Comments on: Veterans prod Wilsonville to allow new center

By: Marge Johnson

Marge Johnson — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 20:16:31 +0000

I am about to offer very low cost services to moderately to severely disabled veterans only and their care givers. What type of services are you planning to offer? Hope to get a response. I am surprised to see so little here (in Wilsonville) for the moderately-severely disabled, veteran or non. Marge.

By: Jerry Martin

Jerry Martin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:52:41 +0000

Let’s hear from the veterans in Wilsonville who actually need the proposed and site and services. If you’re a veteran (particularly one of those recently returning from the Gulf and Afghanistan) and want services in Wilsonville, what do you think of this idea?

By: Liz Peters

Liz Peters — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:21:05 +0000

Aaron, the vision for the project was created with the Veterans Administration; this would not be private health services. The plan is for the VA to set up clinics at the location in a cluster with Veterans Service Offices and other groups that help Veterans. You can see the departments that have been involved in creating the vision by viewing the “Partners” link on the Oregon Veterans Center web site. Individuals who have served on the advisory committee to form the vision are under “Letters of Support.”

By: Aaron Douglas

Aaron Douglas — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:01:42 +0000

This sounds like private business to me — like someone trying to sell private health services to veterans when most veterans already have health services available to them at low or no cost through the federally funded veterans’ hospitals, supported by our taxes. Why would we would taxpayers to subsidize something else when there are already services being provided for veterans’ healthcare?

By: Nick Bjork

Nick Bjork — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:02:07 +0000

Amelia,

Yes the Spokesman reported that Peters and city officials talked about the topic on Lars Larson.

Corey,

I think we are on the same wave length. But if it is going to cost more than $30 mill I do understand the city’s concern.

GIJoes,

I don’t think Osky or Peters are concerned about the profits in the slightest. I have talked with both individuals and I don’t get that impression at all. Peters has even said him and his wife would donate all of the profits back to their foundation. And other than not paying taxes on the land I highly doubt Osky is looking for money. The land is out of the UGB and not permitted for any conditional use, so donating it or signing the organization to a low lease is actually not that bad of a deal for him. He’s literally just been sitting on it, with a few partners, for nearly 25 years.

Also, they aren’t proposing it in Wilsonville because there are vets in the town, it’s because the vets are in the region. 50 percent of Oregon vets are in the metro area, and most of the rest live south along the I5 corridor. This makes Wilsonville a great location to serve both from a regional standpoint.

Andrew,

I think you are on to something here. If the proposed land doesn’t get put in the UGB, which it probably won’t, Peters will most likely turn to land in areas like Tigard. That would be my guess, anyways.

Thanks for reading.

By: Andrew McKillip

Andrew McKillip — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:48:25 +0000

There are plenty of pieces of land in Tigard.

Across from the Costco is a big chunk just sitting there in full view of 217 accessible by hwy 99 and the WES. Perfect for sign viewing from the freeway.

They just widened the road at 99 means the thoroughfare will be an easier commute heading from Portland to Sherwood. Then there is also a commercial office building back there that has lots of vacancies.

Plenty of bus transportation, MAX, and it would provide jobs to people in the metro area.

It’s also close to every type of shopping around.

By: GIJoe

GIJoe — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:50:01 +0000

Considering the demographics of the geographic area of the Portland Metro area, hardly ANY vets live in Wilsonville. The Vetrans association has a list of last known addresses for Vetrans and THAT should be the basis of planning the location of a facility.

It’s difficult to get proper services and even more difficult to get to Wilsonville of all places. I-5 corridor is a parking lot every day around Wilsonville to Jantzen beach.

Rick Peters and Bob Osky are not thinking about the Vetrans. They are thinking INCOME.FOR THEMSELVES paid for by the tax payers.

Bob just wants to sell his property and Rick just wants a job.

At least the Mayor of Wilsonville has a good head on his shoulders.

Multnomah County has ample vacant properties including the old Armory by Barbur Blvd.

By: Corey Zielsdorf

Corey Zielsdorf — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:56:48 +0000

If the City of Wilsonville wants to turn around it’s public perception/reality of being “anti-business/anti-growth” then they need to waive all SDC’s for the VA project. The VA project is so much bigger than just their facility…it strategically puts Wilsonville on the map for defense contractors and other complimentary industries that want to do business in the NW. Sure hope this happens. Lets line the Streets of Wilsonville with American Flags instead of lining the pockets of the out of touch bureaucrats that run this city.

By: Amelia

Amelia — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:33:07 +0000

Hey I heard about this on Lars Larson! I think it was in the Wilsonvile Spokesman first: http://is.gd/epl63.