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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 2010)
community october12 “Meet the Candidates” Offers Insights Into Campaigns continued from page 7 together to help each other. Smith praised our Fire and Police departments and their readiness. “I think our city has enough experience that we are getting really good at responding to emergencies,” said Smith. Tsch- ache suggested more training, like CERT. Ball, who is helping organize the City Emergency Management Committee, didn’t mention that Committee and stated, “This is a small town where neighbors are important and as long as all of us are willing to walk out the front door and be a part of it, I just don’t have any worry.” Burch suggested that past performance has been excel- lent and we should remember what we did and take that forward. Helmer also said she believed we are abso- lutely prepared and that the city just needs to commu- nicate to citizens what they can do to help. Nicks stated that she believed the city has been lacksidasical in their preparations and that there have been things that have been ignored over the last year, especially CERT. “In my opinion, we are not as prepared today as we were a few years ago,” said Nicks. When asked about the recently signed Execu- tive Order from Oregon Governor Kulongoski and how it might impact Vernonia, Mayor Harrison explained the Executive Order in detail and its importance to the city. Rode stated he didn’t know much about it. Peters expressed the importance of potential financial assis- tance for the schools project and the ability of the city to ask for assistance in city projects like the wastewater project. Mitchell noted the ability to ask for help with Brownfield’s clean-up as a positive. Councilor candidates were asked how to im- prove communication between citizens and the city and how to improve citizen participation. Helmer brought forward the idea of a “suggestion box” at City Hall so more people could have their ideas heard, and suggest- ed articles from city committees and departments be published in local newspapers. Nicks suggested using new technology to communicate, like mass emails, but also said that people need to feel they are being heard. Tschache suggested small open house meetings to talk about issues, noting that small conversations that have happened at the Open Air Market have been useful. Ball said that most of the time, people are happy with the way things are and don’t attend meetings and de- pend on the grapevine for their facts. “We as a Council can only do so much to get the information to you. You need to want to be here,” said Ball. Burch said communication, for her, is a top priority and sug- gested that the city should be putting reports and in- formation into pdf files and putting them on the city website where they can be accessible to everyone and people could decide themselves if things were impor- tant to them. The final question to the Mayoral candidates was why they were running for office and what specific issues and solutions they would focus on. Rode said he wished to be of service to his community and wanted to do something about high water bills. Harrison said she wanted to finish the projects she has helped start, in- cluding development near the Airport. Harrison noted that economic development is a priority, that it starts with new schools and that when that happens, then we can build up our Police Department and work on our streets. Mitchell said that as part of the Budget Com- mittee, she has seen that policies and procedures are not followed and she would like to streamline how the city runs. Peters said this is an exciting time for Verno- nia and it’s an opportunity to make us a destination and would like to use her past experience with collabora- tion, project management, team building and budget management to make things happen. Council candidates were asked what creative and new ideas they have for improving Vernonia City Government. Helmer stated she felt it was important for Council members to receive training so they could better understand their role and also for Council to hold more work sessions outside of regular Council sessions so they can better understand specific items that are on their agendas. Burch suggested reaching out for ad- vice to other small communities that have successfully solved problems similar to Vernonia’s. Ball suggested looking internationally at communities that have simi- lar problems for economical and creative solutions. Tschache suggested recruiting light, green industries. Smith suggested the development of a park on the old 2010 19 school site when the schools move, including more campsites and an amphitheater. In their final comments, Mayor Harrison noted that so many crucial things are currently happening-- new schools, relocation of essential services, wastewa- ter treatment, economic development, and expansion of the airport-- and that she hoped voters really take the time to think about who they will vote for for these positions. Mitchell said she hoped all committee mem- bers, staff and elected officials would be provided with training so they all know their roles and responsibilities and that citizens would then be able to know what to expect from their city officials. Peters said she would like to establish a culture of collaboration between the City and its citizens to complete current projects and to create a vision of what we want Vernonia to be in ten to twenty years from now. Rode said we need more freedom to get things done and that he would like to see a dam on Rock Creek to stop flooding. Ball said she believed whoever ends up being elected to the three spots, Vernonia will have people who will really try their best for the city and encour- aged more people to vote. Burch said she sees the current financial situation as an emergency. Helmer said the financial situation provides another opportu- nity for citizens to get involved and volunteer and also suggested that citizens shouldn’t be afraid to ask ques- tions and hold elected officials accountable. Nicks said she believes it’s time for Vernonia to be on the cutting edge and that we have good people who have stepped up. Smith said he was excited to see so many people turn out to run and that this is the change that we need. Tschache said he thinks we have a lot of intelligent and strong people and that when everybody pulls together with a common goal, we can do anything. Election Day is November 2, 2010. Ballots are expected to arrive by mail around October 15th and voters pamphlets have been mailed. Please take time to consider your choices and exercise your right to choose who represents you on your local City Council. CHD Asks for Corrections, Approval at Hearing said that in the 2009 order, the State found that CHD had met the “need” cri- teria, and then without further questions, the 2010 order found that CHD has not proven need. Keep ambulances in area Brian Burright, division chief who oversees medical services for the Columbia River Fire & Rescue, pointed to the order which said that ambulances would inevitably bypass the local Emer- gency Room. He reiterated an exhaus- tive study that CRF&R conducted on a case-by-case basis showing clearly that 50-66% of the ambulance transports would stay in the local ER based on tri- age criteria. “Saying that this ER is for the convenience of the Fire District, and lessens their ‘burden’ implies that we’re getting back for a card game or dinner,” said Burright. “I find that offensive and demeaning. Convenience doesn’t have a place in emergency response. When the bell rings, we respond no matter what the time or conditions. Emergency re- sponders feel the burden when we can- not respond fast enough or don’t have resources to do the job properly.” Burright said that last week CRF&R had four ambulance transports in a 30-minute timeframe, and the fifth call came one hour later. Each trans- port to Portland takes the ambulance out of service for two hours. “I had to call Scappoose for back-up and response Robust project tract primary care providers. In Novem- Dan Garrison, CPA, said he is ber of 2004, district voters approved a 38 very familiar with healthcare finance, cents/$1,000 tax to support construction. including work on the former St. Helens The District purchased property and ap- Hospital. He said he has updated the fi- plied for the CN in July, 2008. Follow- nancials and they show clearly that this ing a proposed “order to deny” the CN is a robust project. He also ran the num- in October of 2009, the District updated bers and the hospital exceeds the stan- financials and added a small primary dards of financial strength on a nation- clinic and resubmitted for review. ally recognized index. “After five years, The total project cost is $28 mil- we will meet all the ratio benchmarks lion, including $11 million for building with respect to debt, and this exceeds the construction, $3.5 million for equipment standards for acute care hospitals.” and the rest for planning, landscaping CHD has been working since and start-up. At opening, the hospital 2001 to build a small community hospi- will have 60 employees and a yearly Started with grassroots assessment tal in St. Helens that would payroll of about $4.8 million. She said that in classic public provide 24/7 emergency services and at- health process, CHD undertook a grass- roots assessment of health care needs in the community, using real residents and real needs, proposed a way to meet those needs and then moved forward. “People need and want a local 24/7 emergency access and voted with their pocket- books.” Columbia County is a desig- nated Health Professional Shortage area and has been the most medically under- NEED served county in Oregon. It is the most BODY populous county without a hospital. Last WORK? month, Governor Ted Kulongoski wrote a letter to HRSA, a Federal agency, ask- ing for a designation of “medically un- derserved,” to Columbia County as a whole... based on data provided by the Oregon Health Division/Oregon Health Authority. times were longer than is acceptable.” He also said that administering clot- busting drugs at the local ER before a transport to Portland will save lives. “Every minute counts.” “I am saddened to see public health working against itself and its own defined national and state goals,” said Karen Ladd, CHD public health admin- istrator. “It is a travesty to further exac- erbate the disparity of health care access among our citizens by denying the vot- ers their voiced need for local 24/7 emer- gency care.” Don't Lose your StPierreGraphics@aol.com continued from page 8 head... Call: Meyer’s Auto Body, Inc • 493 Bridge St• VERNONIA • 503-429-0248
