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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 2009)
The INDEPENDENT, February 19, 2009 Page 5 Whitton now Operations Manager County taxation and assessment data is now online Columbia County Assess- ber, Property Address or For questions or comments at Wauna FCU’s Vernonia branch ment and Taxation Data is now Map/Tax lot. The assessment regarding these web programs, Sue Whitton Wauna Federal Credit Union (WFCU) recently announced that Sue Whitton was promoted to Operations Manager for the Vernonia branch. Whitton has been with WFCU for over a year and brought restaurant in- dustry management experi- ence to her position. Her desire to put members’ needs first has made her a quick favorite with the membership in Vernonia. Wauna Federal Credit Union is headquartered in Clatskanie and has branches in Astoria, Clatskanie, St Helens, Vernon- ia and Warrenton. Everyone in Clatsop or Columbia counties is eligible for membership. For more information, call their toll free number, 1-800-773-3236. Disaster loans for small business Darryl Hairston, Acting Ad- ministrator of the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA), announced that the SBA is making low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to small businesses economi- cally impacted by severe winter storms in Oregon that occurred from December 14, 2008 through January 4, 2009. The declaration covers the primary Oregon counties of Co- lumbia, Hood River, Multnom- ah and Washington as well as the neighboring counties of Clackamas, Clatsop, Tillam- ook, Wasco and Yamhill in Ore- gon and Clark, Cowlitz, Klicki- tat, Skamania and Wahkiakum in Washington. SBA’s disaster declaration immediately makes these low- interest disaster loans avail- able to help small businesses and most private, non-profit or- ganizations meet financial needs caused by the disaster. “The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly com- mitted to providing the most ef- fective and customer-focused response possible to assist Oregon’s small businesses with federal disaster loans,” said Acting Administrator Hair- ston. “Getting our businesses up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA,” he continued. Hairston’s action responded to a February 6 request from Governor Theodore R. Kulon- goski. Alfred E. Judd, Director of SBA’s Disaster Field Opera- tions Center - West, said SBA acted under its own authority to declare this disaster. SBA is offering working cap- ital loans of up to $2 million at an interest rate of four percent with terms up to 30 years. “These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, ac- counts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. These loans can provide vital eco- nomic assistance to small busi- nesses affected by the severe winter storms to help overcome the temporary financial impacts they are experiencing,” Judd said. “Due to the economic loss the severe winter storms caused small businesses in Oregon, we want to provide every available service to help get them back on their feet,” Judd continued. SBA is open- ing a Disaster Loan Outreach Center where customer service representatives will be avail- able to meet individually with each business owner to explain how an SBA disaster loan can help finance their recovery. “We can answer your questions about SBA’s disaster loan pro- gram, explain the application process and accept your com- pleted application,” he said. The SBA Disaster Loan Out- reach Center is located at the Gateway Children’s Center Service Building, 10317 E. Burnside Street in Portland. It opened February 17, and will remain open Mondays through Fridays 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., from now through Wednesday, March 4. Please see page 18 available on-line. Go to www. co.columbia.or.us/assessor/ and click on A&TSearch! The Simple Search Tool can be used to explore assessment information by Account Num- FSA farm disaster aid is now available The USDA/Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Oregon an- nounced that the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) is available to assist nurseries and other farm operations that suffered damage during the December ice and snow storms. The ECP provides emer- gency funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farm- land damaged by natural dis- asters. It is administered by county FSA committees. Sub- ject to availability of funds, lo- cally-elected county commit- tees are authorized to imple- ment ECP for all disasters. Nurseries and other farm operations with damage to hoop houses or other tempo- rary structures from the storms should contact an FSA Office before March 9. Funds may be available to assist with removal of damaged structures. Dam- aged permanent irrigation sys- tems may also be eligible. Per- manent structures such as green houses and barns are not eligible, nor are portable ir- rigation systems. Individual or cumulative re- quests for cost-sharing of $50,000 or less per person, per disaster are approved at the county committee level; $50,001 to $100,000 at the state committee level. Over $100,000 must be approved by the national office. The FSA Office will compile notice of losses and make site visits to determine eligibility. ECP participants receive cost- share assistance up to 75 per- cent of the cost for approved emergency conservation prac- tices, as determined by county FSA committees. Contact the FSA office for Washington and Columbia Counties as soon as possible by calling 503-648- 3174, ext. 2. Other offices can be located online at http://of- fices.sc.egov.usda.gov/loca tor/app? state=or&agency+fsa report for the selected account will show basic information about the property such as ownership, real market and as- sessed values, land size, de- scription of building(s) and orig- inal tax amount for the current tax year. This data will also be periodically updated. The Map Search Tool can be used to explore the county by clicking on the map to zoom into the selected area. It also in- cludes the ability to search by Map Number or Account Num- ber. The map will continue to be periodically updated by the County’s GIS Section and will soon include an aerial map lay- er. This tool currently runs only with Microsoft Internet Explorer. call the Columbia County As- sessor’s Office at 503-397- 2240 or email sue.poling@co. columbia.or.us. Hours changed in Land Development Services The Columbia County Land Development Services Depart- ment will close during the lunch hour, Noon to 1:00 p.m., Mon- day through Friday, starting Monday, February 23. The new office hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to Noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This change is in response to the effects of recent econom- ic conditions, reduced develop- ment activity and staff levels.