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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2012)
city news At the November 5, 2012 City Council Meeting: Council Approves Parking Ordinance- Council approved Ordinance 886, amending the off-street parking and loading requirements of the Vernonia Municipal Code. After holding public hearings on July 16, August 17, and October 15, Council approved the new requirements for the downtown zone which will allow any structure which cannot provide the required off-street parking to pay a fee of $10 per space. The number of spaces required will be reduced to account for existing on- street parking through a methodology developed by the City. The money collected will be set aside in a fund exclusively for the maintenance of public parking lots in or adjacent to the downtown core. The fee will begin in July 2013. Council Settles Liability Insurance Claim-Council voted to authorize Mayor Josette Mitchell to sign a negotiated insurance settlement. Dawn Marie Thompson sued the City in 2008 and obtained a default judgement. The payment to settle the claim is for $25,000. Per the agreement, the City Vernonia City News... will also install a sewer line and manage an old sewer line within an easement on Thompson’s property. An agreement with CIS, the City’s insurance carrier, to reimburse the City for the payment needs to be negotiated. Council Approves Amendment to Waste Collection Fees-Council approved Resolution 34-12, amending fees by Waste Management for collection of waste throughout Vernonia. The franchise agreement with the City allows Waste Management to pass through changes in disposal fees. Monthly increases to residential customers will be from $0.09 to 0.55, depending on service levels. Commercial increases will be slightly more. Council Votes to Replace Restroom at Vernonia Lake-After receiving a recommendation from the Parks Committee, Council voted 4-1 to replace the restroom at Vernonia Lake which was destroyed by fire this past year. Cost is $9500. Councilor Donna Webb voted against the replacement. Council Defines Commitment to New Spencer Park Enhancements-Council approved Resolution 33-12 which defines the City’s plans to repurpose grant funds from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Local Government Grant Program. The funds were originally received by the City for the Vernonia Bicycle Skills Park and were intended to be used to install restroom, picnic shelter, parking and pathway facilities. The City now intends to use the funds to create a Master Capital Plan for the area between Anderson Park and Vernonia Lake and for New Spencer Park Phase I Enhancements. Those enhancements include the installation of a restroom facility, a picnic shelter and pathways at the park which will be constructed on the site of the old schools. The original grant was for $245,000; The remaining amount is $222,306. Council Authorizes Amendment to IGA on Wetland-Council authorized Mayor Josette Mitchell to sign an amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the City of Vernonia and the Vernonia School District 47J which clarifies language for the construction, management, and maintenance of the mitigated wetland on City property. City to Work Towards Becoming Tree november13 2012 5 City, USA-After hearing a presentation from Kristen Ramstadt of Oregon Department of Forestry, Council directed City Administrator Bill Haack to actively work with an ad hoc, local “Tree Board” to establish Tree City, USA status for the City of Vernonia. The Tree Board has representatives from the Vernonia School District, the Upper Nehalem Watershed Council, the City of Vernonia and other local citizens. Members of the Tree Board have previously met with City Council, the City Administrator, Planning Commission and Parks Committee. There will be no financial impact on the city budget. Council Hears Report From Parks Committee- Scott Laird of the Vernonia Parks Committee delivered an annual report to the Council, updating the work the Committee has undertaken during the past year and informing Council on the work the Committee intends to consider in the upcoming year. Mayor Appoints Library Committee Members-With the consent of Council, Mayor Josette Mitchell appointed Nancy Burch and Grant Williams to the Library Committee. On the Shelves - What’s Happening at the Vernonia Library By Jennifer Moloney What does the Vernonia Public Library have to offer? Books you say? Well, yes we do but let me tell you about some of the OTHER materials and events that are offered that perhaps you aren’t aware of. For our youngest patrons we have a very nice children’s section offering board books, leveled readers, fiction books, non-fiction books, books with audio, Zoobooks and Ranger Rick magazines, movies on VHS and DVD, pre-school story time Mondays at 10:30 AM, after school reading program for elementary school children (includes snack, stories, and craft/ activity) Tuesdays 3:45 – 4:45 PM, and Lego Club every 2 nd and 4 th Thursday of the month 3:45 – 4:45 PM For our tweens we have a hearty section of chapter books including everything from Nancy Drew to Katie Kazoo. Don’t miss the Oregon Readers Choice Award (ORCA) display and future voting on your favorite book! Our young adult section has developed into quite a robust area with a plethora of the latest hot titles. I love to ‘talk books’ in this section with teens and adults alike! Do you need volunteer hours for school? Stop by and chat – we have opportunities available that would satisfy those requirements. ORCA books are on display and available for checkout in this level as well. For adults we have books, reference, magazines, daily Oregonian, books on CD and cassette, music CD’s, VHS and DVD movies, computers with internet access, printing and copier capability (for a fee), laminating (for a fee), monthly adult movie nights, and a book discussion group. Throughout the year additional events take place such as Summer Reading, performances, author visits, humanities programs, family movie matinees, and more! Come check out your local library and see what we have to offer. Do you have questions? Feel free to call the library at 503-429-1818 or check out our website at www.vernonia-or.gov – the library can be found under ‘services’. I will leave you with a list of new books that have been added to our collection this month. Adult: Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz, The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom, The Three-day Affair by Michael Kardos, Tuesday’s Gone by Nicci French, A Foreign Country by Charles Cumming, and Mad River by John Sanford. Young Adult: Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare, Shine by Lauren Myracle, Fingerprints of you by Kristen-Paige Madonia, The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan, and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Juvenile: Bear has a story to tell by Philip C. Stead, llama llama time to share by Anna Dewdney, and Oh, No! by Candace Fleming & Eric Rohmann. P.E.O. and “Christmas in the Country” It is time to plan for the annual Vernonia Christmas Bazaar once again, and everyone is looking forward to its new location: the Commons area at the new Vernonia School. The dates this year are December 8 th and 9 th , from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, and Vernonia City Council Meetings and Closures City Council Meetings are scheduled for 7 PM: Monday, November 19, 2012 Monday, December 3, 2012 City Closures are scheduled for: November 22, Thanksgiving Day November 23, Staff Day Dates and times subject to change due to conflicts of schedules 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sunday. P.E.O. will be selling wreaths on a pre-order basis, and are taking orders now. The price will stay the same as last year, $18.00 for a 20-inch wreath. Please call Mary at 503-429-4814 or 503-429-7214 to place your order. The wreaths may be picked up at the bazaar, or earlier by prior arrangement. P.E.O. will also have a craft table with hand- made items and delectable goodies for sale. All receipts from the bazaar go toward college scholarships for women Need body work? Time to call Meyer’s Auto Body Meyer’s Auto Body 493 Bridge Street, Vernonia. 503-429-0248 in our area. The annual Christmas Bazaar is one of Vernonia’s favorite events, with many visitors from out-of-town (including Santa). We hope to see you there. 291 A Street call Kim Lovable service at a reasonable price • Bathing • Haircuts • Nail Clipping • Nail Polishing • Specialty Shampoos
