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The INDEPENDENT, September 20, 2000
Citizens responded, 47J
board must do their job
Something remarkable happened this month when
the Vernonia School District asked for applicants for
two vacant school board positions. Not only were there
applicants, there were nine citizens who expressed
both the willingness and desire to accept responsibili
ty for these unpaid positions.
Before the interviews started, one applicant with
drew because of job changes and another missed the
interview because she is an emergency medical tech
nician and was on an ambulance call. That still left a
pool of seven applicants but, at that point, the 47J
board looked like they were trying to act out the mean
ing of the word “dysfunctional.”
Following the interview process, the board used a
numerical system to rank the applicants. One person
easily came out on top, with two others close behind.
None of that mattered once they actually had to vote.
Five board members were at the meeting and at
least four of them must agree in order to take any ac
tion. The first ballot, for Leslie O’Leary, was 2 yes, 2
no, one abstain. The second ballot, for Jim Krahn, was
2 yes, 3 no. The third ballot, for Schann Nelson, was 3
yes, 2 no. The fourth ballot, for O’Leary, was 3 yes, 2
no. The fifth ballot, for O’Leary, was 3 yes, 2 no.
At this point, there was a motion to table the ap
pointment until the October meeting; 3 yes, 2 no.
Sixth ballot, for Krahn, 2 yes, 2 no, 1 abstain.
Finally, they approved a second effort to postpone
the appointment until October.
It is now abundantly clear that two more directors
are desperately needed. What isn’t clear, is whether
the board can reach agreement.
How about acting out the meaning of the word “com
promise?”
City now has vacancy on
the Planning Commission
Measures coming up on the ballot in
the November 7, 2000 General Election
By Noni Andersen
Because of the number of
ballot measures facing voters
in the general election, The IN
DEPENDENT will start review
ing them now.
MEASURE 83, CONSTITU
TIONAL AMENDMENT
-
Would increase by about $50
million per biennium the
amount for veterans home and
farm loans by changing lan
guage for eligibility. Primarily,
the change eliminates lan
guage that no longer applies,
such as requiring that active
duty include service between
Sept. 15, 1940 and Dec. 31,
1976. The additional funds
would come from the issuance
of bonds.
We recommend a YES vote
on Measure 83.
sop County. Statewide mea
sure, but it applies only to ur
ban areas.
Measure 85, no recommen
dation.
MEASURE 86, CONSTITU
TIONAL AMENDMENT
-
Would place the “kicker” law for
refunding general fund rev
enues to taxpayers, which is
now a statute, into the constitu
tion; no other changes. Ore
gon’s poor Constitution is going
to develop fallen arches if the
trend continues to add every
thing to it that can be ade
quately covered by statute.
This amendment is not need
ed.
We recommend a NO vote
on Measure 86.
MEASURE 87, CONSTITU
TIONAL AMENDMENT
-
Would allow zoning of sexually
oriented businesses without
having to show threatened or
actual harm to the neighbor
hood. We don’t think sexually
oriented businesses should be
allowed near schools or in res
idential districts; aside from
that, where should they be al
lowed? The business isn’t ille
gal so what is the intent of this
measure and how would it
work? Where would the sexu
ally oriented business zone be
established? What are the cri
teria?
Without specifics, we rec
ommend a NO vote on Mea
sure 87.
MEASURE 84, CONSTU-
Another important volunteer position is open, this TIONAL AMENDMENT -
time in city government. Volunteer applicants are Would continue the require
ment that state government
needed for a position on the Vernonia Planning Com pay local governments for
mission.
costs of new state-mandated
The planning commission is an advisory board to operations. In truth, there are
the City Council and, in that capacity, often sees the huge costs to local government
results of ordinance compliance or non-compliance that are the result of federal
and state mandates, and which
before the council is aware of a particular situation. Ap are paid by local government
plications for variances and non-conforming uses go to (that is local taxpayers). Insofar
the planning commission. As the name implies, there as this is of some help to local
governments, it should be re
is a lot of planning involved, also.
For anyone with concerns about the direction of tained.
Recommend a YES vote on
growth in the community, there is no better position to Measure 84.
learn the ins and outs of what can and can’t be done.
MEASURE 85, CONSTITU
Interested citizens may send a statement of interest TIONAL AMENDMENT -
MEASURE 88 - Will review
with a brief description of their qualifications. Applica changes population and mini
mum
area
requirements
for
for
this at a later date in conjunc
tions must be received in City Hall no later than Oct.
mation of new counties, reduc tion with MEASURE 91.
13, 2000. For more information, call city Planner Julie ing the geographic area but in
Coontz at 429-5291.
creasing the minimum popula
MEASURE 89 - Would ded
tion. It is unlikely that it could icate earnings from tobacco
apply to Western Washington settlement proceeds to speci
Oct. 17 is the last day to register
County, and it doesn’t apply to fied health, housing and trans
for the Nov. 7 General Election.
any part of Columbia or Clat portation needs, including el
derly and disabled transporta
tion. As good as this sounds,
we think it is the wrong way to
use the funds. The settlement
is for measurable public health
costs resulting from tobacco
use; it should be used for the
Oregon Health Plan and tobac
co prevention programs, noth
ing else, or it will end up being
spread all over the map of so
cial services.
Recommend a NO vote on
Measure 89.
MEASURE 92 and MEA
SURE 98, are two faces of the
same coin. They both are de
signed to weaken the collective
strength of public employee
unions.
MEASURE 92, CONSTITU
TIONAL
AMENDMENT
-
Would prohibit payroll deduc
tions for “political purposes”
without specific written autho
rization by each individual em
ployee. For the purpose of this
measure, deductions would be
used for political purposes if
any portion is spent directly or
indirectly on contributions, lob
bying, ballot measures or initia
tives. In other words, if a letter
went to a campaign committee
or political party and the stamp
was paid for with union funds,
that would be a violation.
Not only is this ridiculous, if
it passes it’s a good candidate
to fail judicial review, which
would only cost us (the taxpay
ers) to defend it. Unions cannot
require political contributions
and the U.S. Supreme Court
has made some pretty strong
rulings regarding the role of
payroll contributions and free
speech.
MEASURE 98 WILL HAVE
TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT IS
SUE, OCTOBER 4TH.