vernonia’s
voice letters to the editors
june
2008
05
Readers lend their voices…
To Our Vernonia Residents-
Thank you, Vernonians, for donating food during the
National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger”
Food Drive. Thanks to you, there was 990# of food added to
Vernonia Cares Food Bank’s shelves. Wonderful! Thanks,
also, to the letter carriers for picking up the food and special
thanks to Peter O’Leary who organized this event. We appreci-
ate Peter and Scott Laird helping unload the canned goods into
the food bank, too. Thanks, also, to Dave Howard, Jeff Brew-
ington, and Rosie McCoy who helped weigh in the food.
Vernonia Cares Food Bank appreciates the generosity of
spirit within Vernonia. We truly are your hands extended to
those who need grocery assistance. In April, we helped 130
households that contain 345 people (One third of whom are
children or seniors). Thanks, again, to all who made this food
drive such a successful event.
-- Sandy Welch, Executive Director
Vernonia Cares Food Bank
To the Editor,
I’m a cat person, but I have to say P.J. O’Leary rules. Thanks
for the laughs!
-- Brett Costley, Vernonia
Last Thursday, May 8, I arrived in Vernonia to attend the
“Meet the Candidates” event – I’m running for County Com-
missioner. As I approached the Scout Cabin, I saw about 12
picketers with professionally made signs making it very clear
that I was not welcome in Vernonia. They screamed insults
at my husband and me; tried to block the drive so I couldn’t
turn in; pounded on our car; chased us into the parking lot;
and insulted us as we walked to the cabin. When I spoke
during the event, they waved their signs from the back of
the room and outside the windows. They also insulted and
harassed another woman as she walked to the cabin. Their
threats were such that the event organizers arranged to have a
police officer escort us to our cars to make sure all were safe
afterwards.
Who are these people and what is their problem?
Their leader is Tim Bero, who lives and owns a gun
manufacturing business out on Timber Road. He wants to
put an industrial park at the end of the Vernonia airport run-
way. Neighbors of the airport are opposing the location of
his development and contacted me a few weeks ago for help
with the complicated land use process. The other woman
who was hassled and I both testified against his application at
a county Planning Commission hearing earlier in the week.
This harassment was apparently Bero’s attempt at retalia-
tion.
I strongly support the development of a new industrial
park in Vernonia. The city and the county need all the jobs
we can get. I oppose its proposed location in a residential
area, miles from town, with no water or sewer service, 10
foot wide gravel private roads and inadequate electrical and
telephone/internet service. The site has wetlands, is a ma-
jor big game habitat and is on forest zoned land. There are
vacant industrial sites around Vernonia which have all the
services this site lacks and will not ruin a residential neigh-
borhood. Bero has submitted no information about what he
wants to do there, but insists that it has to be on the airport.
I know that most Vernonia citizens do not support the
kind of harassment that Bero organized at the candidate’s
event. Such behavior will only strengthen my and the neigh-
bor’s and perhaps other Vernonia citizen’s opposition.
On the other hand, if Mr. Bero wants to have a profes-
sional and courteous discussion about this issue in a public
forum, I’m more than willing to make myself available.
-- Pat Zimmerman,
Candidate for Columbia County Commissioner
An Open Letter to City Officials
This letter is a request for enforcement of the leash
law in Vernonia, especially Vernonia Lake. Besides the dog
attacks mentioned in The Independent, I am aware of several
more incidents where leashed dogs have been attacked by
other unleashed dogs.
Last week I witnessed a female jogger having to pass
three unleashed dogs on the Vernonia Lake park trail. The
dog owner leashed one dog before she passed by, obviously
thinking the dog may exceed his “control.” The unleashed
dogs not only raise the stress level of park patrons, but they
alarm and jeopardize the rabbits, ducks and other wildlife
surrounding the lake.
Bill Yeo, in his motorized cart, had just passed these
unleashed dogs prior to the jogger coming around the lake.
Since I understand he is to enforce the park rules, had this
jogger been attacked or bitten, Bill or the City may have been
legally liable for “failing to protect” people who expect rules
to be consistently enforced for their peace-of-mind and pro-
tection. I discussed this with Bill and told him I would write
a letter to the newspaper. He gave me the “thumbs up” sign.
Chief Workman suggested I also write to the City Council,
which I am doing now.
[City Council] would you please indicate in a statement
in both newspapers what position and actions you will take in
this matter?
I suggested to Chief Workman a possible compromise
of allowing dogs to be off-leash on the straightaway from
the Anderson Park turnoff to the High School area, with the
exception of leashing animals upon seeing anyone coming
from either direction on foot, bike, horse, etc. The problem of
course is hearing or seeing people approach soon enough and
being able to leash an animal back up in time. He indicated
park rules include leashing dogs.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
-- Pamela Cohen, Vernonia
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Steve Calhoun
(503)706-2882
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