The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current, August 01, 2002, Image 1

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Voi. 17, No. 15
Attn: Leslie Larson
UO Library-O M P
1299 University Of Oregon
Eugene OR 97403-1299
c
*-L.
‘Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley’
August 1, 2002
Friendship Jamboree
ready for 46th year
Job training...
Training, paving get job done together
Superintendent Mike Fun-
derburg called a special, 7:30
a.m. meeting of the board of di­
rectors for the Vernonia School
District on July 23 to discuss
getting the district and high
school parking lots paved at a
greatly reduced cost. Working
in cooperation with the City of
Vernonia and the Oregon De­
partm ent of Transportation
(ODOT), Funderburg told the
board that the job could be
completed for approximately 20
percent of the cost of bidding
out a contract. This project
would also be a great way to
show the community that the
district's m anagem ent and
board can take care of existing
PRESORTED STANDARD
U S . P o s ta g e P a id
V e rn o n ia , O R 9 7 0 6 4
buildings and make the facility
look good, according to Fun­
derburg.
Though
board
member
Leslie O ’Leary expressed con­
cern about moving ahead with
a capital project without a long-
range plan in place, the board
unanimously approved the pro­
ject.
John Lewis, the district’s
new maintenance supervisor, a
city employee and ODOT per­
sonnel used the paving project
as a training exercise. This will
enable both the district and the
city to borrow paving equip­
ment from ODOT for small
paving projects in the future.
Funderburg, too, was working
alongside city and ODOT em­
ployees.
Because the project was
used as a training exercise, the
district will be able to complete
it for under $25,000. The dis­
trict parking lot and the high
school parking lot were graded
and repaved. The parking lot
east of W ashington Grade
School was graded and excess
paving material was used to fill
pot-holes in that lot and behind
the grade school. The work
was done early this week so it
would be com pleted before
Jamboree.
Robyn Basset, Director of
P u b lic W orks fo r the C ity of
Please see page 9
This year, the traditional re­
union of former Vernonia resi­
dents and the gathering of
newcomers is well underway
before the Friendship Jam ­
boree even gets started. The
population
has
noticeably
swollen and a celebratory at­
mosphere filled the air at least
two days before any event
started.
Starting with the kids’ fishing
derby on Friday and ending
with the logging show on Sun­
day, there will be enough activ­
ities and events to keep every­
one busy August 2, 3 and 4.
The fishing derby attracts 70
to 100 young anglers, through
the age of 14, and volunteers
with the local chapter of the
Izaak Walton League see to it
that no youngster leaves w ith­
out something good to remember.
Participants start gathering
early Saturday morning for the
parade and the car show, and
many of the softball players ar­
rive a day or two before Jam ­
boree starts. The parade will
get underway at 11:00 a.m. on
Saturday, going east on Bridge
Street from City Hall.
The car show on the lawn
between Vernonia High School
and Washington Grade School,
Jamboree Cruisin,’ will be busy
until late afternoon with people
enjoying the cars, the 50s-60s
rock music of the Bouncing
Baby Boomers, and the Booster
Club’s barbecued hamburgers.
In addition to the softball
tournam ent that continues
throughout the weekend, musi­
cians hit the Alternative Stage
on Friday evening and continue
through Sunday afternoon. The
outdoor Stage is behind the
Lyon’s Den and the old theater,
a half block off Bridge Street,
and brings in an eclectic gath­
ering of musical styles and
genres. Spectators can relax
on the lawn or get up and
dance, and it’s all free.
Also underway throughout
the weekend is the Nehalem
River Rendezvous, a gathering
of black powder, muzzle load­
ing devotees. Their encamp­
ment on Stoney Point Road,
about 2-1/2 miles out of town,
is open so spectators can enjoy
a trip to an earlier time, too.
More on Jamboree on
page 2
Water curtailment
is Town Hall topic
Water curtailment during
times of drought will be the
topic of a Town Hall meeting
on Monday, August 5 at 6:30
p.m. in Vernonia City Hall.
Following the discussion,
the Vernonia City Council will
convene
their
regularly
scheduled meeting.
Filing deadline nears for City Council
Anyone interested in elec­
tion to mayor or a city council
position must complete the pa­
per work by 5:00 p.m., Aug. 27.
Three Vernonia positions will
be open. The mayor’s term,
presently held by Cindy Ball, is
for two years. Council positions
are for four years. Two council
positions, currently held by
Shirlee Daughtrey and Brett
Costley, will be on the ballot.
The Vernonia City Council
last month appointed Costley to
fill the remaining term of Ball,
who was council president
when form er Mayor Mario
Leonetti resigned. The council
unanim ously chose Ball to
complete the vacated mayoral
term, leaving her council posi­
tion open. Daughtrey is com ­
pleting her full term.
Packets are available at City
Hall with information and in­
structions. The positions will be
on the ballot for the November
General Election.