august9 2011
V E R N O N I A’ S
reflecting the spirit of our community
Recall is Over!
Vernonia Councilors Burch and Nicks Lose Election
Vernonia citizens voted on
August 4, 2011 to recall City Councilors
Willow Burch and Marilyn Nicks. The
final, certified totals were as follows:
Burch: 433 Yes votes or 73.3 %, 158 No
votes or 26.7%; Nicks 437 Yes votes or
73.6%, 157 No votes or 26.4%. Voter
turnout was 53.3%.
The recall of Burch and Nicks
now makes three Vernonia City
Councilors that have been recalled in
the last two months. All three seats
currently sit vacant. Mayor Josette
Mitchell and Councilor Randy Parrow
are the only remaining Council
members.
According to the Vernonia
City Charter, vacancies are filled by
appointment by a majority of the City
Council.
At the July 18 City Council
meeting Councilor Parrow made a
proposal that would call for choosing
three citizen panels by lottery to
interview candidates for City Council
and recommend appointments for at
least two of the empty seats.
According to Mayor Josette
Mitchell, the intent is to include the
citizens in the process for selecting
replacement Councilors. The current
proposal calls for forming three panels
consisting of five citizens each. To be
eligible to serve, panelists must live
within the Vernonia city limits; be a
registered voter; have not held elected
Vernonia Public Office within the prior
eighteen months and not be a City of
Vernonia employee.
Starting on August 9th citizens
would go to the Vernonia City Hall to
sign-up for the lottery to serve on a
panel. At a special City Council meeting
on August 22, the names of fifteen
panelists would be drawn. Interviews
would be scheduled during the week of
August 23-26. New Councilors would
be appointed at the next regular Council
meeting. Because the City Charter does
not include provisions for citizens to
appoint replacement Councilors, the
panels will make recommendations for
consideration to the sitting Council who
will make the final appointment.
A special City Council meeting
has been called for Monday, August
8 at 7:00 PM to finalize details of the
appointment process.
free
volume5 issue15
Logging Show Returns
More photos from the 2011 Vernonia Friendship Jamboree
and Logging Show are on page 10.
DPSST Board Approves Kay Certification Revocation
The full Board of the Oregon Department
of Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) met on
July 28, 2011 and approved the recommendation
from the Police Policy Committee (PCC) to revoke
inside
5
historic
newspapers
7
knights of
veritas
10
jamboree
photos
the Certifications for Vernonia police officer
Michael Kay.
The PPC had met on May 19 and voted
unanimously to recommend to the Board to revoke
Kay’s certifications for life based on dishonesty.
The PPC identified conduct that involved findings
that Kay was dishonest based on lies to a local
judge regarding community service, lies regarding
dog certifications and the omission of material
facts on his application for employment with the
Vernonia Police Department.
The Full board voted unanimously to accept
the recommendation from the PCC. According
to DPSST Director Eriks Grabliks, Kay has sixty
days to request a hearing on the matter.
The DPSST Board includes members from
the Oregon Sheriff’s Association, the Oregon
Volunteer Firefighters Association, the Oregon
Association Chiefs of Police, the Oregon District
Attorney’s Association, the Oregon Fire Chief’s
Association and others. It also includes the
Superintendent of the Oregon State Police, the
Chief of the Portland Police Bureau, the Director
of the Oregon Department of Corrections, and
others.
Wu Resigns as Congressional Representative
Governor Kitzhaber Sets Special Election to Fill
First Congressional District Seat
Oregon Governor John
Kitzhaber has set a special
election to replace Congressman
David Wu after receiving a
letter of resignation from the
representative of Oregon’s First
Congressional District.
Wu
resigned
on
Wednesday August 3, amid
complaints that he had made
unwanted sexual advances
towards an eighteen year old
woman in November of last year.
A special primary
election will be held on
November 8, 2011 and a special
general election will be held on
January 31, 2012. The Secretary
of State’s Office will be releasing
details of the special election
process.
“I have received a letter
of resignation from Congressman
David Wu and am working with
the Secretary of State’s office on
a special election process,” said
Governor Kitzhaber. “Holding
both a primary and general
election allows the voters of
the First Congressional District
full participation in selecting a
replacement.”
State law mandates that a
primary election be used to select
Republican and Democratic
nominees because the January
31, 2012 general election is more
than 80 days after Rep. Wu’s
August 3, 2011 resignation date.
