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.