4
community bulletin board/letters to the editor
april24
2012
Readers Lend Their Voices...
To the Editor,
As I look through the slate
of candidates for our 2 County
Commissioner seats, I am concerned, as
voters, that we overlook the most qualified
candidates when voting. Our County has
over a $20 million budget per year and
over 160 employees. There are certainly
some nice and conscientious citizens
running for County Commissioner, but
are they qualified to budget and manage
our County, especially during these
economic times?
I will be voting to retain our
incumbents, both Earl and Tony.
I
have had the pleasure of working with
them both over the past 4 years and
both are smart, level-headed and have
the experience we need. I’ve watched
Earl roll up his sleeves and get involved
before it is too late, numerous times.
I’ve also seen Tony jump on an airplane
and fly to Washington DC to fight for
Columbia County, or drive to Salem to
fight an issue that concerns our County.
Also, Tony has been instrumental in
forming CCET, which works county-
wide to retain and attract jobs. Our
County is diverse and with our current
commissioners, we have representation
from South County, North County and
West County which seems like a perfect
fit.
I am sure my conservative
friends and liberal friends will disown
me for endorsing both Earl and Tony, but
I vote for the good of the County.
Jeff Kemp
President
Pacific Stainless Products
To the Editor
The VHS Leadership Class
would like to thank the local businesses
that supported the Donate a Dollar, Build
a School, Save a Town campaign. The
fundraiser received $1,619.10 for our
new school. We would like to thank the
following businesses for displaying the
donation jars and promoting our cause:
NAPA Auto Parts, Bridge Street Mini
Mart, Mariolino’s, Clever Cricket, True
Value Hardware, Vernonia Pharmacy,
Sentry Market, Black Bear, and
Creatures Pet Store. We appreciate your
help. Without your dedication to our
new school, we could not have raised the
money.
Thank you so much!
Vernonia High School Leadership Class
To the Editor
Have you heard? One of ‘US’ is
leaving.
Synda and Ray Allen have
decided to leave their post as care-takers
at the cemetery and sadly Vernonia too.
I can’t let this happen without
saying a big “Thank You!” to Synda for
her 20 years of service to the city.
Synda has cared for our departed
loved one’s last resting place, through
rain or shine, good times and bad, so
that we may visit there and be proud.
She has always shown a caring heart for
the families left behind. Her memorial
services have been memorable.
20
years, 20 years of respectful service.
So thank you, Synda, for your
hard work, but most of all, thank you for
being the caring, loving lady you are. I
can only hope we find someone to fill
your shoes who will care half as much as
you.
Much luck in your new “digs’.
Sally Harrison
Vernonia
To the Editor
Thank you to everyone that
helped make the class of 2012 senior
project presentations a success!
Staff of Vernonia School District,
Staff that volunteered to be judges,
community members that volunteered to
be judges, School Board members, the
Boosters, community mentors, families
and students of the class of 2012, Dana
Hyde, Kim Scott, Juliet Safier, Doris
Buchholtz, Nate Underwood, Mark
Brown, Terri Willard, Leah Wilson,
Matt Bringman, Austin Ragsdale, Riplee
Burch, Jana Titus and anyone else that
assisted our students and at this event!
Much Appreciated!
Mrs. Rachel Wilcoxen
Vernonia High School
To the Editor
Recently, the Vernonia’s Voice
printed an article about the high school
band’s trip to the OSAA State Band
Championship for the second straight
year. The article explained how I
was going to run in the Vernonia Half
Marathon in order to help pay for the hotel
rooms for the students and chaperones.
The day the article came out, I received
a phone call from a Vernonia resident
who made a clear request to remain
anonymous. This wonderful person
donated the entire amount necessary to
pay for thirteen rooms, and then threw
in an additional amount to help out any
students who might not have enough
food money for the trip. So it is with my
deepest gratitude that I thank this person
publicly, while maintaining their desire
for anonymity.
But that brings up the issue of all
who have expressed a desire to sponsor
me on the half marathon. I still plan on
participating in this event, even though I
experienced a leg injury while training.
If you have signed up to sponsor me for
this event, but wish to withdraw in light
of our generous gift, that is perfectly fine
with me. However, there is still much
that needs to be done in general for the
program for which we do not have the
funds. There are aging instruments that
are in bad need of repair, or, in many
cases, replacement, as they are so beat
up the repair people will not do any
more work on them. There are things
down the road, like next year’s band
trip that we will be raising money for.
Believe me, if you wish to financially
HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your thoughts, opinions and ideas.
Please include your name, address and phone number, limit your letters to 300
words or less. Vernonia’s Voice reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for
a response to letters submitted. We will print letters space permitting. Deadline
is the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Email: scott@vernoniasvoice.com or
mail to: Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064.
support the band, there are plenty of
opportunities and needs. So, thank you
for your support, whatever you decide
to do in regards to the half marathon.
Rob Izzett
Vernonia Band Director
To the Editor,
I am writing this letter in support
of Tony Hyde for his re-election as
Columbia County Commissioner.
I first met Tony in December 2007 when
I had been hired to work for Columbia
County Emergency Management after
the floods of 2007. In my position I
was the FEMA liaison in charge of
authoring the Columbia County Debris
Management Plan and leading the team
for the Hazard Mitigation Planning for
Columbia County. Previously I had
spent nine months working as a project
officer for FEMA in Louisiana after
Hurricane Katrina.
It has been stated that Tony spends a
lot of time in Salem and in Washington
DC. That is true. That is part of his job.
If he did not spend the time in Salem
and Washington DC Columbia County
would not be able to get the funding that
helps us to continue to have the quality of
life that we enjoy in Columbia County.
Tony has worked diligently with FEMA
to get additional funding for disaster
relief in our local communities.
And yes, we in Columbia County
are suffering very difficult economic
times. Columbia County has had mills
and businesses close. That has cost jobs.
We do not have the tax base that we
had a few years ago. Unemployment is
high. Living wage jobs are hard to find.
Foreclosures and bankruptcies are at an
all time high.
Most county government employees
still have their jobs. Those employees
have suffered a loss of one day’s
work every two weeks. That hurt
them financially. That is not a good
thing. However, the Columbia County
Commissioners have insured that
they are still getting their full benefits.
That is a good thing. Yes, the county
government officers are closed on
Fridays. But it could have been worse
and would have been worse without the
leadership of Tony.
I feel that during these difficult
economic times we have fared fairly
well considering everything that is
going on in Columbia County, the State
of Oregon and the Federal Government.
The guidance that Tony has provided
has helped us to be better off than many
other communities.
For Tony his job as County
Commissioner is not an 8 to 5 job. He
passionately serves you, the people he
was elected to serve. He spends many
hours in planning what needs to be done
for Columbia County. Columbia County
needs him.
Upcoming
Events
UNWC Steering Committee meeting,
April 26, 6:30 PM, at the Vernonia
Grange Hall (375 North St.) For more
info call the Upper Nehalem Watershed
Council office at (503) 429- 0869,
or check the calendar at our website
unwc@nehalem.org.
17th Annual Spring Garden Fair,
April 28, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM at the St.
Helens High School. Over 5,000 plants,
over 40 varieties at $1.50 per plant.
VHS Band Concert, May 5, 7:00 PM
at the VHS Gym. The Vernonia High
School Band Presents: An Evening With
Oscar. Doors open at 6:30 PM.
The Wizard of Oz by the Vernonia
Ballet, June 1, 7:00 PM at WGS. No
admission, donations are welcome.
Last Chance Dance, June 23, at WGS.
Save the date.
2012 Logging Show
Kelly and Lindsay Baska are
beginning to plan the 2012
Logging Show. To get in-
volved call Mike Pihl Logging
at 503-429-1470.
Tony has had to make many difficult
decisions for our county and I know
that he does not make them lightly. I
know Tony to be an honorable and
dedicated servant to Columbia County.
That is why I am supporting Tony Hyde
for re-election as Columbia County
Commissioner and why I urge you to
vote for a proven leader and re-elect
Tony Hyde.
Frank E. Hupp, DTM
Columbia City
Kindergarten Round Up
Notice of Budget Committee Meeting
A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Columbia County 4-H &
Extension Service District, Columbia County, State of Oregon, to discuss the
budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, will be held at the
OSU Extension Service office, 505 N. Columbia River Hwy, St. Helens, OR.
The meeting will take place on May 9, 2012 at 12:15 p.m. The purpose of
the meeting is to receive the budget message and to receive comment from
the public on the budget. A copy of the budget document may be inspected or
obtained on or after May 7, 2012 at the OSU Extension Service office, between
the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. This is a public meeting where deliberation
of the Budget Committee will take place. Any person may appear at the meeting
and discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Committee.