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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2022)
14 Community October 20 2022 Candidates Respond to Questionnaire for November 8, 2022 Election continued from page 3 well as volunteers who help with the social service programs (such as Senior Center’s Bargains on Bridge and Vernonia Cares Food Pantry). Vernonians have always impressed me with their willingness to help their fel- low residents. When there is a call out for “I know someone who needs…” or “I need…” there is almost no limit to the gen- erosity of Vernonians to respond to that call. 3. What are some specific issues or con- cerns you would like to try to address if you are elected and what would you try to do? (250 word limit) Rick Hobart – One of my biggest concerns for our community moving forward in 2023 is safety related. I am dedicated to support- ing our own police department and provid- ing them with the funding and resources they need to keep our community safe. I have found that the most im- portant thing one can do in the position of mayor, is to build good, strong relationships with those people you work alongside. I believe I have done just that during my last two terms, but I am well aware that my work can still improve. I make this promise, as mayor of Vernonia I will listen to, be kind to, and respect all those who I serve in this great community. Charlie Kibben – I believe that a responsi- ble government accountable to the people is key to good governance and the well-being of our community. To accomplish this we must ensure our limited resources are being applied for the greater good of our citizens. One pressing concern I believe facing our town is crime. If elected, I plan to help ad- dress crime through the implementation of community watch and other engagement activities to assist our law enforcement in creating a safe and secure environment for all citizens. Second, we need to use creative and common sense approaches to address issues concerning infrastructure, growth and opportunities that serve to enhance the qual- ity of life for all Vernonians. Dale Webb – Our current police situation is a grave concern, I have thought this is- sue over for some time now and I believe the only way Vernonia can get back to an effective police force is to embrace what is actually causing our issues. We can not draw trained officers to Vernonia due to our bud- get constraints. We train officers and then they move on. We have to fully embrace the training role of our department; we have to keep trainees in the pipeline and we need to find ways of retaining these officers for an assured time period. We need to get back to when people call for help, there is a timely response. Council is going to have to take a more active role in what our visions and goals are for our police staff and ensure they are being followed. It would also help if our largest local employer the school would help support some of this need, the SRO position that was axed provided a layer of safety for the school, but also added flexibility to the police department overall. Homelessness is becoming an is- sue for our town and despite the best efforts of our towns people, we are not meeting the need. Our city simply does not have a bud- get that will support these efforts, we will need to lean on the state legislature to bring some sanity back to this issue. We as a city council need to actively engage our state legislators and push for change. Susan Wagner – Vernonia faces some in- herent challenges due to its rural location and indirect access to major roads and high- ways. This is also one of the things that makes Vernonia so attractive. I believe we should work together to encourage our neighbors and fellow com- munity members to shop locally. I recognize it’s not always cheaper, but local businesses contribute to the local economy through em- ployment, taxes and bringing outside dollars to Vernonia as well as local spending. I would also like to see the City continue working towards city wide imple- mentation of what staff has already accom- plished with improving the infrastructure, including paving streets and the sewer sys- tem. The City staff have been remarkable in obtaining grants and managing projects ef- fectively and frugally, keeping the interests of the citizens and taxpayers in Vernonia first and foremost. Vernonia is starting to be a “desti- nation” location. I would like to see a co- hesive plan to continue to make Vernonia a Religious Education for Kids and Teens at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Beginning October 2nd Every Sunday except the last Sunday of the month Grades 1 - 12 10:30am - 12:00pm 960 Missouri Ave, Vernonia Questions? Email Fr. Clifton at: jclifton@archdpdx.org place where the local economy isn’t the sole support base for our businesses. I would like to work with Council and City Staff to encourage more commu- nity engagement in City committees and meetings. With so many new residents, and long standing residents, there’s a huge wealth of knowledge that could be value added to the community we all call home. 4. What is your vision for the future of Vernonia? (250 word limit) Rick Hobart – The vision I hold for the fu- ture of Vernonia is promising. When I first came to Vernonia almost fifty years ago, the population was right around 1800. Pres- ently, we are at just a bit over 2200. Yes, we are growing some and planning accord- ingly. Geographically, we are surrounded by private timber companies and State forests so our City ownership remains fairly con- stant. There were many people (mostly vol- unteers) that sacrificed and worked hard to build this community that we call Vernonia. Generations have passed since the city’s in- corporation in 1891. It is my belief that those volunteers who presently hold an office and those who are in hired positions are sincere and totally dedicated. Our main goal is to maintain a safe and viable community for all to live in. It is my personal wish that when future gen- erations look back to 2022 and 2023, those leaders will say, thank you, “A job well done”. Charlie Kibben – My vision for our town is simple. Our town is a safe and affordable place to live where government is making common sense decisions to benefit the wel- fare of its citizens. If you want to discuss my thoughts further or provide ideas to improve Vernonia, I encourage you to stop by my shop, Martin Arms on Bridge Street any time from Tuesday to Saturday, 11AM- 6PM. Thanks and God Bless you and our town. Dale Webb – I would like to say my vision for Vernonia is what I see when I drive to a council meeting in the summer and all the youth are playing ball in our parks and the parents are all involved either coaching or cheering the ball players on. It is quite the Norman Rockwell moment; it gives me a very happy and warm feeling inside! I would also like to say that my vi- sion is an increase in volunteers that put-on events, help clean up the town or assist pub- lic staff in running the city assets. It is these people who put the shine on our town and make us proud of our town. While growth is hard for a city to control, I envision having orderly and the least impactful growth that we can. We have already experienced the pains of growth and the regulations that were needed to en- sure that growth was fair to all our citizens. While we all love the nature of our small town, it can grow slowly and retain that at- mosphere. I would think we all would agree that the end of homelessness would be one of our visions and services for mental health and drug abuse would be readily available. That really should be a vision for our state. The return to law and order is an- other of my visions, people being held ac- countable for their actions and fair and just enforcement of our laws. Susan Wagner – My vision for Vernonia is to see it continue to be a community rich with history, ripe with beauty, and welcom- ing to all. We all value the quaint and quiet- ness of our area, but we can’t allow it to be stagnant. That would destroy the commu- nity because of lack of continued resources. One specific item would be consid- ering coordinating and expanding opportu- nities for the youth in our community. It’s not necessarily a City function, but partici- pating actively and investing in our youth is also a part of my vision of success for Ver- nonia’s future. I would like to see our community take pride in our downtown area, and take advantage of its quaintness and character by bringing in more businesses and opportuni- ties for our residents and visitors alike. That leads me to my belief that our greatest resource is Vernonia’s people. While it is true that our surrounding forest is a grand financial and visual resource, but without Vernonia’s residents, the surround- ing area is just trees. What that means to me is that with good cultivation, everything has potential to be a great resource. It means that everything in our community can contribute to being an even better place to live and grow. I want Vernonia to be what it has become to me… my home by choice. County Commissioner Candidate Responses 1. Please introduce yourself, tell us about your qualifications or background, and why you are running for office? (250 word limit) Kellie Jo Smith – My husband Brandon and I have been married for almost 19 years. To- gether we have seven children, biologically, adopted and through foster care. We’ve been foster parents since 2015. Our family has owned and oper- ated Oregon Trail Lanes, the bowling center in St. Helens since 1981. Currently I handle the CFO duties, Compliance, HR, Market- ing, and Planning duties. As an active parent volunteer I found myself drawn to our schools and help- ing our children through advocacy, elected as a St. Helens School District Board Mem- ber in 2013, 2017 and 2021. I’ve served as Chair, Vice-Chair, Chair of the Budget Committee, and on many facilities and stu- dent and parent committees. My volunteerism has also extend- ed to many years of helping in local youth activities, as a Player Agent for St. Helens Little League, and several years of coaching for youth Basketball. From 2014 to 2018, I enjoyed vol- unteering as a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Deputy, attending Marine Academy, and spending time on the Colum- bia River. I’m running for office because I care about our communities and the people within them and I want to see us healthy and thriving. Kelly Niles – I have lived in Columbia County for 20 years. I am currently the Wildland Fire Supervisor for the Oregon Department of Forestry. I hold several vol- unteer positions on various committees in the county covering planning, budgeting, policy, and personnel management. I am a veteran, volunteer, and have been a public servant my entire life. I am running to bring a plan with new ideas for our future capital- izing on the many relationships I have made throughout my time in the county. To read more please visit electkellyniles.com . 2. What do you think are some positive things, or things that are going well in Co- lumbia County? (250 word limit) Kellie Jo Smith – Within our communities are some of the hardest working and dedi- cated individuals. Our neighbors, teachers, small business owners, millwrights, care- continued on page 15
