The INDEPENDENT, December 4, 2003 Page 17 Letters… Continued from page 3 From page 3 have been many representa- tions in her “In My View” arti- cles. And, again, there should be a disclaimer in each and everyone of those articles even thought it may be considered redundant. I also understand that our Columbia County Commission has no standard regarding let- ters being sent on County sta- tionery as to whether the issue in a letter has been supported by the majority of the commis- sion members. I can recall be- ing in receipt of letters from a commissioner on an issue and this person did not represent the commission’s stance writ- ten to me. I suggest that all of these public elected bodies become more conversant with the State of Oregon’s public record and meetings manual. This manual is published by the State of Oregon Department of Justice. It is fast becoming apparent that we citizens need to have more documentation of the ac- tions being taken officially by our elected representatives at all levels. The Port of St. He- lens should order copies of these laws for all of its mem- bers and it executive, in my opinion. There is much to be learned by this public body judging by it overall behavior of late. We need to work together to prevent destroying good ideas and works. No wonder it can become difficult to find candi- dates who bring to the table their willingness to give us an- other vision of how things can be. I for one, would like to have my suggestions put to the test. Paula Becks Scappoose Seeking love stories from Oregon couples To the Editor: Another couple’s story in- spired me to take steps that eventually led me to meet my husband. I am now writing a book about how couples meet and what makes their relation- ships last, to similarly inspire and guide both singles seeking love and couples looking to make their love last. Composed of true stories, the book will illuminate how people first met the loves of their lives and how they make their relationships thrive. I hope that a wide variety of readers will find the book's stories touching, poignant, and fun. I invite couples in Oregon to submit stories about how they met and what they think are the essential elements that help make their relationships last. They may describe as few or as many elements as they wish (one-three, typed, single- spaced pages total). Submit stories, comments and photographs by email to , my website,