Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2011)
february8 2011 V E R N O N I A’ S reflecting the spirit of our community volume5 issue3 Georgia-Pacific Donates $50,000 to Vernonia Education Foundation Georgia-Pacific’s (left) Mike Tompkins and (far right) Kristi Ward present a $50,000 donation to (l-r) Senator Betsy Johnson, Washington Grade School Principal Aaron Miller and Columbia County Commissioner Tony Hyde. Georgia-Pacific has announced they are making a $50,000 donation to the Vernonia Education Foundation. The donation is a community investment grant through the Georgia-Pacific Foundation and will be utilized towards the construction of the Vernonia K-12 school. Georgia-Pacific made the announcement during a luncheon at their Wauna Mill site in Clatskanie on January 31, 2011. State Senator Betsy Johnson, Columbia County Commissioner Tony Hyde and Vernonia School Principal Aaron Miller were on hand for the announcement. “We are a timber community and it is rewarding to see a timber--based organization like Georgia-Pacific step up,” said Hyde. “Their investment in the future of Vernonia demonstrates the best of our community and of our neighbors’ spirit of compassion.” “We thank you profoundly for your investment,” said Senator Johnson. “We extend our deep appreciation for Georgia-Pacific’s participation in this very significant project.” “This is a significant donation for Georgia-Pacific and it symbolizes the commitment we have for the state of Oregon and for our belief that education is one of the most important and essential building blocks of a strong and thriving community,” stated Wauna Vice-President and Mill Manager inside 7 rodeo coronation 8 made in vernonia 9 dream come true free Mike Tompkins. “This is definitely the largest check I have ever given out since I came here eighteen years ago, and no one can remember a bigger check before I got here, so I believe this is the most significant contribution we have ever made,” said Public Affairs Manager Kristi Ward. The Wauna Mill donates over $200,000 annually to community outreach programs. The donation was made possible by several Georgia-Pacific facilities in the state of Oregon and southwest Washington. The Georgia -Pacific facilities that contributed to the $50,000 community investment include Wauna Consumer Products Mill, Clatskanie; Camas Consumer Products Mill, Camas, Washington.; Toledo Containerboard Mill, Toledo, Oregon.; Coos Bay Lumber Mill, Coos Bay, Oregon; and the Philomath Lumber Mill, Philomath, Oregon “I would like to thank all the Georgia-Pacific facilities that helped make this donation possible,” said Ward. “In the spirit of the Pacific Northwest’s long timber history, these facilities have come together to support the youth in a timber town during their moment of need. This contribution represents the types of commitments for which Georgia-Pacific is known,including our commitment to youth, to education, to the rural timber communities in which we operate, and to continuing to be a long-term partner with the timber industry.” The luncheon included a continued on page 5 Attorney General Kroger Unveils Government Transparency Initiative Proposed legislation enacts strict deadlines, caps fees, eliminates exemptions and provides better access to public meetings in order to improve access and accountability. Oregon Attorney General John Kroger has unveiled details of a legislative proposal to overhaul Oregon’s Public Records Law and make government more transparent. “Nearly 40 years after it was first adopted, Oregon’s Public Records Law is badly in need of reform,” said Attorney General Kroger. “There are far too many exemptions and there is vast uncertainty about how long it will take the public to get records and how much it will cost.” Oregon received an ‘F’ in a 2007 study of government transparency among the 50 states. When Attorney General Kroger took office, he ordered a thorough review of state and federal sunshine laws. He also sponsored six public meetings across Oregon last year to gather suggestions for improving transparency from the public, government officials and the media. The conclusion was overwhelmingly clear: Oregon’s law is clogged with hundreds of confusing exemptions and requests for records are often met with high fee requirements and long delays. The proposed bills will enact strict deadlines for government agencies to respond to requests for public records. Fees that can be charged to the public will generally be capped at 3 times the minimum wage. Dozens of exemptions will be eliminated and those remaining will fall into 10 clear categories. Exemptions to be eliminated include: Records of the governor’s disability panel, which convenes when there are serious questions about the governor’s fitness for duty, will be subject to disclosure following the conclusion of the panel’s work, unless otherwise exempt. continued on page 5 Vernonia School District 47J Town Hall Meeting – Educational Programs Thursday, February 10, 2011 6:30-8:00 PM The Vernonia School District will be holding an Educational Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, February 10 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the District cafeteria. A parent training on how to help your elementary student develop their reading skills at home will be offered, along with presentations regarding career education, college scholarships and the Vernonia Rural Sustainability Center. In addition to these presentations, there will be informational tables on Positive Behavior Intervention Support, the District’s on-going CLASS Grant from the Chalkboard Foundation, Homework Club, Student Leadership and Athletics. During these sessions, information will be provided by staff and students, but there will also be ample opportunity for questions to be asked and answered. People attending the meeting will be able to move from station to station, to learn more about the topics that interest them the most. Babysitting for children of all ages, and activities for school age children (K-12) will be provided by District staff and Vernonia High School leadership students at Washington Grade School. Coffee and tea will also be served. While there has been a great deal of discussion about our new school facilities, there has not been a great deal of communication on the great things that are happening in Vernonia’s schools. This is a great opportunity for parents and the community to find out more information about the programs that are in place to help our youth grow and succeed. We look forward to seeing you there.
