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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 24, 2011)
community news may24 2011 County Sheriff’s Office to Participate in Safety Belt Campaign The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in the Oregon Safety Belt Campaign Blitz May 23 – June 5, 2011. The “Three Flags” Campaign is a statewide selective traffic enforcement program (STEP) that seeks to reduce the number of motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries by increasing public awareness of laws regarding the three most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crash injuries: safety restraint use, speed and impaired drivers. The Campaign derived its name from a prior demonstration effort between Oregon, Washington and British Columbia which lasted from 1993 – 2004. In 1999, the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association, Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police and Oregon State Police Headquarters assumed daily grant management and active promotion of the campaign. Today, while ODOT’s Transportation Safety Division continues to coordinate a federally-funded overtime “STEP” in cooperation with these entities, most Oregon law enforcement agencies enforce safety belt laws year-round as a matter of routine. Over one hundred city, county and state police agencies utilize safety belt overtime during three two-week “blitz” periods each year. Prior to each “blitz,” training and instructional materials are provided to participating agencies through ODOT’s Transportation Safety Division. Officers are encouraged to acquire advanced specialized training in correct use of child safety systems, and to nurture community awareness of traffic safety issues generally. Agencies are asked to conduct local belt-use surveys and public awareness/media activities during the weeks prior to and following each blitz. Observed belt-use rates, number of enforcement contacts, and public information activities reported by each agency are used to measure Campaign success. Statewide crash fatality and injury rates have dropped 44% and 49% respectively since the passage of the adult belt law in 1990. The law, combined with active enforcement, has resulted in 2010 Oregon belt-use rates of 97% (front seat) and 96% (all occupants), placing Oregon among the top four belt-use states Voters Reject Sheriff’s Levy Columbia County voters rejected Measure 5-210, by a resounding margin, voting 58 percent to 42 percent against a property tax levy to fund the Sheriff’s Office. The “Stable Sheriff’s Funding “ measure would have provided six additional patrol deputies, including one dedicated to the Nehalem Valley, and three detectives to investigate crimes. Instead of providing additional service to the 657 square mile county his department must patrol, Sheriff Jeff Dickerson will again have to look to make cuts. “...the cuts in services are not in reaction to the loss of the tax measure,” stated Sheriff S t Pier reG ra ph ic s@ ao l.c om Dickerson in a written statement posted the Sheriff’s Office website. “These were cuts that were coming due to reductions in the County General Fund. We were holding off on the cuts in hopes the measure would pass, but now that it hasn’t, the cuts must necessarily continue.” The proposed levy would have cost taxpayers 63 cents per one thousand dollars of assessed value and raised $2.7 million. “The voice of the people was clear in this election: No new taxes,” said Dickerson. “I respect the will of the people and promise to work as diligently as if the levy had passed in serving Columbia County with the best public safety services possible.” in the U.S. This compares to a belt- use average of 86% among all states. During the 2010 grant year, $929,072 in Federal safety belt overtime expenditure brought 52,462 total enforcement contacts and paid officers to assist at child seat checks and other local educational events. Total overtime contacts were as follows: 12,735 safety belt, 730 child seat, 9283 speeding, 424 DUII, 7062 suspensions, 782 felonies, and 21,446 all other violations. To put these efforts and expenditures into perspective, consider that safety belts are 45-65% effective in preventing fatalities and that the average combined societal costs of one traffic death were estimated to be $1,090,000 (National Safety Council 2002). For more information on this Campaign, contact Carla Levinski, ODOT Occupant Protection Program Manager at (503) 986-4199 or www. oregon.gov/ODOT/TS/safetybelts. shtml. 7 2011 4-H Summer Camp The 4-H Camp committee is busy working on making the 2011 camp another great experience for those who attend. The committee has selected June 19-22, 2011 for the annual 4-H Summer Camp, held at Camp Kiwanilong on the North Coast. The committee hosted “Teen Retreat” early in April and is very pleased with the older youth who have shown interest in serving as Camp Counselors and Camp Staff. The selection of Camp Counselors will occur in April. This early selection allows time for training, which is required by the state. Please mark your calendars and begin now to prepare your 4th through 7th graders for the 2011 4-H Summer Camp. Registration forms will be distributed through the schools as in years past. Registration forms are due by June 1, 2011 with the $85.00 registration fee. Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials without discrimination based on age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran’s status. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
