Page 2— Vernonia Freedom
Thursday November 12,1981
EDITORIAL
Co-op board forces open meeting battle with coalition
What exactly is going on with our
electric Co-op Board of Directors
these days? What started out as a
simple attempt on the part of a
loosely organized local group to
amend the Co-op’s by-laws to allow
greater member identification in
decision making has turned into a
brouhaha of the ugliest sort.
At the last general membership
meeting, held Oct. 17, the members
voted in two by-law amendments that
were
designed
to
increase
participation at board meetings and
provide for public input prior to any
future rate hikes. Suddenly, the board
has decided to ignore the obvious
intent of at least one of these
amendments and interprets it strictly
within a legal definition.
At their last meeting, two weeks
ago, the board voted to require that
anyone desiring to address the board
must submit their points before hand,
including an estimate of the number
of people who would be present. The
board would then inform said group
as to when they might make their
appearance.
At
the
board’s
convenience, mind you. Just a bit
high-handed, you might say.
By interpreting the by-law
amendment to mean simply that they
must provide advance public notice of
board meetings, rather than
accepting its spirit, which intended
that a free and open dialogue be
established between the board and
the membership, they have raised
serious doubts about their intentions.
According to Neil Bush, the Co-op’s
attorney who spoke for them on this
matter, the by-law amendments did
not give members the right to attend
the meetings. They may do so,
apparently, but only at the pleasure
of the board.
believe may at best be questionable
conduct.
The people of the Co-op’s service
area are certainly not children to be
led by the hand of a self-styled, all-
knowing board down the righteous
path of benign leadership. It is high
time the board realized that they are
intent on finding answers to their
questions and that they do intend to
have a greater£ more meaningful say
in how their money is spent.
Serious questions have been raised
recently
about
the
Co-op’s
involvement in WPPSS and plans for
future rate increases, designed in
part, to help pay for that ill-advised
WPPSS committment. At their most
recent meeting the board voted to go
ahead and make just the first
payment, in excess of $200,000, on
their share of the WPPSS 4 & 5
mothball
plan.
With
whose
permission? By what stretch of
reason did the board determine that
their membership wanted this step
taken? We have no objections to
further WPPSS participation if, and
it is a big IF, the membership OK’s it.
Remember, this is just the first such
payment. At this point in time no one,
least of all West Oregon Electric Co
op, really knows just how much all of
Post Office shares mailing hints
The Vernonia postal crew would
like to share with their many
customers in the Nehalem Valley a
few hints and ideas for the busy
holiday season just ahead.
Most important, be sure to mail
early! Items prepared for mailing by
parcel post should be well cushioned
and placed in sturdy containers.
Reinforced strapping tape is
recommended for sealing. The post'
office has tape and mailing cartons
available; ask the clerk.
Parcels mailed to foreign countries
and most military post offices
(APO’s-FPO’s)
require
the
completion of various customs forms.
These should be completed before
parcel is presented for mailing. Call
us; we will determine what forms you
need and send them to you. It is much
easier to itemize on the forms at
home those items mailed than later at
the post office when the package has
been sealed.
Christmas cards should, of course,
be separated into bundles for
Vernonia and out-of-town. We would
appreciate also these being handed to
a clerk at the window.
If you are looking for something
Continued From Page 1
Bugas vs. Hanlon
purpose or not, but it can be done.
You can do that if you’re a member of
a committee and you have a special
interest in a bill.” Bugas qualified the
statement by adding, “I’ve delayed
or sped up a bill myself from time to
time. It depends on what you want.”
Bugas told the group that the *
amended House Bill 2620 came out of
the House and went to the Senate
between May 14 and early June.
“There was a Jot of time to hassle it
out then (between the House and the
Senate). But it just foundered over in
the Senate, ’ ’ he said.
Bugas told the Chamber that
although there is still some question
as to the actual means by which
mineral royalty money can be used to s
provide relief for impacted areas,
there is still some hope that an
equitable solution can be reached
before the next legislative session
begins in 1983. If there’s any
possibility, he explained, it’s going to
have to be from the county working
under existing statutes. Perhaps a
this is going to costus.
At this same meeting the board,
your board, also voted to seek (and we
use that term in the blind hope that
the board at least intends to hold
public hearings first) a 45 percent rate
increase next July. This will represent
a 90 percent rate increase in just one
year. How much longer does the
board expect us to let them go on
making decisions that effect us each
directly without first hearing what we
have to say on the matter?
The board’s attitude is blatantly
obvious. As explained by their
attorney;
“As
a
non-profit
corporation we are not a public body
and are therefore exempt under the
newly enacted Open Meeting law.”
The point still remains, though, that
although, like a bank, the Co-op is not
forced by weight of law to conduct its
way can be found to work it out after
the next payments are collected by
the county in July 1982 and before
they are disbursed. Under existing
law the State Attorney General’s
office has said it is illegal for one
taxing district to give apportioned
funds to another district. Bugas says
he believes a way can be found for the
county to do it before the money is
disbursed.
Hanlon asserts that part of the
change he made in the language of the
bill would have made it legal for
taxing districts to make some of their
royalty receipts available to another
district. Bugas maintains that that is
beside the point as the bill, as Hanlon
amended it, would have stood no
chance of passing the House on a
second vote due to other provisions in
Hanlon’s proposal.
For a more detailed look at Sen.
Hanlon’s side of this controversy
please refer to the Vernonia Freedom
issue Volume 3, Number 49 of
October 15,1981.
different as a Christmas gift you
might consider the Mint Sets and
other philatelic items we have
available.
Mint
Sets
contain
all
commemorative stamps issued
during the year with an attractive
descriptive,
folder
included.
Something new is the Definitive Mint
Set
which
contains
all
commemorative stamps plus postal
cards, envelopes, and aerogrammes
issued during the year.
Another item available is the eighth
edition of Stamps and Stories - the
U.S. Postal Service Encyclopedia of
U.S. stamps. This colorful 280 page
book provides interesting philatelic
information for the novice and
experienced collector including an
index listing of every U.S.
commemorative stamp ever issued.
Price: $3.50.
Through November 20 the Postal
Service is offering an opportunity for
its customers to place an early order
for the 1982 Zip Code Directory.
Customers who place an order during
this period will not only receive a
discount of $1 off the 1982 sale price
($9), but will also receive direct
shipment from the publisher in
January. Order forms are available at
the post office.
Finally, the Vernonia Postal crew
wishes to extend to their many
friends in the Nehalem Valley a
joyous holiday season.
business in the public’s eye, one
would hope they would be willing to.
Especially since we are not, in the
strictest sense, the public. After all,
we are the members. It is our money
they are spending and it is our
business they continue to conduct
behind closed doors.
Your energy coalition has arranged
to hold a meeting at 7:30 pm on
Thursday, November 12 at the Senior
Center to discuss their next move.
Among the-possibilities they will
explore is the idea of calling a special
membership meeting to amend the
recent amendments still further,
forcing the board to open their
meetings in a meaningful^ way. The
possibility of a recall election
designed to throw the current board
out and replace it with members who
aren’t afraid to let their neighbors see
how they conduct your business will
also be discussed.
We urge each and every Co-op
member in the area to make it a point
to attend this meeting. If you’re not
heard now, in the long run you simply
won’t have another chance. If you too
want change this may very well be
your last hope. Be there; we will be.
medic relates facts
To the Editor:
I feel that as a resident and former
paramedic I must tell some people a
few facts.
1. 1 have never heard, nor heard of,
an EMT or paramedic making his or
her self “God’’ by diagnosing
anything as a postive (except a
compound fracture, which for those
who claim to know, but don’t, means,
“bones sticking out through the
skin”.
2. No person gets “special’’
treatment by Vernonia Ambulance,
(with the possible exception of any
small child).
3. Anyone who feels the persons
who donate their time, (which means
money also), are Hot the best, by
effort and result, should look to see
what they themselves have done to
aid the community.
The fact is, my family has had need
of the local ambulance more than
anybody I know. Everytime the
ambulance takes my wife or one of my
kids away, I remember the one child
who didn’t come back. Then I count
heads and thank whatever Gods there
are for the dedication of a few people
who give their all for others.
A special thank you to those who
Gary Dinger, Marie Bellingham-Clerk
care enough to try.
Dick Aldrich-City Carrier
Jerry Sanders
Ed & Jean Balla-Star Rt Carriers ,
Vernonia
Dan Fletcher-Postmaster
Vernonia Freedom
Published weekly in Vernonia Oregon, 97064, on Thursdays at 825 Bridge St.
Serving The Upper Nehalem Valley. Phone 129-8111. Subscriptions, $8per year.
Deadlines for copy and classified advertising: Monday at 5 pm for the
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POSTMASTER: send address changes to Vernonia Freedom. 825 Bridge St..
Vernonia, OR 97064.
Dennis Dobson..........................
publisher-editor
Ann Dobson... ..............................
publisher-business manager
MEMBER
429-8111
Oregon
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