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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2002)
Vol. 17, No. 12 “ Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley” June 20, 2002 City adopts marketing slogan Adoption of a marketing slo gan for the City of Vernonia and a touching presentation to Ver nonia Police Chief Jim Walters were highlights of the June 17 council meeting. Council also awarded a paving contract and set dates for several meetings or workshops. Discover Vernonia...Forests, Parks, Trails & Streams! The slogan above was adopted by the City Council and will start appearing on pro motional materials - brochures, videos, web site, etc. - as they are developed. The presentation to Chief Walters had its roots in a trip by local kids to Washington, D.C. Among the parents who went with the DC Kids were Mike Hayes and Chris Cota. While visiting the memorial honoring police officers who died in the line of duty, Chris Cota realized that the name of Vernonia’s late police chief, Ray Garcia, was included. While Cota was doing a “rubbing” of Garcia’s name on the memorial, Hayes took pho tos of him and the memorial. After returning home, they mounted several photos in one frame for the presentation to Walters, who was a reserve of ficer under Garcia. Helping with the presentation were Mike and School board formally adopts budget Retiring Superintendent Lar- / McClellan attended his 260th chool board meeting June 3th, with most of the board’s me spent dealing with a vari- ty of financial issues. McClel- in’s final report to the board in- luded an update on the work f the staff committee looking t the impact of multiple coach- ig assignments on the teach- ig curriculum. The committee las expanded the scope and /ill also collect information on iow athletic/activities programs upport the instructional pro- iram. They will bring a report ind proposal to the board in March. McClellan also told the board that the district liability in surance, previously renewed somewhat automatically with out changes, would increase 30 percent. The new superin tendent, Mike Funderburg, will be exploring options to reduce the cost and still provide the district with adequate liability coverage. The board formally accepted donations totaling $22,832, that were received throughout the current fiscal year. Local busi nesses and community mem bers donated over $5,400 for athletic programs, and more than $6,000 for the purchase of risers. Donations for technolo gy were more than $5,700, with a $5,000 grant from the Gates Foundation and the remainder in cash and equipment donated by the community. The balance of the donations, $5,684 was from local people and busi nesses and United Way of Co lumbia County. With exception of three posi tions, the board approved ad ministrative and confidential employees salaries at their pre sent rate. In lieu of a raise or a cost of living adjustment (COLA), Please see page 2 Collin Hayes, Chris, Kala and Kristin Cota, and Bryan Budge. A contract for paving and up grading a loop off of Bridge Street was awarded to Brix Paving Co. of Tualatin. The portions of Madison and Jeffer son Avenues north of Bridge St., will be improved along with Shady Lane, which runs be tween the two. The following meetings will be held: • Council will hold a work shop and tour the city’s waste- water facility at 5:30 p.m. on July 8th (No meeting on July 1st.). The public is welcome. Council meeting will follow. • Town Hall meeting July 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers for discussion of op tions for the historical museum. This meeting is being called by local members of the Historical Society. • Town Hall meeting to ex plain the city's water curtail ment plan is set for Aug. 5 at a time to be announced later. Enjoy July 4th in Vernonia Parade 7:30 P.m. Register at City Half Boosters BBQ 6 pm Cotton Candy. Popcorn, etc. Between V H S & W C S Fireworks Display at dusk Brine blankets. Spread out. relax and enjoy an Old-fashioned 4th! Interim superintendent takes responsibility at first of July Monday, July 1, will be Mike Funderburg’s first day as su perintendent of Administrative School District 47J, more popu larly known as Vernonia School District. Funderburg has spent the past two years as superinten dent at Culver, a long commute from his home in St. Helens. Prior to that, he was principal for two years at 650 student Scappoose High School and for five years at Sandy High School, where 1200 students are enrolled. Culver, with about 600 stu dents from kindergarten through 12th grade, was Fun- derburg's first exposure to op erating in a small school dis trict, and he was hooked. “I like the small K-12 school district,” Funderburg said. “I can rea.ly get to know the stu dents and the community. Peo ple will see me in the schools,” he said with a smile. A native of Ashland, Funder burg graduated from Eagle Point High School. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s de grees in secondary education at Southern Oregon University. Mike Funderburg Funderburg has been mar ried to his high school sweet heart for 33 years. Their son teaches engineering in Japan, and their daughter teaches health at Sandy High School. The Funderburgs also have two grandchildren.
