city news
At the April 20, 2015 City Council
Meeting:
Council Hears Presentation on
Disaster Recovery - Council heard a
presentation from Jim Tierney, Executive
Director of Community Action Team
(CAT), regarding Small Community
Disaster Recovery. Columbia County
Flood Relief and CAT were instrumental
in assisting the City of Vernonia and its
residents after the Flood of 2007. Tierney
told Council the community was able to
secure funding and assistance totaling
over $47 million from various sources
during the recovery project. He provided
information documenting the recovery
effort and said the documents could be
used in the event of a future disaster.
Tierney noted that the immediate
response by volunteers to gather data
from damaged property owners led
to 109 homes being lifted or bought
out, four commercial buyouts and one
commercial flood-proofing project. The
community received $2.5 million in
faith group labor and $250,000 in other
volunteer labor.
Council Approves Spencer Park
Fencing Plan - Council approved a plan
presented by staff, and recommended by
the Parks Committee, to install bollard
and wire fencing around Spencer Park.
Council approved the estimated $5,000
expense based on the funding being
available from the Parks budget.
Council Approves WWTP Funding-
Council approved Resolution 05-15,
approving a State Revolving Fund Loan
Agreement to fund the Waste Water
Treatment Project.
Council Approves Funds Transfer-
Council approved Resolution 06-15 for
an interfund transfer in the Parks Budget
in order to pay for new parks staff, pay
for the major repair at Vernonia Lake,
and install fencing at Spencer Field. A
total of $25,319 was transferred from
Building Operations and Maintenance,
Advertising and Contingency line items
to Salaries, FICA, Operational Materials
and Contract Services.
Council Directs Lot Line Adjustment-
Council directed staff to proceed with a
lot line adjustment to establish a standard
lot size for the former cemetery care
taker house at the top of Bridge Street.
The City is considering renovating and
selling the home.
Council Offers Some Assistance
on Water Bill - Council offered Jeff
Harrison a 50% reduction on his
water usage bill after he experienced a
large and unnoticed water leak on his
property on Springboard Lane. Harrison
Vernonia City News...
previously told Council he repaired the
leak as soon as it was identified but
still received a bill for use of 219,900
gallons of water totaling $950. Based
on previous situations, Council offered
Harrison a reduction of $457.29 and a
payment plan for six months to pay for
the water use during the leak.
Council
Approves
Jamboree
Committee Requests - Council
approved requests from the Jamboree
Committee for use of City owned areas
and street closures during Jamboree
Weekend, August 7-9. Approved use
requests included: Shay Park for vendors;
Anderson Park Horse arena for Ridge
Riders Horse Gaming Show; Hawkins
Park for a concert on Friday afternoon/
evening as well as the logging show; the
former WOEC parking lot; the former
Health Center area, the former Senior
Center area, portions of the new Spencer
Park for the car show, motorcycle show,
softball tournament, and other exhibits;
and Vernonia Lake for the fishing derby.
Council also approved a request
from Cedar Side Inn to host a beer garden
during Jamboree at Hawkins Park during
the concert on Friday and the logging
show on Sunday.
Council Considers Emergency Debris
Sites - Based on a request from the
Emergency Preparedness Committee,
Council discussed potential sites for
debris collection in the event of some
type of future natural disaster. Staff
identified three private properties and
three city owned properties as potential
sites. Council chose two City owned
sites, one on each side of the Nehalem
River, as the preferred locations. In
addition staff proposed a strategy
of loading debris into dumpsters and
removing it immediately instead of
piling the debris and then removing it all
at one time later. This would help avoid
potential contamination of any site used.
Council
Approves
Planning
Commission Change - Council
Approved a recommendation from
the Planning Commission to number
positions on the Commission in order
to better track Commissioner’s terms.
Council adopted Ordinance 902 to
institute this change.
Police Apprehend Vandal - Police
Chief Mike Conner reported that a
minor involved in graffiti vandalism
was caught and referred to Columbia
County juvenile court. Conner will seek
restitution.
City Administrator Report - City
Administrator Gian Paolo Mammone
updated Council on Spencer Park and
maintenance at Anderson Park, and the
hiring of Parks Superintendent James
McMahon and Public Works employee
Kari Johnson; the City will post for the
hiring of a second Public Works position
in May. Mammone also informed
Council that he has not yet resolved the
vacant City Planner position.
Mayor Appoints Fennell to Library
Board - Based on a recommendation
from the Library Board and with
approval from Council, Mayor Randy
Parrow appointed Brandi Fennell to the
Library Board.
Topics From the Floor - Terry
LaChapelle complained to Council about
a continuing sewer problem and asked
that the issue be resolved immediately.
At the May 4, 2015 City Council
Meeting:
Council Holds Hearing, Approves
Conservation Easement - Council held
a Public Hearing to take comments on the
acquisition of a Conservation Easement
on the property at 1462 Bridge Street,
the location of the Lincoln School.
Council had previously approved a zone
change on the property, from Residential
to General Commercial, but attached
specific conditions for development,
including the Conservation Easement,
which would preserve the building on
the site.
During the hearing there was no
testimony for or against the Conservation
Easement. During neutral testimony,
Dennis Chadek, a neighboring property
owner, asked to have the Conservation
Easement explained.
Later in the meeting Council
unanimously approved the Deed
of Conservation Easement and
the Declaration of Covenants and
Vernonia Police Blotter April 14-30, 2015
REPORTS TAKEN
• April 19, 2015 Report of Criminal
Mischief in the 400 block of Bridge St.
• April 20, 2015 Report of Harassment,
and Interference with 9-1-1 in the 1100
Block of Ruth Ave.
Vernonia Police Department responds
to calls that do not always end in
Arrest, Report, or Citation. 4/15/2015
through 4/30/2015 VPD had a 102 calls
for service.
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Restrictions. Council also adopted
Ordinance 903, which re-zones the
property, by a vote of 2-1. Councilor
Kim Tierney voted against, stating
she was concerned that Council had
approved the zone change even though
the Planning Commission and city staff
recommended against it, that she had
concerns about the amount of traffic on
the street, and that she considered this
spot zoning. Council had a first and
second reading of the Ordinance which
will now take effect in thirty days.
Council Hears Presentation on LNG
Projects, States Opposition - Council
heard a presentation about the Oregon
LNG and Oregon Pipeline projects. Dan
Serres of Columbia Riverkeeper, and
local citizens Diana Peach and Steve
Calhoun all expressed concerns about
safety, water contamination, damage to
fish habitat, and impacts on Vernonia’s
drinking water intake. Later in the
meeting all three Council members
present stated their opposition to the
project and directed staff to prepare a
formal declaration of their opposition for
the May 18 Council meeting.
Downtown Trees - Council received
a preliminary report from City
Administrator Gian Paolo Mammone
that included a budget for streetscape
improvements in the downtown corridor
of $68,000 for tree removal, replacement
of pavers, replacement of trees in planter
containers, and striping of parking
spaces. Council expressed concern that
the project was not funded in the budget
for next year. Mammone told Council
this was a preliminary estimate of costs.
Council directed staff to return with a
more formal plan.
City Administrator Report - City
Administrator Mammone reported to
continued on page 13
Vernonia City Council
Meetings and Closures
City Council Meetings
are scheduled for 7 PM:
Monday, May 18, 2015
Monday, June 1, 2015
City Closures are scheduled for:
Monday, May 25, 2015
Memorial Day
Dates and times subject to change
due to conflicts of schedules
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