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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2015)
city news At the January 20, 2015 City Council Meeting: Council Approves Budget Calendar, Appoints Budget Officer-Council ap- proved the Budget Calendar presented by Finance Director Angie Handegard. The first Budget Committee meeting is scheduled for April 28, with additional meetings scheduled for May 5, 12, and 19. The Council also appointed City Ad- ministrator Gian Paolo Mammone as the Budget Officer. Mayor Josette Mitchell appointed former City Councilor Bruce McNair to serve as a citizen member of the Budget Committee. The Budget Committee is still looking for additional citizens to serve. Council Agrees to Forgive Part of Wa- ter Bill-City Administrator Mammone presented Council with a report on the water leak issue that was brought before Council by resident Victoria McAdams at the January 5, 2015 City Council meeting. Mammone reported that after two months of increasingly high water usage, City staff visited the property, saw no indication of a leak and replaced the water meter at McAdams’ rental where she lives. The following month the read- ing still showed an unusual increase in usage (82,000) gallons. In December City staff met with McAdams and the landlord and was informed there was a leak in a toilet, which is the responsibil- ity of the owner/renter. Mammone told Council that City policy is clear, a leak on private property is not the responsi- bility of the City. The outstanding bal- ance still due for usage during the time of the issue (not including the monthly base rate and loans payments) totals $485.26. Council agreed to forgive half the usage fees and instructed city staff to send a bill for the balance to both McAdams and the landlord so they can work out payment arrangements. Mayor Mitchell said McAdams will not be sub- ject to any shutoff procedure if the bal- ance of payment is late. Vernonia City News... the cost of administrating, drafting and executing the lease. The tenant will sub- lease one office space to the Vernonia Friends of the Library. During the dis- cussion of the lease terms several items were brought forward by Jim Tierney of Community Action Team, who is assist- ing the Senior Center with the negotia- tion. Questions included: the length of the lease - either two or three years, per- mitted uses, and responsibility for main- tenance and repairs. City legal counsel was involved in part of the discussion by phone and was asked to prepare a re- vised version of the lease. Council gave the City Administrator authorization to sign the lease with revisions, if ap- proved by the Senior Center. The lease was later signed. Council Approves Purchase of Senior Center Property-Council adopted Res- olution 01-15, approving and authoriz- ing the signing of the purchase and the sale agreement for the Senior Center property at 446 Bridge Street, and rec- ommending the use of $200,402.96 of HMGP funds. The buyout of the Senior Center is one of the final property pur- chases related to the 2007 flood. Council Approves Spencer Park IGA- Council authorized the City Adminis- trator to sign the revised IGA between the City and the School District final- izing the transfer and acceptance of the replacement park and the release of es- crow funds being held. Council Approves Spencer Park Rest- room Engineering-Council authorized the use of Oregon Local Government Grant funds for architectural drawings, engineering and construction of a new restroom facility at the new Spencer Park. The grant funding was received by the City in 2007. City staff will work with Tetra Tech, the City’s engineering firm, for design and engineered plans and will prepare an RFP for construction in the spring. The Parks Committee is also moving forward with a plan to have a local high school student, Quentin Skanes, design plans for a picnic shel- ter at Spencer Park, utilizing recovered lumber already purchased by the City from the Washington Grade School de- construction. The City intends to use volunteer local labor to construct the shelter this summer. Council Approves Senior Center Lease-Council authorized the City Ad- ministrator to sign a revised lease agree- ment between the City and the Senior Center for use of the Vernonia Commu- nity Learning Center (VCLC) as a Thrift Store. The proposed lease includes the VCLC building, the courtyard attached to the building and the parking area in Council Approves Library Computer back of the building. Rent is $12 per Purchases and Upgrades-Council ap- year and the tenant would pay $200 for proved the purchase of two new comput- Vernonia City Council Meetings and Closures City Council Meetings are scheduled for 7 PM: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Monday, March 2, 2015 City Closures are scheduled for: Monday, February 16, 2015 Presidents’ Day Dates and times subject to change due to conflicts of schedules The february5 2015 5 ers and the repair and upgrade of soft- becoming more involved in the project. ware for four computers at the Vernonia Scott Laird, Chair of the Verno- Library. Total cost is $4,480. nia Parks Committee, asked Council for permission to begin discussions with the Council Recommends OLCC Licens- Vernonia Boosters Club about participat- es Renewals-Council took no action to ing in maintenance and upgrades at the deny any applications for OLCC license new Spencer Park. Laird said the Parks renewals, therefore approving them. Committee would return to Council with Vernonia Police Chief Mike Conner had any plans. Council gave approval to be- no issues with any of the applicants. Ap- gin discussions. plicants were: All In Pub & Eatery, Blue Brett Costley encouraged the House Cafe, Bridge Street Mini Mart, Council to find a solution to the com- Cedar Side Inn, La Cabana Mexican puter issues at the Vernonia Library. Restaurant, New Hong Kong Restau- rant, R & S Market, and The Black Iron At the February 2, 2015 City Council Grill & Bear Creek Pub. Meeting: Topics From the Floor-Sally Harrison brought several items to the Council. Harrison suggested that Council consid- er naming Kala Cota the Poet Laureate of Vernonia. Harrison also suggested the City consider seeding vacant lots around town with wildflowers as a way to re- duce maintenance and upkeep. Harrison also volunteered to lock and unlock the cemetery gate at night to reduce damage that has been occurring to grass at cor- ners of the road in the cemetery. Har- rison was informed that the City has identified Waste Management trucks as being responsible for the damage at the cemetery. Nathan Owen introduced him- self to Council as the newly elected President of the Ridge Riders Eques- trian Group, along with Courtney Tice, the new Vice President. Owen said he is looking forward to working with Coun- cil on any issues they may have. After meeting in Executive Session later in the meeting, Council returned to Open Session and announced that two Council members would be scheduling a meeting with representatives of the Ridge Rid- ers to discuss current legal issues and a possible settlement to the disagreement between the two parties. Steve Calhoun expressed con- cern about the potential Oregon LNG Pipeline which would cross Rock Creek four miles above the City water source intake. Calhoun encouraged the City to research the project and make sure the City water is protected. Scott Laird updated Council on the Vernonia Community Solutions proj- ect which has been a collaboration with the City, the Vernonia School District and the Vernonia Area Chamber of Com- merce to produce a publication twice a year to promote the Vernonia communi- ty. Laird asked the Council to consider Birk the old house of music Mayor Thanks Glass for Service- Mayor Josette Mitchell thanked City Recorder Joann Glass for her ten years of service to the City of Vernonia. Glass is retiring in February and this was her last City Council meeting. Council Approves Release of Escrow Funds for School District-Council authorized the City Administrator to write and sign a letter to Ticor Title Company to release the outstanding balance of escrow funds to the Vernonia School District. The funds, $504,128, were held to ensure completion of the demolition of the old school buildings and construction of the new replacement park. Council Approves Water Service Size and Rate Correction-Council received a update report from Ben Fousek explaining the Water Service and Billing Project, which has also been called “water meter ground truthing.” Using GIS technology city staff and volunteers mapped every water meter in the City system. As part of the project staff identified thirteen accounts that were being billed for the wrong meter size since the City switched billing systems in the spring of 2014. Eleven accounts have been under billed and two accounts have been over billed. Council directed staff to refund the accounts that had been over billed and take no action on the accounts that had been under charged. Council Amends Traffic and Pedestrian Ordinance-Council approved Resolution 900, amending Resolution 745, sections 27 and 31, which controls vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The amendment shortens the section of Bridge Street where people cannot ride on the sidewalks from continued on page 10 Terry’s Gym “it’s not that far” www.thebirk.com JOIN THE TEAM! 503-901-1705 16720 Noakes Rd. Vernonia
