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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (March 17, 2016)
16 community/classied ads march17 2016 School District Contemplates Dealing With Debt The Vernonia School Board is considering ways to deal with the $5 million in debt left from the construction of the new school campus. The Board heard a report at their March 10, 2016 meeting from Bren- dan Watkins of PiperJaffray, an asset management firm, that discussed the current outstanding debt and historical levy rates, and presented an option for refinancing the current debt to reduce the cost to taxpayers, as well as several options to secure new money through a new levy. The presentation was for infor- mational purposes only and the Board made no decision about options that were presented for reducing the con- struction debt. Voters in the Vernonia School District approved Measure 5-197 in 2009, a bond levy that would raise $13 million in funds for capital construction of the new school with an annual levy of up to $1.90/thousand of assessed proper- ty value. That 25 year tax levy started in 2010 and is scheduled to mature in 2035. The new school was originally projected to cost $37 million, but end- ed up costing $42 million. According to Superintendent Aaron Miller all but $7.3 million has been provided by foun- dations, the FEMA buyout of the old school facilities, donations, fundraising efforts, grants and legislative actions. HELP WANTED Cedar Ridge is currently hiring kitchen staff. We are looking for self- motivated cooks who have a current food handlers card and preferably one year of food service experience. Candidates must show strong organizational skills, a positive attitude, ability to multitask, attention to detail and solid work ethic. Must be able to work cleanly, efficiently, and with careful attention to preparation. If interested, visit www.visitcedarridge.com or email ryan@visitcedarridge.com. Cedar Ridge is currently seeking applicants for part-time housekeeping positions. We are looking for someone with good communication skills, self-motivated and detail oriented. If you have experience we encourage you to apply but experience isn’t required for this position. If interested, visit www. visitcedarridge.com or email ryan@ visitcedarridge.com. 9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District (C911CD) is “After almost nine years of concerted ef- forts those funding sources have dried up,” said Miller in a written report pro- vided to the School Board in their packet for the March 10 meeting. According to Miller’s report, the final $5 million to complete the new school building was secured through loans obtained by the District. Over $5.1 million of that debt remains to be paid, with annual payments of over $508,000. Those $500,000 payments are scheduled until 2021, with total service on those loans continuing until 2029. Miller told the Board that the District will likely use most of its ending fund balance (over $250,000) to pay this year’s principal and interest payment on the current loan. With fundraising and legislative options to repay the debt service having been exhausted, Miller told the Board that continuing annual payments would have to come from the District’s general fund and operations budget and would constitute over 8% of the District’s $6.2 million annual budget. Miller presented the Board with several scenarios of cuts that would need to be made to the annual budget to make up for the debt service payments that need to be made each year. Miller’s op- tions to balance the budget included: • Cutting 19 days of school at a savings of $26,650/day HELP WANTED conducting a hiring process for full-time Communications Specialists. Log on to www.columbia911.com and click on ‘Careers.’ For any questions call 503- 366-6976. SERVICES St Pierre Graphics & Illustrations based in Clatskanie. Photo Restoration, Menus, Business Identity Logos, Wedding Montages, Personal word search Puzzles, Auto Renderings. Free estimate, pick up & delivery in surrounding locations. Please call Terry 503-308-2209 or StPierreGraphics@aol.com Clean~Organize~Paint Terry’s Home Care now offering LAUNDRY service. Pick up & Drop off available: Vernonia, Rainer, Clatskanie. (Load size equal to a 12 gal. tall kitchen bag) Let us take the load off!! TerrysHomeCare@aol.com or Terry’s Cell 503-308-2209 To list your classified ad: email scott@ vernoniasvoice.com. The cost is $5 a month, for two issues. • Cutting 6 teacher positions at an aver- age of $86,550 per position, including salary and benefits. • Cutting 11.6 instructional assistants at an average savings of $44,700 per posi- tion. Miller also suggested that cut- ting athletic programs and athletic trans- portation would save $116,246 per year. The presentation by Watkins from PiperJaffray explored the potential to refinance the current bond through Advanced Refunding and take advan- tage of lower interest rates. Watkins told the Board that an approximate average of $1.67 per thousand of assessed value would be the realized actual rate being levied on taxpayers between now and 2035 due to increased assessed prop- erty values, an amount that is $.023 per thousand less than the community ap- proved for itself in 2009. This refinanc- ing would save taxpayers approximately $690,000 but would provide no actual savings to the School District or have any direct impact on the District’s debt service. Watkins also discussed the pos- sibility of the School District going out for a second bond measure to raise new money to retire the existing debt. He offered three potential scenarios: a 20 year levy that would raise $3.5 million and mature in 2037; a 25 year levy that would raise $6.1 million and mature in 2042; and a 30 year option that would Keep It Local Columbia County The Columbia County Eco- nomic Team (CCET) has contracted for the services of Natasha Parvey to spear- head the Keep It Local Columbia County (KILCC) efforts. JOB OPPORTUNITY The City of Vernonia currently has a seasonal position available for grounds keeping duties. Duties include mowing & general upkeep of all City parks as well as all other City owned property. This position is full time/temporary, no benefits, hourly wage will be $10 per hour. Position will begin April 15, 2016 and end October 1, 2016. If you’d like to apply, visit Vernonia-or.gov for an application or you can pick one up at 1001 Bridge St, Vernonia, OR 97064. All applications must be received no later than 3pm on March 25, 2016. Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home & Crematory 2308 Pacific Ave., Forest Grove 503-357-2161 Forest Grove Memorial Chapel 503-357-3126 www.angelmemorialsheadstones.com To sign the online guest book or to send a condolence to the family go to www.fuitenrosehoyt.com continued on page 17 FOR TOWING EMERGENCIES IN AND AROUND THE VERNONIA AREA REQUEST TOWING SERVICE FROM Jeff & Kathryn Hoyt Locally owneW in Vernonia Serving NW Oregon All Cemeteries AccepteW OrWer Wrawing at no charge online Parvey, who is also the Ex- ecutive Director of the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, will be directing KILCC tasks including devel- opment of on-line resources, buy-local marketing and messaging, and increas- ing the capacity of KILCC. The contract runs through June 2016. KILCC secured a $15,000 USDA matching grant through the Co- lumbia Pacific Economic Development District and Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici. KILCC is in the process of securing the matching funds. “We are very grateful for the lev- el of support that Keep It Local is receiv- ing,” says Parvey. “We are getting help from a number of community volunteers and local organizations like Columbia River PUD, Clatskanie PUD, the Colum- bia County Economic Team and others.” Parvey will be working with the existing Chambers of Commence in Polife and County personnel are required to use a rotation of available providers, UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY ASK for a servife by name. 741 Madison Ave., Vernonia 503-429-6611 Granite Markers & Monuments 971-344-3110 For fast cash! 010412 A Trusted Name in Funeral Service Angel Memorials Headstones raise $8.3 million and mature in 2047. According to Watkins these sce- narios would all be structured at a rate of $1.90 per thousand of assessed value, and when rolled together with the refi- nancing of the current bond, would pro- vide the same $1.90 already approved by voters in 2009, without increasing tax rates, but would just extend the length of the bond. Miller told the Board that if the District did decide to go out for a bond levy, they would be eligible to apply for matching funds of up to $4 million pro- vided by the state. Those state matching funds are not guaranteed and cannot be used to retire debt, but could be used to complete other unfinished projects like a football field and track at the new school campus or needed maintenance at Mist School. Miller told the Board that in or- der to take advantage of the state match- ing fund the District would need to pass a bond in May 2016, November 2016 or May 2017. He said passing a new bond would allow the District to not only potentially take advantage of state matching funds, but pay off the District’s debt, and potentially finish the campus without impacting the general fund and operating budget. “In the end the community will still be in for less than half of the actual price of the building,” said Miller. Family Owned & Operated Formerly Prickett’s Mortuary 2245 Baseline St., Cornelius (Across from Fred Meyer) 503-530-8119 State Licensed PB-0388 Open everyday at 9 a.m. Shop Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00 - 6:00
