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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2014)
8 in other words/community april3 2014 Things To Ponder: Asking for Forgiveness By Grant Williams Are you carrying a load so heavy you can’t conceive of finding relief? Sometimes burdens are the result of our own personal failures or they may be the result of things other people have done to us. Burdens we carry as result of what we have done to others are probably the hardest to bear. It doesn’t matter what caused these troubles, they all rob us of our peace and joy. Often we find ourselves asking, “Why am I so depressed and discouraged?” Frequently the answers are allusive and we can’t figure out the source of our pain. A good place to begin is to take an honest inventory of our life. Asking tough questions like, “Has someone hurt me recently?” or “Am I carrying the weight of past failures?” An eminent question is, “Have I hurt a friend and am I feeling guilty?” The truth is whether our pain is caused by ourselves or someone else, the root of the pain is typically the result of sin. When King David kept silent about his sin he wrote in Psalm 32, “My bones wasted away” but when I confessed my evil deeds the Lord forgave “The guilt of my sin.” His burdens were lifted when he confessed his sins. If we have been hurt or have hurt someone else we need the powerful medicine of forgiveness. Taking this step starts the process of giving to God what has hurt us and begins the healing so we no longer have to live in perpetual agony. The Lord doesn’t want His children to suffer needlessly. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says we can lighten our load by giving it to Him. If you are carrying baggage that just won’t go away, GIVE IT TO JESUS NOW! In Hebrews 12:1-3, we have more of the answer to dealing with unwanted baggage. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Maybe you are thinking that’s nothing but religious nonsense. My burdens are too heavy and my guilt is too great to just ‘GIVE IT TO JESUS NOW’. That would be true without faith, but all things are possible with God. If you are wondering how I can be so certain of this assertion I will tell you my experience. At one time in my life baggage threatened to destroy me, but God was faithful to restore the joy of my salvation when I confessed my sins and today I am walking pretty light! Meet Bob Perry New General Manager at WOEC Perry is originally from Connecticut, and has lived and worked all over the country, spending time in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Indiana, New York and Kansas, before arriving here in Vernonia. Perry says he was working in the automotive industry in Indiana as an electrician, fixing robotics equipment, when a friend recruited him to come work at a local co-op, working in Member Services. That job was actually working with members to install switches on water heaters to manage the load on the overall system. “As I learned what a co-op was and how they plugged into the community, I really enjoyed the philosophy of the electric co-op,” says Perry. He says he got involved in 4-H electric and working with kids in schools and with First Responders on safety programs. “We were part of these activities and they continued to grow the longer I was with the co-op.” At the age of 42, Perry took advantage of a tuition reimbursement program for employees, and entered college for the first time, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Kelly School of Business in under eight years while continuing to work. He went on and paid for his own Master’s Degree in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University. Perry found there was no place for him to advance within the co- op. When he was offered, he took the General Manager position in up-state New York with a rural co-op. He was there for three years before being offered a position in Kansas with another rural co-op. He was there for a little over a year before being offered the job with WOEC. Perry says he was impressed when he arrived in Vernonia for his first visit and interview. “As I was coming up Highway 47 I was wishing I had my motorcycle because it was such a pretty day. I had no idea what Vernonia looked like. As I came in and saw the co-op building, it really set the stage for my impression of Vernonia. I drove through downtown and looked at the businesses. I called my wife and told her I was here and said she would really like the town - it’s very quaint and looks like a thriving and healthy community. And my first impression driving past the WOEC building, when I drove in was a very positive experience for an outsider. I don’t know if the locals feel that way, but that was my first experience. I know I’m proud to be here.” Perry added that he was excited and interested to see how the buildings that will be part of the Rose Avenue Project, located next door to the WOEC headquarters, will add to the attractiveness of Vernonia and promote a welcoming atmosphere, including the Vernonia Health Center, which broke ground March 28. Perry says the co-op in New York was similar to WOEC, with a comparable landscape and the same issues WOEC has with trees interfering with transmission lines, along with a low density member base. The co-op in Kansas was farm based, with almost no trees, but also had large distances between customers. According to Perry, both previous co-ops he managed had a density rate of about three customers per mile of line. In contrast, WOEC has a density of about six customers per mile. But, Perry say, WOEC’s numbers are inflated by Vernonia’s population; remove Vernonia from the equation and WOEC has about three members per mile. “When you have higher density you still have roughly eighteen poles per mile of line and it cost us the same to put a mile of line up as any other co- op,” says Perry. “The higher the density you have, the better for spreading those fixed costs over more meters. In low density systems like out in Nebraska and Wyoming, where they have less than two members per mile, the costs go up significantly.” Perry went on to say that the co-op in Kansas had higher rates than WOEC. Perry also expanded on the problems trees present for an electric co- op. “New York had trees, a lot of them and the same problems we associate with trees here. The blessed curse. They’re beautiful to look at. Everybody loves them and we all want them. But they do cause higher maintenance costs. That’s just the nature of the beast. Right-of-way maintenance is probably our number one concern.” So what about the high rates here at WOEC? Perry says that hydro power is the least expensive type of power available anywhere. It’s the cost to maintain the system that drives costs up at WOEC. Perry explained that a report is generated by the Energy Information Agency (EIA) which compiles the rates 10 Buildable Acres For Sale $135,000 OBO Owner carry contract 503-319-6990 of all the utilities throughout the United States. According to Perry, the latest report shows that, out of 3,000 utilities nationwide WOEC has the 532 nd highest rates, with a rate of 13.8 cents per kilowatt hour. Perry went on to explain that the spread between to the top and the bottom is about 3.5 cents. “So it’s really splitting hairs. The average cost per kilowatt hour is about 14 cents.” Perry went on to explain that any utility system, like Clatskanie PUD, with a lot of industry or heavy commercial customers, will help subsidize residential rates. “The flip side of that is that when you have 90 to 95 percent of your system residential, especially with low density, you have high costs associated, like at WOEC.” Perry reiterated what WOEC members have been told in the past; the system has been hit hard during recent years by natural disasters. When a weather event is declared a FEMA emergency in a county, FEMA will pay up to 85% of repair costs; the utility has to pay the rest. Because WOEC operates in several counties, not all damages have been part of federal declarations and were therefore not covered by FEMA. In addition Perry says, WOEC had to relocate their headquarters and substations in Vernonia. “You’re not going to get 100% [of damages], no co- op is,” explains Perry. “So you have this expense that has to be distributed among the members. Are those bills going to go away? No.” Although he says he can’t lower rates, he does think rates can continued on page 14 291 A Street call Kim Bordering Vernonia City Limits City Sewer & Water Available Gated Driveway, Pond, No Flooding continued from front page • Kitchen & Bathroom Remodels • Finish Carpentry • Ceramic Tile Work • Custom Home Construction • Additions • Commercial Tenant Improvements Jim Morrison, Jr. General Contractor CCB# 112057 Ph: (503) 429-0154 MorrisonRemodeling@hughes.net Vernonia, OR 97064 • Licensed • Bonded • Insured Lovable service at a reasonable price • Bathing • Haircuts • Nail Clipping • Nail Polishing • Specialty Shampoos