in other words
june20
2013
The Sounding Board: WOEC Elections are Nigh!
By Nick Galaday
done something about it by now. We PM to nominate a new representative.
even pay 1.74 times as much as the next You should have all gotten a letter
In my headline I am referring worst co-op in Oregon! WOEC does not inviting you from WOEC. Please
to the two positions for
consider serving on the
Districts #2 and #5 on
Board. For those of you
our Board of Directors
in District #2, I hope you
at West Oregon Electric.
nominate someone to run
Nominations for these
against the incumbent in
positions are being taken
your area (Apiary, Mist
this month and the actual
& Birkenfeld) on June
elections will take place
20 th . If not, you can
at the WOEC annual
elect a write-in candidate
meeting on Saturday,
at the August meeting.
August 17 th . Important:
Remember; do not send in
If voting by mail, please
your mail-in ballot before
hold off doing so, at least
we find a candidate to run
through July; so, we can
against the incumbents.
find worthy write-in
Here are our current
candidates for these two
representatives. Contact
positions.
yours soon. Power of One
Why is this so
would like to know how
important? Because it may
your chat turns out. Please
turn out that replacing the
call Jack Phillips at
entire Board of Directors
503-429-8089 with the
might be the only way we
results. Remember, the
can regain control of our
Board works for us, the
electric co-op.
members. In-turn, the
U n f o r t u n a t e l y,
WOEC hired staff works
it would take us over 3
for the Board. I think our
years to elect a whole
current Board may have
new Board. So we must
forgotten for whom they
continue to try to get
serve.
our current representatives to help us even come close to performing up to par!
find a solution. We can’t wait three We all buy our electricity from the BPA WOEC Board of Directors Contact
years and I would prefer to not throw at one of the lowest prices imaginable. information
the baby out with the bath water. This In addition, our co-op, as such, is non- Email for the Board of Directors:
Board, even as presently constituted, profit. We should be able to compete directors@westoregon.org
is probably as capable as anyone we handily with for-profit utilities in the This is the monitored business email
could find to replace them; but they’ve state, and we are not even doing that!
account for the WOEC Board of
gotten into some bad habits and simply
If you really want to take Directors.
refuse to acknowledge that our rates are back control of your co-op, call your If you would like a non-confidential
unacceptable and that it’s their job to representative and have that chat. They email to go to one director in
control them. Rather than contrition all should at least be given a chance to do particular, and not all seven members
I’ve seen so far is denial and a measure the right thing. Ask him or her to see if of the board, just note the director’s
of indignation.
we can at least be average next year! Tell name in the subject line and it will be
It appears that whenever WOEC them their planned rate hike in October forwarded to that director only.
needs more funds the Board simply is out of the question. I wouldn’t mind
allows them to raise our rates. They are even being second worst. Tell them that Dist #1 Brian Baker - Serving Elsie,
planning to raise them again in October. reaching into our pocket every time they Jewell, & Necanicum
They have done this so often that we are run low on cash is totally unacceptable. Phone: 503 755-2438
now paying, on average, nearly two and
Better yet, do as I did and speak Address: 81410 Best Rd., Seaside, OR
a half times as much as other Oregon before one of the regular Board meetings 97138-6160
co-op members. Yes, that’s right; we on the 3 rd Tuesday of every month. You
WOEC members pay 2.42 times as much might suggest, as I did, that they hold Dist #2 Robert VanNatta*, President -
for our electricity as the average of all an executive (private) session with you, Serving Apiary, Mist, & Birkenfeld
other Oregon electric co-op members. excluding the hired staff, so they can Phone: 503-556-7305
Yes, we have lots of trees and hills, but preserve their options as to how they’re Address: 24259 Van Natta Road,
really! 2.42 times as much as the other going to react.
co-ops?
And those of you who live in
I gave our Board of Directors District #5 - West Vernonia, (Corey
the benefit of the doubt and assumed Hill, Noaks Rd., Roseview Heights),
that surely, this must have missed their Buxton & Timber-come to the WOEC
attention or logically they would have building on Monday, June 24 th at 7:00
9
Rainier, OR 97048
Dist #3 Marty Van Dyken, Secretary/
Treasurer - Serving E. Vernonia, Keasey
Rd, Top Hill, & Pebble Creek
Phone: 503-410-1160
Address: 15160 Creek View Lane,
Vernonia, OR 97064
Dist #4 Dan Murphy - Serving Central
Vernonia
Phone: 503-429-4101
Address: 476 North Street, Vernonia,
OR 97064
Dist #5 Bob Paleck* - Serving West
Vernonia, Buxton & Timber
Phone: 503-429-0898
Address: 57041 Nehalem Hwy S / PO
BOX 341, Vernonia, OR 97064
Dist #6 Dixie London - Serving
Scappoose & Chapman
Phone: 503-543-3986
Address: 57232 Cedar Creek Rd., PO
BOX 1074, Scappoose, OR 97056
Dist #7 David Hess, Vice President
– Serving Manning, Hagg Lake, &
Yamhill Co.
Phone: 503-647-2061
Address: PO Box 518, Banks, OR
97106
*Subject to reelection in August 2013
Vernonia
Veterinary Clinic
Small and Large Animals
Now Open
Mon, Wed & Saturday
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Call for Appointments
(503) 429-1612
Or 24 hr. Emergency Number (503) 397-6470
700 Weed Ave. Vernonia, OR
Columbia Humane Society
Featured Pet
"Hotlips"
Lessons for children 0-18
All lessons taught by certified swim instructor
Session 1: July 8-July 12
Session 2: July 15-July 19
Session 3: July 22-July 26
Session 4: Aug. 5-Aug. 9
Session 5: Aug. 12-Aug. 16
Hot lips is a very sweet girl. We don't
have much of a history on her, as she
came to the shelter as a stray. We would
like to see her go to a home where she is
going to have room to roam. She is good
with dogs that are smaller than her, and
she seems to really like little kids. If you
think you can give her a great home,
please don't hesitate to stop by today
Each class is 45 min. $40 per session
Classes for Tots (ages 0-4), Beginners 1&2, Intermediate & Advanced swimmers
Sign-up forms available at Black Bear or for more information call Dana Hyde 503-429-9351
email: danahiveleyhyde@gmail.com
2084 Oregon Street, St. Helens, O: 97051
Phone: 503-397-4353
E-mail: info@columbiahumane.org
Web: www.columbiahumane.org
