july17 2014
VERNONIA’S
volume8  issue14
free
reflecting the spirit of our community
www.vernoniasvoice.com
School District Debt is Focus
‘Let’s Go!’ State Park
of Presentation to City Council Programs Offer Chance

A team representing Vernonia
School District 47J, including repre-
sentative from the state, county, the
Governor’s office and the School Dis-
trict, made a presentation to the Ver-
nonia City Council at the July 7, 2014
City Council Meeting.

The presentation focused on
the current financial situation of the
School District. According to mem-
bers of the team, the District has over
$5 million in long term capital con-
struction debt, with annual payments
of over $500,000. The presentation
included a request that the City of Ver-
nonia forgive over $100,000 in debt
the School District owes the City.

Aaron Miller introduced him-
self to the Council as the new Super-
intendent of the District as of July 1.
Miller told the Council he would like
to work together and move forward. “I
think the relationship between the Dis-
trict and the City is a critical piece as
we continue to move forward and revi-
talize our community after our natural
disaster,” said Miller, referring to the
2007 flood which damaged all three
schools and large parts of the rest of
the community. “I think we still have
a lot of work left to do, but its good
work and I think we are headed in the
right direction.”

The total long term debt in-
cludes two loans the District still owes
on the old middle school building to-
taling $887,577. The District is sched-
uled to make an annual payment of
$25,565 through 2022 and a second
annual payment of $78,950 through
2024 on those two loans. There are
three outstanding loans on the new
school construction: An initial QSCB
Construction Loan with a balance of
over $2.8 million that includes annual
payments of $206,538 through 2027;
an Energy Construction Loan through
the Cool Schools program with a bal-
ance of $970,035 and annual payments
of $84,324 which also runs through
2027; and a second Cool Schools Loan
with a balance of $1.237 million with
annual payments of $106,152 through
2029. In addition the School District
owes the City of Vernonia for System
Development Charges (SDCs). That
debt has a balance of $106,290 with
an agreement for the District to pay
$37,036 annually through 2016.

It was pointed out later that
the Cool School Loans helped pay for
installation of energy efficient technol-
ogy in the new school, including the
pellet stove heating system, solar pan-
els and radiant heat flooring. Although
these technologies initially added
expense to the overall construction
project, those costs will be recovered
through energy savings over time. The
district also received $1.1 million in
grants from the state which helped pay
for the installation of some of those
technologies. Because of the installa-
tion of those technologies the District
has applied for both LEEDS Platinum
and Green Globe certification. Both
certifications allow the district to ap-
proach corporations and philanthropic
foundations for grant funding; the
Green Globe certification is especially
important to timber companies.

John Donovan, a Senior Vice
President at Metropolitan Group and
the chief fundraiser for the capital
campaign for the new school construc-
inside
3
4
10
12
19
sheriff discusses
use of force
stub stewart
state park events
challenger
soccer camp
life with a
scottish accent
scuttlebutt
continued on page 14
to Try New Adventures

Are you or your family looking
for an outdoor adventure or something
new to try but are not sure you have the
proper equipment or skills?

The Oregon State Park system
may have just the answer, their ‘Let’s
Go!’ program.

Maybe you would like to try ca-
noeing or kayaking or have never had the
chance to pitch a tent and spend the night
camping outdoors.

Maybe you’ve heard of disc golf
and want to give it a try or want to take a
hike to some breathtaking views of Ore-
gon. Maybe you’ve been wondering who
those redheaded birds are that are tapping
away on that tree in your yard and are in-
terested in learning more about birds?

Offered at various state parks,
you and your family can learn beginning
skills in paddling, camping, disc golfing,
hiking, birding, fishing, cycling and more,
and gain the knowledge and confidence to
get out there on your own. All ‘Let’s Go!’
activities are guided by Oregon State Park
rangers who can teach you the basics as
well as provide you with gear for the day.

Stub Stewart Ranger Allie West-
fall explained more about the ‘Let’s Go!’
program during a recent visit to the park.
“In ‘Let’s Go!’ programs provided by Or-
egon State Parks, we try our hardest to
bring all the equipment to the visitors and
just submerge them in the activity,” said
Westfall. “We teach them everything we
know about it and give them an opportu-
nity they might not otherwise have.”

On July 12 Stub Stewart State
Park hosted a ‘Let’s Go Birding!’ pro-
gram. Twenty participants, ranging in age
from an adorable four year old to a retired
couple who are RVing around the United
This Great Horned Owl was part of a
presentation by the Portland Audubon
Society at Stub Stewart State Park.
States, spent two hours with park ranger
Jesse Serna walking the trails of the park
and learning tips for identifying birds
and their songs. Before heading out on
the trail each participant was given a pair
of binoculars to borrow and were taught
how to focus them and use them correctly,
as well as a Birds of Oregon guide. The
group visited both ponds in the park. In
addition to identifying the Red-breasted
Sapsucker, the Swainson’s Thrush, a
Great Blue Heron, Wilson’s Warbler and
a Pacific Wren the group also saw chip-
munks, beavers and muskrats.
Spencer Park
Construction Renewed

The Vernonia School District has restarted con-
struction on the Spencer Park replacement park sports
fields at the site of the old school buildings which were
deconstructed last year.

According to school superintendent Aaron
Miller construction is currently on schedule to be com-
pleted and the fields seeded this fall and will be ready
for use next summer.

The park plan calls for the construction of a
baseball/softball field and two soccer fields. The sports
fields being built will replace the fields the City of Ver-
nonia lost when they traded properties with the School
District as part of the new school campus construction
project. The School District is responsible for the con-
struction of the replacement park which will then be
turned over to the City of Vernonia for public use.

The project was halted last fall when project
quality issues delayed construction until it became too
wet to continue site work.

Red-breasted Sapsucker

The ‘Let’s Go Birding!’ program
at Stub Stewart Park on July 12 was fol-
lowed by a Portland Audubon Society in-
terpretive program with birds on display.
The audience had a chance to learn about
and meet several photogenic species in-
cluding a Kestrel Hawk, a Great Horned
Owl, and a Peregrine Falcon. The pro-
gram also introduced a Turkey Vulture
to the group. All the birds come from
continued on page 11