Page 2 T lw INDEPENDENT, OcL 28,1992
The
INDEPENDENT
Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published
m onthly on the last W ednesday of each month, by
Public Opinion Laboratory Ltd., 1206 State Avenue,
Vernonia, OR 97064, as a free newspaper. All material
protected under U.S. Copyright laws. Editors and
Publishers, Dirk & Noni Andersen, (503) 429-9410.
Scott Sword has earned
re-election as mayor
i »T T ï
■ ^ ,3
By Nancy Burch
Vernonia City Librarian
For those who love suspense, Joy Fielding's
latest paperback, Run Jane Run, is for you.
From the beginning, when Jane finds herself
walking down a street, having no memory of
who she is, wearing a blood-stained dress and
a coat with $10,000 stuffed in the pockets, to
the very last page, the reader will be
completely absorbed. As soon as one situa
tion seems to be resolved, another arises.
This is a real thriller.
Sidney Sheldon's newest novel, The Stars
Shine Down, is set in the glamorous world of
international business and features the
startling shocks and amazing surprises that his
readers have come to expect and love.
Combining romance with cliff-hanging sus
pense is Sheldon's trademark and this, his
twelfth novel, meets these reader expecta
tions.
The title of Sheldon's latest book, The Stars
Shine Down, is also an appropriate thought for
us at this time at the library as we remember
Darrold Proehl. Darrold used and supported
the library as much or more than anyone in the
community. He always said to be sure and let
him know if the library was in need of
something. Through his association with the
Lions' Club, the library has a set of books for
diabetics, new book shelves, donations
throughout the years, and a very recent do
nation to enhance the video collection. It was
through his encouragement that the library's
video collection was established. We thank
you and miss you, Darrold.
SB
Library Hour»; Monday and Friday ! ^
p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m.-S p<m«, Saturday
10 a.m .-2 p.m . P resch oo l S tory Time:
every Wednesday from 10:30-11
People filling the positions of Vernonia Mayor and
Council spend long hours, without pay, trying to find
....—--------- ---- ------
ways to enhance the quality of this small town. Un
like other volunteers, they must keep an under-fund
Leonetti served on the council previously, with
ed city solvent while coping with an extremely broad
mixed results. He cares passionately about improv
spectrum of problems and situations.
ing Vernonia, but sometimes took inappropriate short
These positions are important.
Communication is a
The only person whose name is on the ballot, Joe cuts in an attempt to achieve goals. If he tempers his
part of good planning
Batty, has said he will be moving away from Vernonia. enthusiasm with thoughtfulness, he will be a great as
Dennis Davenport, a write-in candidate, says he went set for the City of Vernonia.
To the Editor:
We endorse Ed Buckner and Mario Leonetti for
into the race only to provide a choice, and would pre
fer that his supporters vote for Scott Sword, another Vernonia City Council.
I have gone on the record
as a supporter of the zoning
write-in candidate. Sword is currently the mayor.
change at the airport to light
Wally Vaughn, a former mayor and councilor is also
industrial. My gut feeling is
a write-in candidate, as is Kathy Brekken, a volunteer
that this project will benefit
firefighter who is working on qualifying as an EMT.
our community in ways that
During Vaughn's and Batty's tenure, Vernonia cele Measure 1: Bond issue to fund state parks
w e c a n n o t now im agine.
W ith c a re fu l p la n n in g , we
brated construction of the new water plant. The city
Passage of this measure would authorize the state to issue
may create a new way for our
also lost law suits (and $$$) because of incidents that up to $250 million in general obligation bonds for a State Park
com m unity to participate in
would never have happened with appropriate leader and Recreation Fund for purchase and development of camping
what many are calling "the
ship and it failed to apply in time for designation as an and recreational facilities such as campgrounds, picnic areas,
new Global market."
hiking trails, etc. The Legislature would have to approve any ex
Enterprise Zone, which could have improved the eco penditures from the fund.
The key word is planning.
The planning of any such pro
nomic situation.
In the aftermath of Measure 5, funding for development of the
ject
should reflect the shared
Brekken is an energetic go-getter with excellent Banks-Vernonia Linear Park has nearly disappeared, a situation
vision of all of our citizens.
credentials in all areas except one: She has looked that pertains throughout the state's park system because gener
U nfo rtun ately in th is case,
at the office only from a distance. A person with no al fund monies must go where the need is more urgent. The is
some of our citizens feel that
suance of bonds is a good way to fund park development and
background in municipal operations should, at the the
their
concerns have not been
economic development that accompanies parks.
very least, attend council meetings to learn more
addressed and therefore, it is
Vote "Yes" on Measure 1.
difficult for them to support
about the situations that must be dealt with and what
this project. That the archi
limitations exist in reaching solutions.
Measure 2: Fuel taxes for parks
tects of the project had little
Sword has spent four years working hard as a
This measure would authorize a tax of two cents per gallon of
time to involve these people
councilor, then as mayor. He does his homework, motor vehicle fuel, every two years, for the purchase, develop
is a fact, but it is not an ex
ment
and
maintenance
of
state
parks
and
recreation
sites.
It
cuse.
studying ordinances and statutes, seeking funding
would not affect motor fuel taxes used for highway maintenance
Successful economic de
sources and trying to make improvements that will and construction, but would be in addition to that levy.
v
e
lo
p m e n t is no t a c c o m
help Vernonia pull out of its long-standing economic
While there is nothing "wrong" with this measure, it has a far
plished by stampede, but by
doldrums. He has also worked hard to eliminate the greater impact on people in rural areas than those in urban ar
measured steps which allow
"old boy network" that governed here for years and, eas. Rural residents must drive because they don't have the op
each of us to consider the ef
judging from the people he has angered, he must be tion of using inter-city buses.
fects of such projects on our
It appears that motor fuel taxes will be increasingly used for
personal values, those of our
doing a good job of it. Impatience is Sword's biggest many purposes. This one doesn't seem particularly necessary.
neighbors and those of the
problem; he needs to learn how to develop consen Vote "No" on Measure 2.
greater community.
sus, but he will not be apathetic about the city’s con
While I feel that this project
dition.
Measure 3: Institute term limits
is a good one, and one that
When incumbent politicians are re-elected time after time,
We urge you to write-in Scott Sword as mayor.
will benefit our community in
Important measures on
General Election ballot
Buckner, Leonetti for
city council vacancies
Ed Buckner, Mario Leonetti and Emil Rode are all
candidates for two seats on the Vernonia City Coun
cil.
Rode, who often attends city council meetings, fre
quently suggests "more time" as a problem solving
method— a delay here and a delay there. Unfortu
nately, that would only take the council back to where
it used to be, postponing decisions, tabling needed
changes and accomplishing nothing.
Buckner is a newcomer to city government, but has
been involved for many years with a family-owned
business in Vernonia. He is thoughtful and consider
ate, but intelligent enough to know that hard deci
sions must be made, even when they are uncomfort
able.
some voters are lured into thinking term limits are needed — but
mandatory term limits won't lead to better government.
Incumbents are re-elected because the voters want them re
turned to office or, at the very least, prefer them over the chal
lengers.
With mandatory term limits, inexperienced legislators would
necessarily rely heavily on staff and lobbyists, who are not re
sponsible to the voters, because there would be no experienced
legislators. Additionally, a good legislator, doing the job his con
stituents want done, would have to be replaced by someone
who was not the voters’ first choice.
Term limits are available any time voters want to use them,
you simply vote for another candidate. Vote "No" on Measure 3.
Measure 4: Ban triple trailers
The rhetoric keeps traveling in circles around this measure.
Some professional truck drivers say triple trailer combinations
are dangerous, others say they're not. Opponents contend that
more doubles would be worse than the triples; proponents say it
would create more jobs for truckers.
Some facts are not in doubt: Triples are difficult to pass un-
PlMMM«pag«3
many ways, it is imperative
that we communicate in order
that this (and future) projects
will reflect our shared vision.
Bob Ragsdale
Vernonia
Objects to re-zoning
To the Editor:
As the chief petitioner in a
drive to consolidate citizen in
terest regarding airport rede
velopment, I wish to person
ally extend my heartfelt grati
tude to the nearly 200 Ver
nonia citizens who feel, very
much as I do, that a moratori
um on the city's effort to re
zone the airport property was
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