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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 2002)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, August 15, 2002____________________________________________________ ____ _________________ | Business W o t a s ... _________________ _ London will head W OEC directors, VanNatta will lead new board The 2002 W est O regon Electric Cooperative (WOEC) annual meeting was business as usual, with one exception on the board of directors. Randall Aultm an will suc ceed Joe Riley on the board of directors as the representative from District 3. Riley was un able to run for re-election due to a change in residence out- side the district. Aultman ran unopposed follow ing district nominating meetings, as did District 7 director David Hess. Both were elected to three-year terms. “We are sorry to see Joe leave the board,” said Robert VanNatta, outgoing board pres ident, “but we are pleased to have a candidate of the caliber Wilcox & Flegel will close for three days to complete paving The W ilcox & Flegel cardlock service will be closed August 23, 24 and 25, to com plete the paving needed for their new station and access roads. A diesel fuel truck will serve customers from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, and the cardlock will be open for full service early Monday, Aug. 26. “We want to express thanks and appreciation to our cus tomers for their patience during the construction process,” said Lori Barber, commercial sales manager for Wilcox & Flegel. “They’ve been really great.” More improvements are planned for the Vernonia property, but they will not interrupt customer service. ODF budget untouched thus far The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) budget emerged from the Oregon Leg islature untouched, according to an article by Ed Merriman for the Oregon Small W oodlands Association (OSWA) newslet ter. The article reports that OSWA lobbyist Kristina McNitt said that, since the ODF budg et reflected a five percent in crease over the previous bien nium, she had concerns that programs im portant to small woodland owners might be tar geted. However, since most of the funding for ODF programs is provided through industry fees or matching funds, like most natural resource agencies, ODF funding was not cut. Small woodland owners may be af fected by the shifting of $1 mil lion previously budgeted, to im plement a statewide pesticide reporting system as part of the backfill of the state’s budget deficit. According to McNitt, the program will be deferred until 2003. Woodland owners are re quired to file pesticide use re ports, just like farmers, and can do so electronically on the O re gon Department of Agriculture internet site. The ODF budget has also been affected by the busy fire season. Budget adjustm ents in the last special session includ- ed $8.3 million in federal grants and other funding for fire fight ing costs. Recent announce ments by Governor John Kit- shaber have indicated that the need for additional funds may be addressed in the upcoming special session. of Randy Aultman to take his place.” Aultman, a long-time Ver nonia resident, retired from a career in education, most re cently as principal of elemen tary schools in Vernonia. “These are challenging times in the power industry,” said Aultman. “ I look forward to helping find new ways to serve the membership and to keep rates as stable as possible." In other business, VanNatta reported on regional power supply issues, including an ex pected rate increase from the Bonneville Power Administra tion (BPA). “We don’t know what the BPA will do, but we don’t expect it to be as severe as the rate in crease last fall,” VanNatta said. “We will keep you informed as this unfolds.” WOEC Chief Financial Offi cer Royce Hagelstein reported that, despite the sharp increase in wholesale power costs last year, the cooperative was able to maintain a strong financial position, primarily due to the re ceipt of funds from a prior set tlement with Portland General Electric. “ If it weren’t for those funds, we would have seen a small operating loss due to power supply costs," reported Hagel- Vernonia summer water rates in effect Summer water rates for City of Vernonia water consumers went into effect July 1, 2002, but will not be reflected on wa ter billings until the end of Au- gust. Summer rates, which were adopted last year in an effort to promote w ater conservation, will apply through September. B A C K -T O -S C IIO O L Oak Student Roll Top Desk slate of officers for the coming year. Serving as president will be Dixie London; Robert Van Natta is vice-president and Sam H earing is secretary/ treasurer. The board also selected offi cers in an organizational meet ing for the Columbia Broad band board, the co-op’s tele communications company. Van Natta will serve as president, David Hess as vice-president, and Randy Aultm an, secre tary/treasurer. West Oregon Electric Coop erative serves more than 4,000 members in portions of Colum bia, C latsop, Yamhill and W ashington Counties. Head quartered in Vernonia, the co operative has provided electric service since 1944. COPY & FAX SERVICE The INDEPENDENT 725 Bridge St., Vernonia 503-429-9410 Sunnyside Cafe Sunday Buffet Every Sunday 8 am -1 pm Adults $7.95 • Srs. $6.95 • Under 12 $5.95 ORDERS TO GO: 503-429-4810 Open Mon-Sat 5 am-2 pm • Sunday 7 am-2 pm 58360 Nehalem Hwy. S., Vernonia VERNONIA INN E x tra v a g a n z a All D esks O n Sale stein. “The good news is that, over the last five years, we have been able to rebuild mem ber equity and cash reserves, a sign the co-op is on the right track. “The only costs passed on to members in the October rate increase were those related to power costs,” continued Hagel stein. “Since that time, the co op has used cash reserves to buffer the impacts of additional power cost increases.” General M anager Russell Green commented on the ef forts of a group called W illa mette Valley Power and their attempt to purchase Portland General Electric from its bank rupt owner, Enron. During the question and an swer session, Green briefed the membership on the co-op’s entry into telecommunications through the NoaNet Project. “We expect to be ready for business by O ctober,” said Green. “Our long-term goal is to bring telecommunications in frastructure to the rural com m u nities of Northwest Oregon.” At the conclusion of the meeting, the board selected its 11 B ook cases On Sale Barrister Oak 4 Stack Bookcase $23995 Enjoy a quiet weekend with us. FULL SIZE, IN ROOM $55” HOT TUBS $80“ REG. ROOM $45 ” *9 3 6 -2 *1*324 All Futons On Sale E-Frame Full Futon A Frame m O ijln M r. ... . from $1 6 O95 11 C om p u ter F urniture O n Sale Queen Beds • Private Bath • Separate Entrance Cable TV • Phones • Handicapped Access I $47995 FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 9a k Desk A Hutch I Computer Center • A N 5 4 9 7 . 0A N 57O 4 / lllllll t! » //» I À H U lllllll Ih lllll. 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