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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 19, 2016)
may19 2016 free VERNONIA’S volume10 issue10 www.vernoniasvoice.com reflecting the spirit of our community Lions’ Dewey Pool Project Progresses 2016 Primary Election Results Vernonians Approve Fire Levy, Hyde loses re-election bid, run- off in other Commissioner race The following are unofficial election results from the May 17, 2016 primary election: • Vernonia voters approved Measure 5-253, a five year tax levy to fund emergency services training and operations for the Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District. The tax funds will be used to hire a training officer for the District. 51% voted yes. • Alex Tardiff defeated long time Columbia County Commissioner Tony Hyde for Position 3. Tardif received over 51% of the vote while Hyde earned over 48%. • The race between five candidates for County Commissioner Position 1 will go to a run-off in the November election between Margaret Magruder and Wayne Mayo after no candidate received over 50% of the vote. Magruder led the voting with 28%, while Mayo was close behind with 27%. They were trailed in the voting by Joel Yarbor with 19%, Susan Conn with 12% and Brady Preheim with 11%. • Columbia County voters rejected Measure 5-251 which would have formed the Columbia County Rider Transportation District, a special district to provide public transportation for Columbia County. Voters voted 63% against the tax measure. The 19 th annual Memorial Day Ser- vice will be held at the Vernonia Memorial Cemetery, 2080 Bridge Street, on Monday, May 30, 2016 at 11:00 am. The service is provided by the Aloha American Legion Post #104 and sponsored by the City of Ver- nonia. The public is invited to attend. Pastor Grant Williams of Open Door Gathering Place will be the Master of Ceremonies. Guest speaker will be former Vernonia Mayor Sally Harrison. Music will be provided by the Vernonia High School Choir. The Honor Guard, Rifle Salute, and Taps will be presented by Aloha American Legion Post #104, assisted by Vernonia American Legion Post #119. Bugler is Bill Shields. Coffee, punch and cookies will be served following the service. Also assisting in the preparation and presentation of the service are the Ver- nonia Lions Club, Cemetery Caretaker Michael Bright, sound system by Tommy Disco, Vernonia Free Wheelers Club, Boy Scout Troop #119, and Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home. The Vernonia Lions Club’s project to renovate the Dewey Pool swimming pool is progressing well, with the new liner for the children’s wading pool already installed. The Lions raised the money needed in less than two months to replace the liner. The installation was completed in early May. Club and the City of Vernonia both made funding contributions and the balance of the money has come from donations by past and current members of the community. The Lions are continuing to raise funds to further their renovation project with a GoFundMe account: “Dewey Pool Fund,” as well as an account at Next on the agenda for the Lions is some much needed patch work and repairs to the concrete steps and seating area. They also hope to install several benches around the pool area. The total cost of the project is over $20,000. The Vernonia Lions US Bank where anyone can make a deposit. The Dewey Pool was originally constructed in 1938 and is a source of enjoyment for the entire community during the summer months. For final county election results go to: www. co.columbia.or.us/departments/elections- department/elections-home. For statewide election results go to: www.sos.oregon.gov/ voting-elections/pages/default.aspx. Memorial Day Service May 30 th Police Officer Brady No Longer With VPD Vernonia City Administrator Josette Mitchell has confirmed that Vernonia Police officer Matt Brady is no longer working for the Department. “Mr. Brady is no longer employed with the City of Vernonia,” said Mitchell in a written statement. “We cannot comment on the circumstances regarding the change in employment status.” Brady has not been seen on duty for several months. At the end of March Mitchell inside 3 school budget 6 volunteer job fair 10 spelling bee champ 11 vms in washington,dc declined to comment when asked about rumors that Brady was on Administrative Leave, stating that she could not openly discuss employee matters. Brady joined the VPD in November of 2011. He attended the Police Academy from January through April of 2012. Previously Brady worked as a reserve officer in North Plains for over five years. At their May 2, 2016 City Council meeting, the Council entered into Executive Session under ORS 192.660 (2)(d) To consider information or records that are exempt by law from public inspection. Council took no further action upon returning to open session. At the most recent City Council meeting on May 16, Police Chief Mike Connor told the Council that there is an opening on the Department and received permission to begin the search process for a new officer. Bailey’s Pantry Helps Families with Pet Food Needs Pet Fair on May 21 will raise funds for pet food pantry Bailey’s Pantry, the pet food pantry at the Vernonia Cares Food Bank, has been helping families with their pet food needs since just after the 2007 flood in Vernonia. A Pet Fair fundraiser to help Bailey’s Pantry is planned for May 21 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Creatures Pet Store in Vernonia. The Pet Fair, organized by Hol- ly Vaughn, will include a raffle, a pet item resale booth, dog wash, pet pho- tography, rescue animals, spay and neu- ter information, Reiki pet massage, food and much more. “Bailey’s Pantry is very suc- cessful in assisting people with pet food,” says Vernonia Cares Director Sandy Welch, “Just Coastal Farm and asked as we try to give three them if they could help days of people food to us and they saved all of the food bank clients, their bags of food that we offer three days of were broken open. Usu- pet food, as supplies ally they tape them up allow. Our client’s and sell them, but instead eyes light up with ap- they donated them to us. preciation when they That’s where it got start- are offered pet food. ed and I had Bailey with Their pets are very im- me that day.” portant to them.” Bailey was Davis’s lab/ Carol Davis golden retriever mix that remembers how the she adopted from the Co- idea of a pet food pan- lumbia County Humane try started after the flood Bailey’s Pantry is named in Society in St. Helens when honor of Carol Davis’s in December 2007 when he was less than six weeks lab/retriever “Bailey.” all the food and clothing old. “Everybody knew donations starting arriving to help those Bailey,” says Davis. “He was such a in need. “So many animals were go- cool dog and was just so special.” ing hungry,” explains Davis. “I went to continued on page 10