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The INDEPENDENT, August 17, 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
Editor Rebecca McGaugh, rebecca@the-independent.net
Assoc. Editor Noni Andersen, noni@the-independent.net
Opinion
City Waste Water Project
The following statement was read by Vernonia Mayor Sally Harrison
at the August 7, 2006, meeting of the Vernonia City Council so local citi-
zens would know the status of the project to upgrade the City’s waste wa-
ter treatment facility. The INDEPENDENT has made no changes.
I wish to set the record straight concerning the Waste
Water Project and the City of Vernonia. Misinformation,
partial information, and rumors have been generated of
late and need to be addressed.
First off, some concerned citizens have come for-
ward with suggestions and questions. They are well in-
tentioned and they are entering this game during the
forth quarter. The City has explored and had to rule out
options that are being suggested now. The City has
been, and will continue to do its best for the citizens,
present and future. We have not been sitting on our
hands waiting for the citizens to come forward to save
us. We don’t like the prospect of having to raise sewer
rates astronomically or if a General Obligation Bond
(GO Bond) were to pass, raising our taxes.
But, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is where the rubber
hits the road. We have to comply with the Clean Water
Act. It has been hanging over our heads now for 13
years. It is our duty and our obligation to our rivers, our
citizens and ultimately our children that we provide a
safe environment in this valley.
It has come down to “Pay Me Now” or “Pay Me A lot
More Later” and later will come. The task before us is
to find the most economical way to get the job done.
You can say it’s unfair for the Federal and State Gov-
ernments to make rules we must follow and then not
help us pay for it. I have faith that the pressures that will
be brought to bear by the political forces that Commis-
sioner Hyde has rallied on our behalf will bring forth fruit
in the form of Fed and State financial help.
60% - 40%
Commissioner Hyde felt this was still an option. We
can use Rainier as a classic example. Rainier received
a federal earmark from the Clean Water Act for
$700,000. It took two years for the process. In addition,
they paid a consultant approximately $30,000 over a
year to acquire the earmark. They are going out for a
GO Bond in November for $7 million which could effect
their taxes at $2.80 per thousand. If it fails, their sewer
rates could increase to $80.00 per month. They do
have a water shed to log and an urban renewal fund to
help bring down the cost.
Continued on Page 25
Letters
Voter disagrees with
Republican complaint
To the Editor:
Mr. Yauney’s letter to Ms.
Courtney during county fair
bothers me. Mr. Yauney’s letter
accuses State Senator Betsy
Johnson of abusing her power
and that the fair board and Ms.
Courtney knowingly allowed it
to happen.
The questions I have for Mr.
Yauney and “his” candidates
are: if elected and invited to
speak at the Athletic Booster
Fundraising Dinner, would they
decline? If invited to a ground
breaking ceremony for a pri-
vate company, would they de-
cline from attending and having
their picture on the front page
of the paper for everyone to
see?
My guess is that they would
not, and if not, would that not
be the same action that they
are accusing State Senator
Johnson of? The reason that
Betsy was at the fair and rodeo,
is because she supports the
county fair and the youth pro-
grams that are a large part of
the fact that she would be there
even if she was not an elected
official.
Mr. Yauney would know, if he
was at the rodeo, that she was
announced as Betty Johnson,
she did not correct Scott Allen,
the rodeo announcer. Why, be-
cause she was there for the
“Save Our Seats” project and
not name recognition. Her pur-
pose that evening was to ask
people to put their money
where their “butts” were and
fund new seating for the rodeo
arena.
State Senator Johnson un-
derstands the importance of
the county fair for the youth and
the residents of the county.
Along with that, she under-
stands that the rodeo is a big
reason people come to the fair,
the rodeo brings them out and
they spend money. To not have
new seating, may mean that
there will be no rodeo and the
spiral of declining money be-
gins.
State Senator Johnson did
nothing wrong, unless Mr.
Yauney and “his” group believe
that supporting the community
is wrong. She did not ask for
money for her campaign, or for
anything that would benefit her
or her position. All she did was
show her support for youth and
families in Columbia County
and attempt to assure that
youth and county residents
have a venue to exhibit their
projects at county fair.
She continued her belief in
the fair by coming to the Jr.
Livestock Auction and opened
her personal checkbook, pur-
chased animals and then do-
nated them to the Women’s
Resource Center, again this
does not seem like abuse of
power. Should Ms. Courtney be
requested to not allow Senator
Johnson to participate in the Jr.
Livestock auction either and
where were Mr. Yauney and
“his” candidates at 3:30 p.m. on
Saturday of county fair?
I am a staunch, conservative
Republican and have been
from the day I registered. To
this day I have never voted a
straight ticket. Voting for the
“person” is far more important
to society than voting for the
party.
Thank you, Betsy, for your
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