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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2013)
6 city news march21 2013 On the Shelves: What’s Happening at the Vernonia Library Stamps, stamps, stamps! The latest program being initiated at the Vernonia Public Library is the Vernonia Stamp Club. This program will reach out to the ‘young’ and ‘not as young’ alike. The club will meet at the library the first Thursday of the month starting in April from 4:30-5:30 PM. The first meeting is April 4 th . Whether you are a long time collector or just interested in discovering the fun of stamp collecting, come join Grant Williams at the first meeting. All ages are welcome. Learn how to identify and care for postage stamps and start building a lifelong hobby that will increase your knowledge of world countries, leaders, and important events and places. Bring in a collection for evaluation or just show up to see what it’s all about. Thousands of free stamps are waiting to be discovered and find a new home. Police Blotter-March 1-13, 2013 ARRESTS AND CRIMINAL CITATIONS • March 01, 2013 - Arrest for Driving under the Influence of Intoxicants, Harassment, and Criminal Mischief on Rose Ave. near Maple St. • March 07, 2013 – Arrest on a Felony Warrant out of Columbia County. • March 08, 2013 – Arrest on a Misdemeanor Warrant on Bridge St. near Riverside Dr. • March 08, 2013 – Assisted Columbia County Sheriff’s Office on a reported shooting on Nehalem Hwy (N). • March 09, 2013 – Arrest on a Felony Warrant on Noakes Rd. Ave. • March 08, 2013 – Issued a citation for Driving While Suspended. • March 12, 2013 – Issued a citation for a City Ordinance Violation. • March 12, 2013 – Issued traffic citations for Driving While Suspended and Driving Uninsured. • March 12, 2013 – Issued a traffic citation for Violation of the Basic Speed Rule (73 mph in a posted 55mph speed zone). • March 13, 2013 – Issued a citation for a City Ordinance Violation. TRAFFIC/OTHER CITATIONS • March 06, 2013 – Issued traffic citations Driving While Suspending and Failing to carry proof of Insurance on Bridge St. near Madison For the complete Police Blotter go to http://vpd.vernonia-or.gov/ Are you a senior citizen? Do you need assistance? Karen Miller with Community Action Team is available for consultation for senior services in the Vernonia area. Help is also available for energy assistance. 503-366-6581 City Administrator Report continued from page 5 months. Again the City intends to temper the increase by refinancing two USDA sewer bonds this year. BROWNFIELD ASSESSMENT GRANT The City has been meeting with PBS Engi- neering and Environmental consultants Heidi Yantz and Jerry Orlando. They have com- pleted a review of documents and are pre- pared to have an introductory meeting with the Public Works Committee serving also as the EPA Brownfield Assessment Advisory Committee. This initial meeting will be at the PWC meeting of 3-26-13. Members of PBS Engineering + Environmental will be in town to conduct windshield surveys to prepare a presentation for the Public Works Committee and City Council. STREETS DEPARTMENT CALIFORNIA AVENUE BUSINESS PARK The City continues to work with a develop- ment team to see improvement for a busi- ness park atop the planer shed base. ROSE AVENUE PROJECT The development team for the Rose Avenue Project (e.g. Scott Edwards, architects and Community Action Team) are developing a site plan that will lay out the plans to upgrade a section of Weed Avenue and complete im- provements on a section of Cougar Street. A draft site plan will be shared with City Council by April 1, 2013. SPECIAL PUBLIC WORKS FUND AND IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITY FUND The City will work with both teams to assess eligibility for grants and potentially loans for these street improvements. ODOT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLANNING GUIDELINES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Proposed Legislative Amendment to the Vernonia Land Development Code Adding a new provision for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) SITE LOCATION: Affects properties citywide that are zoned residential. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Vernonia proposes to add a new housing opportunity known as ADU’s to land in the city that is zoned residential for single family dwellings. Also known as “granny flats” an ADU is an additional, self-contained housing unit that is secondary to the main residence. Additional information about the text amendment, City File #PA 13-01, can be obtained by contacting Joann Glass at City Hall 503-429-5291 ext. 106. The Public Hearings will be held on March 21, 2013 by the Planning Commission at 6:00 PM and on April 1, 2013 by the City Council at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 1001 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064. The Public Hearings are governed by the Vernonia Land Use and Development Code Section 9.01.10-50. A staff report will be available to the public at City Hall one week before the hearings, and may be copied for a nominal fee. Public testimony is welcome, and written statements will also be received before or at the hearing. All meeting locations are accessible to persons with disabilities. A request for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours prior to the public hearing to the City Recorder at 503-429-5291, ext. 106; TTY 1-800-735-2900 or at City Hall, 1001 Bridge St., Vernonia OR 97064. Notice to mortgage, lien holder, vendor or seller: If you receive this notice it shall promptly be forwarded to the purchaser. The City of Vernonia is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer The City is working with ODOT to determine if we can secure funding to assist the City to coordinate with Columbia County in planning for the eventual completion of the C-Z Trail in the city linking it to Vernonia Lake. Columbia County envisions that the City will work in collaboration with Columbia County to find a route within the city limits. We will know soon whether this project can fit the state’s criteria. PARKS DEPARTMENT OPRD SPENCER PARK DEVELOPMENT The City is now working under No LGP0252- 1 Spencer Park Development. City staff met with OPRD to discuss the contracting process for using the funds for at least two clearly defined purposes: (1) purchase of re- stroom facility to be erected at a site between the proposed new baseball fields (California Avenue and Bridge Street) and (2) a picnic shelter. The City is working with Vernonia School District to include design specification for this component of the project in that bid package. The City has preliminary agree- ment that using salvaged materials from the Washington Grade School may be used in developing a plan for a picnic shelter to be lo- cated west of the covered play area. My goal is to develop an ad hoc team to work on a concept for the picnic shelter, to assess what forms of professional support we can secure locally and then select a design professional to put forward a plan. OPRD MASTER PARK PLAN The City is now working under No LGP0252- 2 Master Capital Plan. The project manager with MacKay and Sposito Landscape Archi- tects is working with the City GIS to establish a map of the central park district. When this is completed he will set up an informational meeting with the community through the Parks Committee. GENERAL CITY ADMINTRATION HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION City staff participated in the HSEMC meet- ing which focused on discussing to renew the Intergovernmental Agreement between Columbia County and members to fund an Vernonia’s Voice is published twice each month on the 1st and 3rd Thursday. Look for our next issue on April 4. Emergency Management coordinator. We can anticipate seeing the IGA by June 2013. ROSE AVENUE PROJECT The City met with OPRD staff in connection with the land transfer that created a land exchange between the City and the State in 2010. The site planner, Scott Edwards architects, informed the City that access to more of the OPRD controlled land due south of the Umatilla Street platted vacated Right of Way would be of value if the City can expand the land transferred to include that property. OPRD staff indicated that through any combination of a fee simple expansion of the transfer agreement and/or through ease- ments, permits, or MOUs additional land may be secured. I plan to work with Sid Scott AIA to develop a precise profile of the land need- ed before I reengage OPRD staff. The Vernonia Health Center Board is in the process of raising required capital through fund raising efforts. They will have a meet and greet work session in April 2013 with a small number of private foundations. Sena- tor Betsy Johnson will co-convene this meet- ing with Marie Krahn, VHB chairperson. City staff will participate in this event. The City anticipates initiating an entitlement process for the clinic component of the proj- ect in April 2013. Likely the City Engineer and the City Planner will be the initial points of contact to assist the site planning team to develop a package for Planning Commission review. WAGE COMPENSATION ANALYSIS The City Administrator met with City Council in work sessions to discuss and plan for the development of a wage compensation plan for all city staff. The initial step is to update all job descriptions. Under review is to modi- fy and or rearrange job duties among key city classifications. When this is completed the City will compile a short list of comparable cities to establish as our peers for the pur- pose of the classification process. The City Council views this as a multi-year project but it will form the basis of making sure that we are competitive whenever we look to hiring workers for future job opportunities.
