city news
At the January 21, 2014 City Council
Meeting:
Vernonia City News...
sion projects. Sandlin provided Council
with a written report, gave Council some
background on the project, and was
Mayor Accepts Brown Resignations- available to answer questions. Council
With the approval of Council, Mayor was scheduled to hear public comments
Josette Mitchell accepted the resignation and consider approval of the plan at their
of Dan Brown from the Planning Com- February 3, 2014 meeting.
mission and the Emergency Prepared-
ness Committee.
Council Receives Quarterly Finan-
cial Report- City Finance Officer An-
Council Approves Employee Request gie Handegard presented Council with
Forms- Council approved new internal a quarterly financial report. Handegard
office forms for city employees to use to told Council that the intention in all de-
request overtime pay and to request time partments is to try to curtail spending
off.
as much as possible without decreasing
service levels.
Council Discusses Health Board
Lease- Council and Brett Costley, rep- At the February 3, 2014 City Council
resenting the Vernonia Health Board, Meeting:
discussed the wording of the pending
lease agreement for the construction Council Extends Pro Tem Agreement-
of the new Health Center. The Health Council approved an extension of their
Board is proposing to build the Health agreement with Mayor Josette Mitchell
Center on land controlled by the City of to have her continue acting as City
Vernonia. Council and the Health Board Administrator Pro Tem. Council also
discussed several issues which still need approved a stipend of $3.91/hour for
to be resolved in order for agreement on up to forty hours per week to pay for
the lease details to be finalized, includ- Mitchell’s childcare expenses while
ing: what happens to the land after the she volunteers to fill the vacant City
city’s fifty year agreement with the state Administrator position.
is over; language that states the City
Council must approve all subleases to Council
Changes
Enterprise
providers working in the facility; and Zone Boundary- Council approved
how much insurance the facility will be Resolution 3-14 which changes the
required to carry. The parties agreed that Enterprise Zone boundary and adds
they would meet again on Friday, Janu- the City of Vernonia as a co-sponsor of
ary 24, with both legal councils pres- the South Columbia County Enterprise
ent, to hopefully finalize an agreement. Zone. The Columbia County Board of
Council also proposed a Memorandum Commissioners approved this change of
of Agreement between the parties.
the boundary at their January 22, 2014
meeting. Inclusion in the Enterprise
Council Hears Parks Master Plan Zone allows for tax exemptions for
Presentation- Council heard a presen- new development and could increase
tation from Jim Sandlin, a landscape employment opportunities, raise local
architect with MacKay Sposito. Sand- incomes, and attract investment.
lin presented Council with the final ver-
sion of the Master Parks and Trails Plan, Council Approves Parks Master
which includes options for park expan- Plan- After hearing a presentation from
Co-mingle Recycling has Moved!
from Waste Management Transfer Station
to D.A.D.’s Recycling
Cover Oregon
Update
2024 Mist Drive
Now available
Tue, Thr, Sat
10am-5pm
D
Vernonia
Dental
an
503-901-1705
16720 Noakes Rd. Vernonia
Mayor Appoints Rose to Emergency
Preparedness Committee- With the
approval of the Council, Mayor Josette
Mitchell appointed Donald Rose to the
Emergency Preparedness Committee.
Rose is the Engineer and Operations
Manager at WOEC and lives in
Troutdale.
City Information and Updates Available by Email
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Citizens who wish to receive meeting information and updates can request to be placed
on an email list at City Hall. Please contact Joann Glass at joann@vernonia-or.gov and
asked to be placed on the “Citizen Notification List.”
Individuals and families are still able to
sign up for health insurance through Cov-
er Oregon until March 31. Call Columbia
County Public Health at 503-397-4651,
extension 2005 to speak with an applica-
tion assister. Or, go to the Cover Oregon
website www.coveroregon.com or call the
statewide assistance number 1- 855-268-
3767 for more information.
Terry’s
Gym
2014
School Gravel- Council approved a
request from Dr. Ken Cox from the
Vernonia School District, asking to use
crushed rock and gravel that the City has
Council Approves Volunteer Policies- stored, in the greenhouse construction
Council approved a Volunteer Policy project.
Manual, Acknowledgement Form
and Agreement which establishes and Council Hears Presentation About
explains policies and provides guidance Billing Software- Prior to the regular
for city staff and volunteers involved in meeting Council heard a presentation
concerning a utility billing software
the City Volunteer Program.
package from John Vergey of
Council Discusses Lease with Health MuniBilling. The proposed package
Board- Negotiations continued between would allow the City to save money and
the Vernonia Health Board and the time on utility billing.
Council concerning the Ground Lease
Agreement for construction of the Council Moves Forward With
Health Clinic on property owned by the Severance Agreement- Council entered
into Executive Session under ORS
City. An agreement was not finalized.
192.660(2)(b) To consider the dismissal
City Declares Library Equipment or disciplining of, or to hear complaints
Surplus- Council approved the or charges brought against, a public
declaration of surplus property for officer, employee, staff member.
computer equipment at the Vernonia Upon returning to open session it
Library. The property will be disposed was the consensus of Council to move
forward with the General Release of the
of in the appropriate manner.
Severance Agreement.
DM
Vernonia’s Voice
is published on
the 1st and 3rd
Thursday.
Our next issue
will be
February 20th.
Jim Sandlin of Mackay Sposito at their
January 21 meeting, and opening this
meeting to public comment, the Council
voted to approve Resolution 4-14,
approving the Vernonia Parks and Trails
Master Plan. The plan was established to
guide parks development, help develop
budgets and priorities for projects,
assist in future grant applications, and
establishes goals and objectives for
properties within the Vernonia park
system.
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622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064
phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881
Vernonia City
Council Meetings
and Closures
City Council Meetings are
scheduled for 7 PM:
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
City Closures are scheduled for:
Monday, February 17, 2014
Presidents’ Day
Dates and times subject to change
due to conflicts of schedules
