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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2005)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, September 1, 2005 WOEC meeting hears of satellite internet A good crowd turned out for the annual meeting of West Oregon Electric Cooperative last Saturday at the Scout Cab- in in Vernonia. It was also the first opportunity for most of those attending to meet the new General Manager Marc Farmer. Director David Hess was re- elected to represent District 7. Randall Aultman, a retired school administrator who had been appointed to fill the re- mainder of Sam Hearing’s Vernonia again benefited from the summer youth work program funded through MTC Works, this year with a four person crew to help in the Public Works depart- ment. Above are three of the four, from left, Adam Ran- dall, Christy Morlock and Allen Morlock. Not pictured was Chris Richardson, who rounded out the crew. Community Calendar VERNONIA Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays 6:30 p.m., Head Start Bldg. Alcoholics Anonymous Saturdays 7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg. American Legion Post #119 2nd Thursday 627 Adams Avenue Arts & Crafts Society 2nd Thursday 2:00 p.m., City Library Booster Club 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., VHS Library Boy Scout Troop 201 Tuesdays 7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin Boy Scout Troop 860 Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., LDS Church Cemetery Beautification Comm. 2nd Thursday 7:00 p.m., Leonetti’s Grill CERT 4th Wednesday For Info Call 503-429-6033 Chamber of Commerce 2nd Wednesday For Info Call 503-429-6081 Community Coalition 2nd Monday 12:30 p.m. School District Ofc. Cub Scout Pack 201 Scout Cabin For Info Call 503-429-8133 Doll Club 4th Tuesday 1:00 p.m., Senior Center Friends of the Library 1st Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library Hands On Art Committee 1st & 3rd Thursdays 7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg. Izaak Walton League 3rd Thursday For location call 503-429-7193 Lions Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 6:30 p.m., Buckhorn Restaurant Nehalem Valley Car Club For Info Call 503-429-4074 Pioneer Museum For Info Call 503-429-3713 Preschool Story Hour Mondays 10:30 a.m., City Library Upper Nehalem C.P.A.C. 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Venturing Crew 201 1st & 3rd Thursdays 5:30 p.m., Buckhorn Restaurant Vernonia Airport Committee 3rd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Cares Directors For Info call 503-429-1414 Vernonia City Council 1st & 3rd Mondays 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Community PTA 3rd Thursday 6:30 p.m., WGS Library Vernonia Grange 4th Saturday 10:30 a.m., Grange Hall Vernonia Health Center 2nd Monday 6:00 p.m., 510 Bridge St. Vernonia Planning Comm. 1st & 3rd Thursdays 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Pride 3rd Thursday 1:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Ridge Riders Last Thursday 7:00 p.m., Senior Center Vernonia RFPD Board 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Fire Station Vernonia School Board 2nd Thursday 6:00 p.m., District Office Vernonia Sr. Center Board 3rd Friday 1:00 p.m., Senior Center Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st Thursday 7:00 p.m., Fire Station Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters 2nd Monday 7:00 p.m., Fire Station WOEC Directors 3rd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., WOEC S 4 11 18 25 term, was elected to the District 3 directorship over Vernonia newcomer Leon Bluestone, who retired after working 35 years in the power industry. Royce Hagelstein, WOEC Chief Financial Officer, pre- sented a positive financial re- port, the result of a mild weath- er year with no major storm damage. No rate increase is presently anticipated but, until Bonneville Power Administra- tion sets wholesale rates, sta- ble rates are tenuous. A few years ago, WOEC joined NoaNet, a consortium of public power agencies which planned to provide broad band internet to their members via fiber-optic cable. This venture resulted in a financial loss for WOEC, though not from oper- ating funds. A large portion of the two-million dollars that WOEC received in a negotiated settlement over PGE service territories in Columbia County provided the investment funds. SEPTEMBER 2005 T W T F 2 1 5 6 8 7 9 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30 M S 3 10 17 24 S M 2 9 16 23 30 3 10 17 24 31 OCTOBER 2005 T W T F 4 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 6 13 20 27 7 14 21 28 S 1 8 15 22 29 Now WOEC is involved with “Wild Blue”, another consor- tium of public power agencies which is working to develop satellite internet for members who cannot access broad band internet from remote areas. One member questioned whether WOEC is again invest- ing in a venture that is already technologically “behind the curve,” as was done with NoaNet. Farmer, who has ex- tensive experience in rural telecommunications, explained that the satellite for Wild Blue has already been launched and, furthermore, that both al- pha and beta testing have been completed. In addition, he said, WOEC’s arrangement with Wild Blue did not require a large financial investment. Other topics discussed were the amount of bad debt written off annually (approximately .05 percent) and the facility charge. Members also enjoyed lunch and many door prizes. S M 6 13 20 27 7 14 21 28 MIST-BIRKENFELD M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg. 2nd Tuesday M-BRFPD Board Workshop 4th Tuesday M-B Ambulance Drill 1st & 2nd Thursdays M-B Fire Drill 1st & 2nd Wednesdays M-B Helping Circle 2nd Monday M-B SAR Drill 3rd Wednesday M-B Volunteer Assoc. 1st Tuesday Natal Grange 2nd Wednesday T.O.P.S. Mondays Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-2401 NOVEMBER T W 2 1 9 8 15 16 22 23 29 30 2005 T 3 10 17 24 F 4 11 18 25 S 5 12 19 26 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall 6:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station BANKS Alcoholics Anonymous Fridays 8:00 p.m., Methodist Church American Legion Post #90 2nd Tuesdays 7:30 p.m., Main Street Post Banks City Council 2nd Tuesday 7:30 p.m., City Hall Banks Fire District #13 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., Station 13 Banks Planning Commission Last Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Banks School Board 2nd Monday 7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library Banks Youth Group Sundays, Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg. Chamber of Commerce 1st Thursday 12:30 p.m., Fire District Office CPO 14 3rd Monday 7:00 p.m., City Library Friends of the Library 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Library Lions Club 1st & 3rd Mondays 7:00 p.m., Brown Derby Sunset Park Assoc. 3rd Wednesday 8:00 p.m., Gun Club T.O.P.S. Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg. Women’s Aglow 2nd Thursday 7:00 p.m., City Library COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.) Board of Commissioners Wednesdays 10 a.m., Courthouse Citizens for Senior Justice 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church Columbia Soil & Water District 3rd Wednesday 7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes County Fair Board 2nd Monday 7:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg. County Parks Commission 3rd Monday 6:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St. Mental Health Advisory Comm. 3rd Tuesday 10 a.m., 2nd Floor, Courthouse Comm. on Children & Families 3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 550 N. Hwy. 30 Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm. 2nd Tuesday 3:00 p.m., 2nd Floor, Courthouse Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.