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Salmonberry timber sale AURORA BIGGERS chronicle2@countrymedia.net
In St. Helens, timber is a valuable commodity for the city and the sale of the city-owned timber plots bring in cash to sustain and boost community and economic development. Following a successful Milton Creek Watershed timber sale in February, St. Helens has awarded a bid to sell more timber this year. The St. Helens City Council approved preparing a Douglas fir timber sale of around 92 acres in the Salmonberry property. The Salmonberry property is a sustainably managed tree farm off Pittsburg Road and the cut represents approximately 3.8% of the 2,500 acre property. The city received four bids on the timber price and approved the sale to the highest bidder on May 2.
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Columbia County remained at High Risk as of June 14, under the state’s COVID-19 health and safety category because the county’s vaccination rate remains low, but Oregon is close, at 67.9% as of June 14, to reaching the 70% vaccination rate established to reopen the state’s economy. Gov. Kate Brown announced June 11, that fewer than 100,000 more vaccines are needed to reach the 70% threshold by June 21. That is the date Brown set to fully reopen the state’s economy and discontinue most restrictions and requirements, such as wearing face coverings and following social distancing. “Thanks to the vaccine, our case rate and hospitalizations continue to decline,” Brown said. At least 2.3 million Oregonians had received at least one dose of the vaccine, as of June 11, according to Brown. “We are so close to reopening our economy,” she said.
Climbing prices During the last timber sale, Brent Keller, associate at the citycontracted forest management firm Mason, Bruce & Girard, told city councilors the price for timber is higher now than it has been in the past. “Prices right now are well above the five-year average,” Keller said, and that prices were at an all-time high last summer. If the city chooses to sell 50 acres of timber, he said there could be $625,000 in income. A 2020 timber sale, which spanned 66 acres, netted just under $1.4 million in income. Mills in the small log market are paying competitive timber prices, Keller said, largely due to the strong housing market. Small logs are typically produced into dimension lumber that is used in the construction industry. Most of St. Helens timber is small Douglas fir saw logs. The city councilors and Mayor Rick Scholl agreed that it would be good for the city to take advantage of the competitive market and sell off the city’s excess timber plots. “We have so many big projects going on, and the market seems right,” Scholl said. “I’m not saying cut all the timber and not all the watershed, we’re talking a small fraction of the watershed. He recommended two cuts of about 100 acres, and I would like to go with what he recommended knowing we have projects in mind.” History The Salmonberry plot is an extension of the city’s plan to sell 100 acre plots, and the bids represent the predicted market. As a recovery timber sale, the buyer will be responsible for the total amount of dollars, which is obtained by multiplying the bid price per thousand board feet by the volume recovered, according to the bid announcement. The highest and winning bid was from Interfor US Timber Inc, a
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‘We’ve been plagued over the last two months by outbreaks at schools — we had over a dozen outbreaks at almost every school in the county, and that has really pushed our numbers up,” Michael Paul explained during the Columbia County Board of Commissioners meeting June 9. “As school comes to a close, and our overall infection rate in the state and the region has declined, I hope that very soon, we’ll move down from high risk.” Another way for the county to move out of high risk, according to Paul, is for the county to reach 65% of the population being vaccinated—with residents 16 years-old and older having one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. “We’re making progress. We’re growing at about 1%, but we still have a little ways to go,” Paul said. To reach the 65% mark, 20,000 residents will need to be vaccinated with at least one dose by that June 21 re-opening date. “The good news is that if the state reaches the 70% threshold, then the entire sate restrictions will be lifted,” Paul said. “I don’t want us to be left behind, and then be a pocket or a harbor for the coronavirus.
Library open, expands programs
Aurora Biggers / The Chronicle
The St. Helens Library underwent remodels inside in 2020, updating the library’s interior with fresh coats of paint and new fixtures. The outside retains its Gaudí-esque character. AURORA BIGGERS chronicle2@countrymedia.net
The St. Helens library is bucking the curve for most libraries these days. While many libraries were forced to close during the pandemic, and in general are waning from lack of interest and support, the St. Helens library is open and expanding its programs. Challenges
Columbia County’s challenges
Graduate Tyler Roady yells victoriously after receiving his diploma during the SHHS drive-through graduation at the Columbia County Courthouse in St. Helens, on June 11. See more photos at thechronicleonline.com.
For the past year, the St. Helens Library has been offering drive-up window service for patrons looking for a bookish fix. “I think it’s been a real lifeline for people who had to isolate at home,” said Library Director Margaret Jeffries. Per state and county guidelines, inside the library was closed for most of the past year as well, but the library recently re-opened for limited browsing. Currently, the library is open during business hours for 35 people to browse at a time. Each room has its own capacity
labeled as well. Still, the return to a physical library experience is a welcome one, said Jeffries. “There are so many people who are glad to have a chance to browse the books.” But books aren’t the only resource the library offers. The library offers computer services, a space for clubs and groups to gather, online databases, and the occasional guest speaker. “Libraries are, in many cases, a very central part of the community because they offer a place for people to gather. You wind up being not just a source for knowledge and entertainment but a source for engagement. It’s an extension of our ability to take information that we have and synthesize that for people,” Jeffries explained. “It’s a productive thing because we get to learn from each other. I’m looking forward to the day when we can get back to doing more of that.” The library made its annual presentation to the city council in May, presented by the library’s board chair Melisa Gaelrun-Maggi. Maggi explained that the library provided
much more to the community than a room with books. The library also hosts Nature Buddies, a nature activity program for kids, hosts a genealogy conference (which will run for two days in mid-September), and recently renovated one of the rooms into a Library of Things—a STEM geared portion of the library.
Dramatic shift
Community engagement
State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said that cases in the state are directly in line with the increase in vaccinations. “Daily cases, COVID-19 related hospitalizations and the percentage of people testing positive continue to decline,” Sidelinger said. Over the past week, 1,725 new COVID cases were announced in the state, the lowest number since September. Hospitalizations were down 24% and only 20 new deaths linked to the virus were reported. “The landscape of the virus has shifted dramatically,” Sidelinger said. “The virus is overwhelmingly impacting those who are not vaccinated when those who are vaccinated are safe. Virtually every person infected right now is not fully vaccinated.” Sidelinger said the vaccines are all proven safe and effective, and the best way to beat COVID-19 is to get the vaccine. “In order to decisively defeat
The city councilors praised the library for its efforts to engage the community. “The library didn’t close while others have. It continues to be a powerful incentive for people to come live in our community and invest in our community,” Councilor Birkle said. Councilor President Morten agreed. “What I really appreciate is the cultural hub that the library represents. It’s a wonderful icon for our community and it reaches out to so many aspects of our culture and does that very well.” In addition to offering a drive-up See LIBRARY Page A9
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