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The INDEPENDENT, July 19, 2000
The
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, e-mail: noni@vernonia.com
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Opinion
77*446 flu w r
Grant awards are not
haphazard accidents
The state Recreation Trails Program awarded
$70,000 to Vernonia last month, to purchase the re
mainder of the Linear Trail extension from Anderson
Park to Lake Vernonia.
The Columbia County Board of Commissioners al
located $35,000 to pave the Linear Trail extension
from Anderson Park to Lake Vernonia.
The Northwest Oregon Economic Alliance awarded
$80,000 to Vernonia last week for infrastructure im
provements to the RV sites at Anderson Park.
Lucky? No, luck had nothing to do with the suc
cessful efforts to fund these improvements.
Vision is needed, of course, but vision alone won’t
bring results. Planning is absolutely crucial. It is need
ed to bridge the gap between dreams and reality. A
magnificent vision can be quickly destroyed by failing
to consider whether it is feasible. Vernonia’s under
standing of outdoor recreation as an element in eco
nomic development (and the trail as a practical way to
keep bikes and pedestrians off of Hwy. 47) eliminated
any dreaminess.
Another critical factor in seeking grants is the will
ingness of the applicant to demonstrate good faith.
So, how does an applicant demonstrate good faith?
The old-fashioned way, with money and work.
It is sometimes painful to read or listen to requests
for funding by an applicant that wants to have every
thing supplied. If an applicant doesn’t want to commit
funds or labor or materials, the application will usually
be unsuccessful. Vernonia hasn’t made that mistake.
The city has consistently found a way to provide some
sort of match. It sometimes takes creative efforts, but
with a good city administration, the commitment is
real.
Even when the funds involved are public money, the
people responsible for allocating it are more comfort
able when they see commitment on the part of the ap
plicant. That is the way it should be.
Thanks, Commissioners and NOEA
The Columbia County Board of Commissioners did
the right thing when they allocated $35,000 to pave
the linear trail extension. Chairman Tony Hyde and
Commissioners Jack Peterson and Rita Bernhard de
serve a public “Thank you.” Your action is appreciated.
Hyde also deserves thanks for his work on the
NOEA board. He is one of Columbia County’s three
members (Jeff VanNatta and Paul Pulliam are the oth
er two.), but this thanks includes all the NOEA board.
Council posts need candidates
It’s easy to complain about what “they” do; it’s easy
to sit around and gripe. It isn’t easy to do the work re
quired of an unpaid city council member or mayor and,
sometimes, the grief that comes with these volunteer
positions is considerable.
Nevertheless, these positions are important and
they need candidates. If you are interested, stop in at
your city hall and get some information.
The satisfaction is even greater than the grief.
Improvements planned for city’s parks
For the past decade or
more, the parks in Vernonia
have taken a back seat to
much greater needs, particu
larly water and sewer infra
structure improvements. That
era is past, according to Pub
lic Works Director Robyn Bas
sett, and improvements are
being started.
In 1999, the city’s Parks
System Master Plan was com
pleted. This required the ef
forts of community volunteers
as well as city staff. The vol
unteer Parks Committee used
specific criteria to evaluate
each park and provided rec
ommendations to improve
conditions of current uses
and facilities within the sys
tem.
Specific recommendations
resulting from the evaluation,
and incorporated in the im
provement plan are as follows:
Hawkins Park - Beautifica
tion of the swimming pool area
(this is already well on the way
to completion); develop addi
tional parking for park users.
Airport Park - Clear brush
and thin trees on east side of
park to provide additional
primitive camp sites (Bid has
been awarded for thinning
trees.); construct fire pits at
designated camp sites; repair
and provide access to all
camp sites; develop a hand
pump potable well.
Ora Bolmeier Park - Clear
specific trees and underbrush
to allow more natural light into
the park (Bid has been award
ed for removing trees.); create
viewing locations with bench
es; remove stumps at play
area to increase the size of
the basketball court; provide
new play equipment; improve
the paths and existing trail
system.
Anderson Park - Comple
tion of Linear Trail Extension
from Anderson Park to Lake
Vernonia (now funded and
should start this year); up
grade
infrastructure (water,
sewer and electricity); build
new ADA accessible re
strooms with showers, and a
multi-use facility including a
picnic shelter with cooking fa
cilities. (See related article on
page one for RV parking im
provements.)
Shay Park - Construct a
shelter for the Shay 102 En
gine, remove chain link fence
and provide a gathering place
with gazebo and benches;
erect an information kiosk with
the history of Shay 102 and a
directory of local businesses.
It would also be designated as
a memorial park.
Lake Vernonia - Expand
parking for users; create prim
itive camping between the
NOEA grants in tri-county area
From page 1
$7,500;
• Astoria Trolley Barn;
$50,000;
• Columbia River Crabbing &
Fishing Pier, $50,000;
• Liberty Theater Thrust
Stage, $50,650;
• Seaside Museum Mural,
$3,125;
• Pacific City Beautification,
$20,000,
• Tillamook Coastal Water-
shed
Resource
Center,
$30,000;
• Cart’M Recycling Project,
$42,000
• N. Tillamook Community
Center, $30,000;
• Tillamook County Commu
nity Clusters, $30,000;
• Tillamook County Fair
grounds Renovations, $35,000
• Tillamook County Futures
Council, $5,000;
• Regional Telecommunica
tions Planning, $25,000.
lake and the Nehalem River
on the east side of the lake;
construct ADA accessible fish
ing piers (This is now funded
and work should be underway
soon.); acquire and improve
existing boat ramp (the west
side of the lake is still in pri
vate ownership although it is
regularly used by the public.);
erect a kiosk to house the his
tory of the Oregon-American
Lumber Company mill opera
tion.
Spencer Park - Construct
a multi-use sports field that in
cludes two baseball/softball
diamonds, with the field area
between them designated for
other activities such as soccer
and football.
Improvements to Vernon
ia’s Parks System have oc
curred primarily through the
efforts of dedicated citizens
from Vernonia and throughout
the area. They have commit
ted time, equipment and mon
ey. The horse arena in Ander
son Park is a particularly good
example of the community’s
dedication to outdoor recre
ation.
In the case of the Parks
System, volunteers' efforts are
more valuable than they may
know because no property tax
monies are included in the
Parks budget. Actual revenue
derives entirely from overnight
camping fees collected at An
derson Park, and should im
prove when bathroom/shower,
picnic and cooking facilities
are upgraded.
Anyone
with
quesions
about the parks plan, or who
may be interested in volun
teering for a park project
should contact Bassett at 429-
6921.
A copy of the Vernonia
Parks Master Plan is available
for review at City Hall during
regular working hours.