V ernonia (LU)F reedom
lût
Vol 1 Na 32
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City Council still deadlocked
The Newspaper Serving
proposal, that the usual procedure was for
the consultant to be advocate for the City
and work forthe City’s benefit in dealings
with the contractor. Coon also stated he
had investigated the reputation of
Dilworth Construction and found some
problems. One case being the City of
Echo, for which Dilworth construction is
doing sewage lagoon work. The City
Recorder in Echo reportedly said that
Dilworth construction had run into
problems and the job has lasted four
years with excessive cost overruns.
In other business the council passed a
resolution forming a transportation
district for the Senior Citizens (COLCO)
transportation system. This will enable
the Senior’s van to be run without certain
tax’s that are now being paid.
Also in resolving the situation of the
swimming pool, Mike Harrison was hired
as lifeguard. As most of you will notice
the dam for the pool was put up this week.
Along with the Mayorial Advisory
Election the Council set up an election on
the revised budget. The initial date for
this election is June 28, but the City
Recorder said on Tuesday that the
election will not be able to be held on that
day, as it does not allow time for the
various revisions and necessary
publication etc. The likely alternate date
for the election will be July 10. However
the advisory election for the Mayor’s
position will not be held at all, according
to the last information received on
Tuesday.
Of the revision made in the budget, one
was to delete the purchase of the Odam
land for the sanitary land fill. Also funds
for roads were cut out and the amount to
the Senior Center was cut from $2,500 to
$2,000.
Also at this meeting Attorney Coon
verified that a Mayorial candidate must
be a resident of the City for one year prior
to the election. Martha Wiley had
challenged this stipulation at the previous
meeting and this meeting.
At the June 18 meeting of the Vernonia
City Council there was again a deadlock
on the Mayor's position and the Council
decided to hold an advisory election in the
City. However it has since been
discovered that the State Elections Office
advises that it will be illegal for an
advisory election to be held when the City
Charter states that the Council must
choose the new Mayor. The Council had
been advised by sources in the Governor’s
office that such an election was legal.
In business from the floor Todd
Bowerman made a statement favoring
L.E. (Bud) Atkins for Mayor. Mr.
Bowerman also stated he felt there is a
lack of traffic policing, especially on the
weekends.
4 1
Claude Veal also made a statement in
favor of his candidacy for the Mayorial
position and presented a petition with
over a hundred signatures supporting him
for Mayor.
These two candidates were later voted Freedom survey begins
on with the same split that occured at the
In light of the difficulties of deciding on
last Council meeting: Batty and Adams a Mayor the Freedom will conduct the
voting for Atkins and Tomlin and Balla survey that we had earlier promised and
voting for Veal.
add to it a survey of choices for Mayor. It
Under communications, a letter was is hoped that an acurate estimate of
received from CETA denying the City’s public opinion can be gained from such a
request for an assistant lifeguard position phone survey and that the Council will be
because the salary did not meet minimum able to use it in making their choice.
wage requirements.
Bud Atkins and Claude Veal are the
Also a letter was received from City candidates we know of at this point and
Attorney Allen Coon refering to the we will take down any other “write-in”
proposal by Dilworth Construction and names. Those who would be interested in
Perly Consultation service. Perly and the position should contact the Freedom
Dilworth had earlier made a joint office at 429-8111. We will count all those
proposal to the City Council for who wish to vote for Martha Wiley as she
renovation and enlargement jpf the City’s professes interest in the job, but it is our
sewage lagoon. Attorney Coon stated that understanding that she is not a legal
it was quite unusual for a contractor and candidate not having been a full years
an engineering consultant to make a joint resident.
Stroke Clinic June 25 at Senior Center
Stroke is not the end of the road, but
only the beginning for every person
determined to be a stroke recoveree,
according to Willis Knight, President,
. Portland Stroke Club. Mr. Knight will be
in Columbia County on five days in June
to help establish five community stroke
‘clubs. Dates and locations for those
meetings will be:
June 19, Clatskanie Senior Center, 1:30.
June 21, Columbia District Hospital,
St. Helens, 1:30 p.m.
June 25, Vernonia Senior Center, 1:30
June 27, Ranier Senior Center, 1:30 p.m.
June 29, Scappoose Senior Center, 1:30
The Stroke Club is a community
program of the Oregon Heart
Association, established in November,
1975, as an outgrowth of a personal battle
waged by Mr. Knight to overcome the
debilitating effects of a stroke which hit
him in 1974, at age 57. Stroke Clubs are
now functioning in 14 Oregon
communities with several more to begin
operating soon.
Each chib functions autonomously,
within general stroke club guidelines, as a
support and educational organization for
stroke recoverees and their families.
Membership is open to all persons who
have been affected by brain vessel injury:
or disease, to their families and to all:
interested individuals who provide care
and services to stroke recoverees. Club
activities are designed to provide an
atmosphere of support, understanding,
and encouragement for members striving
to achieve self-improvement and
independence. Club meetings, which
occur at least once per month, feature
opportunities for social activities,
projects, education and fellowship.
Other services, beyond the formal club
meetings are available. These include'
activities of the stroke referral office,
housed in the Oregon Heart Association
office in Portland and staffed by Mr.
Knight and other volunteers. The referral
office can provide information about such
services as rehabilitation equipment
available for loan and current
rehabilitation programs.
For further information in Vernonia,
call Elizabeth Staats at the Vernonia
Senior Center, 429-3912.
the Upper Nehalem Valley
I
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Thursday June 21,1979
Janelle Wiggins
^?.aSi“nl^'aS transfonned into a quilt gallery last weekend as part of
Annual FoUt
Festival Bright patchwork quilts, both old and new were on
<u spiay.
Weather fails to dampen spirit of
Nehalem Valley Folk Festival
Although the weather was its usual
unpredictably miserable, with drizzels
and unseasonably cool, the Spirits were
high at The Nehalem Valley Folk Festival
held at the Jewell School last weekend.
The entertainment was continuous on
.stage and there were a great many other
exhibits, crafts and demonstrations to be
seen. Not to mention a great variety of
food items ranging from toastadas to
strawberry shortcake with real wipped
cream. The real feeling of such an event is
hard to analyze in words so we will leave it
to the pictures you will find on page 7.
Gas situation discussed at OEDP Committee meeting
The Overall Economic Development
Program (OEDP) Committee met June 11
at the Village Inn in St. Helens. Present
were Carolyn King, Ray Steward, Ron
Adams, Voris Probst, Paul Kruggel,
Betty Huser, Frank VanHorn, Bob Hunt
and Larry Davis. Committee members
absent were Donna Tewksbury, Gail
Steele, Don Berkey, Werner Stork, Fred
Bartel and Bill Ostrander.
Following preliminaries, discussion
ensued regarding the findings of gas in
Mist. Bob Hunt stated the Board of
Commissioners is being required by
LCDC to address this in the goals and
guidelines for the County. It was
questioned whether the OEDP
Committee would be directly involved,
especially this year. Bryan Christian, of
the County Planning Dept., stated it was
mentioned in the revision of the OEDP
Document and that it should be
addressed more fully by the Committee in
the coming year.
In a letter sent to the Committee by
Tom Current, Economic Development
Representative for the State of Oregon, he
stated a formal resolution from the OEDP
Committee adopting the annual report is
required. Bob Hunt moved and Carolyn
King seconded the new chairman be
authorized to draw up the Resolution to
adopt the new Plan. Since the Committee
will not be meeting again before the Plan
is due, it was decided the Resolution will
be sent to all members before the
cahirman signs it. If there are questions
or revisions, members are requested to
call Bryan Christian at 397-1501 as soon
as possible. After this discussion, the
motion passed unanimously.
A discussion was then held regarding
the date the Committee would engage
Tom Current to speak. It was decided the
best time would be the October 13th-
meeting. An invitation will be extended to
all the governing bodies in the County, as
well as to the public.
Ray Steward brought up the fact that
St. Helens now has a diversification
project, namely the Plantronics Kentrox
Plant, which manufactures small
electronic components. Frank VanHorn
stated the Employment Office had 100
applications for 10 job openings. He also
said that more people are moving in to the
County, but not necessarily workers.
Population does not go up proportionaDy”-
with employment
Mr. Steward then opened nominations
for chairman and vice chairman from the'
floor, Larry Davis moved that Voris
Probst be added to the ballot for
chairman. Bob Hunt seconded the
motion, and it passed unanimously. Bob
Hunt moved and Larry Davis seconded
that Carolyn King be added to the ballot
for the office of vice chairman. Motion
passed with 8 voting aye and Carolyn
King voting nay.
The ballots were then passed Out with
Larry Davis, Frank VanHorn and Voris
Probst nominated for chairman; and
Donna Tewksbury, Gail Steele and
Carolyn King nominated for vice
chairman. Voris Probst was elected to the
office of chairman and Carolyn King was
elected to the office of vice chairman.
Questions were then raised as to what
constitutes “growth areas” in the County
and whether or not development has risen
in proportion with the growth. Larry
Davis stated Rainier is now growing at
the rate of 4 to 4lA% per year and that
they are in need of economic develpment.
It was also a general concensus, that
although the population of Scappoose is
increasing, economic development is not.
Vernonia is considered to be the most
underdeveloped area in the County.
Mr. Steward stated he was desirous of
haying Doug Comstock replace him on
the Committee as the active member
representing the Port of St. Helens. A
recommendation will go before the Board
of Commissioners at their regular
Wednesday meeting on June 13, for this
replacement.
CETA/Manpower plan
The CETA/Manpower plan for
Columbia County will be available for
public review Thursday, June 21, 1979.
Copiés of planned CETA service for FY
80 can be reviewed in the CETA office,
1931 St. Helens St., St. Helens.
All Columbia County residents aré *
encouraged to review the plan pnd
comment. Additional information may be
obtained by phoning 397-4888.
CETA/Manpower is affiliated with
Community Action Team Inc. and is an
Equal Opportunity Employer.