schools
Schools Update: Making Progress
By Aaron Miller
Classrooms and hallways are once again
filled with the sweet sounds of working and learning.
Preparations will soon be made for Homecoming Week
(October 13-17). Preliminary enrollment numbers show
an 8.9% increase in enrollment with 48 more students
attending Vernonia Schools compared to June of last
year. Overall it has been a great start for our new school
year.
While students are busy making academic
progress, the Vernonia School District and its partners
are making progress toward long-term financial and
facilities’ goals.
•
The Vernonia City Council recently approved
the waiver of all remaining System Development
Charges for the school district. This generous decision
will provide the schools with over $111,000 worth of
VHS Fall Sports Report
defeat of City Christian.
Tournament, with a 2-1 win over Catlin Ga-
On Saturday, September 20, the ble and a 2-0 defeat of Harrisburg.
Lady Loggers hosted and won the Vernonia
The Lady Loggers will host home
matches against Knappa on October 14
and City Christian on October 16 to close
out their regular season play.
Alex West runs the ball for the Loggers against
Chemawa. Photo courtesy of Tracy Easlon.
Football- The Loggers are now 1-3 on the
season as they get ready to start league
play in the Northwest League.
Vernonia defeated Chemawa at
home on September 19 by a score of 40-16.
On September 26, the Loggers trav-
eled to Culver where they lost 52-13. Cul-
ver is undefeated this season and currently
ranked 5th in the state in 2A football.
On October 3, the Loggers will host
Knappa at home in their first league game.
Knappa is currently 4-0 on the season and
are ranked 1st in the state in 2A.
Moody’s Affirms Columbia
County’s Bond Credit Rating,
Removes Negative Outlook
Moody’s Investors Service (dated
9-10-14) affirmed Columbia County’s
general obligation bond rating at Aa3. This
credit rating means “high quality and very
low credit risk, Prime-1, best ability to repay
short term debt.” In doing so, they have also
removed the “negative” outlook.
Moody’s cites Columbia County’s
strengths as: “Moderate-sized
tax base that experienced
real market value growth in
2014” and “willingness on
the part of management to
make expenditure cuts.” They
further expected the county to
experience “positive financial
operations moving forward.”
Moody’s
cites
challenges as: “Uncertainty
regarding receipt of federal
revenues” (referring to the
historic O&C federal revenues
the County has depended on to
provide basic services) and an
“elevated pension burden.”
This positive financial
news comes on the heels of
Columbia County’s Finance
Department being given The
Achievement for Excellence
in Financial Reporting Award
by the Government Finance
Officers Association of the
United States and Canada
(GFOA) for its comprehensive
2014
debt relief over the next three years. Thank you very
much to our partners at the City!
•
Vernonia Champions, State Representative
Brad Witt and State Senator Betsy Johnson combined
their legislative efforts to provide another $212,500
for the District to support our continuing fundraising
efforts. A unanimous vote by the Legislative Emergency
Board freed up this funding from the Oregon Office of
Emergency Management’s Local Disaster Assistance
Loan and Grant Program. Thank you Representative
Witt and Senator Johnson for your continuing efforts on
behalf of our schools and our entire community!
•
Stimson Lumber Company continued its
support of our revitalization campaign, providing the
District with a recent $27,500 donation.
•
Construction on the new shop has moved
forward with all permits in place and the concrete floor
poured. The materials for the shop are on site, and we
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annual financial report (CAFR).
This program was initiated in 1945
to encourage and assist local governments in
the United States and Canada to “go beyond
the minimum requirements of generally
accepted accounting principles” and prepare
full and comprehensive financial reports that
show transparency and full disclosure.
october2
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anticipate completion in late fall. Another big thank
you to the Family of E.T. and Norma Johnson for their
donation of $25,000, to finalize funding for this project!
•
Work on Spencer Park is substantially
completed, with new ball fields, a monument marking
the history of our local schools and flood events, and
new grass growing. The park should be ready for use
next spring.
Community support and partnerships such as
these are what make Vernonia such a great place to
live. Our continued, combined and concerted efforts to
revitalize our town are paying off, and we appreciate
each and every patron, partner and contributor. We hope
you will join us in celebrating our successes, and looking
forward to the next challenges and opportunities that lie
ahead.
Readers Lend
Their Voices...
Wayne Mayo responds: Thelma,
I remember the conversation that
probably signaled to you that I
wasn’t keen on supporting your idea
to use depletion fees on gravel to
bolster CCRider. I’m not convinced
raising the depletion fee to fund
CCRider would gain traction with
the voters that raising the fee for
jail operations would. People see
empty buses going up and down the
highway and wonder how that could
be cost effective, though they are
self supporting.
In three years the operating
budget for the jail comes up
again. Why not have the two
elections needed; first regular
election to change the language
on how the fees are used and then,
providing that passes; 2nd regular
election asking to raise the fees for
jail operations?
That’s just my gut Thelma.
You have done great things for
Columbia County and I will always
remember your many contributions
to this county.
To the Editor,
Martwick’s recent ads
offering a reward to be paid out of her
campaign funds for the conviction
of the person who “stole” her signs
raises more questions about her
character.
continued from page 4
Why did she wait four
months to take out this ad? A victim
of a crime shouldn’t wait that long
to take action. And, is she really
a victim? She gave the signs out
willingly and left many of her signs
up weeks after the primary. The
signs were taken down after the
election, not during the election.
Isn’t it her responsibility to remove
the signs?
Since she failed to do so, the
signs were up illegally. Shouldn’t
residents be allowed to remove
signs in violation of the laws? If she
didn’t care enough about the signs
to remove them after the election,
why should anyone care?
Political signs go missing
all the time. Offering a reward for
a conviction for missing signs is
absurd, especially since she left
the signs up. As a state employee,
Martwick is paid about $120,000.00
a year, more than enough to replace
a few signs.
She is willing to pay a
reward and seek conviction of the
person who stole signs when in
fact there has been no theft. She
abandoned these signs all over the
county with no concern for the
rules or respect for the community.
Now she is accusing community
members of stealing and offering
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