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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2000)
anks council names replacement for Mailer seat Dana Lee Kampbell was the unanimous choice last night to complete the term vacated by Banks City Councilor Evelyn Mailer. Kampbell has prior ex perience in city government in Corvallis and, since moving to Banks 18 months ago, has at tended most city meetings. She describes herself as “being interested in getting things done,” not as an observ er. Kampbell publishes the Ar bor Village newsletter. She will be sworn in at the council meeting on Apnl 11. Two additional citizens, Alan Cathcart and Claudine Bache lor, also applied for the vacan cy. A Planning Commission va cancy was also filled, with the appointment of Margaret Hol land to a non-voting position. Holland previously served as a transportation planner for the State of Alaska. She is also ex perienced with project develop ment and fund raising. Banks Chief of Police Daryl Crandall discussed a bad check ring operating in the area and suggested that mer chants use ink pads to put thumbprints on checks. The ring’s most frequent targets are places like gas stations, pizza parlors and other quick service businesses, according to Cran dall. The city will be able to bor row the $615,000 needed for water system upgrades from a state revolving loan fund, con sulting engineer Dale Merrell INSIDE: told the council. The city will have to raise water rates by about $4.50 per month in order to pay off the 30-year loan. The current residential rate is $20.47 for one-thousand cu. ft. per month. A public hearing will be set to answer citizens’ questions on the water project and to gather their comments. The city budget committee will meet at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall on March 21 to consider the budget for the 2000-2001 100 million trees planted.... pg. 4 Eight exchange students at VHS...... pg. 9 More Banks news., pg. 10-11 VHS sports..... pg. 12 BULK RATE U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 37 Vernonia, OR 97064 “ Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley”_______________ March 15, 2000 Vol. 15, No 5 Peterson won t run, others seek position Counting noses... If everybody enjoys the 2000 U.S. Census as much as the group above, there should n’t be any problem getting a good count. Actually, these people are a few of the 18 Ver nonia volunteers who gathered for a training session on how to help other citizens with questions about the census. An accurate count is very important for local governments because of the number of funds that are allocated by population. The Questionnaire As sistance Center will operate in the Vernonia Senior Center through April 14. Choir serenades school board A brief, but very enjoyable, presentation by the Vernonia High School Choir was a wel come change for the Vernonia School District Board of Direc tors at their March 9 meeting. Led by director Bob Isted, the choir started with the Star Spangled Banner, then per formed a parody on Bach with the “Not So Boring Minuet”. They completed their perfor mance with the Skye Boat Song, a traditional Scottish air. Most of the meeting involved routine personnel matters, pri marily contract extensions for certified staff who are in the first few years with the district. In other personnel matters, the resignation of high school Spanish teacher Wilfredo Mar- tir was accepted, and the fol lowing extra duty contracts were approved: — Clint Kelly as head Junior FREE High Track Coach. — Dave Doubrava as head High School Baseball Coach. — Joe Strand as head High School Girls Golf Coach. The last position was not in cluded in the district budget. A community member has donat ed funding for the total cost of the girls’ golf program. Superintendent Larry Mc Clellan informed the board that the state Department of Educa tion has again delayed the state Report Card for schools like Lincoln Grade School. The delay is because Lincoln does n’t have any students in the benchmark grades (3, 5, 8 and 10). Now the district expects the information in April. There are two vacancies on the district budget committee. The board will need to fill the positions at the April meeting. Terms are for three years and members must be residents of the school district. Accreditation by the North west Association of Schools and Colleges was renewed for Vernonia High School. The school was slightly downgrad ed because its media program is not under the supervision of a certified media specialist. The district has been unable to find a certificated person for the position. Public Hearing on weight ordinance March 20 at 6:30 p.m., is the time set for a public hearing on a proposed ordinance regulat ing the weight of vehicles on residential streets within Ver nonia. The hearing will be held in the City Council Chambers in the City Hall, 1001 Bridge Street. With the exception of Com mission Position No. 1, current ly held by Jack Peterson, there won’t be a lot of action in the Columbia County primary elec tion. Peterson, a St. Helens Democrat, has decided to step down at the end of this term. He served two terms as a com missioner before losing, then being re-elected in 1986 The action will be especially interesting in the Democratic primary, with four candidates for Position No. 1: Mike Avent, a business owner and member of the Rainier City Council; Joe Corsiglia, a PGE employee and member of the St. Helens City Council; Susan Easley, a busi ness owner and member of the St. Helens School Board; and Carole M. Smith of Warren, who was appointed to fill a va cancy on the Board of Com missioners but was unsuccess ful in her election bid for a full term. Two candidates will seek Position 1 in the Republican primary election: Scott Burge, an automation specialist and member of the Scappoose City Council who previously ran for election to the board of com missioners; and Colleen DeS- hazer of Warren, a business administrator and member of the Port of St. Helens Commis sion. This will be DeShazer’s third run at a commission seat. Incumbent Commissioner, for Position No. 3, Tony Hyde, a Vernonia Republican, is un opposed in the primary elec tion. He will meet Democrat Shawna L. Sykes, of Scap poose, in the November elec tion. Sykes was the only De mocrat to file for Position 3. She is executive director of the St. Helens-Scappoose Cham ber of Commerce. Four non-partisan positions — County Sheriff, Treasurer, and Surveyor, and Justice of the Peace for Clatskanie-Ver nonia Justice Court — will be noted on either the primary or general ballot. There is no competition for any of the posi tions, leaving Sheriff Phil Der by, Treasurer Paulette Kuiper- Hall, Surveyor Phil Dewey and Justice Rod McLean unop posed for re-election. City says no Jake brakes except in an emergency An ordinance prohibiting the use of engine compression brakes in Vernonia was adopt ed by the Vernonia City Council at their March 6 meeting. The ordinance went into effect im mediately. A fine of $315 may be imposed for violating the or dinance. The council was informed that Youth in Action members who are working on develop ment of a wheels park have found that the proposed site across from Hawkins Park will not be suitable. Because the site is located in a flood plain, it cannot be filled to the standard needed for the park develop ment. The council affirmed their intent to help find another location and suggested that Youth in Action send represen tatives to the next park board meeting. Columbia County Commis sioner Rita Bernhard informed the council that the board con siders extension of the linear trail very important. She said they have no plans to help with financing the project, but will write letters of support when the City applies elsewhere.
