06
vernonia’s
voice
october
city news
2007
Staff Article
CityNews...
on Bridge Street and Rose Avenue, from
Grant Avenue to one hundred feet north
City Moves to Sell Surplus Twenty of Cougar Street, eliminating the short 25
MPH zone on Rose Avenue. The City ac-
Acres...
cepted these terms, and was notified at the
After a Public Hearing the City Council
September 17 council meeting that ODOT
approved terms for placing a twenty-acre
would begin changing the posted signs in
property, previously declared surplus, for
the near future.
sale. During the hearing there were ques-
tions raised by both the audience and the
council about the process that was used New Police Vehicles Awaiting
for choosing the realtor for offering the Equipment Installation...
property for sale, and why a local realtor Police Chief Mathew Workman reported
was not chosen. City Administrator M.R. that the new 2007 Ford Expedition and
“Dick” Kline explained that the realtor cho- the 2007 Dodge Charger have arrived and
sen had good market experience and had are awaiting installation of equipment that
offered reduced fees. There was also dis- will allow them to be fully functional. At
cussion about restrictions that could/could the September 17 Council meeting Chief
not be placed on development of the prop- Workman explained that because of delays
erty. Mayor Sally Harrison explained that in the shipping of the vehicles to Vernonia,
any development would have to go before scheduling of the equipment installation
the City Planning Commission and that all has been difficult.
city codes would apply. During delibera-
tions it was agreed that Council accept the City Council September 17, 2007
fair market value of $545,000 and place the
property for sale. Council and the audi- City Declares a Water Shortage
ence were reminded that the city does not Emergency...
have to accept any offers that are made City Council passed an ordinance declar-
and that this is a good opportunity to “test ing a “Second Level of Concern” due to
the waters” to see what kind of serious in- low stream flow on Rock Creek. During
terest there might be for the property.
a Second Level of Concern sprinkling, ir-
City Council September 4, 2007
rigation and watering may be done by
Planning Commissioner Criteria residences West of State Street on even
Amended...
numbered days and East of State Street
Council approved a motion that would al-
low a vacated position on the Planning
Commission to be filled by an individual
who lives within five miles of the city lim-
its. The current restrictions state that the
commission can be made up of six resi-
dents and one at-large member. The mo-
tion allows that if a position is vacated and
remains open for three months, and the
city has advertised the position and made
efforts to fill it, then the position can be
filled by a non-resident to complete the
term. Commissioner Heather Lewis stated
that it is always preferable to have mem-
bers of the commission who are part of the
community as either residents, tax payers
or business owners who are socially and
economically invested in the city.
Speed Zone Changed in Business
District...
The Oregon Department of Transportation
(ODOT) has approved the city’s request to
change the speed limit through the down-
town business district to 20 MPH. After an
ODOT investigation was completed, ap-
proval was given to change the speed limit
on odd numbered days. The restrictions
will remain in place until water flows ex-
ceed twelve cubic feet-per-second. The
city recommends citizens consider using
water conservation practices to avoid any
further restrictions.
Waste Water Loan Amount In-
creased ...
Council passed a resolution that would
increase the amount that the city is able
to borrow from the Clean Water State Re-
volving Fund when the City begins Phase
II of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Proj-
ect. The resolution raises the amount the
city can borrow in Phase II to $8.6 million.
City Administrator Kline explained that this
does not obligate the city in any way to
these funds, but makes them available if
needed. The resolution also allows the in-
crease of the amount of the required loan
reserve should the money be borrowed.
Mr. Kline recommended that the city close
out Phase I of the project which will trig-
ger reporting and loan repayment require-
ments. Mr. Kline explained that beginning
the repayment process for Phase I will al-
The Buckhorn
restaurant &
General store
low the city to be better prepared and in-
formed as it considers its options about
how to proceed with Phase II.
City Signs State
Agreement...
Grant
Council approved entering into an agree-
ment with Oregon State Parks and Recre-
ation Department for a Local Government
Grant in the amount of $245, 600 to assist
in the construction of the Vernonia Bicycle
Skills Park. The grant agreement states
that the city is required to provide match-
ing funds in the amount of $206, 395 which
can come from both in-kind donations and
city funds. After some questions and dis-
cussion about how the city would provide
those funds, it was explained that the grant
is a reimbursement grant, and that the city
has the option of adjusting or downsizing
the scale of the project if the city feels it
cannot meet the match requirements. Af-
ter receiving assurances that the project
would not proceed beyond the means of
the city, Mayor Harrison signed the agree-
ment.
City Grants Jefferson Street Ease-
ment...
Council voted to grant an extension of
Jefferson Street across city owned tax lot
7400, with Planning Commission condi-
tions, allowing Mr. Bill Sword to construct
bridge access to his property. Mr. Sword
will be responsible for paying for full public
improvements and for any costs incurred
in the movement of the current bridge that
he uses. Access to Mr. Sword’s property
has been a point of contention between Mr.
Sword and the city, as current access re-
quires Mr. Sword to travel through heavily
used Anderson Park Campground, some-
times with very large logging equipment.
Mr. Sword’s offer to move the location of
the crossing appears to be a very accept-
able solution to all parties involved.
Committee Positions Filled...
Mayor Sally Harrison appointed Judith
Stefan to the Community Learning Center
Committee and Barbara Ward to the Public
Library Board. The Mayor thanked these
community members for volunteering to
serve the community.
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