february6 2014
VERNONIA’S
volume8 issue3
www.vernoniasvoice.com
reflecting the spirit of our community
Loggerbots Get Ready to Rumble
The Vernonia High School Loggerbots
are getting ready to compete in the 2014 FIRST
Robotics competition.
As they prepare for a new challenge
this year, the Loggerbots are planning to host
an Open House on Saturday, February 15 from
1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Vernonia School, Room
143 to preview their robot for their supporters
and the rest of the community. Anyone inter-
ested in learning more about the FIRST Robot-
ics competitions, the VHS Loggerbots team, or
about becoming a sponsor, is invited to attend.
Last year, in just their second year of
competing, the Loggerbots surprised almost
everyone when they finished third in a field of
fifty-nine teams at the Regional competition at
the Memorial Coliseum in Portland.
According to their webpage, FIRST
Robotics Competition “...combines the excite-
ment of sport with the rigors of science and
technology. Under strict rules, limited resourc-
es, and time limits, teams of 25 students or more
are challenged to raise funds, design a team
“brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and
program robots to perform prescribed tasks
inside
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columbia county
at a crossroads
amateur radio
vhs senior projects
vhs winter sports
voices in my head
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against a field of competitors. It’s as close to
“real-world engineering” as a student can get.
Volunteer professional mentors lend their time
and talents to guide each team.
FIRST stands for “For Inspiration and
Recognition of Science and Technology.”
Each year student teams are tasked with
a new “competition” or game in early January
and are given six weeks to design
their robot to perform the required
tasks. This year the game is called
“Aerial Assist” which is played by
two competing alliances of three
student controlled robots each on
a flat 25’ x 54’ foot field, straddled
by a lighting truss suspended just
over five feet above the floor. The
objective is to score as many goals
as possible, using a large exercise
ball, during a 2 minute and 30 sec-
ond match. The more alliances score
their ball in their goals, and the more
they work together to do it, the more
points their alliance receives.
The format of the overall com-
petition has changed slightly this
year, as the Loggerbots will be re-
quired to travel to Oregon City and
Corvallis for District competitions
and then to Portland for Regionals, if they qual-
ify. The region now includes over 200 schools
competing for a chance to go to Portland for the
Regional Competition.
Each competing team receives a basic
kit that includes the frame for the robot and
some additional parts as well as credits that can
be used to “purchase” parts from other vendors.
Teams can also manufacture additional parts
themselves to help their robot complete the in-
tended tasks.
The Loggerbots continue to receive a
continued on page 3
WOEC Issues Refunds to
Commercial Customers
West Oregon Electric
Cooperative (WOEC) has dis-
pensed checks to thirty-six of
their commercial customers after
an internal audit revealed that
numerous commercial accounts
had been classified under the
wrong rate schedule, causing a
discrepancy in billing and over-
charges. The overcharges did not
impact any residential custom-
ers.
WOEC representatives
say the overcharges were discov-
ered last year when all commer-
cial accounts were reviewed af-
ter a WOEC employee received
training as a meter man and had
the specialized knowledge to
conduct the audit. Overcharges
were found in thirty-six of the
approximately 300 commer-
cial accounts and refund checks
that covered up to three years
of overcharges were sent out
on December 31, 2013, totaling
$131,448.47.
It was also determined
that a handful of customers were
being undercharged and those
customer’s rate structure and
billing has been adjusted.
According to WOEC
staff, commercial account rate
structures fall into two cat-
egories, Large Commercial and
Small Commercial, based on us-
age, size of the customer’s trans-
former and demand. The inter-
nal audit revealed that thirty-six
customers had erroneously been
placed in the Large Commercial
rate structure and were being
overcharged. It is possible some
of these customers had been
overcharged since the 1980s, al-
though WOEC staff says it is im-
possible to know since records
have been lost during flooding in
2007 and 1996.
Based on advice from
the co-op attorney the WOEC
Board determined that State
Statute requires utilities that
overcharge customers to issue a
refund for up to two years. The
state agency that regulates PGE’s
and Pacific Core’s rates (the
OPUC) has adopted regulations
to address this and has them go
back three years in the case of
mistakes in billing. The WOEC
Board of Directors, based on rec-
ommendations from their legal
staff, decided to issue refunds
for three years.
“The Board of Directors
had to consider the Co-op as a
whole as well as all the members
and the financial viability of the
cooperative, not just how it af-
fects individual members, when
making this decision,” said act-
ing General Manager Sarah Ros-
si.
Several
commercial
members attended the Board of
Directors meeting on January
28 and requested that the Board
reconsider their decision to only
grant refunds going back three
years. The Board agreed to re-
view their decision.
Vernonia Indicator Project Finishes Report
The Vital Vernonia Indicator
Project (VVIP) has completed their
initial report and will be presenting
their findings to numerous civic and
community groups over the next
several months.
The Vital Vernonia Indicator
Project is a collaboration between
Oregon State University Extension
Service and the community of
Vernonia and was designed to
quantify and measure the well being
of the Vernonia community. By
examining, recording and tracking
indicators of vitality over time
the community can now measure
progress towards goals to improve
well being and identify areas for
targeted community action or
investment.
Many community indicator
projects have been implemented
across the U.S. and other countries, at
scales ranging from the municipality,
county, or state levels. Community
indicator projects are typically
implemented by a government entity
or non-profit organization, often
in conjunction with a university.
Indicators draw on data obtained
from reliable outside sources (such
as the U.S. Census and other regional
data collection efforts) as well as
primary data collection in the form
of community surveys.
In Vernonia, community
goals were created and indicators
were chosen and measured in the
following five categories: Livability
and Community Engagement, Youth
and Education, Economy, Health
and Well Being, and Environment
and Natural Resources. By tracking
community indicators over time,
a community can gain insight
into progress being made towards
community goals, and can identify
areas for targeted community action
or investment.
Working with OSU staff and
meeting monthly over the last two
years, numerous local volunteers
helped to develop the goals and
indicators of vitality to be measured.
Data was collected through a series
of household, business and student
surveys as well as other sources,
and then assessed to determine
indicator targets. A final report
has been completed which will be
available throughout the community
for community members to read.
Volunteers will also be available to
present the findings to any groups
who may be interested.
A community forum is
being planned in April to discuss the
VVIP findings and the potential for
community action.
The VVIP is seen as a useful
tool for evaluating the long-term
impacts of flood recovery, public and
private investment in the new school
campus, and other community
initiatives. This project will also
contribute to a better understanding
of rural community vitality across
Oregon, build local leadership
capacity and knowledge, and further
develop a framework for university-
community partnerships centered on
community indicators.
The Vital Vernonia Indicator
Project was made possible through
financial and in-kind support from
OSU Extension Service/Columbia
County,
Vernonia
Prevention
Coalition, and The Ford Family
Foundation.
