community news
A Few Helpful Tips
New WOEC
Billing Causes Confusion
West Oregon Electric Coop-
erative (WOEC) recently changed their
billing system, combining two previous
billing cycles into one. The change has
raised some questions among members.
All WOEC bills will now be
processed on the 10 th of each month
and will be due on the 25 th . According
to WOEC staff, bills are mailed from a
processing plant in St. Louis.
During this past billing cycle,
many members did not receive their
bills in the mail until Saturday, October
18, giving them just one week to make
their payment before being subject to a
late fee.
When questioned about the
small amount of time customers were
being given to make their payment on
time, WOEC staff explained that the
billing information was sent out elec-
tronically in the afternoon on Friday,
October 10, meaning bills did not get
processed on Saturday, October 11 th .
Processing of these bills was further
delayed because of the Columbus Day
holiday on Monday, October 13.
WOEC staff made several sug-
gestions to help members deal with the
new billing schedule.
First, members can sign up for
Budget Billing, which averages your
bills for the past year and allows you to
have the same monthly payment every
month throughout the year. This makes
it easier for customers to plan a budget
and always know the amount of their
electric bill before their statement ar-
rives. WOEC staff made sure to warn
customers not to make their payments
before the 10 th of the month, as that
would be counted as an extra payment
but would not go towards the next bill
being processed that month and due on
the 25 th .
Bills are also available for
viewing on line at the WOEC web
page. Members can sign up as part of
the Smart Hub program and receive
an email notification when your bill is
ready to be viewed on the 10 th . Mem-
bers can also pay their bills on line us-
ing a credit card through the Smart Hub
program.
Another way to avoid a late
payment is to sign up for automatic
payments by bank draft before the 25 th
of the month.
Senator Johnson Wins
“Legislator of the Year”
Oregon State Senator Betsy
Johnson (D-Scappoose) has been
awarded the “Legislator of the Year”
award from the Oregon Economic
Development Association (OEDA), the
state’s leading trade organization for
economic development agencies and
professionals.
At its annual meeting on
October 27, 2014 in Eugene, OEDA
President Charlie Mitchell conferred
the award to Senator Johnson and
thanked her for her dedication to job
creation and her focus on economic
development.
In his comments to the 150
economic development professionals in
attendance, Mitchell remarked, “Senator
Johnson represents the best of Oregon.
Fiercely independent, and a tireless
advocate for jobs and opportunity for
Oregonians. There’s really no one else
like Senator Johnson. She’s in a class
by herself.”
The
Oregon
Economic
Development Association represents
over 110 economic development
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• Floodvents must allow floodwaters
to flow freely. Screens, louvers, or other
covers that allow flood waters to flow
freely into the enclosed area may be
placed over the openings to keep out
vermin and weather. But solid covers
that do not allow flood waters to flow
freely are in violation and may affect
you and the city from receiving Flood
Insurance. Remove solid covers,
styrofoam or other materials from vents.
• Lowest Elevation of Machinery or
Equipment Service equipment for a
building that is below the Base Flood
Elevation (BFE) has to be elevated or
designed to prevent water from entering
or accumulating within the components
during conditions of flooding. This
includes equipment such as, but not
limited to, furnaces, hot water heaters,
washers, dryers, air conditioners, etc.
•
A Flood Plain Development
Permit is required by the FEMA
Code of Federal Regulations for
such activities as new construction,
reconstruction, rebuilding, placement
of manufactured homes, placement of
small outbuildings, fences, clearing of
trees and other vegetation, placement of
driveway culverts or bridges, long term
storage of equipment and materials or
any man-made change to improved or
unimproved real estate such as dredging,
drilling, excavation, filling, grading,
logging, mining, or paving. The Flood
Plain Development Permit requirement
is intended to allow the City of Vernonia
to monitor activities located in Flood
Plain Management Area. Application
for a Flood Plain Development Permit is
a SEPARATE process from the building
permit application process.
• If you are not elevated: BUY
FLOOD INSURANCE!
• Avoid storing these products in
areas likely to flood:
• Fiberglass or Cellulose insulation
• Cork, or corkboard
• Gasoline, motor oil, weed killer,
pesticide, lye, drain cleaners
• Linoleum, particle board plywood,
chipboard, fiberboard, paperboard,
strawboard, masonite paneling
• Wallboard, drywall, gypsum,
wallpaper
• It’s never too early to prepare!
Prepare a 72 hour Preparedness Kit
for your home and car. Visit the Take
5 to Survive website at http://www.
take5tosurvive.com/ for additional
information including a step-by-step
plan to put your emergency kit together.
City Approves Zone Change
professionals and agencies throughout
the state of Oregon. OEDA’s mission is
to advocate for economic development,
bring collaboration among economic
development agencies to promote
Oregon as a place to start or expand a
business, and bring best practices and
professional development to the state’s
economic development professionals.
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2014
Flood season is fast approaching
continued from front page
Vernonia
Dental
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622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064
phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881
plication for the zone change followed
a public hearing which was part of the
City Council meeting. The hearing in-
cluded a staff report from City Planner
Carole Connell, a report from the ap-
plicant’s attorney Ross Day, and public
testimony from citizens.
During the public testimony
portion of the hearing eight citizens
spoke in favor of the zone change, in-
cluding Mike Pihl, Sally Harrison, Jack
Harvey, Sharon Bernal, Bill Langmaid,
Don Wallace, Steve Calhoun and Don-
ald Normand. Among reasons given for
support of the change were: the interest
of making Vernonia a destination; the
need for Vernonia to embrace change;
preserving the Lincoln School building
for its historic value; and the opportuni-
ty to create more jobs in the community.
Three citizens testified against
the zone change, Jim Tierney, Bur-
dett Robb and Mark Akers. Tierney
suggested the City had other ways to
change the property designation instead
of a change to General Commercial.
Burdett, a neighbor of the property, said
he would like the neighborhood to stay
residential. Akers expressed that he had
a personal disagreement with Bud Dow.
Some of the most compelling
testimony came from the only person to
speak as neutral to the application. Kar-
en Michaels, who lives on State Avenue
in Vernonia, said she is a member of the
family who is considering purchasing
the Lincoln School property. Michaels
said she is new to Vernonia and that
her family is interested in developing a
business that includes a Bed and Break-
fast and a bicycle shop on the site. She
said her sister is a journeyman carpen-
ter who wants to preserve the building.
She said her family is interested in gar-
dening and farming, making cider from
fruit, supporting and encouraging eco-
tourism, and bringing culture to Verno-
nia.
City Planner Connell’s report
indicated that the Vernonia Planning
Commission had previously recom-
mended denying the application for the
zone change to General Commercial.
Connell reported that instead the Plan-
ning Commission made a recommen-
dation that Council approve a change
to a Planned Development PD zone,
which must be used in combination
with another zone. A Planned Devel-
opment PD zone allows the consider-
ation of variations in standards based
on a specific plan. Ross, the Dow’s at-
torney, reminded the Council during his
report that the hearing was only to con-
sider the request for a change to General
Commercial and that Council could not
consider the Planning Commission’s
recommendation for a Planned Devel-
opment PD zone.
Connell’s report provided find-
ings of fact that mostly agreed with a
zone change. The report noted that re-
use of the building for lodging and retail
could benefit residents and tourists and
improve the local economy. The report
also stated that the City currently has an
estimated .4 acre shortage of commer-
cial land and the increase of 1.14 acres
would address this shortage.
Connell’s report did note that if
the zone change was applied, that un-
known future uses of the property could
have a negative impact on the residen-
tial character of the surrounding neigh-
borhood.
The Dow’s attorney Day told
Council during his report that from the
time the Dow’s purchased the property,
their intention was to save the building
and turn it into a destination/Bed and
Breakfast. Day reminded Council that
continued on page 15
