Vernonia wins grant to extend
It was a long shot
last February, when
the City of Vernonia
applied to the Oregon
Department of Parks
and Recreation for a
grant of $70,000 to ex
tend the Banks-Ver
nonia Linear Park from
Anderson Park to Ver
nonia Lake.
There was approxi
mately $600,000 in the
Recreation Trails Pro
gram administered by
State Parks, with half
of that amount to be
used for motorized
trails and half for non-
motorized trails. There
was also some ques
tion whether an appli
cation would do any
good. The decision
was made to go for it.
The long shot paid
off.
The $70,000 will
enable the City to pur
chase the remainder
of the property needed
along the old railroad
grade that parallels
the Nehalem River,
and transport rock
from Oak Ranch Quar
ry. Still needed are
funds to pave the final
portion of the trail, ap
proximately $37,000.
“We are hopeful
that Columbia County
will partner with us to
complete this project,”
said Vernonia City Ad-
V trail
ministrator
Mike
Sykes.
Columbia County
anticipates
nearly
$120,000 in Bike Path
funds for fiscal year
2000-01, according to
their recently pub
lished budget.
The City has also
received a grant for
construction of two
handicapped-accessi
ble floating piers at the
lake.
Attn: Leslie
Voi. 15, No 12
INSIDE:
VHS scholarships,
awards.... pg. 7
Banks council
has full
meeting ... pg. 8
New Vernonia
officer.... pg. 11
Summer activities
for kids... pg. 11
BULK RATE
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Vernonia, OR 97064
“ Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley”
Caught in the act...
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June 21, 2000
Deeth targeted for
Banks budget woes
and resolution must be present
in a camera which will be used
Banks Mayor Ray Deeth in a variety of situations (low
was in the hot seat, perhaps lighting, fast action, details)
unfairly, for purchases he au and which is expected to pro
thorized during the past year duce reliable and clearly de
without consulting the Banks tailed photographs, without fur
City Council.
ther manipulation, for City busi
Following
news
of
a ness.
$136,000 shortfall in the
The bottom line, said the
1999/2000 City budget, a letter council, is that the mayor must
from councilor Norma Stewart bring big ticket items before the
asked Deeth to justify, at the council for approval. What con
June 13 City Council meeting, stitutes a big ticket item was
four items acquired by the City not defined, however.
during recent months.
The council has discussed
One of the items Deeth was a 1999/2000 budget shortfall
asked to account for, a storage since late last year. In Novem
cabinet for water testing equip ber, during the City audit, the
ment, turned out to be a dona council knew that the General
tion to the city. Also questioned Fund was overdrawn by about
were the rental of a postage $25,000. At the time, it was felt
meter at $11.75 per month for that additional income from
use by City offices and library, property taxes due to popula
Yes, they’re painting a building, but it certainly isn’t an act of vandalism. On a sunny,
and
a $2600 Local Govern tion increase would resolve the
80 degree day, April Kinney, on the ladder, Donna Gehrke and Michael Snow started
ment Personnel Institute study problem. The council was ad
painting a mural on the wall of Vernonia Hardware. The design, by Snow, includes a
that was needed to bring City vised by City Recorder Bob
train with a load of logs, a loaded log truck, and a tree being topped.
administrative files into compli Prickett that, while spending
should be watched, funds
ance for City employees.
It was an $835 digital cam could be transferred from other
era, however, that focused the areas.
A dedicated group of par the DIP support this emphasis. riculum Council, the school council’s frustration on the
Prickett also said that with
ents and staff has been work The student learning goal re principals and the district su mayor. Time was spent debat so many ongoing projects in
ing for over a year to finalize quires each student to be a perintendent composed the
ing the need for such an item, Banks, especially those related
the Vernonia School Improve competent and proficient read work group. It was also critical
which Deeth said cut the time to the City water system, it is
ment Plans (SIP) and District er. Additionally, the district cli that the plan be integrated
and expense involved in pro often impossible to know up
Improvement Plan (DIP). Their mate goal (the atmosphere across the curriculum and from
cessing film, and allowed vari front what the final costs will
work was completed and pre surrounding individual goals) is kindergarten through grade 12 ous City departments to obtain
be.
The previous DIP focused
sented to the school district for each student to be a pro
computer- and internet-ready
In February, the council
Board of Directors in May. The ductive, positive member of the on improvement of math images without scanning. He adopted a supplemental bud
board approved the plans as school and community. These scores on state benchmark cited several recent uses to get to cover a $36,000 short
working draft plans that will goals and the DIP are being tests. This new plan focuses on which the camera had been fall.
continue to evolve. The DIP used in designing improve two goals. First, it recognizes put.
Meanwhile, the council has
and SIP are required as part of ments in the instructional pro reading as a critical, life-long
continued
to allocate funds for
Councilors Norma Stewart
the state-adopted education re gram, developing the master skill. Improvements in the and Dana Campbell insisted pet projects, such as decora
form, and are essential to fu schedule and implementing the school climate, such as partici that a suitable but less expen tions and landscaping and has,
ture efforts to secure grant Certificate of Initial Mastery re pation in activities and citizen sive camera might have been against the advice of City Plan
ship, are the second focus. The
quired of each student.
funds.
purchased. Deeth responded ner K.J. Won, continued with
An important part in the de plan is designed to improve
The district goals and school
that this was the best option in the costly 20-year Comprehen
goals intertwine and are mutu velopment of these plans was student achievement across all a camera that contained a flop sive Plan that is no longer re
ally supportive. One goal the involvement of a broad- subject areas including music py disk that could be inserted quired for a city the size of
adopted by the school board is based group of parents, stu and mathematics.
into a computer without addi Banks. Won said at the March
The DIP is a combination of
to provide an atmosphere that dents and staff. The Site Coun
City Council meeting that
tional hardware.
focuses on student learning cils at Washington Grade the two SIPs with some addi
Additionally, Deeth main Banks could qualify for techni-
and achievement in all pro School and Vernonia High tional inform ation about the
Please see page 2
tained, a certain level of quality
Please see page 3
grams. The goals selected for School, members of the Cur-
By Judy Hill
Hard work, dedication = SIP and DIP