city/community news
Health Center Celebrates Groundbreaking
milestone in Vernonia’s recovery. “We
are once again celebrating the strength,
grit and determination of this community
and reveling in the partnerships we
have created,” said Johnson. “I have
to applaud the Board for hanging in
Vernonia Police
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her,” said Paleck. “None of this would
have been possible without her foresight
and her ability to see partnerships. We
all owe her very much.”

According to Lewis, who is
acting as spokesperson, the Health
Board had to re-evaluate their design
and timeline due to a $100,000 funding
shortage. “In order to begin the project
on time we have value engineered the
project and will not finish some of the
exam rooms,” said Lewis. “We will
continue to fundraise to complete those
four rooms as well as some various
equipment that we delayed in purchasing.
We did make a conscious decision to
move forward and have a functioning
clinic while we continued to fundraise
as opposed to waiting and not be moved
before the next flood season.”

Following the ceremony, another
long time Board member, Bob Wagner
acknowledged the arduous process
the Health Board had been through to
reach this groundbreaking milestone. “I
Vernonia Health Board President Erika Paleck with an image of the new Health Center. remember when the Health Board didn’t
really have much to do” said Wagner.
there. Lesser folks would have given Rose Avenue Project site. The Rose “How things have changed.”
up.”
Avenue Project is expected to include
The new Vernonia Health Center

Members of the Keasey family the Vernonia Senior Center and Vernonia is scheduled to open in the fall of 2014.
were in attendance as the entire crowd Cares Food Bank facilities in the future
honored and paid tribute to Carolyn and also incorporates room for some
Keasey, a long time Board member type of retail space.
and past president, who passed away
One the largest ovations
in October of 2013. Mrs. Keasey was during the event was reserved for
a driving force behind the project and a Heather Lewis who was recognized
March 17-30, 2014
longtime advocate for accessible health for assisting the Board throughout the
care for the Vernonia community. The process of moving their facility. Lewis
ARRESTS/REPORTS/
Carolyn Keasey Fund continues to also helped create the partnerships that
support the construction of the new have been so instrumental in keeping
CRIMINAL CITATIONS
building. Mrs. Keasey’s husband Ralph, the Health Center operational. “None
• March 21, 2014 – Police
also a long time Board member, took of this would have happened without
Responded to the 500 Block
part in the ceremonial first shovel.
of E Bridge St. regarding a

The building will be
Disturbance
and Trespass.
constructed by Five Star Builders, who
Transported by ambulance to a
also built the WOEC headquarters
medical center for evaluation.
across the street from the location of
• March 22, 2014 – Police took
a report of stolen vehicle license
plates at the 500 block of E
Bridge St.
City Council Meetings are
whose names appear on the Small Works
• March 22, 2014 – Arrest on an
scheduled for 7 PM:
Roster may be contacted from time to
outstanding warrant.
Monday, April 7, 2014
time to submit job proposals for contracts
• March 26, 2014 – Arrest on
Monday, April 21, 2014
in the amount of $100,000 or less. The
multiple outstanding warrants.
application need only be submitted once
a year.
TRAFFIC/OTHER CITATIONS
City Closures are scheduled for:
To receive an application please
• March 18, 2014 – Issued a
Monday, May 26, 2014
go to our website: vernonia-or.gov. Click
Memorial Day
traffic citation for Driving Without
on City info and go to job opportunities to
a License.
download a fillable application. You may
• March 19, 2014 – Issued a
traffic citation for Driving Without
also contact us at financial@vernonia-or.
Dates and times subject to change
due
to
conflicts
of
schedules
a License.
gov or 503-429-5291
CITY OF VERNONIA PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the City of
Vernonia is receiving applications to be
placed upon the Small Works Roster of
the City for construction services.
Applicants must be licensed
contractors in the State of Oregon, must
meet the general qualifications for the
project and must submit a copy of their
current license, registration, insurance and
bonding information with the application.
This information must be kept
current during the year in which you wish
to receive invitations to bid. Contractors
continued from front page
2014
the new Health Center. It was designed
by Scott Edwards Architecture; Joan
Jasper is the Project Manager. Displays
at the event showed an artist’s conceptual
view of the exterior of the building as
well as the layout and the layout of the
DM

Paleck was referring in part to
the new operational partnerships the
Vernonia Health Board has created
with Pacific University and The Public
Health Foundation of Columbia County.
These partners are continuing to develop
a new model for delivery of health
care services in a rural setting. Pacific
University is supporting the Health
Center with student internships, research
and professional advice. The Public
Health Foundation of Columbia County
has provided care givers and staff. “Our
new partners provide us an opportunity
to deliver services in the community and
at the same time train badly needed next
generation health care providers,” said
Paleck.

The groundbreaking was a
culmination of an almost herculean
effort by the volunteers of the Health
Board who raised over $1 million from
numerous sources in less than a year,
allowing them to begin construction and
meet a FEMA deadline to move their
facility out of the flood zone. Paleck
thanked the various sources of funding,
including Providence, Meyer Memorial
Trust, The Ford Family Foundation, The
Collins Foundation and The Oregon
Community Foundation.

Columbia County Commissioner
Tony Hyde noted during his remarks
that he was a doubter when the Health
Board first unveiled their plans to move
the Health Center to a new location. “I
didn’t get their vision, I didn’t see it,”
said Hyde. “It wasn’t about the building-
it was never about the building. It
was about the compelling need of this
community with regards to health care,
now and into the future. This is an
opportunity to take our hats off to those
who never lost sight of that need.”

State Senator Betsy Johnson
was enthusiastic in her support for
the project, saying it is just one more
april3
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