Jurisdiction
Which School is within the City limits?
a) Middle School
b) Elementary School
c) High School
d) All of the above
b, The elementary school is the only school that is within City limits, the school district and all other schools are outside the City and in the County. They do however fall in our UGB (Urban Growth Boundary) which is an imaginary line that marks where the city limits boundary can grow to, however there are a lot of factors that must be met first.
Where does the City pull raw water from before it is turned into drinking water?
The Santiam River
How long does a councilor’s term last?
a) 1 year
b) 3 years
c) 8 years
d) 4 years
D. A councilor position is voted on by the community. To become a councilor, you must be 18 years or older, reside in the City limits for at least 12 months, and be a registered voter. There is no limit on how many times someone can run. The mayors term only last two years and all the same requirements apply. No government experience required.
What year was the City of Jefferson officially formed?
a) 1853
b) 1915
c) 1870
d) 2000
C
This annual festival was widely known and celebrated in Jefferson. It was known for was the frog jumping competition and celebrating the agricultural industry it was named after.
The Mint Festival. At one point Jefferson was known as the mint capital of the world and we still carry the mint leaf in our logo today.
Who manages the highway (2nd St) that runs through town?
ODOT. While the City is in charge of a majority of the roads, there are certain roads that we are not in charge of, such as the highway. Marion county also manages a few roads in town such as North Avenue and South Main across the train tracks.
True or False. The City is responsible for maintaining and repairing sidewalks in front of people’s property.
False. Maintaining and upkeeping the sidewalks surrounding someone’s property is up to the home owner even though they are public access.
True or False. The Mayor and Council are paid positions.
False. The Mayor, Council, Planning Commission, and all sub-committees are volunteer positions.
Built in 1854 as the residence of the founder of Jefferson, this building is one of Jeffersons most substantial early residential buildings. It has served as the Jefferson Hotel, City Hall, the Library, and is now the Jefferson Museum.
The Conser House
What is the name of the Female Olympic Basketball player that came from Jefferson?
Carol Menken
Which Departments does the City have jurisdiction over?
a) Fire Department
b) Police Department
c) Parks & Rec Department
d) None of these
D. The City does not have jurisdiction over any of these departments. The Fire department is its own separate tax district. The City contracts our police services through Marion County Sheriff’s office, so while they are Jefferson deputies all oversight is run by the MCSO. The City only has one park at the moment that it operates, the parks and rec department is actually outside of the city and only controls the swimming pool and the park by the district office. City Councilors do volunteer to be liaisons for some of these departments to stay up to date on what is going on.
What happens after I flush the toilet?
a) All drains lead to the ocean just like in Finding Nemo.
b) It goes into a septic tank
c) It goes to a collection system which leads waste treatment plant where it processed for 2 days before it is discharged to the Santiam River cleaner then when it was taken out.
d) We keep it stored in waste lagoons forever.
C, all sewage passes through the collection system before making it to the waste treatment plant. It is then it is screened and goes into an activated sludge treatment process. Afterwards it is sent to disinfection via ultra violet light before discharge to the Santiam River.
What percent of property taxes go to the City of Jefferson?
a) 2.15%
b) 100%
c) 50%
d) 8.25%
A. We get 2.15% per thousand of assessed property value, and only for properties within the City Limits. This is a fixed rate that was locked in through measure 5 passed in 1990 and measure 50 passed in 1997, which mean it will never change unless the state changes those measures. Districts such as the school and fire receive a percentage from every property within their districts which can extend into the County.
In 1848 he traveled the Oregon Trail with his family to settle in Oregon. He later made it the Santiam River fork area and settled in a City called Santiam City, where he built a mill and millrace. The City was later destroyed in a flood and renamed Jefferson. He established a Ferry which became the main crossing on the Santiam River for wagon traffic south of Oregon City. He contributed substantially to the building of Jefferson and was mayor in 1870 when Jefferson officially gained its municipal charter.
Jacob Conser
The City is responsible for Parks, streets, Cemetery, Public Works facilities, City Hall, Library, Boat ramp, Court, Planning/ Permitting, Code enforcement, Utility Billing, right of way management, Budget and Audits, etc. How many employees do you think the City of Jefferson has?
8.75. 8 full time employees, one part time assistant librarian and one as needed cemetery caretaker.
True or False. The City can decide what people can put on their property.
False. The City has regulations that are in our municipal code that owners must follow, however if they meet all requirements then they can put whatever they want on the property.
Approximately how much money in today’s market does it cost to fix ONE block of a street?
a) $1,000,000
b) $456,000
c) $250,000
d) $25,000
A. Maintaining, improving, and installing streets all come out of one fund. Cities are expected to be able to pay for streets themselves however the allocated funds are not enough to keep up with repairs, and there are very few grants that are offered to help with funding. Jefferson receives state gas tax funds to pay for our streets which comes out to be about $280,000 per year. To fund the replacement of one block of a street we would need to save for about 4 years not accounting for annual inflation.
The City’s general fund covers the expense of administration, police services, and most of the costs associated with the library. Does the money that the City receives from property taxes cover the general fund expenses?
No. The city received about $450,000 this year in tax revenue, while the annual Police contract was about $760,000. Other revenue sources for the general fund include franchise fees, state taxes (liquor, cigarette, and marijuana), leases and interest from bank funds.
True or False. Jefferson had one of the earliest chartered schools in the state.
True. In 1856 Jacob Conser donated land to build the Jefferson Institute which was a private school for local children. It later burned down and now the current elementary school is where it once stood.
A flood wiped out this city in the early 1800's. When the city was rebuilt it was renamed Jefferson.
Santiam City
What type of Court Does the City operate?
The city operates a Municipal Court that is held once per month in the Council chambers. We deal only with traffic and local code violations; all other cases go a higher court outside the City.
This chemical is used in the disinfection process of water to make it safe for consumption.
Chlorine
What law requires meetings to be open to the public and an official written record to be kept of the meeting?
Oregon Public Meeting Law. As a City we must follow certain procedures whenever a meeting is held by any of our groups, that includes posting notices, making accommodations within reason, and keeping a record of past meetings.
This Civil Engineer designed many prominent bridges throughout Oregon including the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport. He is also the designer of the Jacob Conser Bridge.
Conde McCullough. The Jacob Conser bridge is actually owned by Linn County and ODOT manages the road.
How many miles of pipe is the Water, sewer, and storm system?
a) 1 mile
b) 35 miles
c) 6 miles
d) 96 miles
B