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Voi. 17, No. 19
‘Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley’
Mold investigation
finds major dry rot
Fire destroys home
Vernonia School District’s
Board of Directors, union repre
sentatives and members of the
public toured
Washington
Grade School as part of a long-
awaited maintenance commit
tee report, during the Septem
ber 26 board workshop. Follow
ing the tour, there was lengthy
discussion about how to ap
proach the district’s facilities
dilemma. As Superintendent
Mike Funderburg told the
board, "... the mold at WGS
might be the least of the dis
trict’s facility issues.”
Some weary firefighters pause while others have donned breathing apparatus in prepa
ration for entering the home of Jake and Cathy Wolfe, which burned Tuesday morning.
Story on page 5.
allots include mix of office seekers
Most voters in Columbia and
Clatsop Counties will see an
unusual ballot: The candidates
go beyond the usual Democrat
and Republican nominees to
include Libertarians, Constitu
tion Party and independents.
In Columbia County, Democ
rat incumbent Rita Bernhard
will face two challengers for
Commissioner Position 2 —
Constitution Party candidate
Joe Cason and Cathy (Beatley)
Taylor, an independent.
A similar situation exists in
State House District 31 (for
merly District 1), where a De
mocratic incumbent, Betsey
Johnson, is being challenged
by Constitution Party nominee
Bob Ekstrom and independent
Mervyn Arnold.
House District 32, which is
centered in Tillamook County,
Two needed for planning commission
With the appointment of
Brett Costley to the Vernonia
City Council and the resigna
tion of Bob Wagner, two people
are needed to bring the Ver
nonia Planning Commission
back to full strength. Wagner
resigned because traveling
keeps him away from Vernonia
for extended periods, making it
difficult to keep up with the
work.
The planning commission
reviews land use and zoning
applications and makes recom
mendations to the city council.
It is voluntary and usually
meets only once each month.
October 3, 2002
but includes part of Columbia
and Clatsop Counties, is more
traditional, with only two candi
dates, Democratic incumbent
Elaine Hopson and Republican
Joe Meyer.
Joan Dukes, a Democrat,
who has represented Senate
District 16 since 1987, will face
Republican Don Fell and Liber
tarian Helen McDaniel.
Columbia County voters will
also see Ballot Measure 5-109,
which seeks approval for a five-
year local option levy for law
enforcement. If approved the
levy will cost $0.88 per thou
sand of assessed value
($88.00 per $100,000 of as
sessed value) for five years.
The funds will go the Sheriff’s
Department for patrol and jail
operations.
told the board, portions of walls
and ceilings were removed
where mold growth was sus
pected, which resulted in the
exposure of numerous areas of
significant dry rot caused by
decades of water damage to
the wooden structure inside the
brick walls. Funderburg told the
board that previous engineer
ing studies, completed in May
of 2001, were conducted to as
sess seismic safety and to re
view mechanical (heating and
plumbing) and electrical sys
tems at both WGS and the high
Mold growth uncovered school. Lewis showed the tour
Directing the tour, Mainte group several examples of wa
nance Supervisor John Lewis ter damage in unreinforced ma
showed the board some of the sonry walls that appear to be
areas where long-standing wa bowing into the building.
ter damage had resulted in Teacher Cathy Ward told the
mold growth. Eight of the areas group that several classrooms
were tested by Clayton Group at WGS have areas in the walls
Services (CGS) representative that show daylight through
Kathie Lavaty, with four of the them or where outside air
samples suggesting fungal comes in. Lewis also showed
growth or contamination, ac the tour group a sample of roof
cording to the CGS report. ing material that appears to
None of the samples tested have been incorrectly installed.
Mold remediation
were from areas of the building
occupied by students. After
Funderburg told the board
considerable discussion with that Lewis will continue with
Lavaty, Funderburg said, it ap clean-up of mold-contaminated
pears that nearly all of the mold areas, remove supplies so the
can be eliminated.
supply room can be closed off,
Funderburg recommended close the game room storage
that two areas of particular con area and try to determine
cern be closed off. The first, a where water is entering. Fol
small storage area adjacent to lowing the cleanup, CGS will
a room currently used as a again conduct air quality test
game room, is underneath the ing. Lewis will also work to in
front steps at WGS and shows crease outside air circulation
significant evidence of contin and improve indoor air quality
ued water leakage from an un by ensuring that windows open.
known source. The second He assured the board that the
area, next to the music room, is WGS boiler could provide ade
also used for storage. The quate heat for students even
room has a labeled, but appar with windows open in winter.
ently unsealed, asbestos ceil According to Funderburg,
ing that would prevent that area these activities should be com
from being adequately cleaned. pleted within the next thirty
days.
Dry rot exposed
After considerable discus
In preparing for the CGS
study, Lewis and Funderburg sion, Funderburg summarized
Please see page 3