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
