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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2005)
The INDEPENDENT, May S, 2005 Page 3 Latten School Board works hard for community To the Editor Thank you School Board! I feel that it is time to ac knowledge the dedication of our school board members. They have had to deal with in credibly tough issues, and de spite all the difficulties they never gave up. There is no compensation for their time and effort, they do it out of concern for our kids. Over the last five years the board and superintendent have been working on finding a way to get a new school facility. Af ter several attempts and a tremendous amount of effort, they came up with the latest so lution and ran with it. There were public meetings where the plans were dis cussed. I went to a workshop and was one of maybe four people that attended. Despite the lack of input, they kept mov ing forward. There have been major obstacles and it has tak en longer than anticipated, but they did the best that they could...and now we are on our way to a new school building. Throughout this process there has been quite a bit of negativity toward the board and it pains me. Having served on the school board, I know how difficult it is to get the communi ty involved; people are so busy they do not have time to partic ipate and that is understand By Senator Betsy Johnson Oregon District 16 Last week nearly 1,000 Oregonians ral lied on the steps of the State Capitol to show their support for additional funding for senior services, mental health and other important social services. Many in that gathering were advocating taking funds from schools because schools, they con tend, are “not as important as caring for those who really need help”. Naturally, the school employee groups and administrators are arguing that more funding is needed for education because, “chil dren are our future”. So it begins in earnest. Every group is trying to get a larger “piece of the pie”, but unfortunately “the pie” isn’t large enough to satisfy everyone. One of two things has to happen; either there must be fewer demands from citizens and advocacy groups or we need to increase the size of “the pie”. I don’t foresee the demand for services decreasing anytime soon and I certainly don’t foresee higher taxes on the horizon. So the only way to increase the size of the pie, in my opinion, is to increase the economic vitality of the State. More people earn ing a decent wage means more income tax receipts for the State which will produce a larger pie. Government at all levels, howev er, has a poor record when it comes to developing private sector jobs. I believe it is long past time for government to acknowledge that fact, find out why, and change their approach. Nearly everyone understands that we need rules and regula tions to maintain some semblance of order in our complex socie ty. All too often, however, it seems that our rules and regulations take on a life of their own and become an impediment to job growth and commerce. Government agencies must work harder to understand the problems facing our citizens and strive to clear the way through the regulatory process. When government officials make an effort to understand that time equates to money for business, maybe then we can stream line our approach to regulation. Instead of government asking, “What do you want?” the question should be “How can we help you be more successful and grow?” One of the primary roles of government is to protect the pub lic’s interest. Business growth and prosperity means a “larger pie” for all of Oregon’s genuine needs, and that is certainly in the pub lic’s interest. Please contact me by calling 503-986-1716 or by e-mail at <sen.betsyjohnson@ state.or.us>. able. What is difficult for me to accept is so much criticism. If we could apply that energy positively we would live in a better community. The next time you have a gripe or concern, get informed and get involved. Your opinions and input are needed. We can’t expect the board to represent us without communicating di rectly with them. If we work to gether as a team, we set an ex ample for our kids and every one benefits. To the 47J School Board and Staff...thank you for your ef forts and perseverance. This is a huge step for our community and hopefully just the begin ning for our schools. Leslie O’Leary Vernonia Get informed and go to 47J board meeting To the Editor: I attended the City of Ver nonia Planning Commission meeting, April 21, and was tak en aback by changes in the proposal for the new school building being pushed through by the [Vernonia School] Dis trict 47J board and administra tion. The Planning Commission has a difficult job; they are re sponsible for ensuring that pro posals meet all city planning and zoning regulations. Not only does this require technical knowledge, but also the exqui site skill of separating emotions from decision making. Judging by the facial expressions and detailed questions posed by Planning Commission mem bers, I have concluded that most of them are against the proposal at an emotional and logical level. Unfortunately, they can make a decision based only on information presented and regulations that apply to the conditional use permit request ed by the school district. Mr. Funderburg made many verbal agreements and state ments during the meeting, all of which are captured on audio tape by the city. Hopefully, these will be put in writing and submitted on a revised permit application. I say this because until it is in writing, it is verbal fluff, not fact. Anyone can make verbal commitments that are well intended but poorly exe cuted. What I don’t understand is, if the P lanning C om m ission agrees that the site design is not in the best interest of Ver nonia, why can’t they just deny the conditional use permit? The changes in the plans as I saw it were: addition of 2 classrooms (6 now instead of 4), a looped driveway and park ing lot in front of the proposed building, increased brick work on exterior walls, and addition al parking areas. These are all good additions, but parking lots, classrooms and brick masonry are not cheap. What escapes me is how, with all these additions, the price remains $1,600,000? Does this include furnishings for the building or will this cost arise later? There were also discussions on traffic flow and the need to redirect school busses so they drive between WGS and the play shed. A plan that has school busses crossing the busiest area of the playground twice daily is not well thought out; remember, too, that the administration built a fence across the same driveway to prevent traffic that would en danger children. Mr. Funderburg Please see page 17 Salem Scene By Representative Brad Witt Oregon District 31 I am proud to report that House District 31 had one of the best turnouts at Tuesday’s hear One of the largest ing. Neither I nor the superintendents can find events to take place in the much pride, however, in the cutbacks that they Capitol recently was the reported. In Astoria, Superintendent Mike Sow- appearance of nearly 100 der described how 14-1/2 fewer teaching posi school superintendents tions have reduced academic excellence. Super and their board members intendent Mike Corley compared Clatskanie’s at a public forum on 1985 budget with that of the present-an identical school funding. So many $6 million and 20 years of difference. Rainier of these education man School Superintendent Mike Carter told us how agers showed up that the State Police estab his community has been forced to close three lished over-flow seating at multiple locations schools in five years. And Vernonia Superinten dent Mike Funderburg described a declining/dis- around the Capitol. The school superintendents came to Salem to engaged student body due to a shortage of describe for the Legislature what more than a classes. If we want our youth to get good jobs, we decade’s worth of funding cuts have meant to our state. Broadly speaking, these cuts mean must give them the skills to become good em that Oregon now has the second-largest class ployees. If we want Oregon businesses to re room size in our nation along with one of the main competitive with neighboring states and the shortest school years. These outcomes are many nations of the world, then our business largely attributable to Oregon having dropped to leaders must have a workforce that is second to 31 st among all states in investment per student. none. And if we want a prosperous Oregon, then Listening to the superintendents’ testimony, I we MUST invest in our next generation of adults. Today’s youth are the future of our district, this was struck by the litany of cutbacks in such ar eas as math, foreign languages, athletics, the state and our great nation. That is why I am ask arts, shop and a host of electives. My colleagues ing you, my constituents, to join me in supporting and I were astounded by the number of schools adequate funding ($5.4 billion out of a total state that have been closed, positions that have been general fund budget of $12.4 billion) for Ore eliminated (teachers, classified and administra gon’s schools. Please contact me by calling 503-986-1431 or tors) and the inadequacy of many of our schools’ by e-mail at <rep.bradwitt@state.or.us>. supplies, maintenance and equipment.
