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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2013)
May2 2013 VERNONIA’S volume7 issue9 www.vernoniasvoice.com reflecting the spirit of our community Understanding the City Wastewater Upgrade Project The City of Vernonia will hold a Public Hearing on the Wastewater System Improvements Final Design for Phase II on May 6, 2013. The purpose of the hearing is for the City Council to obtain citizen views about the project and take comments about the local government’s performance. Another hearing on proposed sewer rate adjustments will be held on May 20 th . The following information has been provided by the City to help residents better understand the current upgrade project and the impact it will have on rate payers. History of the project The City of Vernonia has been in the process of performing improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) since the early 1990’s. These efforts were motivated from regulatory agencies pressuring the City to provide adequate capacity for seasonal storage of effluent. A result of the 2007 flood demonstrated that the berm system surrounding the lagoons needs to be elevated to withstand flooding. Over the years the City explored many options to make the required improvements and in 2011 initiated efforts that lead to the selected design option – hyporheic discharge infiltration – that they are now prepared to build. The City has also looked at many financing options over the years – including a General Obligation bond that failed in the past decade. The alternative to a General Obligation bond and the property taxes to repay this debt instrument is loan indebtedness which requires rate modifications to pay the debt. The search for an alternative design started with concerns to achieve Regulatory Compliance. The City is required to store its wastewater for six months each year before discharging into the Nehalem River, requiring an increase in our lagoon capacity. This requirement is due to the Nehalem River being inside 5 6 10 12 19 slow learners library changes shaw open house doernbecher days the scuttlebutt free a recognized salmonid bearing waterway that is protected by the Endangered Species Act. This requirement exposes the City annually to fines if they fail to discharge in accordance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. This was the initial impetus for a redesign of the wastewater facility – to increase capacity and to provide an alternative to discharge into the Nehalem River. In 2006 the City completed Phase I of a Wastewater Improvement Project, spending less than $4.5 million from an $8.6 million DEQ loan to install two pumping stations, build the headworks for the system and complete engineering for the entire project. The completion of that project was put on hold following the 2007 flood and the entire project was revised in the ensuing years. The City is now moving forward with plans to complete the project. What is the WWTP project? There are three distinct components of the planned WWTP project: 1. Flume Improvement Project. In planning for the WWTP project, it was determined that the 2006 wastewater improvements undersized the Parshall Flume (a restricted chamber that is design to measure the flow/volume of wastewater entering the lagoon system). Under sizing the Parshall Flume chamber creates an inaccurate flow read and thus an inability to demonstrate compliance of the system. In addition to the Parshall Flume improvement, the project will up-size 800 feet of pipe between the headworks and the Lagoon One, and surcharge an area near the headworks in preparation for the new construction project. The City published a request for bids under emergency procurement rules. The city will select a contract in the near future. The budget estimate for this work component is about $350,000 including design, construction management and installation. The project will be paid out of an open DEQ loan. 2. Biosolids Removal Project. In planning for the WWTP project, the City is determining whether biosolids (i.e. soil-like residue of materials removed from sewage during the treatment process that settle within wastewater lagoons) need to be removed at this time. The City completed a sampling plan this month and will get the results of the chemistry of the “cake” in May. With this information they will continued on page 5 VHS Band Prepares to Defend State Title The Vernonia High School Band is preparing to compete in the 2A/1A State Band Contest. Last year Ver- nonia won the competition and returned from Corvallis as state champions. This year the Log- are not available at the door. For more information go to http:// www.osaa.org/band/ The group will stay overnight at the Holiday Inn Ex- press so they will be rested and ready to perform in the morn- gers are hoping to defend that title. A total of seven schools qualified for the competition this year; trophies will be award- ed to the top four finishers. Led and conducted by instructor Rob Izzett, the VHS Band, along with a group of par- ent chaperones, will head to the State Contest on Thursday May 9 th after school. The Band will perform in the contest on Friday morning May 10 th . For those community members interested in attend- ing the competition, the VHS Band is scheduled to begin their warm-up on Friday at 10:45 AM and perform at 11:15 AM. They perform the Sight Read por- tion of the competition at 11:45. Awards are scheduled for ap- proximately 1:00 PM. Tickets to attend the competition are $8 for adults, $5 for students and can be purchased ahead online or at the door; credit card purchases ing. “We’re trying to make sure that the students and chaperones don’t have to pay anything for their hotel rooms,” says Izzett. Izzett says the cost is about $27 per student for lodging. Any- one who would like to help the Band with their expenses for this return trip to the State Contest should contact Mr. Izzett at the Vernonia High School. Izzett has his work cut out for him and has been busy this spring preparing his students for the upcoming competition. Izzett says he expects the com- petition to be tough again this year. “It’s great that we were able to qualify again this year,” says Izzett. “I’m happy that we were able to go again, to belong in this select group, and have the consistency each year. It’s also fun to bring home hardware! The kids like that.” Izzett has chosen a vari- continued on page 11 Senior Center Prepares for Annual Plant Sale The Vernonia Senior Center is preparing for their Annual Plant Sale, scheduled to be held on May 31 st and June 1 st , starting at 9:00 AM. The Plant Sale is the biggest fundraiser for the Senior Center and helps fund daily operations and their Meals on Wheels program. “Many people believe that the Thrift Shop that we run makes us self-sufficient,” says Senior Center President Jack Harvey. “I t is a source of revenue. And we do get some funding from the govern- ment, but neither of those sources is enough to cover our costs.” According to Harvey, this will be the tenth year the Seniors have held the Plant Sale. The plants that the seniors will sell are all donated for the cause. Local gardeners, including many from the OSU Extension Service Master Gardener program, will start plants this spring and donate them. Woodstock Nursery and Jim Dandy Farm Stand in Manning will also do- nate some leftover plants. “Tami at Woodstock Nursery and May at Jim Dandy has always donated to us,” says Harvey. In the past the Seniors have also received donations of plants from Trader Joe’s on 185 th in Beaver- ton. Harvey says the Senior Cen- ter will gladly accept donations from anyone that wants to help out and has some extra plants. And the sale isn’t just limited to plants. Harvey says the sale will also include garden furniture and other items. The Vernonia Senior Center Plant Sale is a great opportunity for the community to support this vibrant and necessary facility. Please mark your calendar and plan on stopping by to see what they have for sale.
