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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2007)
vernonia’s voice local community november 2007 21 Columbia 9-1-1 Administrator Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award Sally Jones, the administrator of Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District, was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the combined Oregon chap- ters of the National Emergency Number Association and Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO-NENA) at their annual awards ban- quet in Welches, Oregon on September 12, 2007. The Lifetime Achievement Award is the chapter’s highest award, created to recognize a distinguished member who has demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of emergency communications; has exhibited outstanding leadership within the chapter, and who has made significant contributions to emergency communications in Oregon over his or her lifetime. “We at Columbia 9-1-1 are enormously pleased that Sally was recognized for her outstanding efforts on behalf of the 9-1-1 community,” said Board Presi- dent Kathy Denckla of Vernonia, “but her quality and abilities are certainly no surprise to us.” Jones began her public safety communications ca- reer in 1973 as a police, fire and emergency medical dispatcher at WSU in Pullman, Washington where she also volunteered with a group that started the first rape crisis hotline and domestic assault educa- tion system for law enforcement in Pullman. From 1978-1989 Jones worked as a 9-1-1 dispatch- er, trainer and supervisor in Clackamas County, Or- egon, developing their first training manual and land- mark map, helping to develop one of the nation’s first emergency medical pre-arrival instruction programs, and initiating a law enforcement women’s associa- tion. Jones served as President of the Board of Directors of Clackamas Women Services during the establishment of its first shelter for battered women and children. Jones was also a foster parent during this time. From 1989-1990, Jones was appointed Executive Director of the Oregon Lifebelt Committee, and was responsible for coor- dinating the volunteer signature collection for Oregon’s safety belt law, while working with medical professionals and other traf- fic safety advocates. She and Dr. John Tongue were the campaign managers when the initiative qualified for the ballot and was successfully passed by Oregon voters. She then briefly worked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Associa- tion providing assistance to the traffic safe- ty programs in the states of Massachusetts and Oklahoma. Jones was hired as the first administrator of Colum- bia 9-1-1 Communications District in March of 1991. The District has seen activity levels quadruple since her arrival, and many changes made to address the needs of the county citizens and public safety pro- viders. She said, “I am very fortunate to work with a great team of people dedicated to providing excellent service with common sense and using conservative resources. We have been able to accomplish much for our citizens and public safety partners. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work here.” Since coming to Columbia County, Jones has served as the first 9-1-1 representative on the Board of the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), appointed by Governor Barbara Roberts in 1993. She received the DPSST Loaned Execu- tive Management Assistance award in 1996. Jones was a member of a group that developed the first critical incident debriefing program for dispatchers. She taught health and wellness at the DPSST Tele- communicator Basic Academy for 3 years. Jones was chair of the first state APCO-NENA awards committee from 1992-1995 and chair of the first APCO-NENA legislative committee from 1992 to present, as well as 2004 APCO-NENA President. In 1993 she was elected to the Board of Directors of Special Districts Association of Oregon; she served as the Board President from 1998-2000, and is now Chair of the Board of Trustees of Special Districts Insurance Services. She received a Distinguished President pin as 2005-6 President of the St. Helens Kiwanis Club. Jones is an active member of the Clatskanie United Methodist Church and lives out- side of Rainier with her husband, Louis Jones. Greetings from the County - CZ Trail Update By Tony Hyde, Columbia County Commissioner Your editor Scott Laird has expressed an interest in getting an update from the County on current affairs. My only quandary was in deciding on the format. Do I re- port on all the current topics affecting us, or pick a topic and expound? In my mind, there is no way to do justice to the many important issues with sound bites. So let’s talk about the Linear Trail extension. Where to start? In 1997, as a brand new County Commissioner, I was asked to carry on the effort of extending the Banks Vernonia Trail. This started in 1993 with the County’s initial attempt to purchase the Crown Zellerbach Logging road. Like its’ sister, the Banks-Vernonia Trail, this road was a former rail grade used for bring- ing logs to market. The task was hampered by a succession of owners. Once or twice progress was made only to have the property change hands and negotiations had to start anew. This dilemma did not stop with me. Twice we were at the table ham- mering out the issues, and even got to the point of selecting a mutually agreed upon appraiser, when the property sold, yet again. The constant, in all of this process, was Keith Klecker (Chief Forester), who has been there through all of these iterations. When the property became Hancock, we were told that the road was in three differ- ent investment portfolios and there was no desire to sell. Essentially we put this on the back burner and went on with our lives. In the meantime, an opportunity arose to acquire the Crown road, from Highway 30 in Scappoose to Chapman Landing. This was not part of the original discussion, and added the final leg to the end of the line. We were able to form a partnership with the city of Scappoose and the Port of St. Helens to purchase collectively. This was essentially modeled after the partnership that Vernonia, Columbia County, Washing- ton County, and the State used in the development of the Banks-Vernonia trail. Finally in about 2001, Hancock realized that the old CZ road was becoming a liability because of the Endangered Species Act and the potential of “fish take”. This was the opportunity that we had been waiting for. An appraisal was completed in 2003 and both parties came to an agreement on the price. In 2004 the County was successful in obtaining grants from ODOT and Oregon State Parks for the purchase of the trail. During this time, however, Hancock sold an approximate 3 mile portion of the logging road on the Vernonia end to Weyerhaeuser. Weyerhaeuser graciously agreed to honor the deal and, in fact, has since donated rather than sold their por- tion. In December 2005 the Port of St. Helens donated the Chapman Landing prop- erty (on the Columbia River ) to the project. This allows for a future trail head, park, and water connection on the Scappoose end of the trail. In late 2005 the County held public meetings in Vernonia and Scappoose to determine community interest and concerns for future trail development. The results of these meetings revealed the following issues and opportunities: • Regional walking, hiking, biking and equestrian facility • Economic development in the form of tourism. • Opportunity to educate the public about Columbia County’s logging and timber history. • Connection to the Banks-Vernonia Linear Trail and Stub Stewart State Park • Mitigating adjacent property owner issues. • Coordination of logging operations with the adjacent tree farms. • Mitigating traffic and other conflicting uses with easements that to various private parcels. Since that meeting we have been successful in obtaining a National Parks Ser- vice grant which aided us through an exhaustive public planning process to create a “Crown Zellerbach Trail Development Concept Plan”. So where are we now? We still have a long way to go. On the plus side, the St Helens/ Scappoose chapter of the Ford Foundation has taken on opening a section of the trail (approximately three miles) nearest Scappoose as their class project. We have finished all of the BLM required deep fill culvert work (again through success- ful grant funding). Roger Lindsley is helping us find the final connection from Knott Street to the Lake. And finally, we finished a number of small crossing bridges. As far as the work still to be done goes, we need a very comprehensive imple- mentation plan that articulates mitigation of the adjacent land owner concerns. Sev- eral large bridge and culverts are still missing. Camp 8 needs to be acquired. Eventu- ally the 2000’ tunnel needs to be restored. We need to finish the final mile from Knott Street into Vernonia. In the end we will have jewel for all to envy. New Pastor at Vernonia Baptist After a year long search, The First Baptist Church of Vernonia has selected their new pastor, Mr. Kevin Brown. Kevin was born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon and spent 4 years in the U.S. Army serving in Georgia and the Middle East. Kevin was licensed and ordained in December of 1998 in Deming, New Mexico. He began his ministry by preaching in three small towns in New Mexico on rotat- ing Sundays. Before moving to Eugene to continue his education, his previous pastoral position was in the town of Craigmont, Idaho. Kevin and his wife Diane enjoy small town living and are looking forward to being able to move to Ver- nonia with two of their four children. Kevin has recently achieved his Bachelor of Arts degree in Reli- gion and is continuing to work towards a Masters degree. The congrega- tion of the First Baptist Church of Vernonia feel blessed that God has called Kevin and his family to serve in our community.
