in other words
Sounding Board: What’s Up With Electricity?
By Jack Phillips
What’s happening with Pwr/1
and WOEC? Or said another way, “ho
hum…what’s new?”
Complaint or
criticism repeats. Answers roll back as if
pre-recorded. Rates continue to increase.
Life goes on. Nothing changes. Or does
it?
Sometimes, poetry helps. I like
to write it for brevity of expression. So,
here it goes:
“Who’s knocking on my door? Poverty-
man!
Who’s that with him? Inflation-kid!
Who’s standing behind them? Oh, that’s
cold North Wind!
Why are they knocking on my door?
You have not paid your electric bill!”
How many of us, young
or old, are financially stressed in a
collapsed economy? How many of us
are older, retired and have only social
security income? How many of us are
a sneeze away from disaster only to
watch wide-eyed as our food prices,
fuel prices, medical bills, retail prices
and electricity bills skyrocket to the
moon?! What happens if your electricity
is turned off? What if you have to
choose between warmth or freezing
temperatures? Gasoline or isolation?
Food or medicine? Staying in business
or leaving town? How many of us have
had these experiences? Pwr/1 would
like to hear your stories. Contact or
write us c/o this paper. Our blog spot
is: www.utilitymembershippowerof1.
blogspot.com Or call Jack Phillips (503)
429-8089; or Sally Harrison (503) 429-
8425; or Nick Galaday (503) 429-8910.
So what about our highest-in-
the-state electric rates? Shouldn’t we,
as co-operative members, be able to
examine how our utility is being run?
Absolutely. These rates cause unwanted
anxiety, disadvantage and harm to those
who cannot afford them. Therefore, it
is important for affected members to
have access to operational information
as permitted by the By-laws and to do
something about it.
Pwr/1 has requested information,
repeatedly. Our requests have been
stone-walled. At Board Meetings, there
is a one-page agenda handed out but
the real work of the Board is withheld
in binders, given to District Reps before
a meeting, ready to be voted on, and
not provided to visiting members. If
anything controversial is present it is
taken to secret Executive Session after
the board meeting; no general members
allowed. A natural question is “Why the
secrecy; what is going on?
Double entry book-keeping
tells us money does not just appear or
disappear. It comes from a source and
goes to a location. It can be followed.
It can be traced. It can be taken apart
and put together. Its parts can be
examined.
We know that certain
expenses are standardized, e.g. the cost
of wholesale power from BPA; the
costs of its transmission to WOEC; the
costs associated with WOEC employees
who are union members etc. From that
point, most other expenses are variable,
including administrative salaries, wages,
travel, contractor services, construction
costs etc. It is those expenses that need
to be examined and analyzed. Formula-
wise, examination looks like this:
Assets minus Liabilities =
Equity + (income minus expenses)
Want to get involved? Then
you should know WOEC is a private
corporation; it is not a State Agency. It
is relatively autonomous and organized
as a co-operative, that is, controlled
CONNIE’S BREAKFASTS will
return April 5. Fridays 7:30-
9:00 here at the Bridge Street
Senior Center. No age limit.
Also a reminder of our lunches
served Mon-Fri. 60 and up - $4
or donation. Under 60 - $5. To-
Go lunches - $5. Contact Karen
Miller to qualify for Meals on
Wheels. 503-366-6581. Com-
munity Action Team.
WATCH for news on our up-
coming annual fundraiser
plant sale. Your donations
would be kindly appreciated.
Contact Pauline.
LOOKING for a place to volun-
teer? Please come in and fill
out an application.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION: Low
income households who
2013
15
by its Members (customers).
The
Board of Directors is answerable to the
Membership, not the General Manager.
For the “long-run”, there may
be statutory violations and we have
asked the Attorney General to take a
look. Meanwhile, in the short run,
members can meet and do something.
This includes finding, nominating and
electing new members to the Board of
Directors. If you, or someone you know,
would like to become active with the
backing of Pwr/1 please contact us; or,
alternatively, contact WOEC. The time
is now. At the next annual membership
meeting this summer, elections are for
Districts 2 and 5. District 2 covers Mist,
Apiary and Birkenfeld and is currently
represented by Robert VanNatta;
District 5 covers Timber and Buxton
and is currently represented by Robert
Paleck.
Our next Pwr/1 meeting will be,
Thursday March 28 th at 7:00 PM. If you
want to attend, call 503 429-8425.
Remember, democracy requires
participation. “Tag! You’re it!”
The Constitution Party
Bridge Street Bits
5-AREA LUNCHEON: Monday,
March 25 at the St. Helens Se-
nior Center
march21
need help with their energy
bills, including electric/oil/
propane can contact Commu-
nity Action Team Energy Assis-
tance. Even if you have already
received assistance after Octo-
ber 1, 2012, you could get ad-
ditional assistance to help with
the last of the winter bill. 503-
397-3511 ext. 275. Seniors and
non seniors alike.
during the first week of each
month. Buy locally and sup-
port your local Senior Center.
THRIFT STORE: Bargain prices
can be found in Vernonia’s Se-
nior Center Thrift Store. The
retail store is open Monday
through Friday, from 9:00 AM
until 3:00 PM. The Thrift Store
provides funds for the Senior
Center’s facility and its many
activities. Donations can also
be dropped off during those
same hours. Donated clothes
need to be clean and in good
condition so they are “sales
ready”. We are offering half off
YOUR MEMBERSHIP DUES are
a great way to help us keep
our doors open for community
needs. Only $15 for the year.
For after hours drop-offs
please contact Pauline 503-
429-5810.
SPECIAL DAYS: On the last
Wednesday of the month Wau-
na Credit Union will be serving
ice cream.
THANK YOU to Scott Laird and
the Voice for allowing us to
share news with, for and about
our community seniors.
QUESTIONS? Call: (503) 429-
3912
SENIOR SIGN OFF: The best vi-
tamin for developing friends is
B1.
The Constitution Party of Columbia County meets
on the 3rd Monday each month at 7:00 PM at the
Columbia River PUD, 64001 Columbia River
Hwy., Deer Island, OR. Current political updates
and more.
P.E.O. Bulb Sale
The Vernonia chapter of P.E.O. has launched
its annual bulb sale, with an array of colorful blooms,
from tiny Grecian Windflowers, 3-4 inches high, to giant
“dinnerplate” dahlias which grow to four feet.
The sale period lasts until April 22, and the
proceeds from the sale will be used to provide scholarships
for women.
To see the catalog and to place an order, contact
Mary Tolonen at 503-429-7214 or 503-719-2347; or
contact any P.E.O. member.
Vernonia’s Voice is published
twice each month on the
1st and 3rd Thursday.
Our next issue will be April 4.
Church Directory (in alphabetical order)
Assembly of God
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Morning Worship: 11:00 AM
Wayne Marr, Pastor
662 Jefferson Avenue
503-429-0373
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Sunday Schedule:
Sacrament Meeting: 10:00 AM
Sunday School & Primary: 11:20 AM
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women: 12:10 PM
Marc Farmer, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street
503-429-7151
Covenant Church Vernonia
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM
Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 7:00 PM
John D, Murray, Pastor
359 “A” Street
503-860-3860
Nehalem Valley Bible Church
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship Service: 10:45 AM
Wed. Ladies Bible Study: 10:00 AM
Wednesday Service: 7:00 PM
Sat. Men’s Prayer Meeting: 6:30 AM
Gary Taylor, Pastor
Grant & North Streets
503-429-5378
Pioneer Baptist Fellowship
Sunday School: 9:30 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM
www.pbfalive.com
John Cahill, Pastor
939 Bridge Street
503-429-1161
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Wednesday Religious Education: 3:15-
4:30 PM
Sunday Mass: 12:00 PM
Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue
503-429-8841
Vernonia Christian Church
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship Service in Youth &
Family Center: 11:00 AM
www.VernoniaChristianChurch.org
Sam Hough, Pastor
410 North Street
503-429-6522
Vernonia Community Church
Sunday School: 9:00 AM
Worship Service: 10:30 AM
Wednesday Prayer: 6:30 PM
Ralph Young, Interim Pastor
957 State Avenue
503-429-6790
Vernonia Foursquare Church
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 AM
Children’s Sunday School
Carl Pense, Pastor
850 Madison Avenue
503-429-1103
Vernonia Seventh-day Adventist
Church
Sabbath (Saturday) Services
Sabbath School: 9:30 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM
www.VernoniaSDAC.org
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St.
503-429-8301