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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2004)
The INDEPENDENT, February 5, 2004 Page 3 Letters Orlowski recall would be bad government To the Editor: [While] growing up, in Government 101 class I was taught to research the facts prior to a debate. In Church I was taught the 10 Command- ments. It’s unfortunate the petitioners are turning a blind eye to the 9th Commandment, which states “you shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” Petitioner Becky Gosselin of Banks, has successfully acquired the necessary 68 signatures needed to bring to the voters, at City’s expense, the recall of Mayor Robert C. Orlowski. Reasons for the recall: 1. Citizens of Banks are not encouraged to attend and are not allowed to speak at City Council Meetings. 2. It’s Mayor Robert Orlows- ki’s fault the last police levy failed due to lack of sufficient voter turnout. 3. Lack of communication to Banks citizens at large by city officials in respect to major decisions. The Oregonian’s Richard Colby in the January 28, 2004, issue quoted Miss Gosselin as stating “she doesn’t regularly attend City Council Meetings, and further states, normally held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.” When asked why, Miss Gosselin stated “I’m not a public speaker.” Mayor Orlows- ki rebutted in the Oregonian by stating “I don’t know anything about her. I’ve never met her. I’ve never seen her at a City Council meeting since I’ve been Mayor and I’ve been to every one of them.” When I inquired at City Hall, I was told by City Recorder/Treasurer Deborah Deegan, that she too recalls never seeing Miss Gosselin at a City Council meeting. Colby again quoted Mr. Orlowski as stating “City Government is open and residents’ comments are welcomed.” Mr. Orlowski told me “There has not been one instance, to my knowledge, where a resident of Banks has not been allowed to voice their opinions or comments.” I have personal- ly seen scheduled city council meeting notices posted at both City Hall and the post office. Mr. Colby further quotes Mr. Orlowski in reference to the police levy as stating “I person- ally knocked on at least 230 doors campaigning for the $1.80 per $1000 property levy when it went before the voters twice last year.” It is this author’s opinion that the police levy failed due to lack of suffi- cient voter turnout, not by the lack of Mr. Orlowski’s effort. It’s unfortunate that Miss Gosselin feels it necessary to add another job to the Mayor’s duties – that of personally keeping you informed of all city business. In the petition for recall, Miss Gosselin represent- ed yourself as a member of “The Citizens of Banks for a More Informed Community” DEMANDING the aforemen- tioned. My educated guess of “to be informed” is “to gather information” or “making an exerted effort in the gathering of information.” To DEMAND anything from city leaders without first confronting those who are the target of your concerns is very hard to swallow. Miss Gosselin let me inform you of Mayor Robert Orlowski’s contributions to the City of Banks. During his sixteen (16) years as a volunteer civil servant he has held the follow- ing positions: Member of the Planning Commission, City Council, Police Commissioner, Member of the Executive Board for Washington County Consol- idated Communication Associ- ation (911), City representative to ODOT, City of Banks councilor for Grants, Chairman of the Community Development Block Grant Program Policy Between the Bookends By Ann Krutsinger, Library Assistant Banks Public Library Now is the time to catch up on all your novel reading – after the Holiday chaos and before the spring gardening. I can’t help but feel the blues during the month of January and into February. I know the days are getting longer, but the rain! A good story does help (so do chocolate and coffee.) Homer Hickam, author of the book Rocket Boys that later became the movie “October Sky,” has written a new tale, far removed from the West Virginia coal mines. The Keeper’s Son takes place in 1941 on Killakeet Island of the wind swept Outer Banks of North Carolina. The town is populated by an assortment of fisher- men, clammers and oyster rakers. The Thurlow family has maintained the Killakeet lighthouse for years. But Josh Thurlow, the Keeper’s son, has decided not to follow his family’s heritage and has become the commander of the Maudie Jane, a small Coast Guard patrol boat. The story starts when Josh is a boy. His dad has left him in charge of both his little brother and lighting the lighthouse by himself for the first time. Josh is about 14 years old and decides to go sailing in an attempt to catch a stray red boat that floats past. Things go wrong as the day progresses, and Josh ends up losing his baby brother at sea. The boy is never found. Josh can’t stop reliving that tragic day. Even after his stint in the Coast Guard in Alaska, he comes home to all the old ghosts of both his dead brother and his dead mother. The thing that has really tortured Josh is that, by his reckoning and his knowledge of the currents, the red boat containing his brother should have washed up on shore, or at least had some piece of it should have been found. A concurrent story is about a German U-boat captain, Otto Krebs. There is a reason why he is in the story. He eventually comes to Killakeet Island and may have the answer to the mystery that haunts Josh. The Keeper’s Son has many components of a fine story – romance, intrigue, some war, and some geographical detail about the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It is a fine winter read. Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street. Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Preschool Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m., through July. Phone: (503 ) 324-1382 Internet: www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us. to browse library resources or to reserve materials electronically. Advisory Board and the Mayor of Banks. Achievements: Worked with city council, city accountant and city recorder to get city out of a $139,000 deficit. Assisted with the procurement of $2 million in Federal, State and Local grants for the establishment of the Banks Police Department, new library, 1,000,000 gal. water tank, sidewalk repair, renova- tion of park buildings and a new intake structure in the city watershed. He was also the chief mediator in a $16.8 million civil rights land use lawsuit against the City of Banks. Miss Gosselin if you are truly interested in the city’s business and the decisions being made by your elected City Council members, I suggest you attend a City Council meeting. I under- stand you know the anticipated scheduled date and time. This is a call to all Banks registered voters to get out and vote. A ballot drop off box has been established in the Banks Library for your convenience. Thank you, Deborah Brown Friends of Mayor Orlowski Ed. note: The writer is water clerk for the City of Banks Jamboree, Boosters will need more leaders To the Editor: To my friends, fellow volun- teers and citizens of Vernonia. The time has come to refocus my priorities in life. Presently I have nine grandchildren and one more on the way. Now that they are getting older I plan to spend more time being involved in their lives, and more time with my involvement as a member of the First Baptist Church. During the last Chamber of Commerce meeting I was elected to the position of President and I am very proud to be able to serve our business community. I currently hold positions in the Vernonia Booster Club, and on the Vernonia Friendship Jamboree Committee, which I will be resigning from effective immediately. The Friendship Jamboree will hold elections on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7:00 p.m. in the Washington Grade School Library. The offices of President and Secretary need to be filled. The Booster Club will be holding elections on Wednes- day, Feb. 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. The offices of President, Vice President, and Secretary need to be filled. The Booster Club supports school sport and art functions and also the Christ- mas Bazaar, Echoing Evergreens Summer Camp. and Kids League Sports Programs (Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, Football). I urge each of you to attend this meeting and help with the Booster Clubs continued success. The Booster Conces- sion Building is now progress- ing with ground breaking to start this month. Volunteers are needed for this project. I’d like to thank all of the volunteers I have worked with over the years in these organi- zations. It was truly a great time and I am looking forward to spending more time with my family, church and the business community. Sincerely, Randy Parrow Vernonia Thanks to 9-1-1 for immediate response To the Editor: I wish to thank Vernonia 911 who promptly came to my call for help in picking my daughter up off her living room floor to whisk her to St. Vincent’s with a ruptured appendix. The service was professional, courteous and fast. Thank you to Metro West and 911 and especially the volunteers. Karen Miller Vernonia Help needed with Museum association To the Editor: The volunteers at the museum have taken the month of January off, partly due to the weather and also we needed a break. We will be back on schedule beginning the 1st of February. We need more members tohelp with the operation of the museum. If you are interested in becoming a member dues may be mailed to: Vernonia Pioneer Museum, PO Box 26, Vernonia, OR 97064. Dues are as follows: one person for $12.00, couples are $18.00 and families are $24.00 yearly. All our membership money is used at the museum to help with costs. We can always use help both inside and outside at the museum. Please see page 19
