The INDEPENDENT, August 6, 2009
47J cuts cost of new schools
Vernonia School District 47J
and BOORA (architects) held
another in a series of town halls
on the new schools project.
This time, the district served
hot dogs, salad and watermel-
on.
Over 100 people were in the
audience to hear Superinten-
dent Dr. Ken Cox tell them, “a
couple of weeks ago we sat
down to see how to make our
ideas better and cheaper.” That
process pared the cost of the
new schools down by $11 mil-
lion, to $36 million. The previ-
ous projections had been $48
to $50 million. Some of the cost
savings were in looking at what
was included in the ‘soft costs’;
items like computers and
servers, and kitchen equip-
ment. Some of these items do
not need to be purchased but
can be taken from the current
schools.
Other changes to the plan
include reducing the square
footage in the building by con-
densing some areas, putting up
a shop and art barn on the site
of an existing barn on the prop-
erty, and not including the cost
of ball fields. The district plans
to use the existing ball fields at
the Bridge Street site and
phase in new fields. Some cor-
porations have previously of-
fered to donate fields, so that
may be part of the phase-in.
Comments from the audi-
ence were incorporated in the
plan. For example; the Shop/
Art Barn was being called the
Shop/Art Loft in the presenta-
tion, but the name was
changed after the audience ex-
pressed a preference for Barn
instead of Loft.
Another Town Hall is expect-
ed to be scheduled for later in
August.
Gwin in S. Africa for three weeks
Trever Gwin, of Vernonia,
was chosen by the Oregon
Wrestling Association to take a
cultural exchange trip to South
Africa that started July 31. He
is scheduled to return August
13 and is staying with host fam-
ilies during his trip. He already
fought and won a wrestling
match in an open champi-
onship and will be bringing
home a gold medal from that
match.
Gwin was originally sched-
uled to go to Japan until that
trip was cancelled due to the
Swine flu epidemic. He auto-
matically qualifies to go to
Japan next year.
Chalk Talk
Chalk Talk is a column of information about Vernonia
schools. This column was provided by “Vote Yes For
Schools Measure” Vernonia School Bond Committee.
VERNONIANS: Pass the Bond, Not the
Buck!
Every month from June thru November you
will see an article on the school bond issue pro-
duced by the Vernonia School Bond Committee
– a group of your neighbors and friends working
to make sure you have all the information you
need to vote YES in November – YES for our
children and grandchildren and YES for the fu-
ture and prosperity of our entire community.
This month our interview is with our very
own Ax Man, Mike Pihl.
Question: Why is a new school campus
important to you personally?
Answer: I have young kids and grandkids that
will go to the new school and even if I did not, I
would support the bond because it makes a sol-
id community.
Question: As a business owner, how do
you think new schools will impact Vernonia?
Answer: When we have the new school built,
it will keep responsible family people in Vernon-
ia which make for good employees for our busi-
nesses.
Question: As a
property owner, a
school bond will in-
crease your annual
taxes by about $1.90
per thousand of assessed value. In a weak
economy, why are you in support of higher
taxes?
Answer: My answer to this question is my slo-
gan “NO SCHOOL/NO VERNONIA”
it’s that
simple!
Question: As a resident and taxpayer who
will help pay the school bond bill, do you
think it is necessary to build a super energy
efficient, “green” building?
Answer: Energy efficient only makes dollar
sense. What I know about the “green” building is
that it is the wave of the future. So to answer
your question, YES!
Question: What do you think will happen
to Vernonia if this bond does not pass?
Answer: I believe many parents of school age
children will leave the district because they be-
lieve that their children deserve to be educated
in a safe building that the children can be proud
of. It is a subject that has been brought up at my
house and I love Vernonia so PLEASE VOTE
YES!
Want to go back to college? Here’s how
Youth Program 2009 set to start
Youth Program 2009 is for
children aged 4 to 12 years of
age. With the theme of “Physi-
cal Fitness”, the program will
be held August 10-13, from
4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Scout
Cabin in Hawkins Park, Ver-
nonia.
There will be songs, stories,
crafts, science time, snacks,
and games. Parents are wel-
come. This program is brought
to Vernonia by Friends Helping
Friends Missions, the Oregon
Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists and the local Sev-
enth-day Adventist Church.
For more information con-
Page 11
tact Director Jim Klingler at
360-903-3160.
Get a clean car
to help the band
There will be a Vernonia
Schools Band Car Wash on
Saturday, August 15, from
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the
Vernonia High School parking
lot.
You can help the band and
get a clean vehicle at the same
time.
Earlier this summer, the
State of Oregon launched a
toll-free Adult Learner College
Line (1-877-848-4669) and
website (www.OregonOpportu-
nities.gov) for Oregonians in-
terested in returning to college,
or enrolling for the first time.
Funded through a $1.4 million
grant from the U.S. Department
of Education, the Adult Learner
Line is geared to helping Ore-
gonians ages 25 and older who
are interested in going to col-
lege, but need some help and
direction on how to enroll, seek
financial aid, and generally
navigate the process.
“All of Oregon’s public and
private nonprofit colleges and
universities are involved in this
initiative, and are working col-
laboratively to reduce the barri-
ers that often hinder prospec-
tive students from enrolling in a
community college or a 4-year
college or university,” said Joe
Holliday, assistant vice chan-
cellor for the Oregon University
System. “As more Oregonians
are making employment transi-
tions in the current economy,
going back to college is a good
option for re-training and re-
tooling one’s skills.”
Oregonians can access the
Adult Learner College Line
Monday-Friday, between 9:00
a.m. and 9:00 p.m., at 1-877-
848-4669, to speak with a spe-
cialist about enrolling in college
in Oregon, how to get financial
aid, transfer credits, or get spe-
cific information on programs
for returning or first-time stu-
dents, childcare options, and
other areas. On-line users can
have live chats with coun-
selors, email specific ques-
tions, and access information
on colleges, programs, and ca-
reers at www.OregonOpportu-
nities.gov.
The Adult Learner College
Line and website are supple-
mented by other Oregon-based
resources, such as the Oregon
Student Assistance Commis-
sion’s financial aid website,
www.GetCollegeFunds.org,
which helps Oregonians under-
stand the types of aid available,
how to apply, and other infor-
mation.
Pet of the Month
Columbia Humane Society in St. Helens has a variety of wonderful pets
available for adoption. Find the pet that’s right for you in the shelter
at 2084 Oregon Street. Phone 503-397-4353
Open Mon - Fri 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 am. to 5 pm.
Boo Boo is an 11 week old male lab
puppy. He is a very sweet & quiet little
guy who seems to have encountered
some form of abuse in his short life,
as he doesn't like the back of his neck
touched in any kind of rough or play-
Boo Boo
ful way. He is looking for a super lov-
ing home that can assure he will
never fall victim to this sort of treatment again. As with all pup-
pies, Boo Boo will need constant attention and a lot of training
to become the family member that you want him to be.
The Columbia Humane Society is a No-Kill non-profit shelter
dedicated to helping friends find each other since 1985.
This Adopt a Pet is Sponsored by:
Senator Betsy Johnson