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The INDEPENDENT, March 15, 2000
ih .
INDEPENDENT
Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published twice
monthly, on the first and third Wednesdays of each
month, by Public Opinion Laboratory Ltd., 725 Bridge
Street, Vernonia, OR 97064, as a free newspaper. Edi
tors and Publishers, Dirk & Noni Andersen. Phone/Fax:
(503) 429-9410.
Council ignores law
on public meetings
“The public doesn’t need to know,” seems to be the
message sent by the Vernonia City Council on March
6th.
Vernonia Mayor Art Parrow called an executive ses
sion following the March 6 public meeting to consider
“reprimand of a police officer” and “potential litigation,”
then used the closed door meeting to characterize the
citizens who made public complaints about the police
department as unworthy of consideration.
The process also meant that Chief of Police Jim
Walters defended the criticism of his department in pri
vate, not in public as the citizens had done. There was
little of a confidential nature in Walters comments and
he did a good job. Both he and his department would
have been better served if his response had been
public.
The INDEPENDENT would not be commenting on
anything that happened in the executive session ex
cept that the mayor and the two council members pre
sent violated the public meetings law by making an of
ficial decision behind closed doors...agreeing to sup
port the department by writing a letter for publication.
There is nothing wrong with the support. What is
wrong is violating both the spirit and the letter of the
open meetings law by voting on a position in a closed
meeting instead of limiting themselves to discussion,
then recording a vote in public meeting.
Both Mayor Parrow and Councilor Leonetti have
been involved in local government too long to be ig
norant of the law. Ball is fairly new, but needs to think
for herself and not just follow that conveniently slip
pery slope. Since our elected officials ignore the law, it
is time for City staff to speak up and “help” the council
remember that limits also apply to them.
Decisions and meetings
Jack Peterson, chair of the Columbia County Board
of Commissioners, couldn’t explain how or when the
board made the decision not to meet with Vernonia cit
izens about the linear trail extension. Previously, Com
missioner Rita Bernhard said it was just a mutual
agreement, they never discussed it in a meeting.
The INDEPENDENT asked the question because a
Friday meeting in Vernonia was aborted by an acci
dent that prevented Peterson and Bernhard from get
ting here in time. The following Monday, Bernhard
said the board agreed they would not set another date
for the meeting...but there was no official meeting be
tween that Friday afternoon and Monday.
Obviously, they made a decision, but it certainly
wasn’t in public.
At the March 6 meeting of the Vernonia council,
when asked again about the decision, Bernhard ex
plained that it wasn’t a “legitimate” meeting with Ver
nonia citizens, anyway, because the board only want
ed to take a tour and hadn’t planned on actually talk
ing to people.
Does this mean that only elected officials can call
“legitimate” meetings? Don’t choke on your laughter!
Letters to the Editor
Mayor, council are
police review board
To the Editor:
Recently there have been
citizen complaints leveled at
our local police force. These
complaints have been largely
that law enforcement has been
too rigid and overly aggressive
and that this has driven people
away from downtown eve
nings, forcing bars and restau
rants to close early for lack of
customers.
After review and considera
tion of the testimony given, I
would like to respond to those
claims as the Mayor of Vernon
ia with the approval of the
Council members.
First, it is true that on occa
sion some officers have dis
played a lack of courtesy and
diplomacy in carrying out their
duties. They do need to per
form as peace officers as well
as police officers. It should suf
fice to say that lack of confor
mity to reasonable guidelines
has resulted in dismissal from
the Vernonia police force. It
should also be noted that dis
missal occurred before the citi
zens’ appearance at the coun
cil meeting.
Secondly, it was suggested
that a citizen’s police review
board be appointed. Such a
committee already exists. It is
the elected City Council. The
Council has the authority to es
tablish policy and the power to
hire and fire. It also has the re
sponsibility to recommend ap
proval or denial for liquor li
cense applications. The Council
also must represent the desires
of all of our 2400+ citizens.
Restaurants and bars clos
ing early can be contributed to
many reasons other than cus
tomers afraid of being in Ver
nonia at night because of po
lice tactics:
A. Most Vernonians have
their dinners in the early
evening, seldom after eight o’
clock.
B. Some business owners
do not want to work the extend
ed hours from logger breakfast
time until midnight or later.
C. Some of the local busi
ness places do not offer varied
menus or a real “dine-out” at
mosphere. Local citizens may
prefer out-of-town dining expe
riences where cuisine and sur
roundings make an evening out
a “special” event.
D. Many potential customers
are out of town for other rea
sons. Commuters frequently do
much of their business out of
town and do not support many
of the local businesses.
E. Many of our working class
citizens have to make an early
morning start to their jobs so
they do not spend a lot of late
night hours in a bar.
F. Over 50% of our popula
tion have incomes below the
federal poverty level, plus a
large number of senior citizens
live on very limited pensions.
They may have to make a
choice of a night out on the
town or buying groceries and
paying their bills.
No one should need to be
afraid of the police if they con
form to the laws. Both patrons
of the bars and the owners
have responsibilities. A social
time and a few games of pool
are not going to get anyone in
trouble. Responsible citizens
do not drink and drive. Drinking
to excess, or serving alcohol to
an intoxicated person, is not
acceptable. We can never af
ford to ignore the statistics on
automobile accidents and fatal
ities where alcohol and/or
drugs are involved. If police
presence and enforcement
prevents the violation of the
drinking and driving laws or re-
duces/eliminates family fights,
spouse and child abuse, as
saults or other social and eco
nomic problems, all I can say is
GREAT!
Instructing police officers not
to enforce all laws is like telling
NBA officials not to call fouls
unless there is bloodshed and
broken bones. Running back
ground checks on drivers
stopped for various infractions
is an acceptable method of
checking for suspended licens
es, lack of insurance, stolen ve
hicles, drug transportation and
other more serious offenses.
Courtesy and diplomacy by
officers is expected and de
manded. The City Council will
work with Chief Walters to in
sure that the proper training
and supervision of officers is
accomplished. At the same
time, the police officers should
be commended for providing
the public services they render.
A police officer risks his life
every time he approaches
someone in violation of the law.
We have had one Vernonia of
ficer killed in the line of duty, we
do not need a repeat.
A vast majority ef Vernonia
citizens live here because of
the peace and tranquility. They
have frequently voiced a de
mand that all laws and ordi
nances be rigidly enforced.
They want the streets of Ver
nonia to be safe — 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. I hope they
stay that way.
Mayor Art Parrow
Councilor Mario Leonetti
Councilor Cindy Bail