vernonia’s
voice community
february
2009
11
A Day With the Linemen (continued from page 10)
take out our lines. That’s a
It’s a lot of poles and a lot of wire. And a lot of trees.
big part of our problem,” he
Here is just one example of what it means to be
said. “We can trim the trees,
part of a rural power system: the Mist substation sup-
but it really doesn’t do any-
plies power all the way through Jewel, out Highway
thing.” In fact, Farmer has
26, through Elsie, all the way to Camp 18. About
added a second trimming
50 miles all told. If one tree comes down along that
crew, which has helped cre-
stretch, every one of those customers along the whole
ate fewer outages, but if
line could lose power. And some lineman crew has
members want to see a real
to go out and find that break and fix it.
difference, more trees need
One possible solution to avoiding the trees in the
to be removed. This will
region and the problems they present is putting lines
take state legislative action,
underground. It has been used successfully, but also
which takes citizen pres-
has some drawbacks. Like the underground break a
sure.
crew was dispatched to in Chapman the day of my
ride along. Finding the break becomes a challenge--
***
***
***
Heath says he has
you can’t just visually locate it when you reach the
seen a lot of improve-
area. New radar equipment has helped make finding
ments in the system since
underground breaks easier, but the job we were on
Downed trees at Fishhawk Lake caused lots of problems
he arrived seven years ago.
provided another issue. The line was buried under an
addition to the home which had been constructed by a previous owner. Many of the lines are slowly being moved closer to the roads, mak-
It couldn’t be reached without moving part of the house-- or digging ing them easier to maintain, and repair. WOEC is actively training
a tunnel. So the line had to be temporarily run above ground through apprentices, to be able to rebuild their manpower. Older poles are
conduit, and will have to be retrenched and buried, later. This job took slowly being replaced.
Each time we have
most of the day for three crew members, three trucks, a back hoe-- and
severe winter weather,
it’s still not finished. All that for one repair.
The rural, curving roads throughout the system provide another it slows progress and
challenge. Repair work on a back road may require flaggers, meaning a the Coop incurs more
The last
three or four man job might turn into a five or six man job, or most of the expenses.
three years have taken
entire WOEC crew. Again, all for one repair.
There have been suggestions from some Coop members that their toll. But the folks
WOEC should sell their assets to a larger power company, or may- at WOEC keep work-
be a company that doesn’t seem to have so many problems keeping ing hard, providing the
the power on. A company that could manage itself better. The best service they can,
problem is-- no one wants it. WOEC has looked at selling off some given the circumstanc-
of the furthest areas to companies that are closer to those service ar- es. And the linemen
eas. They aren’t interested. WOEC has looked at selling the whole keep heading out to the
system. No takers. Managers of other utilities know exactly what middle of nowhere--
we are dealing with here in WOEC country, and they don’t want making repairs and do-
anything to do with it. The terrain is difficult, the size and expanse ing whatever it takes to
of the territory is restrictive, and the number of trees is crushing. get the lights back on--
at all hours of the day
No one wants this area. We’re stuck with it.
Farmer has one idea on how to improve the situation and night.
and service for his WOEC members-- widen the rights-of-way
around the lines. “We have a forty-foot right-of-way, with 100
foot trees on either side. When those trees come down, they can
Owned and Operated by
Don & Kim Wallace
Need Body Work?
Dealing with Insurance Company?
Oregon State Law says the choice is yours.
CHOOSE LOCAL!
503-429-0248
493 BRIDGE STREET, VERNONIA
Congratulations
Burdette & Larinda Robb!
Recruiting new members...
Are you a student, parent, teacher,
business owner, or concerned individual,
who wants to help Vernonia's youth make
informed choices about drug & alcohol use?
Join the Vernonia Prevention Coalition
and help make a difference!
Coming in late March...
A Community Informational Meeting
...Details to be Announced soon
For more information contact
the Vernonia Police Department
Burdette&Larinda
were
married on
December 27th 2008,
at the home of Larinda’s
parents Michael and Marie Botchie
in Rainier, Oregon after a brief
engagement and years of friendship. The ceremony was conducted by their friend and “Civil
War” Captain Bob Olin. Despite the snow, the evening wedding turned out to be as beautiful
as the couple hoped it would be. The parents of the Groom, Burdette Robb and Cathy Robb,
along with several close family and friends attended the private wedding and reception.
After a brief honeymoon at the beach, Burdette returned to his military training at Fort
Sam Houston where he is currently training to be a Combat Medic, after having already
successfully completed his Basic Training at Fort Benning, GA. Larinda is continuing her
education at PCC where she has already completed her EMT Basic training and plans to
pursue a Paramedic Degree. She is currently a volunteer for Metro West Ambulance in Ver-
nonia, and a volunteer Firefighter/EMT for Columbia River Fire and Rescue. The couple is
anxiously waiting on orders to learn where the Army will take them.
For the Hero in both of you, we are all very proud!