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.
