Page 6
The INDEPENDENT, May 2, 2012
More about the pos. 3 County Commissioner candidates views
From page 5
ordinances on the website so
people don’t have to go to St.
Helens for them.
Hyde – Most importantly, I’d
like to see a better awareness
of what counties are – by
everybody in the county. For
example, we can’t use property
taxes to fund road repairs, we
can only use gas tax. So many
who use our roads don’t regis-
ter their vehicles in our county
so we don’t get any money
from them. I’d like to see the
county no longer be responsi-
ble for the state court, instead
have the state assume that re-
sponsibility. For example, the
state don’t pay enough for the
District Attorney’s office so the
county has to supplement it.
Maygra – I’d like to see more
openness, honesty and trans-
parency. The public should be
allowed public records without
forms or payments. There
should be no backdoor deals,
for sure. I’d like to see county
government work for the peo-
ple and for their loyalties to be
with the people, not the corpo-
rations with huge tax abate-
ments, like the $33 million tax
abatement for PGE.
Ward – We need more ‘hands-
on’. But I’d really need to eval-
uate everything after getting
into office. It’s a job that you
need to learn as you do the job.
6. Nehalem Valley residents
feel they get little in the way
of county services. What
would you do to change this
perception?
Gibson – So do other areas,
like Clatskanie. I would commit
to getting out there to where
the people are, not waiting for
them to complain. I’d like to see
the commissioner meetings out
in other areas. I want to repre-
sent the citizens.
Hyde – I do think that’s more a
perception than a reality. That
goes back to the need for more
education on what a county
does and doesn’t do.
Maygra – I would talk to people
and find out what they want. I
think money needs to be more
equitably distributed. I want to
be a hands-on commissioner.
I’ll drive out to listen to people.
Ward – I would get the voters
more involved in county com-
missioner issues by getting
their input as to what they do
and don’t want, to better coor-
dinate those things the voters
don’t feel they are getting now.
7. What do you see as the
most important issue for
county commissioners at
this time?
Gibson – Surviving the budget
crisis and doing so in a way
that best meets the needs of
the residents of Columbia
County. It’s not going to be an
easy thing but we can’t rely on
the federal government to bail
us out, it’s not sustainable.
Hyde – Public safety. I’m really
worried about how we can
have good public safety at all
levels; jail, court, patrol. Not
just the sheriff, but all law en-
forcement in the city and coun-
ty is having budgetary issues.
That’s one of the core services
that citizens expect. Second is
comprehensive economic de-
velopment – for all, not just for
St. Helens and Scappoose.
Making sure our existing busi-
nesses stay viable, but also at-
tracting new ones. We have to
look at successful models in
business, like city/county/pri-
vate projects.
Maygra – We need to get some
jobs in this county. We need
high tech jobs, assembly line
jobs, anything. And, the jobs
need to be here so people can
stay in the community, not
commute. Also, we need to
modernize and keep pace with
the world, not be left behind.
Ward – The schools, so teach-
ers will have the proper envi-
ronment to educate kids.
8. Why should Vernonians
vote for you?
Gibson – I come from a rural
area, Alston Corners, and that
gave me a good work ethic and
a common sense approach. I
enjoy listing to people and get-
ting feedback that I’m working
for their interests, not just mine.
My rural background means
Church Directory
V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH
C OVENANT C HURCH V ERNONIA
P IONEER B APTIST F ELLOWSHIP
Carl Pense, Pastor
850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-1103
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School
Pastor John D. Murray
359 “A” Street, Vernonia
503 860-3860
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m.
John Cahill, Pastor
939 Bridge Street, Vernonia
503-429-1161
www.pbfalive.com
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Thursday Prayer 7:00 p.m.
S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia
503 429-8301
Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m.
Sabbath School 9:30 a.m.
A SSEMBLY OF G OD
Wayne and Maureene Marr
662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia,
503 429-0373
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m
S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH
Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-8841
Mass Sunday 12:00 Noon
Religious Educ. Sunday 10:30 a.m.
V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH
Ralph Young, Pastor
957 State Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-6790
Sunday Bible Classes 9:00 a.m.
Family Praise & Worship 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer 6:30 p.m.
Thursday Ladies Study 7:00 p.m.
Nursery 10:15 a.m.
Vernonia Community Preschool
N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH
Gary Taylor, Pastor
Grant & North Streets, Vernonia
503 429-5378
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.
Nursery available
Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m.
V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH
C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST
OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS
Sam Hough, Minister
410 North Street, Vernonia
503 429-6522
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.
(meets in Youth & Family Center)
Various Home Group Meetings
Marc Farmer, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street, Vernonia
503 429-7151
Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m.
Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m.
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m.
I’ve struggled like everybody
else to pay property taxes. I’ve
been involved in county gov-
ernment, which gives me a leg
up. I’m not running for a career.
In fact, I commit to opting out of
PERS to save that money as I
have a law enforcement retire-
ment. I am opposed to career
politicians.
Hyde – I think I’ve demonstrat-
ed my commitment to this com-
munity more than once. I have
an edge on this as I live here
and I like to think Vernonia
knows that I’m dedicated to
them and more than just 9 to 5.
I always feel I owe a debt to the
city and the county for that mat-
ter.
Maygra – Because I don’t feel
I’m doing any better than any-
body else in the county. I want
to help get people back to
work. I’m not a career politi-
cian, I just want to help clean
up the mess that’s been made
and do right by people. We’re
all in this together.
Ward – They should vote for
me if they want to move up in
the world and be part of the
community. I’m running so they
can be heard at the county lev-
el.
9. Anything else you’d like to
tell our readers (plans, direc-
tions, etc.)?
Gibson – I am not a politician.
I’m an average citizen with ex-
perience in government set-
tings. I want to see Columbia
County be a successful place
for my kids and grandkids to
grow up.
Hyde – I think Vernonia is in a
really good spot and we need
to take advantage of it. I’m real-
ly excited about the new Forest
Health/Human Health Initiative,
being started right here.
Maygra – I just want to treat
people right and make this
county a better place for people
and I’ll work hard. My loyalty
will be with the citizens.
Ward – We need to get schools
back on their feet, and have
more small businesses open.
And, more than fast food be-
cause so many restaurants
aren’t making a living. I would
like to get big government con-
tracts for Columbia County to
create jobs. As a county com-
missioner, I want to help create
small businesses in all of the
county.
See More on page 20
Vote Reginald Ward
For Columbia County
Commissioner
Ward will work for:
Family Wage Jobs,
Small Businesses,
Good Schools
Ward will:
Work for You
Listen to You
Be Accountable to You
Paid for by Reginald Ward