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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 2014)
city news City Administrator Report Gian Paulo Mammone is the new Vernonia City Administrator. Mammone has said one of his goals is to help the City be transparent with their business and make information available to the public. Mammone says he will make a report on City activities available to the public every week. The following is a summary of a recent report. Utility Billing • This September we sent out 65 shut off notices out of 885 accounts. Actual shut offs were scheduled for the 22nd of September. Last month we had five shut offs. • This month we sent 8 water/sewer accounts to collections. • In August we had 6 new accounts open; in September we had 4 new accounts. • The Utility Billing Clerk updated 153 Business Licenses Police Department • Between 09/01/2014 and 09/18/2014 at 1pm, the Vernonia Police Department (VPD) responded to 163 calls for service. Included in those service calls were (3) Arrests and (3) Traffic Citations. We currently have several ongoing investigations that will likely lead to more arrests. • VPD will soon take delivery of two new/ used fully equipped Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicles. We are in the process of finalizing the purchase with the Scappoose Police Department. The vehicles are used but have very low miles. We were able to purchase the vehicle’s for $40,000 for both. This is a substantial savings to the city. The last fully equipped patrol vehicle purchased by the City cost approx. $60,000. We will have to do some exterior work to the vehicles prior to putting them in service. (IE: Vernonia Stickers) • The newest member of the Vernonia Police Department, Eva Leininger, attended a (Law Enforcement Data Systems Training) in Salem at the beginning of the month. She has advised me that it was very informative and she learned a lot about LE records security regulation. Although we have been in compliance, Eva is working on tightening everything up a bit more. • VPD has been advertising for Reserve Police Officers for nearly a month now. As of 09/19/2014 we have received two applications. I am going to accept applications through the end of the month. • VPD has been working on a rebuild of our webpage for about the last month and is nearing completion. Upon launch, we will offer a variety of online forms that can be filled out from home, such as: Security Checks, Ride Along Request, Cold Crime Reporting, and Nuisance Complaints. It is Vernonia City Council Meetings and Closures City Council Meetings are scheduled for 7 PM: Monday, October 6, 2014 Monday, October 20, 2014 City Closures are scheduled for: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 Veterans Day Dates and times subject to change due to conflicts of schedules my hope that the new design will allow for more open communication with the public and provide a portal to provide the most up to date information. Finance/HumanResources october2 2014 will have to wait until the interim financing is finalized prior to issuing a notice of award. If this is done by late February we can still meet our projected start date of March 2015. • Pertaining to interim financing for the Waste Water Treatment Plant Project (WWTP) the Finance Administrator also requested a quote for interim financing from Baird (a commercial lender). The City is evaluating that, if Baird can offer competitive rates with the interest rate offered by DEQ, it may be in the City’s best interest to consider it for the interim financing. A commercial lender will not have the strict requirements that DEQ imposes and the application process is much shorter. Finance Department staff is in the process of comparing both options before making a recommendation. • The City will be advertising for the Permanent Librarian position (28 hours/week). We will be posting the advertisement on the week of September 22nd. The position will be open to the general public as well as current staff. • Finance Administrator spoke with Pam Weller (Wauna Credit Union) to finalize loan documents for the two used police vehicles we are purchasing from the City of Scappoose. We should have them by the first part of October. 5 • PW staff proceeded with some sewer cleaning and inspection (Sewer Basin A and B) in the west part of town. Planning/Building •The Planning Commission had a Public Hearing for a zone change about the Lincoln Grade School. The applicant requested a Zone Change from R (residential) to GC (General Commercial). The Planning Commission Recommendation was to deny such rezone. City Council will have a Public Hearing on October 6, 2014 for a final decision. The basis for the rezone request was with the intent of potentially, in the future, develop shops, bed and breakfast and brew pub facilities. • Because of lack of directional and informational signs along the linear trail to direct bikers and walkers to downtown establishments, the Planning Commission will be review design for potential signs. • In September (up to date) we have issued (4) Electrical Permits. Also there 11 ongoing electrical inspections: eight (8) approved, two (2) were not approved and one needed some corrections. • In September (up to date) we have issued five building permits. Also six building permits have been approved. • We hired a new custodian to replace Shirlee Daughtry. Her name is Sally Vandehey. Sally is a part time worker and she started work on September 11. • We ordered security cameras for Public Works to deter theft of fuel and vandalism that has occurred recently. Recently we discovered that gasoline was stolen from our PW trucks at the PW facility. Cost for the cameras was $500 and will be divided equally among the three funds (Water, Sewer and Street). Also we ordered security cameras for Anderson Park to deter vandalism and vagrancy in the restrooms and covered area. Cost was $300. • Finance Administrator presented USDA funding update to the Public Works Committee/City Council on September 9. The USDA funding was pertaining to the Waste Water Treatment Facility Project to include dike elevation around the lagoons, installation of new pipe gallery, and the actual mechanical building to house electrical items. • Finance Administrator completed final prep work for annual audit. Every year an auditing Public Works firm (Grove, Muller and Swank) comes to • Jeff Burch (Public Works Foreman) met Library City Hall for about 3 days for a review (audit) with Mark Brown (Vernonia School District) • September 21, 2014 thru September 27, of the previous year’s organization financial to discuss strategies for the immediate care 2014 was National Banned and Challenged statement/report. This year the auditors will of the recently seeded fields at the new Book Week. The week highlights books that be here September 29th through October Spencer Park. The Vernonia School District have been banned or challenged thru the 1st. staff is going to be the lead for the watering of ages at libraries. No books have ever been • Finance Administrator spoke with Evan the fields for the immediate future. The City banned or challenged at Vernonia Library. Haas with DEQ regarding interim financing Public Works department is ready to assist in A small display of books is set up during for the Waste Water Treatment Plant Project case of need. this week to show examples of banned and (WWTP). The City has DEQ loan funds • A new fire hydrant was installed at California challenged books to the public. available on an open loan, but in order to Avenue. The Fire Hydrant will be used to • September 1, 2014 thru September 15, take advantage of a much lower interest rate irrigate the new athletic facilities (Softball continued on page 6 we will be required to apply for new funding field and soccer field at the Spencer Park). in the amount of $2.8 million. USDA will finance the project once completed in addition to refinancing $2.7 million of our current outstanding DEQ debt. Arrests/Reports Taken: mile marker 4 USDA is also providing the City • September 15, 2014 - Stalking Order • September 24, 2014 - Issued a with a grant of $2.8 million for the Violation in the 1900 Block of Mist Dr. citation for failure to perform duties of a project. This funding package • September 16, 2014 - Warrant Arrest driver near the 300 Block of North St. will allow the City to finish in the 200 Block of A Street • September 26, 2014 - Issued a construction of the project without • September 21, 2014 - Report of citation for operating a vehicle without raising sewer rates. The loan Assault on the 600 Block of Bridge St. proper mud guards near Grant Ave. application/approval process • September 22, 2014 - Animal • September 27, 2014 - Issued a will take until mid-February to dispatched on HWY 47 near mile citation for driving while suspended and complete. This will not hinder the marker 67 defective vehicle lighting near Rose time line of the project. The City Ave. may advertise for bids as soon • September 28, 2014 - Issued a Traffic Citations: as the RFP has been approved • September 23, 2014 - Crash report citation for careless driving and no seat by USDA, which should occur taken on Scapoose-Vernonia HWY near belts near Washington Ave. within the next two weeks. We Vernonia Police Blotter Sept. 15-28, 2014 The Birk the old house of music Terry’s Gym “it’s not that far” www.thebirk.com JOIN THE TEAM! 503-901-1705 16720 Noakes Rd. Vernonia
