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The INDEPENDENT, September 21, 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
Planning should precede
any mill site development
The City of Vernonia is talking about developing the
old mill site for various purposes. The only develop-
ment certain at this time, is that the Vernonia Senior
Center will be built near the lake parking lot.
Aside from that, projects under discussion include a
skills park, irrigation areas for Level 4 (safe) waste-
water, RV park, interpretive center, and occasional oth-
er ideas. While there is nothing wrong with considering
how the area may be utilized, something important is
being bypassed.
There is no Master Plan for the site.
The lake and the primitive camping area are well
used, but there is no consideration of how those uses
will mesh with future projects. Nor has any considera-
tion been given to the wildlife that use the area – deer,
rabbits, river otters, water fowl, raptors, song birds and
more. Perhaps some “wild space” should be included
in planning.
One thing is certain: It is vital that all projects be
carefully considered, not just what they are, but how
they fit together, whether they are appropriate for the
area, whether they have community support, and how
they can be accomplished.
The INDEPENDENT has often asked the city coun-
cil to include maintenance of current assets in plan-
ning. Without a master plan for the mill site, it will be
very easy to ruin what we now have, while calling it
“progress.”
Help, ideas needed for activities
Putting on a community event such as the Salmon
Festival, Jamboree or River Fest involves a lot of plan-
ning and organizing, work that is done behind the
scenes, rarely recognized by people at the event. The
same is true for projects sponsored by Vernonia Pride,
Vernonia Cares and others.
If you have ideas about any of these community
events, whether you think there was too little of some-
thing or too much of something, or something that was
missing, etc., you could be a valuable asset to that ef-
fort. When enough people are involved in putting to-
gether an event, less time is required of just a few vol-
unteers. If you’re not already involved, why not give it
a try?
Where to Find Them
Here is a handy list you can use to contact the
elected officials for your district.
US Sen. Ron Wyden (Dem-OR)
700 NE Multnomah St, Suite 450 Portland OR
97232
Phone: 503-326-7525
516 Hart Senate Ofc. Bldg. Washington, D.C.
20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Website: http://wyden.senate.gov
Sen. Betsy Johnson (Dem-16)
PO Box R
Scappoose, OR 97056
Phone: 503-543-4046
Fax: 503-543-5296
900 Court St. NE, S-314
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1716
Fax: 503-986-1940
E-mail: sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us
Website:
http//www.leg.state.or.us/johnson
US Sen. Gordon Smith (Rep-OR)
One World Trade Center
121 SW Salmon St., Suite 1250
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-326-3386
Fax: 503-326-2900
404 Russell Senate Ofc. Bldg. Washington,
D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Website:
http://gsmith.senate.gov
Rep. Brad Witt (Dem-31)
21740 Lindberg Road
Clatskanie, OR 97016
Phone: 503-728-4664
900 Court St. NE, H-373
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1431
E-mail: rep.bradwitt@state.or.us
Website:
http//www.leg.state.or.us/witt
US Rep. David Wu (Dem-01)
620 SW Main, Suite 606
Portland OR 97205
Phone: 503-326-2901
Fax: 503-326-5066
1023 Longworth Building Washington, DC
20515
Phone: 202-225-0855
Fax: 202-225-9497
Website: http://house.gov/wu
Rep Deborah Boone (Dem-32)
PO Box 637
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
Phone: 503-717-9182
900 Court St. NE, H-375
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1432
E-mail: rep.deborahboone@state.or.us
Website:
http//www.leg.state.or.us/boone