Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2007)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, December 20, 2007 County Fair Board seat will open in ‘08 A position on the five-person board that oversees the Colum- bia County Event Complex and the annual Fair & Rodeo in St. Helens will be available at the end of the year. This volunteer position works collaboratively with four other board members to manage the 70 acre proper- ty and to oversee the Fair Ad- ministrator, who manages the day-to-day operations. Applications will be accept- ed through the end of month at either the County Commission- ers’ office in the Columbia County Courthouse, or at the Event Complex. Candidates must have a genuine interest in the Event Complex and the Co- lumbia County Fair & Rodeo, work well in a team environ- ment, and be willing to serve a three year term. Current board members include Deloris Bel- lingham of Vernonia, Deb Parmley of Scappoose, Evelyn Hudson of Scappoose, Henry Heimuller of St. Helens and David Thompson Jr. of Clatska- nie, whose term expires at the end of the year. Although the Columbia County Fair generated over $74,000 in ticket sales this past year that isn’t the only event held at the Columbia County Event Complex. Activities on the grounds happen throughout the year, which helps to support the complex and other local businesses and non-profits in the county. The complex had 563 rentals last year (not including the fair), which is calculated by the number of activities on the grounds each day of the year, bringing in over 57,000 people. Activities include Little League and Youth Soccer games and practices, stock car races, and the rental of the buildings and grounds for both public and pri- vate events such as fundrais- ers and wedding receptions. Twenty-six organizations used the facility to raise funds that were directly reinvested into the community. Currently, the Fair Board has negotiated a new contract with the Columbia County Racing Association and final drafts on lease agreements with the St. Helens Little League and Youth Soccer Association are in the works. Market-based approach is goal of Ecosystem Services Council An alliance of business, en- vironmental and government leaders in Oregon are joining forces to form the Ecosystem Services Council. These organ- izations represent the nation’s first not-for-profit efforts to es- tablish an ecosystem services marketplace – with the goal of organizing market-based ef- forts that promote clean air, clean water, land protection and habitat restoration. The work of the Council takes mar- ket initiatives beyond the fre- netic energy of carbon markets to support investment in whole ecosystems. Market-based efforts that encourage environmental restoration are growing rapidly at all levels. Globally, the World Bank estimates that $30 billion moved through carbon markets in 2006. In Oregon, an unmet demand of $30 million persists for the wetland mitigation cred- its necessary for future devel- opment. Locally, Clean Water Services, a public water-re- sources utility in Oregon, used market-based approaches to restore 35 miles of streams for $6 million instead of spending $60 million on industrial-engi- neering to meet water quality standards. To unify these global, state See page 24 Little change in County job rates Columbia County’s season- ally adjusted unemployment rate was essentially un- changed at 6.2 percent in Octo- ber from the previous month (5.9%) and from one year be- fore (5.8%). The rate was high- er than the statewide rate (5.5%) and the national rate (4.7%). Community Calendar VERNONIA Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays & Thursdays 6:30 p.m., Head Start Bldg. American Legion Post #119 2nd Thursday 7:00 p.m., 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 6:30 p.m., City Hall CERT 4th Wednesday For Info Call 503-429-3018 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 503-429-4250 Friends of the Library 1st Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2 For Info Call 503-819-0143 Hands On Art Committee 1st & 3rd Thursdays 4:00 p.m., City Hall Izaak Walton League 3rd Thursday For location call 503-429-7193 Lions Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 6:30 p.m., Buckhorn Restaurant Municipal Airport Committee 4th Thursday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Narcotics Anonymous Saturdays 7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg. Pioneer Museum For Info Call 503-429-3713 Public Works Committee 4th Tuesday 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 7:00 p.m., WGS Library Vernonia Grange 3rd Monday 7:00 p.m., Grange Hall Vernonia Health Center 2nd Monday 6:00 p.m., 510 Bridge St. Vernonia Learning Center 1st Wednesday 6:00 p.m., VLC Vernonia Parks Committee 3rd Wednesday 6:30 p.m., City Hall 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 2nd Friday 1:00 p.m., Senior Center Vernonia Transfer Station 2nd & 4th Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Behind VHS 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 M 2 9 16 23 30 3 10 17 24 31 Total employment rose by 45 to 23,005 but the number of un- employed people increased by 87 to 1,378. October is the first time employment has passed the 23,000 mark in the county. Total employment this October was 299 more than one year before but there were 109 more people unemployed this year. DECEMBER 2007 T W T F 4 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 6 13 20 27 7 14 21 28 S S 1 8 15 22 29 6 13 20 27 JANUARY 2008 T W T F 2 3 1 4 8 7 9 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 28 29 30 31 M S 5 12 19 26 S M 4 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 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 FEBRUARY 2008 T W T 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 F 2 9 16 23 S 3 10 17 24 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 7:30 p.m., Methodist Church Alcoholics Anonymous Wednesdays 7:30 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 Library Commission 3rd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Library 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. 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.
