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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2003)
Attn; Leslie Larson ÜO Library-O M P 1299 University Of Oregon Eugene OR 97400-1299 Voi. 18, No. 3 PRESORTED STANDARD U S. P o s ta g e Paid V ern on ia, O R 97 0 6 4 “ Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley” February 6, 2003 Hwy. 47 project back on schedule for 2004 “Futures” committee looks at schools The Futures Committee, a community group concerned about the future of education in Vernonia, made a presentation to the school board at their Jan uary meeting. Initiated by Michelle Blum, Marie Botchie, Cari Levenseller, Carla Strand, Mike Funderburg and Robyn Cochran, the group decided that its first project would be to determine how to address the schools’ facility needs. Acting as the group’s histori an, Botchie has gathered avail able documentation including engineering reports, pre- and post-bond surveys, a facility grant application, and other in formation used in the unsuc cessful 2001 effort to gain voter support for a bond measure. In a written statement pre tential future flooding? sented at the board meeting, • What are the advantages Blum said the group recognizes or disadvantages to combining the problems identified in the grade levels in one facility? previous effort and will “create The committee’s statement and facilitate opportunities to says, “Our downtown area revi learn about what we may or talizes, while our schools stag may not need and what action nate" and goes on to question we (as a community) want to how teachers and students can be taken regarding another be asked to teach and learn for bond effort." the information age in an inad In addition to seeking solu equate facility. tions to previously identified The committee is seeking m echanical and structural participation from additional problems, the committee will volunteers. According to Blum, attempt to answer questions the core group will serve as the raised after the previous bond "vehicle of communication” be effort, including: tween the community and the • What can the community board by collecting information afford? and opinions and reporting to • What options are there re the board on a m onthly basis. garding school location and po Please see page 8 In 2002, the Nehalem River Highway (Hwy. 47) was sched uled for resurfacing from the north end of Vernonia city limits to Hwy 26. It didn’t happen and the project was moved to 2003, but it won’t be done in 2003, ei ther. Then, when Vernonia Public Works Director Robyn Bassett looked at the projects scheduled for 2004, it had dis appeared from the schedule. At the February 3 meeting of the Vernonia City Council, Bas sett reported that, as of Janu ary 31, the project is scheduled for 2004. In addition to resur facing, many culverts will be re placed, some bridge work and erosion control is needed, and a bike path will be constructed along Bridge Street from Wash ington Grade School up O-A Hill to the Nehalem River bridge. The revised schedule has a bid date in late September, with work to begin in the spring of 2004...if it doesn’t fall off the calendar again. The committee reviewing the 28 applications for Vernonia Chief of Police selected eight applicants for the second phase of the process. City Ad ministrator Mike Sykes told the council that five of the eight had responded positively within a week. The three remaining ap plicants hadn’t responded in that time frame. Sykes also told of finding let ters dated in 1921 and 1922 detailing some rather acrimo nious negotiations between the city and a representative of Oregon-American Lumber Co. regarding conditions for siting a mill in Vernonia. Copies of the correspondence were given to council members and the origi nals were entrusted to the Ver nonia Pioneer Museum, which is appropriately located in the former O-A Mill office. Three public hearings were scheduled: On March 17 to re view an am endm ent to the C ity’s Transportation System Plan; April 7 to consider annex ation of cemetery property, and a second on April 7 to consider an amendment to the Compre hensive Plan. Because February 17 is a holiday, the next meeting of the council will be on Tuesday, February 18, at 7:00 p.m. Some WOEC bills estimated By Jim Buxton The West Oregon Electric Cooperative Board of Directors were told at their January meet ing that approxim ately one- third of the members will re ceive estimated bills for Janu ary. Operations Manager Steve Hursch said that, for various reasons, WOEC was too short- handed to read all the meters as it usually does. Every effort was made to ar rive at an accurate estimate based on the previous three months usage, as well as us age during the same month one year ago. Any differences will even out on the following bill, when WOEC expects to read all the meters on sched ule, calculate two months us age and subtract the estimate. The system is being convert ed to automated meter reading. Meters in some of the outlying areas are already converted. Please see page 13 Blood Drive slated Roll up your sleeve for a Red Cross Blood Drive spon sored by the Vernonia High School Leadership Class, Feb ruary 19 from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., in the VHS Library. Donors must be age 17 or older and weigh) at least 110 pounds. The goal is 55 donors.
