The INDEPENDENT, February 21, 2001
Page 3
Letters to the Editor
Retain present 47J
board members
To the Editor:
Having attended the forum
for School Board candidates
last week, I was impressed by
the caliber of all those who are
running. But it seems a shame
not to allow the present board,
with their new appointees, to
have the opportunity for suc
cess.
The appointees each have
their strengths and interests to
bring to the table. Leslie
O’Leary brings valuable finan
cial background, Cari Lev-
enseller is actively seeking ad
ditional grant money for the
district, Schann Nelson is mon
itoring and lobbying in Salem,
and Jeff Blum brings valuable
contruction experience impor
tant for long range facility plan
ning. These incumbents should
certainly be elected so they
can continue their efforts.
Kathy Denckla
Vernonia
O’Leary good choice
for school board
To the Editor:
I would like to take this op
portunity to encourage Vernon
ia School District residents to
vote for Leslie O’Leary for
school board. Over the past
five years, I’ve had the
plea
sure of getting to know Leslie
and her family. She is an indi
vidual who always goes the ex
tra mile to support family,
friends and community mem
bers in need. She continually
demonstrates a genuine com
mitment to all that she
be
lieves in.
Leslie was appointed to the
board last fall and has just
started to get he momentum
going. I feel that Leslie’s
en
ergy and enthusiasm,
cou
pled with her analytical ability,
give her the skills to be an ex
cellent board member. I am
certain that, if she is given the
opportunity to continue on the
school board, the district will be
well served.
Please join me in voting for
Leslie O’Leary for Vernonia
School Board Position 4 and
ensure a positive future for our
educational district.
Dana Hyde
Vernonia
Nelson, incumbents
serve schools well
To the Editor:
In the upcoming school
board election, we would like to
recommend Schann Nelson for
Vernonia School board Posi
tion #1. Schann was recently
appointed to the school board
and with her past experience
with different school activities
and committees, we would rec
ommend that she continue to
fill that position.
Having three daughters
in
the school system, Schann has
been active with the
site
council, PCC advisory commit
tee, the district budget commit
tee and has become familiar
with a broad range of school
operations.
She has no axes to grind
with the school district and her
concern is maintaining and im
proving educational opportuni
ties for all the students.
We would also like to
rec
ommend, along with the school
board members returning, the
following candidates: Leslie
O’Leary, Jeff Blum and Cari
Levenseller. This would be a
well balanced group of people
who can serve this community
well, with open minds and hard
work, to make our school dis
trict the best it can be.
Ralph & Carolyn Keasey
Vernonia
Current school board
is doing a good job
To the Editor:
As a Vernonia School Board
member who is not seeking re-
election, I am asking you to
vote for four current school
board members - Jeff Blum,
Cari Levenseller, Leslie O’Leary
and Schann Nelson.
The current school board
members are dedicated and
committed. In the last four
years I have learned what it
takes to become a contributing
school board member. I have
chosen not to run again be
cause it is exhausting and time
consuming. For most of us, it
includes a board meeting and a
workshop each month, some
weekend trainings, additional
research, preparation for board
meetings and weekly budget
committee meetings during
May and June. In addition,
there is work on special com
mittees. Being a dedicated
school board member requires
this kind of committment.
Jeff Blum is a proven leader.
He has chaired the school
board twice in the last five
years. He facilitates fairness
and teamwork. He brings finan
cial and construction expertise.
He has played an active role in
bargaining and contracts. He is
committed to long range plan
ning and improving district op
erations. He is also an active
sports father, regularly driving
the cheerleading bus to and
from games.
Cari Levenseller was ap
pointed to the board this fall.
She is co-chair of the grade
school site council and a class
room volunteer. She has been
doing outside research to find
grants and increase funding for
our school. Her other key areas
of interest and expertise are
special education and class
room improvement.
Leslie O’Leary is also a
classroom volunteer. She has
a strong budget and technolo
gy background. Since moving
to the district, she worked for
the city as the financial director.
Before being appointed to the
school board this fall, Leslie
dedicated over 50 hours to au
diting district financial records
and implementing accounting
systems. Her special interests
are technology and classroom
size and management.
Schann Nelson has been
active on the school site coun
cils for seven years. She has
been involved in developing
the school improvement plan
and teacher in-service train
ings. She is on the PCC advi
sory committee and has been
working to develop more activ
ities between PCC and the Ver
Batwaan the Bookends
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
Do you know Oregon’s state song, bird,
dance, insect, and tree?
Can you remember the date of the first Tillam
ook Burn, the eruption of Mount St. Helens, Ore
gon’s admission as a state, or the introduction of
the bottle bill?
Are you aware that six-time national rodeo
champion Larry Mahan is a native of Brooks;
that Oregon’s largest vineyard is in Dilley; that
the movie “Mr. Holland’s Opus” was filmed at
Grant High School, or that five Oregonians won
gold medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in
Atlanta?
Do you know the story behind the ghost in the
Umatilla County Library, the haunted lighthouse
in Yaquina Bay State Park, the Conser Lake
Monster, or the Ghost Ship at Bayocean?
Have you heard the tales of Oregon’s early
lawbreakers,' such as train robbers Hugh, Roy
and Ray DeAutremont; gunfighters Hank Vaugh
an and Jack Dalton; and of Oregon’s vigilante
days?
’‘ “
Have you explored such unique events as the
annual Chemult invitational Sled Dog Races or
Rock Creek’s draft-horse plowing exhibition?
Have you read novels by Jean Auel, April Henry,
Philip Margolin, Beverly Cleary, Ursula Le Guin,
or Kate Wilhelm?
Books answering these questions and written
by these and more Oregon authors may be
found in the Oregon/Northwest section in the li
brary. The theme chosen by Oregon Public Li
brary Directors for 2001 is “Literature and Pub
lishing," particularly about the Pacific Northwest
and written by Pacific Northwest authors, espe
cially those from Oregon. With that in mind,
watch for materials from Oregon/Northwest au
thors and about the Pacific Northwest to be
highlighted throughout the year.
Vernonia Library 701 Weed Avenue
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tues., Thur. 2 p.m.-7 p.m.
Sat 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Preschool Story Time, Mondays, 10:30 a.m.
Phone: (503)429-1818
nonia School District. She has
now taken on the awesome
task, of Legislative representa
tive for our school district. She
has been meeting with legisla
tors and keeping up on legisla
tion affecting our schools.
The current school board is
diverse and doesn’t always
agree, but we do believe in set
ting a positive direction toward
academic excellence. We are
focused on meeting the needs
of our children, facilities im
provement, improving special
education services and com
munication with the community.
Continuity and commitment
are important. Please join me
in voting for Jeff Blum, Cari
Levenseller, Leslie O’Leary
and Schann Nelson for school
board.
Kim Tierney
Vernonia School Board
V
Owners must control
dogs at the lake
To the Editor:
The day the new docks ar
rived for Vernonia Lake, my
son, husband and myself went
down to watch them being un
loaded. While we were there,
we observed a lot of dog feces
on the blacktop and the ground
adjacent to the path.
Later, when walking from
one dock to the other, 80 piles
of dog feces were counted.
There is a leash law, and if
people observed the law, they
could control where their dog
went, better yet, clean it up.
In another couple of months,
they will be stocking the lake
with fish and many families will
be using the lake and spread
ing their blankets out to picnic.
Please take your dog out
away from the path and not
turn our wonderful lake into a
doggie restroom, “and if you
think your dog’s doesn’t stink,
just try stepping in it.’’
Hopefully this situation can
be corrected, making a walk
around the lake a pleasant ex
perience for everyone.
DeLoris Webb
Vernonia
Brock seeks seat on
47J school board
To the Editor:
I am Peter Brock, and I am
running for Position 5 on the
Vernonia School Board. I am
doing this for several reasons.
First, I have three children in
the school district. I have
at
tended many board meetings
over the past few years and
have been continually disap
pointed in the lack of leader
ship demonstrated by the
board and by the Administra
tion. I realize that we are facing
funding problems, but so is
every other district in Oregon. I
don’t pretend to have all the
answers, but I know that an
swers only come when the
right questions are asked. For
instance, if the teachers were
willing to forego part of their
raise in order to buy text books,
why were the administrators
given their raises?
Another major problem in
this district is the last of com
munication between the board
and administration with the
public. Letters are sent by par
ents that are ignored and never
responded to by the board of
administration. Problems are
brought up at board meetings
that are never discussed or ad
dressed. It has become an in
tolerable situation.
Many of the same issues
facing Vernonia are being dealt
with by districts all over the
country with varying
de
grees of success. Alternatives
need to be seriously explored
and not discarded out of hand
just because they are different.
The safety and well-being of
students and staff must be the
top priority. We need an envi
ronment where the public feels
it can ask questions and offer
suggestions without being ig
nored. The staff should feel it
can bring concerns before the
board and administration with
out fear of retribution.
Communication is the key to
all relationships, including the
school board, the administra
tion and the community. If
elected, I will strive to improve
this communication. Certainly,
people are elected or appoint
ed to positions based on their
expertise and abilities. Howev
er, no one is infallible. Our gov
ernment works under s system
of checks and balances. It is
time to return these checks and
balances to our school district.
Peter Brock
Vernonia
O ’Leary for Vernon
ia School Board
To the Editor:
For the past three years,
Gwin and Sons Logging Co.
has had the pleasure of having
Leslie O’Leary working in our
office. While her financial ac
counting background included
graduating from college with
honors and excellent recom
mendations, she exceeded all
expectations and we have ben
efited greatly from her unparal
leled capability, thoughtfulness
and efficiency. Continuously,
she has proven her ability in
handling complex issues in all
manners of business including
payroll, accounting, benefits
and insurance.
Leslie has the rare ability not
to just shoot from the hip, even
on topics she is well versed in,
but will listen and evaluate dif
ferent viewpoints and respond
with well-thought-out opinions
in a non-confrontational man
ner. I know that our company,
subcontractors and vendors
have been lucky to have some
one with such dedication and
skill working in our business.
I strongly urge you to sup
port Leslie O’Leary in her run
for the Vernonia School Board.
Her ability, financial experience
and commitment as a parent
make her an outstanding
school board candidate as the
Vernonia School District faces
tough funding issues ahead.
Sincerely,
Matt Chesley
Vernonia