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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2016)
4 community bulletin board february18 2016 Readers Lend Their Voices... To the Editor, If you are tired of the same old failures and business as usual, it is time to replace County Commissioner Tony Hyde with Alex Tardif, a graduate of the University of Portland with a degree in accounting. Mr. Tardif is a candidate who will bring enthusiasm and fresh ideas to the county including a plan to incorporate all communities in discussions which will result in a better overall county - a candidate who demands transparency, financial responsibility and sustainability through well managed growth. We have the chance to make a positive change for Columbia County. Please consider voting for Alex Tardif for county commissioner position 3 this May. Here are a few reasons why I will be casting my vote for Alex Tardif for County Commissioner position 3. County Commissioner Tony Hyde has been part of and orchestrated some very inept economic decisions in the last 20 years which have been a detriment to the financial stability of the county and to its taxpayers. Commissioner Hyde must shoulder his responsibility for his part of these failures which have cost the taxpayers in the county millions. Do we want to continue down the same path of failures, poor decision making when the results are county debt of approximately $70+ million-a 20% loss of non-farm related jobs? Do we want to continue supplementing corporations who either do not need tax abatements or are not financially sound to begin with. Several companies have come and gone at the Port Westward money pit under the leadership of the last 20 years. Also, under the same leadership, a jail was built too large for our needs but was built on the “Field of Dreams” theme (build it and they will come) this jail was going to be enlarged to 500 beds if Commissioner Hyde had his way. Thankfully, the money lender disagreed with Hyde’s poorly thought out proposal or we would be deeper in financial straits than we already are. Our current jail obligations are losing money at this time. I could continue on with the history of poor decision making by Tony Hyde but space is limited. It’s time for a change. It’s time to move in a positive direction. Vote Alex Tardif for County Commissioner position 3. Tammy Maygra Deer Island, OR To the Editor, VHS leadership would like to thank all who helped make the 2016 Winter Formal so successful. A special thanks to Cedar Ridge for the beautiful venue and to the chaperones; Todd and Tami Sullivan, Teri Willard, Terry Baska, Karen Roberts, Betsy Miller, Glenda Delemos, Rachel Wilcoxen, Gordon Jarman and Kelly Clifton. Also a big thanks to Tera, Dezi, and Brittanie Roberts, as well as Robin Smith for the delicious food and the All In Pub for donating tables. Last but not least, thanks to Patrick and TaBetha Groshong for the music and photography. We couldn’t have done it without all of you! Upcoming Events The Cat in the Hat…Is Back! - Tuesday, March 1, 6:30 – 7:30 pm at the Vernonia Library. Dr. Seuss story read by the Cat in the Hat. Birthday cake, scavenger hunt, and craft. Sponsored by the Friends of the Vernonia Library in honor of Read Across America Day (Dr. Seuss’ Birthday). Columbia County Small Woodlands Assoc. Tree Sale - Saturday, March 12, 8:30 am - 1:30 pm at the Lawrence Oil parking lot, 845 N. Columbia River Hwy, St. Helens. Gardening Talk: Soil Amendment - Tuesday, March 15, 7:00 pm at the Vernonia Library. Chip Bubl, OSU Extension Faculty and Master Gardener™, offers tips on improving and enriching soil for your gardens. Free and open to the public. Writing to Create Ourselves - Sunday, April 10 at the Vernonia Library. Workshop and reading with Oregon Poet Laureate Emerita Paulann Petersen. Workshop 12:30-4:30 pm. Reading 6:00-7:30 pm. First, the more qualified candidate. Alex Tardif earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a degree in accounting from the University of Portland. He later became a tax professional and worked as a tax auditor for the State of Oregon. When he left the public sector, he began working as a tax consultant – specializing in departmental cleanup and organization in the private sector. Translation: this guy knows math. VHS Leadership Class During Commissioner Hyde’s tenure, the Depletion Fee Ordinance was approved by the voters To the Editor, Tony Hyde is, presumably, running for in 1990 to compensate the citizens of Columbia County another term as County Commissioner. for the loss of a nonrenewable resource and for road And he is being challenged by someone repair. It was never enforced. Voters were ignored and the commissioners, including Mr. Hyde and the gravel much more qualified. companies got it their way. As if we didn’t need the money. Now the Commissioners, including Commissioner Hyde, want to establish a “Special District” to be funded by property taxes in order to fund the CCRider. This will be on the May ballot. DATE HIGH LOW PRECIP Another property tax. 1 37 17 0 Mr. Hyde was one of the main supporters of the 2 35 15 0 new jail. It was built – but it soon became apparent 3 32 32 .25 that the county could not afford to staff and operate it. 4 36 32 .05 So property owners were asked to throw in additional 5 38 29 0 property taxes, being fearful of the threat of increased 6 44 31 0 crime. It was passed – and now three years later, they 7 45 27 0 want more money. The jail houses federal prisoners. 8 47 32 T This was intended to be a money maker for the jail, 9 43 28 0 but that doesn’t necessarily appear to be the case. 10 48 31 .10 Columbia County receives significantly less than 11 44 31 .34 continued on page 5 12 49 43 1.62 13 46 36 .24 14 45 36 .09 15 46 42 .35 16 50 42 .70 17 47 39 .26 Free installation of carbon monoxide 18 50 43 .23 detector in your home or RV while supplies last 19 44 35 .65 Proxided by Gadget’s Gadgets 20 47 44 .55 TO SCHEDULE YOUR INSTALLATION 21 53 45 .46 CONTACT GADGET: 503-429-0517 22 54 39 .05 To donate: Go to any Wauna FCU branch 23 48 36 .06 Account: Garret Abney in nemory of Daryl Tuttle Wauna Vernonia Branch: 503-429-4433 24 46 41 .03 25 54 39 0 26 53 46 0 HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 27 55 51 .83 28 54 37 .43 Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your 29 48 34 .54 thoughts, opinions and ideas. Please include 30 42 33 .04 your name, address and phone number, limit your letters to 300 words or less. Vernonia’s 31 41 33 .10 Voice reserves the right to edit, omit, respond Ave/Tot 45.8 35.5 7.97 or ask for a response to letters submitted. We will print letters space permitting. Deadline Weather data is collected at the is the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. U.S. Weather station at the Email: scott@vernoniasvoice.com or mail to: Vernonia Water Plant Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064. Vernonia Weather January 2016 Daryl Tuttle nemorial CO Detector Gixeaway
