, they’re the ones air reservoirs. on its members to pay the $500,000 cost of the from whom all the other churches came,” “You don’t need to cancel it, repairs. Forty years ago, the church had 700 Svendsen says of the old downtown houses you simply need to delay it like members. Today it has 328. Most Sundays, of worship. New York City and Rochester, somewhere around 135 people attend servic- While a number of once-proud Portland N.Y., have done,” says Kent Cra- es, many of whom are children or grandchil- churches have closed their doors in recent ford, co-petitioner for Measure dren of earlier congregants, who drive in years, First Congregational is not about to 26-156, who has represented big A wood panel recently fell from the bell tower at F irst Congregational from the suburbs, often passing other con- go broke. In fact, while its membership con- commercial water users in the Church on the South Park Blocks. F or 60 years, the tower was the gregational churches on the way to what past. “I’m guessing we could still tallest structure in Portland. Svendsen calls “the mother church.” See CHURCH / Page 2 save over $100 million if we could stop the bulldozers right now.” That would mean delaying the capping of reservoirs at the parks and stopping work at the partially completed under- ground reservoir at Kelly Butte in East Portland, de- Number of homes raz ed hits ceiling signed to replace the Mount Tabor reservoirs. tives from the Portland Bureau City commissioners say the Forum to address of Planning and Sustainability, horse already has left the barn, the Bureau of Development residents’ concerns Services and Our United Vil- See RATES / Page 4 about citywide infi ll lages, a nonprofi t community enhancement organization By JIM REDDEN that operates the ReBuilding The Tribune Center in North Portland. The forum is being orga- Neighborhood advocates nized as protests increase are organizing a citywide fo- across the city against develop- A house being rum on residential demoli- ers demolishing existing renovated at tions and other issues relat- See RAZ E / Page 1 1 ed to infi ll housing projects. 3 4 3 1 S.E. The forum is being spon- Rex St. has sored by several neighborhood There is widespread neighbors coalition offi ces. It will be held worried about from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on June discontent among possible 11 at Concordia University’s Portland residents haz ardous Luther Hall Auditorium, 2811 materials N.E. Holman St. regarding rapid spread contaminating Plans call for the forum to of infi ll-demolition the area. include a panel discussion with TRIBUNE PHOTO: a developer and representa- development. JONATHAN HOUSE “Pamplin Media Group’s pledge is to Portland Tribune deliver balanced news that refl ects the WINTERHAWKS DOWN stories of our communities. Thank you — SEE SPORTS, PAGE B8 for reading our newspapers.” Inside — DR. ROBERT B. PAMPLIN JR. OWNER & NEIGHBOR A2 NEWS The Portland Tribune Thursday, May 15, 2014 TRIBUNE PHOTOS: JAIME V ALDEZ Tim Pollard, a member of F irst Congregational Church, takes his turn ringing the bell on a recent Sunday Custodian W yatt Salcido watches Doug Emmons climb to the F irst Congregational Church bell tower. morning. Occasionally, when being rung, the bell turns over and needs to be unwound. Church: Downtown congregation dwindles ■ director of the Oregon Histori- attention, especially from whole country. Preserving that proached a number of people churches rally around a resto- From page 1 cal Society, says he’s a backer. young Portlanders, is to be- is part of preserving the real inside and outside the church ration project. He’s also seen He says the church, which was come more socially active. Portland.” for donations. Some are fundraising and building cam- tributions are down compared designed to resemble Boston’s “A church without good Besides, Runkel says, pulling friends, others Park Blocks no- paigns corrupt congregations, to years past, its income is Old South Church, is one of the works is just a building,” says on the bell ropes Sunday morn- tables. Only one, he claims, becoming too much of a focus. greater than it was 10 years ago few examples of Venetian Amy Piatt, reverend of the First ing is a great deal of fun. Con- said no. A woman who had re- “You can get bogged down in due to rental revenue it gets Gothic architecture in the Christian Church. “It’s hard to gregants sign up and get in- cently joined the congregation buildings and programs,” from leasing part of its proper- country. It also happens to sit justify.” structions. “It’s a game,” he told Runkel First Congrega- Svendsen says. “It can kill your ty for the Newmark and Win- next door to Tymchuk’s His- Piatt has been among the says. And not an easy one, ap- tional was a “dying church.” spirit if all a church is asking ningstad theaters on Southwest torical Society. most visible of Portland clergy parently. Runkel has had his Runkel’s reply? He didn’t deny for is peoples’ money. We want Broadway Avenue. “It would look so much better in pushing her congregation to- turn. that his church needs direction. to lift peoples’ sights ... the The church’s 328 members without that netting around it,” ward deeds as well as faith. “It’s a little tricky,” he says. “I said we’ve got a congrega- money is the means to do it, but would each have to contribute Tymchuk says, referring to “Any church that’s going to “You can’t see the bell from tion that right now does not it’s not the end.” about $1,500 to pay for the resto- mesh placed around a portion remain relevant in the next where you’re pulling the ropes. have a central mission,” Runkel Churches have lives, just ration of the First Congrega- of the bell tower to catch falling few decades is going to fi gure You don’t know how far down says. “There’s a lot of good en- like people. And just like peo- tional Tower. While some are tracery panels. Just a few out how to have more of a to pull the rope and you don’t ergy in the church that doesn’t ple, their paths are unpredict- making contribu- weeks ago, in fact, community center model than realize that bell weighs, God have a focus. This is a focus. able. Some get reborn, some tions — about a 2-foot-long piece a ‘Come to us on a designated knows, how much.

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