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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2003)
Page 2 The INDEPENDENT, October 16, 2003 HER day in Mutual need: People and Columbia County 9-1-1 People who don’t trust government or who think all taxes are bad, should look closely at the Columbia 9- 1-1 Emergency Dispatch district. The district was formed with a very small tax base and the directors told Columbia County residents that the base would not be sufficient for the growth and technological changes needed. They planned to seek an increased tax base when necessary, but changes in the way districts are fi nanced also changed their plans. Since then, the dis trict has functioned, remarkably well, with five-year op erating levys. Columbia 9-1-1 is truly county-wide, providing serv ice to the Nehalem Valley which is identical to that re ceived by all other areas of the county. In the Nehalem valley, there are no urgent care clinics, there aren’t even any doctors. When we need emergency medical services we call 9-1-1. When we need the fire or police departments, we call 9-1-1. There is no need to detail the work done by Colum bia 9-1-1, enough letters in this issue have done that for us. So, if you’re not sure how thjs levy will affect you, please read the letters. It makes no difference how much we claim to sup port Columbia 9-1-1. We must show our support by VOTING. If we do not meet the double majority re quirement - more than 50% of registered voters cast ing a ballot, and more than 50% of those voting to ap prove the levy - we will cripple not just 9-1-1, but our own emergency services. There is, however, one unusual characteristic in this levy request. It doesn’t ask for an increased amount, but is slightly less than we are now paying! We urge a YES vote to renew the 5-year operating levy for Columbia 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatct. I — NOTICE — The INDEPENDENT is published on the first and third Thurs days of each month. There are five Thursdays in October, so | there will be three weeks between the issue of October 16 and the issue of November 6. To provide some break time for our staff, the office will be closed from October 22 through October 27. Messages may , be left via fax or voice mail at 503-429-9410, or by e-mail to noni@vernonia.com or clark@vernonia.com Deadline for the issue of November 6 will be October 31. Columbia 9-1-1 does job well, efficiently As a first responder to fires and emergency medical calls, and as M ist-Birkenfeld Fire Chief, I have firsthand knowl edge of the vital role of Colum bia 9-1-1 Communications Dis trict and its dispatchers in coor dinating all of the public safety agencies throughout the coun ty. Not only do we benefit from outstanding, highly trained, professional dispatch and coor dination, but the taxpayers ben efit too. That’s because as an independent agency, Columbia 9-1-1’s 15 dispatchers are on the job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It would take 75+ peo ple and a lot more money to do that same job if each fire, police or emergency medical service had its own dispatchers. In addition, as chairman for the 9-1-1 District’s Advisory Board, I have the benefit of a unique perspective on Colum bia 9-1-1. With members repre senting each of the 16 law en forcement, fire, emergency medical and support agencies in the county, our Advisory Board’s purpose is to work with and advise the elected volun teer 9-1-1 Board of Directors. Working together, we have been able to take the coordina tion and cooperation 9-1-1 pro vides on emergency calls to a new level. We meet with 9-1-1 regularly, to exchange informa tion, provide analysis and cri tiques, take part in additional training, anticipate and prevent problems - in other words, work together to make sure the citizens of Columbia County re ceive the best emergency re sponse possible. Reliable 9-1-1 communications allows emer gency service agencies to work more closely together, using fewer resources and providing services we otherwise could not afford. We all do our jobs better when we coordinate, and that means we can serve you better. In November, Columbia 9-1- 1 is taking another huge step in providing the best possible communication coordination, when the new Public Safety, Microwave Radio System goes into operation. To us, that means there will no longer be “dead zones” where we are out of touch with dispatchers, each other, or you, the people we’re trying to help. To you, it means an even greater level of safety, protection and emergency re sponse, especially since the microwave system won’t have the same problems with floods and things that affect phone lines. Here’s the icing on the microwave radio cake - it was paid for using $1.4 million in feredal grants - not by those of us who live here. That was a promise Columbia 9-1-1 made, and it’s a promise delivered. I am pleased, and proud, to serve on the Columbia 9-1-1 Advisory Board, and to work with Columbia 9-1-1 every sin gle day. Chief Dave Crawford Mist Efficient emergency response is the goal As your elected representa tives for Columbia 9-1-1 Com munications District, we repre sent every community within our county. We get help from a 9-1-1 Advisory Board that in cludes someone from every fire district and emergency medical agency, and law enforcement agency. Together, we make sure 9-1-1 em ergency re sponse is always working to get better, with one goal in mind: to provide the best, most Please see page 3
