June15 2017
www.vernoniasvoice.com
reflecting the spirit of our community
School Board Begins Review of
Proposed Bond Expenditure Priorities
Board sets two dates for
public meetings on June
22 and 24
At the regularly scheduled
June 8, 2017 School Board meet-
ing, the Vernonia School Board
began the process of reviewing
the proposed expenditures autho-
rized by voters with the approval
of the $6.8 million school bond on
May 14.
The approved school
bond, which will include $2.3
million in matching grant funds
through the state’s Oregon School
Capital Improvement Matching
fund, included a list of potential
projects the funding would be
used for.
The School Board re-
viewed a list of 13 potential proj-
ects prepared by District Superin-
tendent Aaron Miller at the June 8
meeting. The Board agreed to host
two public meetings to allow input
on priorities and hear about pos-
free
VERNONIA’S
volume11 issue12
sible expertise from their patrons.
Those meetings were scheduled
for Thursday, June 22 at 7:00 pm
and Saturday, June 24 at 1:00 pm
at the Vernonia Schools Library.
The District cannot add
any new projects to the list, and
can only use the funds for projects
approved by voters in the bond
measure.
Recently
re-elected
School Board Chair Brett Cost-
ley noted that he expects the bond
expenditure priorities to be on the
agenda on all upcoming School
Board meetings. The next regular
meeting is scheduled for July 13 at
6:00 pm in the Schools Library.
The list of potential proj-
ects are as follows:
1. Pay off $4.5 million in con-
struction debt
2. Repairs, maintenance, heat-
ing/cooling system, playground
equipment and security system at
Mist School
3. Welding Shop
Vernonia’s Voice turns 10!
See pages 3 and 9 for photo highlights
4. Playground equipment at the
Vernonia Schools
5. Classroom and sports storage
areas, and a trophy case
6. Vernonia Schools security up-
grades
7. Vernonia Schools energy up-
grades
8. Cross Country/Fitness trail
9. Technology upgrades
10. Art classroom
11. Track and football field
12. Solar Panels
13. Four classrooms
Superintendent
Miller
told the Board that the bond will
be sold in mid-July and funds
would not be available until late
fall, but the state matching funds
would be available sooner. Miller
said he hoped to begin some re-
pairs at Mist School this summer.
The Board agreed that
paying off the $4.5 million debt
would be the top priority, followed
by the repairs at the Mist School.
Columbia Century Challenge Comes to Vernonia
Annual bike ride starts
in Vernonia this year
on June 17
Cycle
Columbia
County will hold their sec-
ond annual Columbia Cen-
tury Challenge bicycle ride
on Saturday, June 17, 2017.
The one day event starts and
ends in Vernonia’s Spencer
Park, and will take about two
hundred riders around the
county to enjoy the scenic
beauty, country backroads,
and unique communities of
Columbia County.
The Columbia Cen-
tury Challenge will once
again showcase both a Centu-
ry Plus, a 119 mile loop with
6,500 feet of elevation gain,
and a Metric Century Plus, an
86 mile loop with 4,000 feet
of elevation gain. They have
added an additional route op-
tion this year – a 40 mile ride
with 1,700 feet of elevation
gain that will feature 55%
of the ride on forest logging
roads, including the Crown-
Zellerbach Trail.
Organized by a local
team of cycling enthusiasts
and graduates of the Ford
inside
7
good ol’ days
10
adventist health
11
vhs grad
tribute
16
my fair lady court
Institute Leadership program,
all committed to Columbia
County communities, the ride
is fully supported with rest
stops approximately every 15
miles. This year the ride starts
and ends in Vernonia and
will visit the communities of
Mist, Clatskanie, Rainier, St.
Helens, and Scappoose.
All proceeds will be
driven back into Columbia
County to strengthen bike
friendliness, cycling safety,
and access (e.g. infrastruc-
ture like bike racks, signage,
trail improvements, etc.) with
the goal of reaping the well-
documented economic ben-
efits of bike tourism and the
health benefits of bicycling!
The Columbia Cen-
tury Challenge was named 2 nd
Best Bike Ride by ORbike.
com in 2016, the inaugural
year of the ride. Bill Lang-
maid, Vernonia’s representa-
tive to the Challenge, said
“It’s too easy to just cruise
right through town. A bike is
the perfect vehicle to permit
visitors the time to soak up
the friendliness, beauty, and
historical significance of Ver-
nonia and Columbia County.”
State Investigates Ethics Complaint Against Mayor
The Oregon Government Eth-
ics Commission has announced they
will investigate possible government
ethics law violations by Vernonia May-
or Mario Leonetti.
Following a preliminary re-
view the Ethics Commission released
a report, prepared by state investiga-
tor Michael Thornicroft dated May 15,
2017 and released on June 2. The re-
port stated “...Mr. Leonetti, who owns a
restaurant in Vernonia, may have had a
potential or actual conflict of interest in
discussing the regulation and siting of
food cart vendors and may have failed
to handle the conflict as required by
ORS 244.120.”
The complaint was filed by a
citizen on April 17, 2017 following
the citizen’s request to place a food
cart owned by them on a specific piece
of property owned by the City at 490
Bridge Street, next to the Bridge Street
Mini Mart. An original complaint, filed
by the same individual that included
additional accusations against other
members of the Vernonia City Council,
was rejected by the Ethics Commission
upon initial review as having “no mer-
it.”
The complaint alleges that
Mayor Leonetti, who owns Mariolino’s
restaurant on Madison Avenue, partici-
pated in discussions and decisions re-
garding placement and costs associated
with food carts at City Council meet-
ings on February 13, March 13, March
20 and April 3 without announcing a
conflict of interest when discussing the
issue.
The request to place a food
cart was withdrawn by the citizen be-
fore any decision was made by the City
Council on the issue and prior to the
March 20, 2017 City Council meeting.
At that meeting the City Council voted
against placing any food carts at the re-
quested location, but agreed to move
forward with preparing a different site
for food carts at the Corner of Bridge
Street and Grant Avenue, the site of the
former Health Clinic, less than a block
away from the originally requested site.
The Ethics Commission report
notes that at a meeting on March 6,
Leonetti did state he had a conflict of
interest, which is reflected in the City
Council minutes from that meeting.
At the February 13 meeting Mayor
Leonetti acknowledged owning a
restaurant and other Council members
referenced his ownership, but Leonetti
failed to officially announce any
conflict of interest. According to the
report, minutes and audio recordings
continued on page 6