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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2010)
The INDEPENDENT, October 21, 2010 Board told of contractor Summit Two IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Work- ers) members spoke at the Oc- tober 14 Vernonia School Board meeting, saying they had heard that IBEW would not be the subcontractor used by P&C Construction to build the new schools. Superintendent Ken Cox responded that, “We have no control over sub-con- tractors choice.” He added that other opportunities may be available and he would be sure that IBEW knew about those projects. The board was told that a $3.4 million Quality School Construction Bond (QSCB) was sold last week as part of an $8.3 million bond package with several other schools. The bond will be repaid at .25% in- terest over 17 years by approx- imately $202,000 not sent to the district from the ODE State School Fund payments. The bond was considered neces- sary because the construction is a three year project, while the district’s fundraising efforts are expected to span a 4-5 year period. The bond will help pay for construction while fundraising continues. The district has been award- ed an additional $10,776 from the federal Rural Education Achievement Program due to the student population drop- ping below 600 this year. The award also allows greater flexi- bility in the use of federal funds. Cox told the board he would give details of the allocation of the additional funds at the next board meeting. Cox told the board that the official ground breaking cere- mony for the new schools proj- ect has been changed to De- cember 2 at 10:00 a.m. to ac- commodate the governor’s schedule. The board voted unani- mously to increase the commu- nity service graduation require- ments. The class of 2011 will need to have 30 hours of com- munity service, while future classes will need to have 40 hours. The requirement had been 20 hours, though the board was told that many stu- dents exceeded that number of hours. The contract with P&C Con- struction to build the new school was approved, after board member Bill Langmaid made a statement indicating a preference for local labor to be used whenever possible. P&C Construction has set October 26, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. as a day and time for a Contractors Summit between them, their subcontractors, and local contractors and workers. This event will take place at the VSD Cafeteria (green building), with snacks served from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., while local firms and tradespeople meet with the P&C project management team. At 4:00 p.m. a presenta- tion will be made by P&C about their proposed plan for pro- curement of subcontractors, suppliers, and trade personnel for construction of the new Ver- nonia School. A question and answer period will follow. The meeting will adjourn at 6:00 pm. The next school board meet- ing, November 4 in the District office, will have an early start, at 6:00 p.m.. FEMA comment period now open The Town Hall meeting held October 14 by the Vernonia School District was also a pub- lic comment period for FEMA’s proposal to provide a Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant to be used by the City of Vernonia for acquisition and demolition of the existing school buildings. Though the meeting was not well attended by the communi- ty, with only two or three non- involved citizens in the audi- ence, the information provided and available was extensive. Information was provided about the conversion of Spencer Park from its current location to the site where the schools now sit. This conver- sion is required by the National Park Service Land and Water Conservation Fund. The con- version allows using the space now occupied by Spencer Park See FEMA on page 20 Page 11 Chalk Talk Chalk Talk is a column of information about Vernonia schools. This column was provided by Superintendent Ken Cox. We are getting closer! I heard a comment the other day about our promises, but no results, even some of our stu- dents are skeptical. But I assure you there are results! Last week I received the first two of the permits that we will need to begin construction. These are permits that will need to be posted on the new school site and we have them in hand! I know these aren’t the dramatic results that we would like to see, like holes being dug and walls going up, but it is a very real start. It is not just my belief or a promise that we are going to build new schools, we have begun! To help make this possible we held a public comment meeting last Thursday to review the Environmental Assessment that has been done in order for the FEMA buy-out to occur. I would like to publicly thank the many people who were there who have put so much time and effort into getting this complicated project completed in near record time. The lead from the Region X FEMA office in Seattle is Science Kilner, a dedi- cated and articulate person who has successful- ly taken on the coordination of the many aspects of this project. Vernonia has become a major project in her life and even though she had to drive back to Seattle after the meeting ended at 8:30 p.m., she continues to do all she can to help the project move forward. There were two repre- sentatives from the Oregon Emergency Man- agement in Salem, who came to the meeting and, in fact, spent much of the afternoon com- pleting the online application for the project so that it can move forward as quickly as possible. Dennis Siegrist is the lead from that agency and has coordinated conference calls for the project. Every week since last April this group has met via phone to work out glitches and make sure that tasks are being completed. There were many others at the meeting who have adopted our cause; Dan Brown and Tony Hyde, who have been at so many of our meetings and have done so much in the background, were there, and I would be remiss to not mention Jim Johnson, former interim administrator for the city, who has done such a great job in dealing with the transfer/con- version of Spencer Park and planning for the creation of a new park that will eventually replace the existing schools. Steve Effros, our Project Man- ager, and his boss Don Irwin, Creatures a’s Lis ing om PET SUPPLIES, Gro gain! a GROOMING & U-WASH (503-429-PETS (7387) OPEN www.creaturespetshop.com Mon-Sat 10-6 736 Bridge St. Vernonia both from Aadland Evans Constructors in Portland, answered many questions about the CMGC RFP that was completed, making it possible for us to hire a Construction Manag- er/General Contractor. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the school board for their unfailing support and confidence in this project. They know that this is going to happen and that it will make Ver- nonia a better place for all of us. We are moving forward! We have crested the hill and the momentum is building! Some examples: 1. P&C Construction has set October 26th from 3–6:00 p.m. as the day and time for a Con- tractor’s Summit between them, their subcon- tractors, and local contractors and workers. More details will be sent to those whose emails and addresses are on file with the District Office. 2. We are in communication with the gover- nor’s office and it looks like he will be able to be here on December 2nd for an official ground- breaking ceremony. 3. Please note that we will, however, be doing work on the site the day after we get permission, which at this point looks like mid-November. Check out the latest information at www.ver- noniaschools. org. Subcontractors, suppliers, local firms, and tradespeople: Come to a Summit with P&C Construction on the new schools project, Oct. 26, 3-6 pm, in the Cafeteria (green building). Midway Veterinary Clinic Senior Discounts Open in Vernonia Wednesdays and Saturdays 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Call for appointments 503-429-1612 805 Bridge Street Vernonia Small and Large Animals