A4
THE ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
DERRICK DePLEDGE
Editor
Founded in 1873
SHANNON ARLINT
Circulation Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
GUEST COLUMN
Opportunities at Tongue Point
A
s Astoria and Clatsop County
continues to emerge from the
COVID-19 pandemic, I want
to make sure that our young people are
aware of one of the greatest resources
available to them, the Tongue Point Job
Corps Center campus at the east end of
Astoria.
The center has immediate availability
to safely house, feed and educate qual-
ifi ed applicants and place them directly
into employment in our community.
Unfortunately, the p andemic signifi -
cantly reduced the number of students
Tongue Point has served over the past
year and a half. With eff ective vaccines
and continued safety precautions, the
center is now ready to resume operation
and to expand its training opportunities
available to persons from 16 to 24 years
old. This is an incredible opportunity for
our young people and there is no cost to
the students.
Born out of the War on Poverty and
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Eco-
nomic Opportunity Act, Job Corps is
the nation’s largest residential education
tion, students who trained in a union
and job training program. It provides
trade can go directly into union appren-
housing, basic health care, meals, social
ticeship programs. Students also have
and emotional development and career
the opportunity for advanced training
preparation at 121 active Job Corps
opportunities.
campuses in all 50 states as well as the
Many people make the mistake of
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
thinking Job Corps is a rehabilitation
Tongue Point Job Corps has the
training program or for those who have
capacity to train up to 473 stu-
had trouble with the law. This
dents at one time, provide intern-
is not true. Job Corps can be the
ship opportunities and help them
fi rst choice for many young peo-
transition into employment,
ple who might not be a fi t for the
higher education, or the military
traditional education path, for
and ultimately break the cycle of
those who are interested in get-
poverty for themselves and their
ting to work immediately, or for
families.
those that have young families
MELISSA
At the Job Corps campus, stu-
or personal obligations that may
PADGETT
dents can train for jobs in the
preclude them from participating
medical fi eld, such as dental
in certain education programs.
assistant and certifi ed medical assistant,
Students can also obtain their driv-
or one of eight hard trades such as elec-
er’s license, high school diploma or
trical, carpentry, painting or for mar-
GED and many credentials needed for
itime jobs. In addition, Job Corps has
employment all free of charge.
worked directly with local and national
When coupled with the huge demand
employers to help fi ll in-demand and
for highly skilled and competent work-
well-paying positions. Upon comple-
ers, the Job Corps campus can help the
c ounty recover more quickly econom-
ically and fi ll the need for more skilled
workers.
As a leader and proud resident of
the c ounty, I felt it my duty to make
it known the tremendous benefi ts the
Job Corps campus provides to its par-
ticipants and its immediate availabil-
ity to serve them. Take a tour, partici-
pate in the Workforce Council coming
up in early April or provide a student for
an internship in a local business. When
s tudents have reached 75% complete in
trade they then spend six to eight weeks
in an internship to help them hone their
soft and hard skills and have a chance to
actually work in their chosen fi eld.
I hope readers will take time to learn
more about our local Job Corps, its
training programs and take advantage
of all it off ers to prospective students,
employers and our community.
Melissa Padgett is a work-based
learning specialist and business and
community liaison at Tongue Point Job
Corps Center.
TONGUE POINT JOB CORPS HAS THE CAPACITY TO TRAIN UP TO 473 STUDENTS AT ONE TIME, PROVIDE
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND HELP THEM TRANSITION INTO EMPLOYMENT, HIGHER EDUCATION, OR
THE MILITARY AND ULTIMATELY BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
GUEST COLUMN
The true value of the state’s timber harvests
F
or 80 years, Clatsop State For-
est has supported sustainable tim-
ber harvests while also providing
recreational opportunities and habitat for
important species.
Due to a decades-old contract with the
state, surrounding counties and local pub-
lic service providers receive 64% of all
state forest timber revenue. The rest is
retained by the Oregon Department of For-
estry to cover the costs of managing these
forests.
Last fi scal year, harvests in Clat-
sop State Forest generated $22.9 mil-
lion in revenue for Clatsop County as well
as Clatsop Care Health District, Clatsop
Community College, Jewell School Dis-
trict, rural law enforcement and fi re pro-
tection districts, the Port of Astoria, pub-
lic transport and other
services.
This revenue is just part
of the story, however, as
many residents of N orth
C oast communities know
very well.
The tens of millions of
KRISTIN
dollars counties receive
RASMUSSEN
each year from the Depart-
ment of Forestry is only
the “stumpage” value — money derived
from the initial sale of logs to a purchaser,
usually a local sawmill . After the sale, har-
vesting, manufacturing and replanting state
forests generates enormous additional eco-
nomic opportunity for local businesses and
workers. These forest-sector workers in
turn frequent local shops, restaurants and
service providers, helping to ensure rural
Kari Borgen/The Astorian
State timber harvests in the Clatsop State Forest generated $22.9 million to the county and
other local agencies last fi scal year.
communities continue to be places people
want to visit, live, work and raise a family.
Each year, the Department of Forestry
releases a report on the annual benefi ts of
state forests. In addition to stumpage reve-
nue, you’ll see an accounting of the num-
ber of visitors and miles of trails main-
tained, but you won’t see a valuation of the
multi generation, family-owned businesses
that make a living in these forests.
Local logging and hauling businesses,
road building operations, rock hauling
companies, reforestation crews, sawmills,
mechanics and trucking companies all par-
ticipate in state forest timber harvests and
rely on the work and the wood products
they generate. There are dozens of these
businesses and thousands of forest-sec-
tor workers on the N orth C oast. The eco-
nomic and social benefi ts generated by
these businesses far exceeds the revenue
generated through stumpage payments and
yet it goes unaccounted for in Salem year
after year.
Failing to account for these, arguably
more meaningful economic indicators, cre-
ates a situation where policymakers and
elected leaders often fail to understand and
appreciate the true value of the state’s tim-
ber harvests.
Leaders need to see the bigger picture
when making policy decisions that aff ect
how state forests are managed. Reducing
timber harvests in state forests, whether to
set aside additional acres for habitat or cre-
ate carbon banks, does more than reduce
stumpage revenue coming into the coun-
ties from the state — it also means less
work and opportunity for local businesses
and less resiliency and vitality in the sur-
rounding rural communities.
The Department of Forestry can easily
gather information on the broader impact
of state forest harvests on local commu-
nities. The department and the Board of
Forestry are considering new manage-
ment plans for state forests, some of which
would signifi cantly reduce timber harvests.
All who depend on working public for-
ests should encourage the Department of
Forestry and the Board of Forestry to take
the time to learn the whole story before
making drastic changes to how these for-
ests are managed.
Kristin Rasmussen is director of public
aff airs and communications for Hampton
Lumber.