i he INDEPENDENT, May 16,2002
Page 3
Lattars to the Editor
Author is pleasantly
surprised by library
To the Editor:
Last month, I was invited by
Mrs. Nancy Burch to come and
speak about writing and the
writer’s life at your library there
in Vernonia. I am not a public
speaker, I explained, but am
rather a story teller. But I do
feel passionately about my
work and about writing in gen
eral, and so I accepted.
I arrived on Saturday, April 6,
expecting to find the typical lit
tle country library. In general,
they are drab and ill-funded, if
not downright depressing. But
what a surprise I had waiting for
me. Your Vernonia Public Li
brary is without question the
finest library of its size that I’ve
ever visited. Such a facility
says a great deal about a com
munity.
Anyway, I would like to thank
the library staff (Nancy Burch
and Eldonna Williams are just
two of the names which come
to mind), as well as the crowd
of fifty or so local citizens who
came to listen, for the kind and
generous spirits they shared
with me that day. It was one of
the most pleasant and yet intel
ligently interactive afternoons
that I’ve spent in years.
I will not forget the adventur
ous stories and photos that
Mrs. Francis Lentz shared with
me depicting the days when
her husband gillnetted for
salmon in the swift tideland wa
ters of Alaska’s Bristol Bay,
working out,of a boat powered
by nothing more than a pair of
wooden oars and a canvas sail.
Most gratefully yours,
Spike Walker
Castle Rock, Washington
Positive approach is
better for signage
To the Editor:
Hello Vernonia
I’m sure we have all noticed
the park signs are up again.
Between tbe Bookends
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
More than one person has commented that
the new library must be a real pleasure to me.
That is a statement that is so true, but, not only
for me, but for library volunteers, for members of
organizations using the meeting room, for
youngsters using the computers, attending li
brary programs, and doing homework; and for
adults reading, using the computers, and visit
ing. The number of people using the library for
these purposes is not counted exactly, but is es
timated. This past week a call was received from
Oregon State Library Development seeking to
confirm that the number reported on last year’s
library statistics was correct. The caller wanted
to confirm that the number of library visits had in
creased from 3,000 in 1999-2000 to 7,000 in
2000-2001. That is not only true, but is a con
servative estimate. These figures show how
much the library is being used and what an as
set it is to the community.
The number of materials circulated is record
ed precisely and is a figure that is often used to
determine funding for libraries. Circulation for
these same two years increased from 12,420 to
16,099. It’s exciting to report that the month of
April, 2002, had the highest recorded circulation
that the library has seen to date. An amazing
number of 1,725 articles were checked out last
month. A library board member has offered to
graph the circulation of the past several years
and this will shortly be on display on the library’s
message board.
An activity that has been suggested for adults
in the community is a reading/discussion group.
The first book, The Pact, by Jodi Picoult, has
been chosen and will be discussed in late June.
Anyone interested in taking part in this book dis
cussion group should contact the library and ad
ditional copies of the book will be obtained.
Summer Reading plans are progressing for a
fun-filled series of activities revolving around the
theme of “Don’t Bug me. I’m Reading!” Sched
ules of programs are now available in the library.
Volunteers are still being recruited for Monday
mornings at 10:30. If you would like to help the
youth of the community while having some fun
yourself, please contact the library.
Jamboree weekend, with the Friends of the
Library Book Sale, is approaching. With that in
mind, the Friends will be accepting donations of
books on June 1, from 10-12 in the big building
next to Purvee’s Miniature Golf. Glenn Purvee
has generously granted the use of this building
for the book sale. Another date in July will be
designated for leaving books in this location. If
this is inconvenient, books may also be left at the
library during library hours.
New acquisitions include Fatal by Michael
Palmer, The Short Forever by Stuart Woods,
City of Bones by Michael Connelly, Sea Glass by
Anita Shreve, Dying to Please by Linda Howard,
Daddy’s Little Girt by Mary Higgins Clark, and of
course— The Shelters of Stone by Jean Auel.
The author that I would like to recommend this
month is Stephen White. White is a clinical psy
chologist who lives in Denver, Colorado. His pro
tagonist is Alan Gregory, who just happens to be
a clinical psychologist who also lives in Col
orado. White’s latest novel, Warning Signs, is a
suspenseful psychological thriller that keeps the
reader involved and will keep him/her thinking,
even after finishing the book. When Royal Peter
son, Boulder County District Attorney, is brutally
murdered by a bomb exploding in his home, it
soon becomes apparent to Gregory that his new
patient, Naomi Bigg, has information regarding
the bomb that killed Peterson. As Naomi further
reveals information regarding the individual re
sponsible for this killing and potentially others,
Gregory wrestles with his responsibility regard
ing doctor/patient confidentiality. Is his ethical
duty to his patient, or his moral obligation to the
community of more importance? I think you will
enjoy this new novel by Stephen White, as well
as his nine previous books with clinical psychol
ogist Alan Gregory.
Remember to mark your calendars with the
following dates and times:
Pre-school story time, Monday 10:30 a.m.
After school reading enrichment, Monday
3:30 p.m.
Friends of the Library, Tuesday, June 4, 7:00
p.m.
Vernonia Library 701 Weed Avenue
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tues., Thur. 2 p.m.-7 p.m.
Sat. 10a.m.-2p.m.
Not much has changed since
the first time around. They're
still big, they have nice paint.
The graphics are real sharp
and they are definitely notice
able. I think surely one visiting
our town and our parks would
be better off knowing what to
do and where to go rather than
what hot to do and where not to
go. The signs are abrasive and
not inviting. “Welcome” to our
parks would be a great start.
Sincerely,
Ron Wright
Vernonia
Candidate questions
county government
To the Editor:
As a US Marine, I was
taught that just because every
one is doing something doesn’t
make it right. But, just because
no one is doing something
doesn’t make it wrong.
First, I would ask you, the
citizen, the voter, the employer,
to read and compare letters to
the editor in each county paper
before forming an opinion, in
the future. Everyone is not
printing everything. And, as an
employer, you have the right to
hear the whole truth.
Paid employees of county
health have attacked me in re
cent months because of my
stance and that of the Constitu
tion party, concerning parental
rights. Last week, I was asked
by the opposition, if in my can
didacy, I have brought anything
else to the table. Funny you
should ask.
Why are County budget
meetings being held between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, and
not between 6 and 9 in the
evening when you, the working
public, the employers who pay
the bills, might attend?
While attending a county
budget meeting, I was charged
twenty-five dollars for a copy of
the non-adopted County bud
get; a 59-page document, un
bound and unwrapped. And
this, after being told that only
the press could obtain a copy.
Why?
For a document costing $25,
why is the county budget so
hard to understand for you, the
employer?
Our county commissioners
salary/benefits
exceeded
$80,000.00 last year, but they
felt they needed a raise. After
saying that PERS may bank
rupt the county, they got one.
Why?
Columbia county’s largest
non-renewable natural re
source is gravel. It is estimated
that aggregate gravel leaves
our county to the tune of nine
hundred truckloads per day to
the tri-county area. Why aren’t
our commissioners looking to
increase the gravel fees to
gravel buyers rather than our
property taxes again next fall?
Why don’t you, ‘the employ
er’, see property tax measures
for raising the commissioner’s
pay, or any one of the other in
creases in the budget other
than fire, police or schools? In
other words, how do they get
funding for pay raises if you
don’t vote for them?
And why were we not in
formed when we voted to build
a new county jail that the cost
would not include the cost of
running the jail?
Our county law enforcement
needs our backing, but why are
they the ones held before us
when the general funds wants
funding? It’s not fair to law en
forcement or to the citizens.
You, the voter, are the em
ployer. I am a businessman
who has had enough of fiscal
foolishness. You will be hiring
and firing next fall. I am apply
ing for the job of your County'
Commissioner.
Thank you for your time.
Joe Cason
St. Helens
Ed. note: The budget is a public
document and is available to any
one, but agencies may charge for
duplication.
Thanks for support
of carrier food drive
To the Editor:
The Vernonia Post Office
would like to thank all of the
Vernonia residents who con
tributed to the Letter Carrier
Food Drive on May 11, 2002.
All of the food and money col
lected went to the local Vernon
ia Cares Food Bank. That was
over 789 pounds of food with a
dollar value of over $2,000.
I want to recognize employ
ee Joann Glass for collecting
donations and especially Peter
O’Leary. Peter has done an ex
traordinary job of organizing
the food drive every year, and
collected almost all of the 789
pounds of can goods while
walking most of his delivery
route.
Sally Phillips
Vernonia Postmaster