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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2011)
The INDEPENDENT, September 7, 2011 Page 5 Business Notes Unusually good attendance at this year’s annual meeting, on August 20, of the West Ore- gon Electric Cooperative was generated by members’ inter- est in their co-op’s new head- quarters building. Their interest was rewarded with tours of the as-yet unfurnished and unoc- cupied building. WOEC General Manager Marc Farmer recounted some features of the building that re- inforced the extent of efforts to use local resources. The efforts started with the selection of Five Star Builders of Banks, which filled many jobs with people who live in Vernonia and other parts of the WOEC service area, and continued with buying as much equip- ment and supplies as possible in Vernonia, including tires. There was a constant watch on project costs, as well, with one particular decision that re- sulted in making an industrial building look like a hunting lodge. When the cost of metal sky-rocketed, and all con- cerned started looking for a dif- ferent material to use instead of metal siding, good fortune came along. Cedar logs were donated, a small sawmill was brought from eastern Oregon to Vernonia, and the logs were milled to order, free, by Clint Jackson, a co-owner of Five Star Builders, at his Vernonia residence. There are many other inter- esting elements in and about the new facility, and an open house is planned for Friday, September 30, from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. In addition to reports from di- rectors and staff, election of di- rectors for Districts 3 and 7 were held. David Hess was re- elected to District 7, and Marty Van Dyken was elected to Dis- trict 3, replacing Randall Ault- man, who did not seek another term. Vernonia city council hires a new police officer, Brent Thompson Vernonia’s newest police of- ficer, Brent Thompson. At the August 29 meeting, the newly formed Vernonia City Council of Mayor Josette Mitchell and Councilors Bruce McNair, Randy Parrow, Kim Tierney and Donna Webb, pro- moted Brent Thompson to one of two open full time Vernonia Police Officer openings. Thompson has put in about 1,000 volunteer hours as a re- serve officer, and had already been hired as a part-time code enforcement officer. Council also approved the extension of existing contracts with Josette Mitchell and Jim Johnson as Pro Tem City Ad- ministrators. Both agreements were extended to September 30. Council set August 30 as the date to interview candidates Bill Haack and Dennis Rhodes for City Administrator. In other business, council, on September 6: • held the second reading of Ordinance #877 establishing the office of City Attorney. • approved Resolution 25-11 designating all FEMA buy-out properties as part of an Open Space System that makes the properties part of the city park system. One benefit to this designation is that, as outdoor recreational lands, the city has no liability for them. Columbia County’s employment numbers show no change in July Columbia County’s season- ally adjusted unemployment rate was 10.4 percent in July essentially unchanged from the previous month (10.3%) but lower than the year before (12.2%). The rate was above the statewide rate (9.5%) and the national rate (9.1%). Total employment climbed by 158 to 22,202 and the number of un- employed people dropped by 54 to 2,636. Total employment this July was 650 more than one year before and there were 253 fewer people unemployed this year. Presiding over the August 20 dedication of the new WOEC building were, left to right, Clint Jackson and Greg Henes, co-owners of Five Star Builders, WOEC General Manager Marc Farmer, WOEC Board President Robert VanNatta, project architect Dennis Beyer, and project manager Ed Bouma.