4
letters to the editor/community bulletin board
november17
2016
Readers Lend Their Voices...
To the Editor,
I’m a little numb today
(11/9/16), like many Americans. As the
Treasurer of the Bond Committee, past
Chair of the School Board, and current
Chair of the Education Foundation, I’m
keenly aware of how Salem decisions
have handcuffed small districts into
making some hard choices. We are
doubly unlucky in Vernonia, having had
to also mostly self-fund the construction
of new schools following the flooding
9 years ago. As part of that process,
in order to gain access to $12 million
in FEMA funding, we accelerated the
school construction beyond our ability
to pay for it with cash. We gambled
that the beautiful new building and the
investment being made in rebuilding
Vernonia (health center, electric co-op,
etc.) would translate into more students
as families moved back to Vernonia. The
cost of that gamble has come due. We
authorized the Superintendent to obtain
construction loans so that building
would be opened on time in August of
2012. In total, we borrowed $5 million,
and those FEMA funds were safely ours.
Through fundraising, grants,
and other efforts, some of that $5 million
has been repaid, but now it is apparent
that the bulk of the loan payments will
have to be made by the district, which
has one source of revenue, its student
enrollment. Since the money is owed to
the state, and the state holds our funding,
there is no hope of ducking the payment.
They’ll just take it. So, now is when the
strength of Vernonia must really show.
Starting shortly there will have
Vernonia Weather
October 2016
DATE
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Ave/Tot
HIGH
57
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55
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64
59
60
57
53
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58.6
LOW
46
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41
34
31
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38
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45
45.0
PRECIP
.47
.23
.20
.36
.15
.57
.13
.21
1.15
.01
0
.17
1.83
1.70
1.57
.59
.36
T
.31
.24
.04
.11
T
.15
.38
.28
.02
.03
T
.45
.11
11.82
Weather data is collected at the
U.S. Weather station at the
Vernonia Water Plant
to be cuts made at the school in order to
provide for a balanced budget in the next
school year. I imagine that any unspent
classroom money will be frozen. Every
staff member is wondering if their job
is safe. They’ll be wondering about the
impact on the students. They’ll wonder
how colleges will consider the absences
of language classes, or band, art, sports
and other extra-curricular activities
on the Vernonia transcripts. We had an
opportunity, as a community, to complete
our obligation to the school district, to
pay for our share of the new schools, and
we failed.
I failed. Over 1,000 people
voted against the ballot measure. That
is the direct result of me not adequately
explaining the costs and benefits of the
ballot measure. But, it is also a failure
of the electorate to be educated. Only 60
people felt that they were not prepared
to vote. Everyone else did. We had well
over 2,000 voters returning their ballot
from within the school district, which
has around 2,900 registered voters. I’m
not going to quit though. I’ll keep on
fighting for schools that provide a good
education for the kids in Vernonia. And,
you’ll help.
Why? The alternative is
distinctly un-Vernonian. We help
neighbors. When disaster strikes, we put
aside our differences and work until the
mess is cleaned up and a solution is in
place. We’ve all heard of the blame game,
and it has hit the school and our kids
extremely hard. “They waste money” is
my favorite, since they don’t have it, and
seats on the Budget Committee have sat
empty for years. How can there be more
than a handful of no votes when no one
is willing to take the time to see where
the money is spent?
In the end, the school will just
be a little worse, with fewer options and
fewer people will move to Vernonia as
many who want to see their kids succeed
will move away. Homes will sit on the
market for months rather than weeks,
and jobs will disappear. Life will go on,
but with a little less hope in it. And, I
think that is what hits the hardest. The
voter decision to not finish paying for
the construction debt, and instead make
the schools operating budget bear that
burden, was a vote of hopelessness.
And that just sucks the life out of a
community.
Bill Langmaid
Vernonia
Dear Citizens of Columbia County,
Thank you for the support you
have shown me during my campaign.
It is an honor that you have elected
me to serve as Columbia County
Commissioner.
I am prepared to
move forward to work with my fellow
commissioners and with the citizens of
the County toward our common goals
of a productive and prosperous county,
utilizing our natural resources and our
citizen resources.
The last year of campaigning
has been a great experience; making new
friends and renewing old friendships. I
have been overwhelmed and humbled
by the outpouring of support, without
Columbia Humane Society
Featured Pet
Hi, my name is Archie and I am a neutered
male Pit mix. I’m black & white, weigh about 60
lbs., and I’m crate trained. I Prefer to be the
only dog but may be okay with proper intro-
duction. I can be body sensitive but getting
better. I have high energy and need to be run
everyday. I was reactive in kennel but will stop
if exercised daily. I LOVE to play with a tennis
ball and would do well at nose work, maybe
agility, or fly ball! I ride well in the car and I
have a fun loving personality! Please call and
ask to meet me!
Web: www.columbiahumane.org
Phone: 503-397-4353
2084 Oregon Street
Email: animalwelfare@columbiahumane.org
St. Helens, OR 97051
Friends of the Vernonia Public Library
Membership Dues:
Family:
Minimum:
$10.00 Individual:
$5.00
$1.00 plus 2 hours minimum of work in the library
Make checks payable to: Friends of the Vernonia Public Library
Mailing Address: 701 Weed Avenue, Vernonia, OR 97064
Name
Address
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Amount Enclosed $
I am interested in helping with the following committees (optional):
Please Circle •Membership •Endowments •Book Sales •Publicity & Public
Relations •Fund Raising •Library Services •Finance-Budget-Legal Matters
Upcoming
Events
OSU Forestry Presentation -
Thursday, November 17, 7:00
pm at the Vernonia Grange.
Sponsored by the Upper
Nehalem Watershed Council,
Professor
Doug
Maguire
presents the latest research
relating to clear cutting and
its impact on watersheds in
Oregon.
The Spirit of Christmas in
Vernonia - Saturday, December
3. For more info go to their
Facebook page “The Spirit of
Christmas in Vernonia Oregon.”
Christmas in the Country Bazaar
- Saturday & Sunday, December
3 & 4 at the Vernonia Schools
Commons.
which I would not have been able to run
this campaign.
I am truly looking forward to
building a positive working relationship
with my fellow Commissioners, along
with the other elected county officials
and employees, to run the business of
Columbia County and to have a role in
moving Columbia County forward in
achieving a balance between livability
and prosperity.
I have been, and will continue
to be, fair, accessible and responsive;
making sure that all county residents are
represented, responded to and respected.
I welcome your thoughts and ideas.
Margaret Magruder
Clatskanie
Letters continued on page 8
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of Suicide Loss Day
Saturday,
November 19, 10 am
Grace Family Fellowship
If you have lost a family
member or loved one to suicide
please come to help heal and
to find support.