opinion
february20
2014
An Opinion: Council Needs to
Finalize Lease With Health Board
By Scott Laird
The Vernonia City Council and
the Vernonia Health Board have been
working to negotiate a lease agreement
for property the City controls, so the
Health Board can begin construction
of the new health clinic facility. The
Health Board had hoped to break
ground on their new facility in early
February, but after the last City Council
meeting on February 18, there was still
no agreement on the use of the property,
and so, construction has been unable to
proceed.
Both groups have been working
hard over the last several months to find
common ground and iron out the details
of what will be a fifty year agreement.
The two sides have discussed potential
uses, length of the lease, what happens
if the lease ends suddenly and other,
often sticky points. One by one they
have reached agreement on almost every
point, although the discussions have
often become somewhat contentious
and personalities seem to be getting in
the way.
One item the two sides haven’t
agreed on yet is rent for the property,
although the Health Board maintains
they had an agreement for $1 per year.
This was a point of discussion by both
the members of the Health Board during
“Topics From the Floor” and by Council
during the City Administrator Report at
the February 18 meeting.
The City received the parcel of
land between Rose and Weed Avenues
from the State of Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department (OPRD) at no
cost, in exchange for an agreement that
the City maintain the paved trail that
connects the Banks-Vernonia Trailhead
to Vernonia Lake. That trail, called
Webb Way, was already owned by the
City; the deal with OPRD requires that
the City keep and maintain the trail.
In exchange the City received a much
needed location, out of the Flood Zone,
where they could house social services
that needed to be moved-the Food Bank,
Senior Center and Health Clinic. It was
a great deal for the City.
The Vernonia Health Board
organized themselves quickly when the
opportunity to relocate out of the flood
zone presented itself. They developed
a construction plan, navigated through
FEMA regulations, approached several
high profile Foundations, and put
together over $1 million in funding in
an unbelievably short period of time,
doing what many said was impossible.
They had hoped to break ground in early
February but have now been bogged
down in negotiations for what has
turned into several months. According
to members of the Health Board, some
of their funding could be in jeopardy if
the project doesn’t get started soon.
The Vernonia Health Board
has served this community faithfully
for many years. They have owned
the building where several health care
providers have operated, furnishing
local health care for the community
and making available a needed service.
They have most recently developed
partnerships with the Public Health
Foundation of Columbia County and
Pacific University to create a new model
for delivering rural health care.
The
City
Council
has
continually maintained throughout
the lease negotiations that they are
only doing their job and looking out
for the best interests of the citizens
they represent. A long term lease is
tricky and all possibilities need to be
considered, which can be difficult when
trying to project out into the future.
Unfortunately, time constraints, as
the Health Board tries to make use of
disappearing FEMA funds, has made
negotiations feel pressured and rushed.
The Council has met several
times in special meeting to discuss
details of the lease, so it is not as if the
Council is ignoring the issue. They have
given ground on several key issues,
so they have shown they are willing
to negotiate. They have engaged and
involved their legal representative and
spent funds on legal fees, so it is obvious
they want the project to happen. The
process just seems to be taking too long.
The Health Board has been
innovative, creative, diligent and
determined as they have waded through
a complicated planning and fundraising
process. They have overcome many
obstacles and refused to give up,
all for the good of the citizens of this
community. What we need now is for
City Council and the Health Board to
put their differences aside, iron out the
final details, sign a lease agreement and
move forward.
Another Opinion:
Oregonian Article Not Fair to Vernonia Schools
By Scott Laird
A recent five-part series of articles in The
Oregonian, written by Betsy Hammond, featured the
Vernonia School District in Part 3. That particular
article has caused quite a stir around our town.
Hammond’s series, titled “Empty Desks” looked at
attendance issues through out the state of Oregon and
was especially critical of the Vernonia School District
administration, staff and parents.
Although the article was somewhat of a black
eye for the community, it was also somewhat inaccurate
in its portrayal of the Vernonia School District (VSD)
and their concern about the issue. The article ignored
key factors that have led to poor attendance and brushed
aside current efforts being made by the VSD to address
the issue.
The article featuring Vernonia was a main topic
of discussion at the February 13 Vernonia School Board
meeting, as audience member Amy Ceiloha, who, she
says was unfairly quoted in the article, asked if the
School District would have a response to the article.
Superintendent Ken Cox said there would not be any
official response, but was happy to discuss the issue, as
was Elementary School Principal Aaron Miller, School
Board Chair Bill Langmaid and other School Board
members, most notably, Ernie Smith. High School
Principal Nate Underwood was not in attendance.
It is obvious that the VSD is aware they have
an attendance problem, even though early in the
Oregonian article it was inferred that the District was
oblivious to the issue. Superintendent Cox did refer to
a previous Oregonian article from two years ago which
identified the VSD as the second worst district in the
state, behind Banks, for absenteeism.
In response to an observed problem, the VSD
has instituted a new attendance policy this year which
requires staff to contact parents when students have
3
Publisher and Managing Editor
Scott Laird
503-367-0098
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Contributors
Chip Bubl
Dr. Ken Cox
Tobie Finzel
Steven Leskin
Dr. Carol McIntyre
Grant Williams
Photography
Casey Campbell Photography
Scott Laird
Want to advertise?
Have an article?
Contact: scott@vernoniasvoice.com
One year subscriptions
(24 issues) $35
Vernonia’s Voice is published
on the 1st and 3rd Thursday
of each month.
Vernonia’s Voice, LLC
PO Box 55
Vernonia, OR 97064
503-367-0098
www.VernoniasVoice.com
missed 4 days, 8 days and 12 days. Students are
considered chronically absent when they miss more than
10% of school days, and the new “call policy” seems to
be having a significant impact. Elementary Principal
Miller reported that attendance in kindergarten and first
grade has increased from 84% last year to 92% in the
first half of this year. Chronic absenteeism has dropped
from 49% to 27%.
School Board member Smith pointed out that
analyzing statistics is a tricky business and that you can
manipulate them in numerous ways to reach almost any
conclusion you wish. Cox noted that the exact figures
the Oregonian referenced were actually not available
to the School District from the state, but were in fact
numbers the Oregonian created themselves based
on data they collected and collated. As Smith and
Miller pointed out, with such a small base of students,
continued on page 5
Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-7
Lady’s Night Wed 5-12
Cedar Side Inn
“STILL BIKER FRIENDLY”
Open Mic Night
St. Patrick’s Day
Dates to
Remember
Karaoke
March 8
Texas Hold ‘em
Saturday, February 22nd
Corned Beef & Cabage
Every Friday Night
Taco Tuesday
from opening until 9pm
3 hardshell or 1 softshell $4.25
iheck our Facebook page for daily specials and upcoming events
756 Bridge Street, Vernonia
503-429-5841
• Specialty hamburgers
• Draft beer & mixed drinks
• Pool tables & satelite TV
• Special live music events
• Free Wi-fi
Sun - Thurs 11 AM - Midnight •
733 Bridge St, Vernonia
March 15
Third Member
Beer & Kegs to go
Fri - Sat 11 AM - 2:30 AM
• 503-429-9999