10
vernonia’s
voice community news
april
2008
Is Watershed Clean Up Being Ignored?
By Scott Laird
Maggie Peyton is getting frustrated.
Opinion: Everyone
Doing Their Part
By Scott Laird
As the community of Vernonia continues to work
through the process of recovery from the flood of 2007,
a number of large projects are moving to the forefront
as priorities. One of those projects is the possible relo-
cation of the Vernonia School Campus, which was the
focus of recent and upcoming public meetings that the
city is sponsoring called Vernonia 2020 Vision.
At the last meeting, and at recent school board
meetings, the public was presented with a concept
Peyton has raised her concerns at initial public meetings
plan for a new school campus located outside the flood
in Vernonia after the flood to the Columbia County Flood
zone. Estimates for the cost of this project were from
Relief, to county authorities, to the Department of Envi-
$35 to $50 million.
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
ronmental Quality (DEQ), and to the Federal Emergency
Does this community need a $35 million school
who is responsible although it may fall on Oregon Emer-
Management Agency (FEMA). As of early March, no
campus? Some people say, “Absolutely”. “Schools are
gency Management. “I talked with FEMA people here in
one was interested in taking responsibility. “I can get vol-
how a community is judged,” said one local business
Vernonia, and they said they couldn’t help,” said Peyton.
unteers to do the clean up,” said Peyton. “But who is go-
owner, and father of a Vernonia school student. “We
“No one has contacted me from Oregon Emergency Man-
ing to pay to haul away what we collect?”
need quality school buildings, for our students and for
agement either.”
our community.”
Peyton has already organized one clean up day that took
But the question remains, how can Vernonia pay
Vernonia’s Voice spoke with Audrey O’Brien who is the
place on March 8. “We had twenty people come out,” said
for a project of this size? Commissioner Tony Hyde
regional Solid Waste Manager for DEQ. She said that
Peyton. “They filled two large thirty yard dumpsters, and
informed City Council at a recent workshop, that he
DEQ doesn’t have teams available to respond to these
we covered less than two miles of river. It’s one hundred
has just returned from Washington DC, where it is
kinds of events to do full cleanups. If hazardous waste
miles from here to the ocean that was flooded, and there is
becoming clear there will not be large sources of fund-
is identified, she suggested contacting the Oregon Emer-
debris all along the banks.”
ing available from federal agencies to help with major
gency Response System (OERS), a state agency under
projects. The same is true on the state level. Hyde
Oregon Emergency Management. They would then de-
Peyton was initially frustrated with her conversations with
said Vernonia can expect some help, probably in the
termine what kind of response was needed at individual
DEQ. “I called them and asked for help. All they told us to
millions of dollars, enough to help get some projects
locations. “An event needs to be triggered by the response
do is not handle it and mark where it is. They have not of-
started. We are going to need more than that.
system,” said O’Brien. “Then an evaluation can be done,
fered any help with resources to get the river cleaned up.”
The school buildings we have are old and have
the appropriate agencies contacted and the type of re-
been damaged by flooding. They sit in the flood zone
sponse instigated.”
After a recent call by Vernonia’s Voice to Oregon DEQ
and probably will be flooded again if we don’t move
asking what is being done to clean up the Nehalem River,
them now.
“This is a problem on a state level,” said O’Brien. “We
Peyton was contacted by a representative of the Environ-
Already we have seen families leaving the com-
just don’t have the resources to sweep the river. As a
mental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the EPA,
munity in the wake of the flood, taking the $6,800 in
state we need to do better to provide for these types of
it is not clearly defined how this type of cleanup is sup-
funding the school district receives from the state for
events.”
posed to happen. Peyton was told that ultimately it is
every student enrolled. When property owners leave,
our city government loses property taxes, the major
“We are asking now to coordinate with the Oregon Emer-
way the city funds itself. This should be cause for con-
gency Response System and the Upper Nehalem Water-
cern for all of us.
shed Council when they are planning more clean ups,”
But all is not doom and gloom. Tony Hyde sug-
said O’Brien.
gests that when rebuilding Vernonia, we are probably
going to have to do a lot of the work ourselves. Al-
Peyton has gotten some promises of help from the Oregon
ready the County has hired Bill Haack to work on
Watershed Enhancement Board for assistance in identify-
economic development, in the capacity of fund raiser
ing areas for clean up. The Vernonia City Administration
and grant writer. Mr. Haack has proven to be a great
is working with Waste Management to provide additional
resource and a cause for inspiration. Funding is being
resources for cleanup.
identified from private sources and foundations, and
will probably be the way major projects are completed
Still, it appears it will fall mostly on volunteers to iden-
here.
tify and mark hazardous waste that is along our rivers and
And the best news yet- Governor Kolongoski is
streams.
looking into bringing Oregon Solutions to Vernonia.
Oregon Solutions, as part of the National Policy Con-
Peyton encourages anyone who is aware of garbage and
cesus Center, helps facilitate innovative problem solv-
debris along riverbanks to contact her at the UNWC at
ing with communities by working across sectors, juris-
503-429-2401. If you believe you have identified toxic or
dictions, interests, and issues. Having them involved
hazardous waste, DO NOT HANDLE IT! Mark where it
would be a tremendous boost to the school project. An
is and contact OERS at 800-452-0311. They will want to
official announcement was expected at any time.
know your name and telephone number, type of materials
But we still need to remember, building new
involved, and the severity of incident - threat to people,
schools will take backing from the community. Any
property, or the environment.
foundation that gives money to help develop a new
school campus in Vernonia is going to
®
want to see support from the local com-
munity. Moving forward, we will all
80 YEARS SERVING AMERICA
need to do our part.
Gets you back where you belong.
Schools are the center of any commu-
Vernonia, OR
nity, especially small, rural communi-
ties. In Vernonia, the school district is
our largest employer.
If we want new families to move here
to replace those who have left, we bet-
ter have a quality school system. If we
want to attract and retain quality educa-
tors and administrators, we will need
quality school buildings. If we want to
•
•
•
attract new businesses and investment to
this community, we need to invest in our
Banks Christian Academy
community. And if we want to continue
Bus: (503) 222-2969
22785 NW Fisher Road
to provide quality services for residents,
Buxton,
OR
97109
keeping Vernonia a great place to live,
Cell: (503) 367-4498
we need new schools.
503-324-4500
Peyton, the Director of the Upper Nehalem Watershed
Council (UNWC), has been concerned about the debris,
garbage, and toxic and hazardous waste that ended up in
the Nehalem River during the flood of 2007. She is trying
to find out how it is going to be cleaned up, who is respon-
sible, and when it will happen ever since the first days that
recovery and clean up began. As she found out, not much
is being done about it.
FARMERS
®
Mark W. Burnett
Insurance Specialist
Local Agent, In Vernonia
Auto Home Life Business
E-mail: Mark@farmerspdx.com
Student Showcase PAYROLL PLUS LLC
Thursday, April 10th
6:30 pm
Features: History,
Art, Science, and
Invention Fair
Everyone is invited!
Income Tax Return
Preparation
(Individual & Small
Business)
Payroll Services
Bookkeeping
Edi Sheldon, LTC
503-429-1819