Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2008)
06 city news may 2008 City Council April s, 2008 CityNews.. Council Hears Presentations from Colum bia County Rider and Columbia County Public Health... Janet Wright and HenryJHeimuller explained services provided by Columbia County Rider and discussed the growth of the program. They reminded local citizens that Columbia County Rider is a public transportation service and is available for all citizens to use, not just senior citizens. Columbia County Rider is now operating from the Community Learning Cen ter Building and hopes to have a centralized dispatch system in place shortly, increasing its ability to provide efficient service. Columbia County Rider is requesting $3,500 from the City of Vernonia to help subsidize services. budget will be presented to council on May 5, followed by scheduled committee meetings on May 13 and 15. Addition meetings may be held on May 20 and 22 if necessary to approve a recommended budget. The final budget hear ing is scheduled to take place on June 23 or 30 when the recommended budget will be ad opted by council. All meetings are open to the public. Knott Street Becomes Jurisdiction of Vernonia... The City of Vernonia accepted jurisdictional responsibility for Knott Street within the Ver nonia UGB. Knott Street was previously con trolled by Columbia County. plying for a $500,000 Community Develop ment Block Grant that would be used to begin assisting flood victims with home lifts, repairs and rehabilitations. Community Action Team would be the Primary Grant Administrator in partnership with the City of Vernonia. Council Hears Presentation From Bridges Planning Group... Council heard an update from the Bridges Planning Group; they identified the remaining steps they will be performing in their communi ty visioning process and outlined the priorities that they have identified for the community. Council Appoints Budget Officer... Council appointed Temporary Finance Officer M.R. “Dick” Kline as Budget Officer. Other Actions... • Council did not accept a lease agreement Columbia River Fire and Rescue Chief Jay between the City and AMAR Properties and Lewis Resigns from Planning Commission... Tappan, a board member of Columbia Coun George and Donna Tice for part of an alley Planning Commissioner Heather Lewis sub ty Public Health, and Karen Ladd presented way. mitted a letter of resignation citing circum printed information and statistics about public • Council tabled a request to waive SDC charg stances beyond her control. Lewis stated that health issues of concern to residents of Co es of $10,794 on a home being built for the if these circumstances changed in the future, lumbia County. Dean Schaumburg family. Schaumburg was she would be happy to make herself available injured in a logging accident, and the home is again. Council Approves Lease Agreement with being built by volunteers with donations. Columbia County Flood Relief... • Council denied a proposal from Brix Paving Council Approves Declaration of Surplus Council accepted a lease agreement with the Co. to repaint crosswalks in the downtown Property... Columbia County Flood Relief for use of the area. Council approved declaring the old City Hall Vernonia Community Learning Center Build • Council signed an agreement with the Bridg Building on Bridge Street as surplus public ing. Rent would be $1400 per month and in es Planning Group, deleting a line that re property and directed staff to begin the pro clude utilities; rent is retroactive to January 1, quested a $2,000 contribution from the city cess of finding a buyer. 2008. Columbia County Flood Relief will share for expenses. use of the building with programs run by the Other Actions... Learning Center. Council approved the renewal of the Liquor City Council April 21, 2008 License for the NewJHong Kong Restaurant. Council Approves Budget Calendar... Council approved Support for the annual Bear Council approved the proposed Budget Cal Council Approves Grant Application... Creek Run/Walk event, a fund raiser for the endar for fiscal year 2008-09. The proposed After a public hearing, Council approved ap Vernonia Cares Food Bank. From Our Electeu Officials By Mayor Sally Harrison As I urive uown Briuge Street, things are looking pret ty normal if you allow for the snow in late April. But looks can be ueceiving because I know for so many this has been a long anu trying winter. I know this because yours truly has been uealing with the Same floou re lateu issues as the rest of you. I can only hope that you have hau the same kinu of wonuerful frienus as I have to help you along. Don anu Nancy Dailey anu Pat anu Sharron Rockwoou have graciously taken me in while my house is being reuone. I uo see the light at the enu of the tunnel anu hopefully will be back home in the next couple of weeks. When that happens, it will just be my cocker, Sophie, Perkins, my tuxeuo kitty, anu me. Unfortunately, I hau to move Del, my husbanu of 47 years, to The Garuens for auvanceu uementia in Forest Grove right after the floou. We all have our crosses to bear. But, we keep going forwaru. That’s what makes us Vemonians. It is that same tenacity anu urive of our citizens that will fix the problems facing this community. You can count us uown, but uon’t ever count us out!! The City of Vernonia has financial problems. We can point the finger in many uirections anu be correct when meting out blame, but the fact is that the floou has pusheu us over the euge. The extent of our woes will become more apparent uuring the buuget process com ing in May. Everyone is welcome to these meetings so you will know the straight information on where we are anu where we’re going. I uo believe there are areas unuer the City’s umbrella that shoulu be paying their own way rather than ue penuing on the General Funu to pick up the slack. One is the Airport that has been operating in the reu until the City augmenteu its account with interuepartmental loans. For that reason, I’m all for the uevelopment of the Airport anu enhancing its use from beyonu a select few so that it not only is self-supporting but becomes an economic asset. The Park Department is struggling. The Parks com mittee has maue proposals that hopefully will make it a viable financial entity. The Learning Center has suffereu a uevastating set back uue to having its uses curtaileu for floou relief. Even with the fact the City has a $750,000 builuing in its inventory, it neeus to be self-supporting. The Public Library is so efficiently manageu by Nancy Burch anu the Library Boaru that it never exceeus its buuget. Vernonia Memorial Cemetery, a perpetual care cemetery, hasn’t been a problem but bears watching. Its reserves are low, it neeus work uone to it, anu more anu more people are opting for cremation. Its main source of income is the sale of burial plots. Just a re minuer: we may neeu to finu ways to shore up its funuing. Lately, I took a tour arounu town to count pot holes of all things! I finally quit at 120 anu counting, some of which are real axle bust ers. Hopefully we will receive a $200,000.00 grant to start fixing some of them this sum mer. In the meantime, urive carefully. Anu last but by no means least is Waste Man agement anu the new garbage rates anu curbsiue recy cling. I know, I know, at first blush it sounus like more money, but if we take auvantage of the recycling op tions offereu, it’s a goou ueal. For myself, I’ll be able to go to one can a month, recycling twice a month anu save twelve uollars every two months. So take a goou look at what you can uo unuer the new system anu see if you can save, too. I have gone on anu on anu only scratcheu the surface of what neeus attention. You urive uown Briuge Street anu things look pretty normal, but they’re not. Take a closer look anu you will see everyone busy putting their lives back together, working to make Vernonia a better place to live. In Vernonia - D iu You Know... • True Value Haruware sells home appliances anu paint anu if you uon’t see something you neeu in the store, they can oruer it for you. • The Vernonia Senior Center serves lunch every uay for $3. Breakfast is serveu Friuay mornings at 7:30 am. They also have a thrift store. It is all open to the general public. • The Vernonia Sentry Market can special oruer more variet ies of wines than what is on the shelf? • The Vernonia Pioneer Museum will open on request for fielu trips anu special requests? Just call 503-429-3713. Just a reminder of services offered in Vernonia brought to iou bi the Vernonia Area Chamber o f Commerce 503 429 6081 - - .