in other words/community
Creature Comforts ~ What To Do About Kittens
By Michal Smith
Kitten season is over-NOT!
Creatures pet store is full with kittens
with many waiting for a spot. It’s not a
surprise I’m sure that many of our babies
have been caught from feral moms. It’s
been reported, and realized, that after the
flood, many a cat was lost or left behind
by severely affected home owners.
Many of these cats have procreated
over the years and it seems like some
neighborhoods are quite over-run with
cats and kittens. This has put many of
us at a loss of what to do. Enter: Feral
Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO). This
organization has already helped some
folks locally in providing traps for folks
to catch feral cats then once transported
to the FCCO, the cats are spayed or
neutered, given vaccinations, flea
treatment, ear mite treatment and other
minor medical care as needed. This is all
at no charge to the person bringing them
in. Once this procedure is completed, the
cats are typically returned to be released
where they were but unable to keep
making babies!! If this service can help
control the cat population where you
live, call the FCCO at 503-797-2606 or
find them on the web at feralcats.com.
Aside from the “kitty kraze”,
Creatures would like to give a shout out
to the Vernonia Ridge Riders for inviting
us to set up a booth at their annual Poker
Ride! We were excited to network with
the many local riders and out-of-towners
who enjoyed Vernonia and the awesome
trail that the Ridge Rider club forged
through the forest above Anderson Park-
nice work!
Another “shout out” to Eileen
Williams and Mandy Prasad for hosting
the Dog Obedience and House Manners
Class over the months of June and July!
WOEC Current: Upcoming Meetings
By Sarah Rossi
The West Oregon Electric
Cooperative Annual Meeting will be
held on Saturday, August 17th at the
Vernonia Scout Cabin. Registration
begins at 10:00 AM and the meeting
will be called to order at 11:00
AM. All members are welcome
to attend the annual meeting, but
please RSVP so that we know how
many people will be attending for
planning purposes. You may call
the office at 503-429-3021 or email
sarahr@westoregon.org to RSVP.
You should receive your
official annual meeting notice and
ballot in the mail the last week of
July or the first week of August.
Please take the time to read the
candidate information and fill out
the ballot, so that you can cast your
vote for the Directors in Districts
2 (Mist, Apiary, Birkenfeld) and 5
(Timber, Buxton).
As a member-owned electric
utility, this is your chance to be an
active part of the Co-op through
your vote for representation on the
Board of Directors and by attending
the meeting to hear reports on the
financial status, operations, and
management of your cooperative.
We look forward to seeing you, and
welcome the opportunity to interact
with our members and make sure
your questions and input are heard.
Please join us for a great meeting,
lunch, and fun door prizes.
We are also holding special
district meetings in August and
September so that you may meet
with your board representatives. The
following is a list of the days, times,
and places for those meetings:
District 7 (Manning, Hagg Lake,
Yamhill County)
August 29th 7:00 PM Yamhill City
Hall (205 S Maple Street, Yamhill)
District 5 (Timber, Buxton)
September 3rd 7:00 PM WOEC
Boardroom (652 Rose Ave, Verno-
nia)
District 6 (Chapman/Scappoose,
North Plains)
September 9th 7:00 PM Scappoose
Library (52469 SE 2nd St, Scap-
poose)
District 1 & 2 (Mist, Apiary, Birken-
Member Meeting – Rate Change
feld, Jewell, Elsie, and Hamlet)
August 8th 7:00 PM Elderberry Tuesday, September 17th at 6:00
PM
Inn (44601 HWY 26, Seaside)
WOEC Boardroom ~ 652 Rose
Ave., Vernonia, OR
District 3 & 4 (Vernonia, Keasey)
The Sounding Board: Quick as a Blink
By Jack Phillips
Quick as a “blink” ! One year since “Power
of One” first asked WOEC questions. What’s hap-
pened? Rates increased; and will increase, again, Oc-
tober 1 st . What is a solution? For one, “Power of One”
has a write-in candidate for this year’s election. It is
HEATHER JOHANSEN for District 5. She is a native
Vernonian; she went to Vernonia schools and gradu-
ated from Pacific University in 1974, married and re-
turned to Vernonia with her husband. They raised five
children. Many of you know her. She is experienced,
committed and wants an effective electrical coopera-
tive. Her telephone number is 503-804-6997. Give her
a call. The Bylaws require a candidate to live in the
District represented but all members within WOEC can
vote. If you still have your ballots, you can write her
name in for District 5. Or you can wait and vote at the
annual meeting. Either way, a large vote for Heather
Johansen will create change and a successful coopera-
tive.
Obviously, as members, we need to do some-
thing. We need to vote in new directors, contact mem-
bers area-wide, engage professional help, inspect, re-
search and do the hard work of organizing solutions.
It took us a while to realize this; our experience in the
last year showed us that just objecting to high rates,
writing to the newspapers, and attending board meet-
ings accomplished less than expected. We learned that
to create effective change we have to contact others,
person-to-person, and inspire them to do the same.
Members talking to members (networking) is the key.
Further, we need critical information in order to craft
solutions for our highest-electric-rates-in-the-state co-
operative. That has been a learning experience fraught
with resistance and foot dragging from WOEC. We are
now better prepared to proceed. What we need most is
for members, with all points of view, to realize they, as
Debit/Credit now accepted
5x10 $39
10x10 $69
10x20 $99
RV Storage $149
Outside storage available
Totally fenced and gated
Padlocks Available
5
Participants ranged from 15-60 pounds
with endless energy which was all
properly channeled and all are now on
their way to becoming much improved
young pups.
New in the store is the Seresto
flea and tick collars for dogs and cats.
The collar claims to last up to 8 months!
Also, check out our consignment saddles
both Western and English styles as well
as tack to go with! Store hours are 10-6
M-F; Sat 10-5 and Sun 12-4; call 503-
429-PETS (7387).
A work day is being planned on August
17 th to help with sprucing up the landscaping
at the new Vernonia School.
We have only one employee, Mark
Brown, that is in charge of maintenance and
grounds. It is impossible for one person to
keep up with all the weeding and other work.
Many of you are supporting the
school through your tax dollars, but your
help is also needed in keeping the grounds
looking nice.
A lot of you have disagreed with the
new school—how it is run and other issues
and concerns- but the fact is, it is a reality.
Please put those feelings aside and for our
kids sake come out and help keep their new
school looking nice.
We will be working from 9:00 AM
to 12:00 PM. Please bring hand tools for
weeding, trimming bushes and more, as well
as containers for debris.
individual rate payers, can make a difference; to talk to
us, work with us, to experience their own ‘power-of-
one” in lower cost electricity.
We have regular meetings on the first Thurs-
day of each month at 7:00 PM at the New Hong Kong
restaurant. Our mail box is P.O. Box 51, Vernonia, OR
97064. Power of One’s telephone numbers are 971-
202-2316, 503-429-8089 and 971-207-0198. Sally
Harrison’s is 503-429-8425. We need you; people who
can contact others, by telephone, email and Facebook;
people to do research, keep records; to do the spade-
work needed to get things moving. We intend to have
fun and some good food while working for a more ef-
fective co-operative. We would like to hear from you
and/or see you at our next meeting at the New Hong
Kong restaurant. Remember to vote. Write in and
check the box for Heather Johansen.
START RIGHT. START HERE. SM
Need more room?
See us for the lowest prices
GUARANTEED!
2013
Can You Give a
Helping Hand?
Boardroom (652 Rose Ave, Verno-
nia)
August 13th 7:00 PM WOEC
august1
Authorized
U-Haul Dealer
Boxes and Supplies Available
We can make your reservation
Pick up here or anywhere
58605 Nehalem Hwy South • P.O. Box 292
Vernonia, Oregon 97064
(503) 429-7867
10-6 Tue-Sat
12-4 Sun
Summer is
here!
Toys • Lawn Chairs
Camping Supplies • BBQs
Batteries • Fishing Supplies
Sporting Goods • Coolers
Family owned & operated for over 40 years
834 Bridge St., Vernonia (503) 429-6364
