city news
At the April 7, 2014 City Council
Meeting:
Council Repeals Substantial Damage
Determination-Council voted to repeal
the Substantial Damage Determination
for property at 658 Madison Avenue.
The property was damaged during the
2007 flood. The repeal was made at the
request of John Graham, who is the new
property owner.
According to Mayor/City Ad-
ministrator Josette Mitchell the previ-
ous owner fraudulently requested and
received a Substantial Damage Deter-
mination in 2008. That owner never
did the expected repairs after receiving
about $12,000 in flood relief funds. The
new owners purchased the property in
November of 2013. Mitchell said this is
only the second time that anyone nation-
wide has asked to repeal the determina-
tion. The repeal allows the new owners
to make repairs and return the home to
livable standards.
Vernonia City News...
Council Discusses Ridge Riders-After
recessing to Executive Session, Council
returned to open session and discussed
the Vernonia Ridge Riders. Council de-
termined that City staff needs to meet
with Ridge Riders leaders to discuss the
fact that a court of law has determined
that the lease the Ridge Riders have been
operating under is not valid and that a
process for how the Ridge Riders use
the horse arena, which is located on City
owned property, needs to be determined.
Council Presented with Budget Sched-
ule-Council received the schedule for
the upcoming budget process for fiscal
year 2014-15. The first meeting will be
held on Friday, April 18 at 6:00 PM at
the VCLC. The committee will receive
the budget message and the proposed
budget, elect a Chair and Vice Chair
and determine meeting protocol. A Pub-
lic Hearing will be held on Wednesday,
April 23 at 6:00 PM and public comment
will be taken. Subsequent meetings are
Council Approves Lease Agreement scheduled for consecutive Tuesdays, as
With Health Board-Council unani- needed, starting April 29. All meetings
mously voted to approve the lease agree- will begin at 6:00 PM and take place at
ment between the City of Vernonia and the VCLC. Additional meetings may be
the Vernonia Health Center Board for scheduled as necessary.
use of property at the Rose Avenue Proj-
ect for construction of the new Health Council Discusses Betterment Distri-
Center.
bution-Council discussed the need to
determine how to issue Betterment Dis-
Spencer Park RFP-Mayor/City Ad- tribution funds. Council decided they
ministrator Mitchell told Council that will allow community groups to apply
the Vernonia School District (VSD) has to be included in the process. Mayor
moved forward and published an RFP to Mitchell will return to Council with a
finish construction work at Spencer Park draft.
without an approval from the City Coun-
cil. Approval of the RFP was on the Council Approves Pre-Application for
agenda for the March 17 th City Council Rose Avenue Project-Council approved
meeting, but Council did not have a quo- a pre-application for a Community De-
rum and did not conduct any business at
that meeting. Mitchell told Council she
met with VSD Superintendent Dr. Ken
Cox and discussed changes that were to
be made in the RFP before publication, REPORTS TAKEN
but that she has not received a final ver-
• April 2, 2014 Police responded to
sion of the RFP. Council took no action suspicious person in Hawkins Park.
since they did not have final version to • April 06, 2014 Police responded to
a Burglary, located in the 100 block
review.
of North St. Investigation currently
ongoing.
City Information and
• April 07, 2014 Police responded to
Updates Available by Email
a Theft from Vehicle on the 300 block
Citizens who wish to receive meeting
of Louisiana Ave. Investigation
information and updates can request
currently ongoing.
to be placed on an email list at City
• April 10, 2014 Police responded to
Hall. Please contact Joann Glass at
a Theft of Identity in the 1600 block
joann@vernonia-or.gov and asked to
of Heather Lane. Investigation still
ongoing.
be placed on the “Citizen Notification
• April 10, 2014 Police responded to
List.”
5
es for RV campers are now to camp
without hook-ups for $14 or with full
hook-ups for $25. The amendment also
changed the charge for an extra vehicle
in campsites from $3 to $7. Councilor
Donna Webb voted against the Resolu-
tion.
Bleacher Repair-Council took no action
on a recommendation from the Parks
Committee to partner with the Vernonia
Logging Show and spend $1,500 from
the Parks budget. The money would be
used to repair bleachers that are stored at
Hawkins Park and are used by the Log-
ging Show and for local youth sports ac-
tivities. The Parks Committee proposed
that the repaired bleachers could be used
at Spencer Park when the new park is
completed. Council raised concerns that
the bleachers may not be up to current
code and could pose a danger to users.
Council Approves Mitchell’s Request
to Attend Conference-Council ap-
proved a request by Mayor/City Admin-
istrator Mitchell to attend a Floodplain
Managers Conference from June 1-6 in
Seattle WA. Cost to the City is $884.85
after Mitchell received $1076.42 in
scholarship funds.
Council Approves Changes to Park
Fees-Council approved Resolution 09-
14, amending Resolution 14-08, Section
2, ‘Parks Fees.’ The amendment elimi-
nates the fee for ‘Campsite with electric
hook-up only’ at Anderson Park. Choic-
Paleck Appointed to Planning Com-
mission-With approval from Council,
Mayor Mitchell appointed Erika Paleck
to the Planning Commission.
Mayor Reads Two Proclamations-
Mayor Josette Mitchell read procla-
mations for Sexual Assault Awareness
Month and National Child Abuse Pre-
vention Month.
Brown Wins Planning Award
Dan Brown will be recognized as a Distinguished Leader as
a Community Planner by the Oregon American Planning Association
(OAPA).
Brown served on the Vernonia Planning Commission for
seventeen years, many of those as the Chair of the Commission. He
recently stepped down as a Planning Commissioner.
Brown will be recognized for his contributions at the OAPA
annual conference, scheduled May 29-30. The Awards presentation is
during a luncheon on Friday May 30 at the Oregon Convention Center.
a Theft of Vehicle on the 100 block
of E Street. Investigation is still
ongoing.
TRAFFIC/OTHER CITATIONS
• April 09, 2014 Issued a traffic
citation for driving while uninsured.
Between Bridge St. and Adams
Ave.
• April 09, 2014 Issued a traffic
citation for Violation of the Basic
Rule (70mph in a posted 55mph
speed zone). On Nehalem Highway
South at mile post 64.
Vernonia City
Council Meetings
and Closures
City Council Meetings are
scheduled for 7 PM:
Monday, April 21, 2014
Monday, May 5, 2014
City Closures are scheduled for:
Monday, May 26, 2014
Memorial Day
Dates and times subject to change
due to conflicts of schedules
an
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Friends of the Vernonia Public Library
e rm
.
Dr
ri
h
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2014
velopment Block Grant for the Rose
Avenue Project. The pre-application
will be submitted by Community Action
Team on behalf of the Senior Center and
the Vernonia Cares Food Bank. Mayor
Mitchell and Councilor Kim Tierney
both abstained from voting.
Police Blotter April 1-13
Vernonia
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