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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2012)
The INDEPENDENT, March 21, 2012 Governor seeks individuals to serve on medical policy board Oregon passed historic health care legislation, this past legislative session, to move for- ward with its health insurance exchange and to begin trans- forming and improving care un- der the Oregon Health Plan. Our continued success in the implementation of state and federal health reform will con- tinue to require strong public participation. To that end, Gov- ernor Kitzhaber is calling for nominations of people to partic- ipate in a process to help de- fine the state’s essential health benefits. As part of the Affordable Care Act, the federal govern- ment proposes that essential health benefits are defined us- ing a benchmark where states have the flexibility to select a benchmark plan that reflects the scope of services offered by a “typical employer plan.” If Oregon does not select a benchmark, the federal govern- ment intends to propose a pre- determined default benchmark. To help Oregon select its es- sential health benefit bench- mark, the Governor will be ap- pointing individuals to serve on a jointly chartered Oregon Health Policy Board and Ore- gon Health Insurance Ex- change Board workgroup. Deadline for application is 4 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, March 22. For information on how to apply, go to http://governor.ore- gon.gov/Gov/boards.shtml# How_to_Apply. Attendance was low at the recent Johnson/Witt Town Hall State Senator Betsy John- son and Representative Brad Witt held a Town Hall in Ver- nonia on March 10. Though not well attended, with only five cit- izens and City Councilor Randy Parrow present, the discussion was lively and covered a vari- ety of topics. Starting with a short over- view of the latest legislative session, the first full session in an even numbered year, they discussed using last year’s state budget holdback of $340,000 to fill this year’s budget in order to prevent ma- jor cuts in programs or a large release of prisoners. Other business of this session includ- ed help for struggling home- owners, employment, unem- ployment, underemployment and a ban on discrimination against the currently unem- ployed. They were very happy to discuss the $4.5 million set aside for schools, as $4 million of that amount will come to Ver- nonia as part of a grant/loan package to help finish the new school. Witt said, “While we did this as a team, in the final analysis, it took the goodwill of all legislators to come out and say ‘There will be a school for these kids in 2012’.” Johnson added, “As far as I’m con- cerned, that’s the biggest deal of the session, I think its a measure of us, as Oregonians, that this bill passed.” Comments from the audi- ence ranged from concerns over removing senior citizens property tax deferrals and the effect on their home mort- gages, to the need to get rural status for Vernonia in order to make it easier for healthcare providers to locate here. Page 5 Between the Bookends by Nancy Burch, Librarian Vernonia Public Library As the featured items on the library display table recently changed from those promoting Columbia County Reads, to others promoting Ver- nonia’s Community Reads, patrons have been a little confused. Last fall, the Friends of the Library applied for a grant from the Co- lumbia County Cultural Coalition to expand Ver- nonia’s Community Reads. The Cultural Coali- tion, in partnership with Oregon Cultural Trust, approved the grant request. Matched by funds from the Friends of the Vernonia Library, this grant allows events and/or activities – for youngsters, young adults and adults – that are associated with books chosen for each age group. The new display features this year’s selected books—The Rain Stomper by Addie Boswell, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and The Sky Fisherman by Craig Lesley. Also on display are other books by these authors, suggestions of similar authors/subjects, and brochures listing the activ- ities associated with each of the books. High- lights of the events will be a discussion of The Hunger Games on Thursday March 22 begin- ning at 5:30 p.m., An interactive art activity relat- ed to The Rain Stomper on April 10 at 3:30 p.m., and a visit by Craig Lesley on Saturday, April 14 at 4:00 p.m. All of these events are free and will take place in the library. This will be Vernonia’s Community Reads for 2012. After the application had been made for this grant, the Columbia County librarians decided to have a Columbia County Reads. Books with western themes were chosen for the county ac- tivity, which recently culminated with a visit from Below; only five community members and one city coun- cilor attended the March 10 Town Hall with Senator Betsy Johnson and Representative Brad Witt in Vernonia. There are eight people sitting in the audience, but one is from this paper and another was from Brad Witt’s office. the author of Hearts of Horses, Molly Gloss. So, this year, Vernonia residents will be participating in two Reads. Your participation and input was appreciated in the recently concluded events and is encouraged in the current activities. Appreciation is also expressed for those who donated, organized, sold, and bought books at the recent sale sponsored by the Friends of the Library. This organization is instrumental in sup- plementing library materials and services. Ex- amples include the family pass to OMSI, annual movie licensing, lodging and gas for authors, books—especially for children, snacks for the after-school program, the “tree” addition to the children’s area, publicity and refreshments for presentations held in the library, and other needs as they arise. The next meeting of the Friends of the Library will be Tuesday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the library. New members and ideas are always welcomed. Library staff continues to try to provide mate- rials by authors and on topics relevant to the in- terests of the library patrons. New acquisitions include Victim by Jonathan Kellerman, Cinna- mon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke, Bossy Pants by Tina Fey, The Lorax by Theodor Seuss Geisel, Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult, The Night She Disappeared by April Henry, Bridge of Scar- let Leaves by Kristina McMorris, Force of Nature by C. J. Box, Stay Close by Harlan Coben, and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. Recommenda- tions from patrons are appreciated. Book discussion will take place Monday, March 26 at 5:30 with Hillary Jordan’s Mud- bound, being discussed. Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Avenue Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tues., Thu. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10:30 a.m when school is in session. Phone: 503-429-1818 Water rates set to go up in June for all Vernonia customers From page 1 $102.00 for all services. The new water rates dis- cussed after the many meet- ings, then approved at the March 19 city council meeting will be based on water meter size. Most residential and busi- ness customers (835 of the to- tal 874 users) have either 3/4 of 5/8 inch meters. Both of those meter sizes will be billed at $36.00 for the new base rate and $4.25 for each 1,000 gal- lons over the 2,000 included in the base rate. For a home us- ing 3,000 gallons of water, this change will mean a bill of $40.25 instead of the current $36.25. Users with larger meters will pay a higher base rate, but will get a larger allowance of water included before the $4.25 con- sumption rate kicks in. The EDU (Equivalent Dwelling Unit) system currently in place that affected a few places, such as the Vernonia Inn, and set a base rate per room will be re- moved. Council directed City Admin- istrator Bill Haack to work with Tice to “develop a new water rate” based on the $36 base rate and $4.25 consumption rate, with Councilor Donna Webb voting against the new rates. Council will put the new rates in place and re-evaluate them in one year. The new rates will go into affect in June, showing up on the billing due in July.
