Page 4
The INDEPENDENT, August 3, 2011
Information available on what to do if you are facing foreclosure
Oregon’s foreclosure rate
spiked 236% in April. Current
trends in the real estate market
are not likely to reverse course
anytime soon. Oregon Depart-
ment of Justice (DOJ) offers
this advice to people who may
be in danger of losing their
homes.
Get help right away. If you
receive a foreclosure notice or
are having a hard time making
your mortgage payments, seek
help right away. You may be
able to obtain forbearance or a
loan modification. Call 1-888-
995-HOPE or visit www.hope
now.com to get connected with
free counseling or assistance
contacting your mortgage com-
pany. The FTC’s mortgage
website, www.ftc.gov, also pro-
vides lots of important informa-
tion for homeowners facing
foreclosure.
Make sure your counselor is
HUD-approved. If you decide
to work with a foreclosure
counselor, make sure they are
HUD-approved.
Scammers
may contact you by mail, on
the phone, online or in person,
and sometimes try to appear
associated with your lender or
the government. Ask your
counselor if their agency is
HUD-approved, and then dou-
ble check for yourself. Visit the
HUD website, www.hud.gov, or
call 1-877-483-1515 to confirm
that your counselor is HUD-
approved.
Never agree to pay up-front
fees for foreclosure counseling.
Up-front fees are illegal under
Oregon law. Charging exces-
sive up-front fees is one of the
most common foreclosure
relief scams.
Keep a record of everything
you do. When working with
your mortgage company, keep
excellent records. Note the
times and days that you call
and the name of the represen-
tative who you speak with.
Make copies of every docu-
ment you sign or provide to
your lender during the loan
modification process. Write
down the confirmation number
and dates of every transaction.
If problems develop, your notes
and records will help you reach
a resolution faster.
Don’t get scammed. Those
who are facing foreclosure are
particularly
vulnerable
to
scams. That is why DOJ
aggressively pursues mort-
gage and foreclosure fraud.
Mortgage-related scams can
include phony offers of coun-
seling or help, cons where
homeowners unknowingly sign
away their home, and lease-to-
own schemes where a scam-
mer purports to sell a house
and pockets all the payments.
Learn to spot the signs of a
scam at www.doj.state.or.us .
If you think you have been
victimized, or want to notify
DOJ about an individual, com-
pany or agency that may be
engaging in mortgage or fore-
closure rescue scams, com-
plete a Consumer Complaint
Form, at www.doj.state.or.us,
or call the Attorney General’s
Consumer Hotline at 1-877-
877-9392.
Kay lost latest round of appeal
Former Vernonia Police
Sergeant Michael Kay lost his
latest appeal to the Oregon
Department of Public Safety
Standards
and
Training
(DPSST). On July 28, the
DPSST board met and unani-
mously agreed with the recom-
mendation of the Police Policy
Committee that Kay’s police
officer certification should be
revoked for life.
Kay now has 60 days in
which to request a contested
case hearing. If the hearing is
not requested, his certification
will be revoked. If Kay does
appeal, the contested case
hearing is forwarded to the
Department of Justice.
The City of Vernonia termi-
nated Kay’s employment as of
July 27 after a unanimous vote
by the city council. Kay was
placed on paid administrative
leave after DPSST first stated
their intention to revoke his cer-
tification on March 15 of this
year.
City responds
to councilors
From page 1
ialist and David Nelson, a City
County Insurance representa-
tive. Discussion was held
regarding the legal implications
and risk management issues
related to the personnel issue
with employee Michael Kay. All
five Council members were
present.
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., 410 North Street
Alcoholics Anonymous
Thursdays (Big Book Study) 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street
American Legion Post #119
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., 627 Adams Avenue
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., Library
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
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 503-429-7193
Kiwanis Club
2nd & 4th Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Municipal Airport Committee
1t Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
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
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., WGS Library
Vernonia Garden Club
2nd Tuesday
1:30 p.m., Vernonia Library
Vernonia Grange
3rd Monday
7:00 p.m., Grange Hall
Vernonia Health Center
3rd Thursday
6:30 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
2nd 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
10:00 a.m., Senior Center
Vernonia Transfer Station
2nd & 4th Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Behind VHS
Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st Tuesday
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
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 429-0869
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
American Legion Post #90
Banks City Council
Banks Fire District #13
Banks Library Commission
Banks Planning Commission
Banks School Board
Banks Youth Group
Chamber of Commerce
CPO 14
Everybody’s Hometown Band
Friends of the Library
Lions Club
Sunset Park Assoc.
T.O.P.S.
Friday
Wednesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Wednesday
3rd Tuesday
Last Tuesday
2nd Monday
Sunday, Wednesday
1st Thursday
3rd Monday
Tuesdays
2nd Tuesday
1st & 3rd Mondays
3rd Wednesday
Wednesday
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
9:00 a.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Main Street Post
7:30 p.m., City Hall
7:00 p.m., Station 13
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., City Hall
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
12:30 p.m., Fire District Office
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., BHS Music Room
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., Brown Derby
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg.
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
Wednesday
10:00 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
Columbia Comm Mental Health
1st Tuesday
5”30 p.m., 58646 McNulty Way
Columbia Soil & Water District
3rd Wednesday
7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes
County Fair Board
2nd Monday
6:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg.
County Parks Commission
3rd Tuesday
Times vary, 1054 Oregon St.
Mental Health Advisory Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Comm. on Children & Families
3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30
Local Alcohol & Drug Plan. Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
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.