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The INDEPENDENT, May 17, 2007
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
Vernonia has budget woes
Once again, thoughts of the City budget weigh heav-
ily on our minds. During the recent budget meetings,
City Administrator Kline stated that the city has a
$590,000 deficit (now it’s a $384,000 shortfall in the
Community Development Fund and $200,000 in need-
ed loan reserves). Yes, that’s over one half of a million
dollars.
Accountability aside, it will be difficult to fund core
services, such as streets, sewer, water, public safety,
planning, building permits and code enforcement – as
well as library, parks and the Learning Center. These
are services we all need and that we pay for through
taxes and use fees (like water, sewer and park fees).
These fees will likely increase substantially. This will
create financial hardship in many households.
In addition to fee increases, service reductions are
probable. These could take the form of personnel cuts,
more potholes, closed parks, less or no library or
Learning Center services, and longer wait times for re-
pair, remodel or new construction plan approvals.
There is also no likelihood of hiring to replace the lost
financial position nor a public works director.
Make Vernonia Shine, Friends of the Library, and
Friends of the Scout Cabin are all excellent examples
of this community providing for itself and expanding on
available core services. This type of volunteerism might
replace some services lost as a result of the budget
cuts that could start to be felt starting July 1, 2007.
Another great community example of Vernonia vol-
unteerism, helping one person at a time, is the Helping
Hands ministry (see page 24 of this issue for more in-
formation). Helping Hands is a Vernonia version of an
old fashioned barnraising; neighbors would come help
build a barn, or a house, or help with the haying. Those
helping knew they could count on being helped the
next time they needed more than a couple pair of
hands. On the flip-side, those helped by Helping Hands
almost always want to be involved in helping the next
recipient.
But, let’s get back to the Budget. Any member of the
public can attend budget meetings and bring along in-
novative ideas or just plain old opinions on how the city
can cut $590,000. The next meeting is on Wednesday,
May 23, starting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Out of My Mind…
by Noni Andersen
When did the shepherds morph into sheep?
That question keeps waking me up at night
because guidance and watchfulness are neces-
sary for beneficial outcomes.
I’m not referring to an ovine herd, of course,
but to the Vernonia mayor and city council. They
no longer ask questions, they make decisions
without verifiable information, sometimes with no
information, and accountability has become a
word with no meaning.
Example: A resident recently told Council that
he was removing danger trees from his property
and requested permission to remove trees from
an adjacent city right-of-way at the same time.
When the mayor asked if there was any discus-
sion, only one councilor responded: Councilor
Shirlee Daughtry said “It sounds appropriate to
me.” There was no staff report, no supporting in-
formation at all, but that didn’t bother the council.
Without asking a single question, everybody vot-
ed yes. The decision may have been the same
with information; the point is that Council voted
without information.
Example: Last year Council approved a
$25,000 loan for Learning Center operations.
When the loan documents were recently re-
viewed they revealed that City Administrator
M.R. Dick Kline and Mayor Sally Harrison used
the city’s only large piece of property – 20 acres
that are zoned for residential use – as collateral.
The details of this loan were never discussed in
public. Without asking a single question every-
body voted yes.
There was a time when our mayor and city
councilors considered public involvement neces-
sary for good governance. Now they don’t even
want to involve themselves. Just show up, vote
yes; go home.
No, it isn’t quite that bad. Sometimes they dis-
cuss actions before voting.
During the meeting when the loan mentioned
above was approved, Council had a lengthy dis-
cussion about whether to refund a $25.00 de-
posit for a cemetery plot. The people who made
the deposit many years ago, had moved and did-
n’t plan to use it. Incidentally, they didn’t ask for
a refund.
So, for $25.00, use fiscal caution. For
$25,000.00, just vote yes.
This attitude is one reason the city’s budget
for the coming fiscal year is quite dismal. Many
are pointing the finger of blame at the previous
administrator, but it was the mayor and council
who hired the former director of public works for
the admin position. They paid no attention to the
fact that she was not qualified for the position by
either education or experience. Then they fol-
lowed her direction without question. When she
asked them in a public council meeting to “take
a risk” by approving large capital expenditures
without confirmation of grant funds, they said
yes. That sheep-like follow the leader, is the root
of the $384,000 shortfall.
Now they are blindly following another leader.
Is that good, bad or indifferent? I don’t know.
Please see page 3