The INDEPENDENT, January 21, 2010
WFCU expands Mortgage Loan
Department at all branches
Wauna Federal Credit Union
has announced the expansion
of their Mortgage Loan Depart-
ment headed by Kellie Elliott,
Mortgage Loan Director.
The following employees
have been promoted to Mort-
gage Loan Officer: Brian
Franck at the Vernonia branch;
Debra Workman, Astoria and
Warrenton branches; Marvene
Lane, Clatskanie branch; and
Monica Samaras at the St He-
lens branch and for Scappoose
members.
Mortgage Loan Officers spe-
cialize in offering Mortgage
Purchase Loans, First Mort-
gage Equity Refinance Loans,
Home Equity Loans, Home Eq-
uity Lines of Credit (HELOC),
Manufactured Home Loans,
and Bare Land Loans.
Wauna Federal Credit Union
is headquartered in Clatskanie
and has branches in Astoria,
Clatskanie, St Helens, Vernon-
ia and Warrenton. Everyone in
Clatsop and Columbia counties
is eligible for membership. For
more information, call toll free
800-773-3236, or visit our web-
site at waunafcu.org.
In the photo at right, from left to right, back row, are Marvene
Lane, Brian Franck, and Kellie Elliott. In the front row are De-
bra Workman and Monica Samaras
Council meeting draws a crowd ODFW seeks two
An overflow crowd attended
the January 19 Vernonia City
Council meeting. All seats were
filled and the double doors on
both sides were opened to al-
low for the standing-room-only
crowd.
About half the crowd was on
hand for the dedication of a
portrait of Judge Rod McLean.
McLean, a Vernonia resident
and former logger, served six
terms as Justice of the Peace
in the local Justice Court before
his death. Three other judges,
Columbia County Sheriff Jeff
Dickerson, two Sheriff’s Depu-
ties, and many of McLean’s
family and friends were on
hand for the unveiling of his
portrait, which will hang in the
chamber that used by both the
court and the city council. Judge
Wally Thompson (current Ver-
nonia Justice of the Peace) and
Columbia County Circuit Court
Judge Ted Grove spoke before
McLean’s wife, Sandra, un-
wrapped the portrait.
The crowd remaining after
the dedication was composed
primarily of Vernonia business
owners who came to object,
during a public hearing held
during the evening, to the new
sign ordinance. Concerns
ranged from discontent with the
theme chosen (Early 1900s
Historic Mill Town), to the $10
fee for temporary signs, to this
being a bad time to make
changes that affect business-
es. In general, the citizens felt
that the ordinance was devel-
oped without community col-
laboration, and they asked
council to send the ordinance
back to the Planning Commis-
sion for a re-work rather than
voting on it at this meeting.
No one spoke in favor of the
ordinance and, after hearing
approximately two hours of tes-
timony from those opposed to
the ordinance, council agreed
to hold the public hearing open
while interested community
and business people work with
the Planning Commission to
come up with an ordinance that
will have community support.
Police Chief Frank Grace
told council that the calls for po-
lice service remained steady in
December. Without offering
any explanation for his state-
ments, Grace said, “Our offi-
cers are doing a great job,” and
followed that with, “It’s an insult
to have people follow the offi-
cers around town.” City Admin-
istrator Bob Young followed
that up saying, “The police de-
partment is doing a terrific job,
I’m proud of our guys. They are
exceptional. They are respect-
ed around the county and the
state.”
In other business, council:
• gave consensus for Mayor
Sally Harrison to appoint Jen-
nifer Moloney to the Library
Board;
• unanimously approved the
Unmet Needs Committee se-
lection of Ticor Title to handle
the flood buyout properties.
The next meeting is sched-
uled for February 1, starting at
7:00 p.m. at City Hall.
members for Fish
Passage panel
The Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife is seeking two
members to serve on the
state’s Fish Passage Task
Force. One member on this
ODFW advisory body will rep-
resent water users and the oth-
er will represent fishing and
conservation groups.
The ODFW Fish Passage
Program administers the rules
and statutes related to the pas-
sage of native migratory fish in
Oregon’s rivers and streams.
The Task Force advises the
ODFW Director and the Ore-
gon Fish and Wildlife Commis-
sion on matters related to pro-
gram development and imple-
mentation,
fish
passage
waivers and exemptions, fund-
ing, monitoring, reporting to
joint legislative committee, and
project prioritization. Task
Force members are eligible to
serve two-four year terms.
“The task force is instrumen-
tal in the implementation of
Oregon’s fish passage sta-
tutes,” said Greg Apke, ODFW
Fish Passage Program Coordi-
nator. “Their role in bringing
myriad perspectives into the
fish passage arena creates a
program that is responsive to
both fish passage and societal
needs.”
The nine members of the
Fish Passage Task Force are
appointed by the ODFW Direc-
tor. Task Force members rep-
See ODFW, page 20
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