The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current, February 16, 2006, Page Page 2, Image 2

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The INDEPENDENT, February 16, 2006
The
INDEPENDENT
Published on the first and third Thursdays of each month by
The Independent, LLC, 725 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064.
Phone/Fax: 503-429-9410. Publisher Clark McGaugh,
clark@the-independent.net • Managing Editor Rebecca Mc-
Gaugh, rebecca@the-independent.net • Editor Noni Ander-
sen, noni@the-independent.net
Opinion
Hazard mitigation and
wastewater treatment are
both essential projects
A lot of improvements have been made to Vernon-
ia’s wastewater treatment lagoons since the 1996
flood. Unfortunately, a lot more is needed.
When the flood hit Vernonia, all three of the treat-
ment lagoons were flooded, spilling sewage that
spread with the flood waters. Since that time, the only
thing that’s been done to mitigate the hazard of flood-
ing is to dredge one of the lagoons, making it about a
foot deeper.
Other work has been done to improve aeration and
chlorination in the treatment process, making it more
efficient. This is all necessary, but not sufficient.
Flood proofing measures at two sewage pump sta-
tions on Rock Creek and Mist Drive will cost about $1.4
million. “Pre-disaster” mitigation to elevate the lagoon
dikes by nine feet will require another $2.6 million. This
would also include lining the existing lagoons and
adding a pre-treatment holding lagoon and wetland de-
tention area.
The whole project is designed to use wetlands effi-
ciently, much as nature provides. Additionally, because
of electricity costs, a conventional sewage treatment
plant is out of the question.
There will be public meetings before the final deci-
sions are made, but Vernonia has no choice about
whether to make the improvements. We have been out
of compliance with wastewater discharge regulations
for years and time is running out. It makes far more
sense to pay for improvements than to pay fines for
failing to make improvements.
Progress can be uncomfortable
There is often some feeling of loss when an old
building – school, barn or whatever – comes down, but
they really don’t last forever unless they are constant-
ly maintained at increasing expense.
While it’s sad to see the old building in Banks being
replaced by a park, it is also a gentle kind of progress.
Banks business community has struggled for years
and will see some benefit from completion of the
Banks-Vernonia Linear Park. It is past due for the trail
to have a terminus in each of its namesake towns.
Salem Scene
By Representative Brad Witt
Oregon District 31
As you know, my first
session in the Oregon
Legislature turned out to
be the second longest in
Oregon history, 208 calen-
dar days. I like to think it
was just a coincidence!
Nonetheless, it was a ses-
sion dominated by one is-
sue – education, how to
improve it and how to fund it. The issue was
complicated by the long and deep recession that
we had just experienced, and by the defeat of
two revenue raising ballot measures. No one
was in the mood to raise taxes, even though that
would have been the prudent thing to do to keep
our schools from stumbling on a whole host of
obstacles. In the end, the Legislature appropriat-
ed a total of $5.24 billion for the biennium, with
an additional $23 billion if the economy contin-
ues to improve. Not nearly enough, but not near-
ly as bad as it could have been.
As stated in one of my previous newsletters,
the school superintendents in my district did
yeomen’s work when it came to making them-
selves available to testify before the Revenue
Committee. It was an impressive display of
knowledge and experience. They shared what
every dollar cut would do to their districts, and in-
deed, what years of fiscal uncertainty had al-
ready accomplished. In listening to these folks,
and many others who contributed to the discus-
sion, it would be easy to become discouraged.
Rather, we are led to an understanding of how
hard the work is, but also how worthwhile. I’d like
to devote this newsletter to some interesting
facts and figures that help to illustrate what a re-
markable and complex task it is to shepherd
“Dick and Jane” through our educational system.
Teacher, Teacher…
✔ The average teacher in Oregon is 43.3 years
old with 13.1 years of teaching experience.
✔ Oregon has a much larger percentage of
teachers with graduate degrees than all other
western states.
✔ In the last 12 years, while student enrollment
has increased by 8.1%, the number of teachers
has only increased by 0.1%, and in the 03-04
school year, there was an actual loss of 426
teachers statewide.
✔ As of the 03-04 school year, minority student
census had increased by 23% while minority
teachers had only increased by 4.7%.
Student Achievement…
✔ Although SAT scores for graduating seniors
consistently rank either 1st or 2nd in the nation,
our graduation rate of 82% falls short of the na-
tional average of 85%.
✔ The majority of school spending is allocated
to classroom services, 95.1%, with 4.9% allocat-
ed for central support services.
✔ As of the 2002-03 school year, Oregon expe-
rienced the fifth consecutive decrease in the
high school drop-out rate, down to 4.4% of total
Please see page 24