Nelson, Levenseller selected to fill 47 J vacancies
Vernonia School District
Board of Directors is again at
full strength with the appoint
ment last week of Schann Nel
son and Cari Levenseller to the
remaining vacancies. With
Leslie O'Leary, who was ap
pointed in October, remaining
board members are Chairman
Jeff Blum, Vice-Chair Carla
Fall Band Concert
Nov. 16, 7:00 p.m.
VHS Gym
Strand, Tim Titus and Kim Tier
ney.
Nelson, a long-time resident
of Vernonia, is an active
school volunteer and presently
chairs the Vernonia High
School Site Council. She has
one daughter who has graduat
ed from Vernonia High School,
another who is a freshman and
a third who is taking her junior
year in North Carolina.
A comparative newcomer,
Levenseller has lived in Ver
nonia for two years. She has
three children in school and
two who will soon be enrolled
in school.
In addition to Nelson and
Levenseller, applicants for the
board vacancies were Jim
Krahn, Tera Roberts, Chad Sul-
loway, Melissa Gritz, Pete
Brock, Lisa Fredenberg and
Becky Johnston.
The
board
approved
changes in the district policy
governing admission of ex
change students. Dates and
schedules in the previous poli-
cy were confusing and created
some misunderstandings. The
district will still accept a maxi
mum of six exchange students
in any one semester. Addition
ally, a procedure has been set
by which exchange programs
may apply for recognition. Al
ready recognized are the
American Scandinavian Stu
dent Exchange (ASSE) and
American Field Service (AFS).
To obtain a copy of the policy,
contact the district office at
503-429-5891.
Postmaster
appointed..pg. 4
BHS adds
Driver
Training....pg. 10
P.E.O. takes a
look at its
scholarships
........... P 9-12
BULK RATE
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Vernonia, OR 97064
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Voters pick Hyde,
Corsiglia, Leonetti
Punk. Rotten & Nastv
f
INSIDE:
- -
Columbia County Commis
sioner Tony Hyde overcame an
early lead by Democrat chal
lenger Shawna Sykes to retain
his seat for a second term.
Sykes, of Scappoose, gar
nered 39 percent of the votes
cast in the three-way race for
Position 3. Hyde, a Vernonia
Republican, received 43 per
cent of the ballots. Constitution
Party candidate Wayne Mayo,
of St. Helens, captured 18 per
cent.
St. Helens Democrat Joe
Corsiglia led from the begin
ning and easily outdistanced
his opponents, Scappoose Re
publican Scott Burge and Paul
Pulliam, an Independent from
St. Helens.
Final unofficial results in the
Vernonia Mayoral race show
Mario Leonetti with 385 votes
to Cindy Ball’s 379. The “Too
close to call” situation mirrored
national conditions and took al
most as long to determine the
winner.
Randy Parrow and Glen
Purvee were elected to the two
open council positions. Parrow
got the nod on 588 ballots and
Purvee on 334. A third candi
date, Charles Collins, received
199 votes.
All county-wide ballot mea
sures went down to defeat -
levies for the county fair and
county parks, and a measure
to increase the depletion fee
on gravel extraction.
Vernonia Council decides
to monitor court for now
The Vernonia City Council,
which has been considering
establishment of a Municipal
Court, has agreed to postpone
further plans, while directing
City Administrator Mike Sykes
to monitor the county Justice
Court for the next six months.
Council members and many
community members have ex
pressed dissatisfaction with
Justice of the Peace Rod
McLean, who was unopposed
for re-election to a second
term. The primary concern ap
No, we’re not speaking of author Paul Clock, pictured here on a trestle crossing Hwy.
pears to be the perception that
47 south of Vernonia, but of his book, Punk, Rotten & Nasty, The Saga of Pacific Rail
McLean makes inadequate
way & Navigation Co., which once used the trestle. For more information on this Hills
drug and alcohol referrals to
boro to Tillamook rail line, please see page 13.
Columbia Community Mental
Health, resulting in the transfer
of a well-liked counselor and
the potential loss of a much
Ryan Birr led the field of five and Brendan Warren, 116, fill the vacancy left by the res needed service. McLean says
ignation of Mayor Raymond that he can’t make referrals at
candidates for three positions completed the field.
In a sort of musical chairs, Deeth. In January, Birr and the all, but can only require that
on the Banks City Council, with
275 votes. Ten Branstitre was Birr will be sworn in at the De other councilor-electees will defendants be evaluated.
Two additional factors con
second with 247, followed cember Council meeting to fill take their own positions, as will
closely by Kathleen Murdoch at the vacancy left by Robert Or- Orlowski, who was the sole tribute to the council’s hesita
tion. One is the cost of operat
242. Jeannette Garnsey, 208, lowski, who was appointed to candidate for mayor.
Three elected to
anks City Council
ing a court, even if it just for
traffic offenses. If the city es
tablished a court at this time, it
would have to take operating
capital from its Contingency
Fund, which is already inade
quate in case of a major emer
gency. Postponing the decision
allows time to budget for a court
in the next fiscal year, if the
council deems it appropriate.
The
second factor is
whether residents would be ill-
served by having to go to St.
Helens for everything except
minor traffic offenses. There is
no adequate public transporta
tion between Vernonia and St.
Helens because Colco Trans
portation can make the trip just
once weekly. One reason for
the establishment of the Jus
tice Court was to eliminate that
problem.
The next council meeting,
on Nov. 20, will be preceded by
a 6:00 p.m. hearing on a re
quest for annexation of 32-plus
acres.