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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2004)
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid Vernonia, OR 97064 Permit No. 37 Vol. 19, No. 13 FREE July 1, 2004 “Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley” Sykes will leave for job in Forest Grove Summer fun… Vernonia City Administrator Michael Sykes will resign his position to accept the job of city manager in Forest Grove. “This is probably one of the hardest decisions in my life,” Sykes said. “I’m excited about the new challenges facing me, but I’m really sad to leave. Ver- nonia is a special place with special people.” The Forest Grove council voted unanimously Monday night to hire Sykes, who was the top pick after a three month-long, nationwide search. He has been offered an annual salary of $95,000 to oversee the operations of approximate- ly 130 employees for the city of nearly 19,000 people. Vernonia has 15 employees and about 2,250 population. In the five years that Sykes has been administrator, Ver- nonia has benefited from con- struction of a new city hall, new library, rehabilitation of the wa- ter distribution system, down- town streetscaping, extensive parks improvements including public showers at Anderson Park, and the Webb Way trail from Anderson Park to Vernon- ia Lake. Projects underway include sewage treatment changes, a community learning center, in- creased parking and recreation area at Vernonia Lake, and restrooms and paved parking at Spencer Field. “Vernonia has good employ- ees and a bright future,” Sykes said. His resignation will be effec- tive at the end of July. “But I’ll be around,” he said. “I’ll be stopping by…and I’ll be here for Jamboree.” PY B I R T H D A Y HA P I NDEPENDENCE D AY F UN ABATE participants chose a perfect day for a ride, with a midday stop in Vernonia. Good news concludes 47J budget It’s Fire Season: A combination of circum- stances resulted in good fiscal news for the Vernonia School District, Superintendent Mike Funderburg reported at the June 22 budget hearing. Over $76,000 became avail- able for reallocation, largely as the result of savings in salary and benefit packages for new employees, plus remarkable savings in both workers com- pensation and liability insur- ance. Funderburg explained that the district had been told to expect a 10 percent increase in premiums, the estimate that was included in the original budget. According to deputy clerk Dawn Plews, workers compensation premiums were reduced by $28,733 from last year’s premium. Funderburg said that the district did not have any workers compensa- tion claims this year, and that “habitual [compensation claim] users are gone from the dis- trict.” Please see page 5 Caution is needed with fireworks Fireworks and natural cover areas don’t mix as the Oregon Department of Forestry has de- clared the start of fire season in Northwest Oregon. Fire restric- tions are now in effect on all private, state, county and BLM forest lands protected by the Oregon Department of Fores- try in Washington, Multnomah, Please see page 4 BANKS HAS A BIG DAY VERNONIA PLANS FOR OF FAMILY ACTIVITIES TRADITIONAL FOURTH Banks Family Fun Festival will start at 1:00 p.m. with a pa- rade of race cars on Main Street. The fun will continue through the afternoon with ac- tivities that include music, food, games, pony rides, a petting zoo, kiddy car rides, craft booths, a dunk tank and much more, all at Sunset Park. At 6:00 p.m. races will start at the Sunset Park Speedway and the day’s festivities will conclude with a fireworks dis- play at dusk. Banks Chamber of Com- merce is sponsoring the Family Fun Festival. Join in the fun with Vernon- ia’s annual 4th of July parade and fireworks. Parade participants will gather at Vernonia City Hall at 7:00 p.m., with the parade starting at 7:30, down Bridge Street to California Avenue. There is no entry fee for the pa- rade sponsored by Vernonia Pride. The fireworks display will be- gin at dusk behind Vernonia High School. Personal fire- works are discouraged and may be confiscated. Pyrotech- nics will be handled by Vernon- ia Rural Fire District volunteers.
