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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1997)
It’s December and time for “Christmas in Vernonia” It’s beginning to look a lot with tiny lights that sparkle Vernonia bazaar...and it is! tionally, the Boosters will pro like Christmas in Vernonia, and brightly after dark (though not Sponsored by the Booster vide a good lunch, with lots of with good reason. all of the trees can be lit, as Club, this annual holiday great homemade pies for Colorfully painted, locally yet). bazaar attracts crafters and ar dessert. made wooden snowmen and The community Christmas tisans from throughout the area Proceeds from this bazaar candy canes are decorating tree is up, just waiting for the fi because it has always empha will benefit the Booster pro planter barrels and the planting nal decorating. sized “handcrafted” items. In grams; other community and areas around trees on Bridge In residential areas, Christ turn, the handcrafted items- school organizations will also Street. Natural greens and mas trees are shining through wooden toys, quilts, dolls, be present at the bazaar to sparkling ribbons put a finish windows while lights are being wreaths, bread, needlework, earn funds. ing touch on the planter bar strung from the eaves or on and more— attract large num Join the crowd Saturday and rels. trees. bers of browsers and buyers. Sunday, Dec. 6-7, at Washing At the top of the trees, the With all this, it must be time Santa Claus will be there for ton Grade School, for the bare branches are entwined for the annual Christmas in pictures with the children. Addi- Christmas in Vernonia bazaar. INSIDE: Letters..... see pg. 3 Revenue Bond? See City Scene .................. on pg 3 Christmas cooking with Gladys ............... see pg. 7 School Christmas programs see pg. 13 BULK RATE U S. Postage Paid Permit No. 37 Vernonia, OR 97064 FREE 4 <! Voi. 12, No. 23 Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley’ Vernonia Cares... D ecem ber 3, 1997 Campbell out; can’t agree on contract By Noni Andersen i nese Dusy young men were just two of many willing helpers who worked to re-stock the shelves at Vernonia Cares during the door-to-door phase of the annual food drive. More photos may be found on page 5. ground” and had done a good job of sound forest manage Since Sir James Goldsmith ment. bought the local timberlands Hancock could not come to owned by Crown-Zellerbach in terms on a new contract, Scott an unfriendly take-over a few Sacco said from the compa years ago, the community has ny's Boston, Mass., headquar watched a succession of man ters, because they feel that the agers in the Columbia Forest. total level of compensation to Another change is in the the Campbell Group was “out works now. of line with what they (Camp The Campbell Group, which bell) should be getting.” assumed management of the Because its performance forest (as part of 206,000 acres has been “outstanding" in fif in Oregon) in May, 1996, will teen years of contractual rela be gone at the end of Decem tionships with Hancock, Camp ber because of a contract dis bell’s communications manag pute with Hancock Timber er, Jim Cathcart, maintains the Resources, which represents decision to terminate was “irra the owner/investors. tional." The quality of Campbell’s In addition to the amount of work is not in question, even compensation, a “non-com from Hancock, whose spokes pete" clause is also a major person said that the Campbell issue in the dispute. The Group “has good people on the clause means that Campbell cannot compete with Hancock for clients without forfeiting deferred “incentive fees”. Prior to incorporating that clause in Chief Jim Walters signed the the contract a few years ago, agreement in September and the two companies worked has been working with the oth together for many years with er agencies all along. The out it and, apparently, without agreement doesn’t change any competition problems. At present, the Campbell financial or legal structure in place already, but it does clari Group says it is owed $33-mil- fy what is expected from each lion by Hancock Forest Re sources, in deferred compen agency. sation. Hancock disputes the $33-million figure, but also says that Campbell will forfeit any incentive fees they have coming if they compete against Republican Joel Yarbor has Hancock in the future. filed for a second term on the As a result of the impasse, Columbia County Board of Campbell has filed suit against Commissioners. Hancock in Suffolk County Rita Bernhard, a county em Superior Court (Boston), ask ployee, has filed for Yarbor’s ing for unnamed damages, position, but on the Democratic $33-million in incentive fees, ticket. and release from the non-com Pam Benham, also a county pete clause. employee, has challenged her Hancock expects to decide former boss, Betty Huser, by fil within a week who will take ing for the non-partisan posi over management of the for tion of County Clerk. est. Law enforcement agencies sign agreement All law enforcement agen- cies in Columbia County have now signed a cooperative policing agreement. Impetus for the agreement was developed during a statewide planning process that was based on the following assumptions: • Law enforcement and pub- policing services. lie safety agencies working • Community policing must alone cannot create communi be implemented locally. ties that are safe and crime • There may not be addition free. al resources available to com • Partners in law enforce munities for cooperative polic- ment, public safety and crimi .ing initiatives. nal justice agencies should be The agreement was signed able to maximize cooperative by the top officer in each of the six city police departments in the county, by the sheriff’s de partment, the district attorney’s Columbia County District At Gov. John Kitzhaber will ap office and the Oregon State torney Martin A. Sells has an point someone to fill the vacan Police. The plan incorporates nounced he will leave that po cy. Though there are nearly many interagency agreements sition at the end of February, three years remaining on Sells already in place, but also iden 1998. He has served as district term of office, the appointee, or tifies and specifies the areas of attorney for more than 22 any other qualified member of public safety that are best han years. the Oregon State Bar, can run dled by each jurisdiction and As a cost-cutting procedure, for a new four-year term in the makes that agency responsible the county has offered an early May, 1998 primary election. for operations in those areas. It retirement benefit package to The governor is not required also helps in avoiding duplica employees who are at least 55 to appoint an attorney who re tion of efforts. years old and who have sides in Columbia County, but Signing of the agreement worked for the county for a the candidates are required to took place between July 8 and minimum of 15 years. Sells will meet the residency require Nov. 5, 1997, and it is now ful be 58 in February. ment. ly in effect. Vernonia Police District attorney resigns "— - Three filings for primary election
