july16 2015
free
VERNONIA’S
volume9 issue14
www.vernoniasvoice.com
reflecting the spirit of our community
Adult Foster Care Home Opens
Concerns About Livestock
Vicki and Lonnie Perry have service, residential facility, and will also
Restrictions Brought to Council opened a new adult foster care service in
offer adult day care and respite service,
Vernonia citizens packed the
City Hall Chambers to let the City
Council know their concerns about
limiting their ability to keep and raise
livestock and poultry on their private
property.
Approximately 50 citizens
attended the regular City Council
meeting on July 6, 2015. Eight citizens
spoke during the meeting to express
their personal concerns.
At their June 15, 2015 meet-
ing Council had previously discussed
amending the current city Ordinance
that limits the number of poultry al-
lowed to five and the number of “small
livestock” to two. According to the or-
dinance citizens within city limits are
also not allowed to keep roosters.
City staff recommended to
Council that they clarify the Ordinance
to make it more clear and enforceable
after receiving complaints about resi-
dences with livestock in City limits.
Council asked staff to return with more
information to help them amend the
current Ordinance.
On July 6, staff brought addi-
tional information to the meeting for
Council. Included in that informa-
tion was Oregon Revised Statue ORS
609.125, that defines livestock to in-
clude horses, cattle, llamas, sheep,
goats, swine, domesticated fowl and
“any fur bearing animal bred and main-
tained commercially or otherwise,
within pens, cages and hutches.” Un-
inside
3
farm to school
9
baseball boys
go to state
11
summer
reading program
12
new vhs
football coach
der ORS 609.010 Domesticated Fowl
is further defined as “birds bred and
raised for human benefit or use.”
Information provided to Coun-
cil additionally included definitions of
types of animals from the City of Hill-
sboro and sample ordinances dealing
with livestock issues from the City of
North Plains and the City of Rainier.
Citizens that addressed the
Council raised numerous concerns that
included:
• the uniqueness of Vernonia
• the various size of parcels within city
limits
• the proliferation of small urban farms
• the ability of residents to raise their
own food and feed their families
Some of the most compelling
comments came from Vernonia High
School student Kaitlyn Eyrrick, who
represented the Critters-R-Us 4H club.
Eyrrick told the Council there were
four separate 4H clubs operating within
city limits, with children raising goats,
chickens, rabbits and cattle. Eyrrick
said 4H kids learn financial, people,
and academic skills, and demonstrated
her public speaking skills she said she
learned in 4H. Eyrrick told the Coun-
cil that 4H kids who live in city limits
would be disadvantaged if they were
limited in the number of animals they
can raise.
Citizens asked the Council
to not take away their ability to raise
and support their families. They said
they had been responsive to complaints
about roaming livestock. They sug-
gested the City use nuisance violations
to deal with complaints rather than im-
posing restrictions on livestock own-
ers.
Council scheduled a workshop
for September 14 to work out details of
a revised ordinance and invited several
members of the audience to participate.
They also instructed staff to place a
moratorium on any new nuisance vio-
lations until the ordinance has been re-
vised.
their home outside Vernonia.
The Perry’s facility, Vernonia’s
Creekside Adult Foster Home, LLC,
is now licensed for three residents at
11847 Keasey Road, about eight miles
from downtown, and will provide an
based on availability.
“We want to create a family
like atmosphere and give our residents a
sense of belonging,” says Lonnie Perry.
“Our goal is to help keep local folks near
their home,” adds Vicki Perry.
opportunity for aging senior citizens to
remain in their community when they are
no longer able to live on their own.
Nestled in the trees near the end
of Keaasey Road in a country setting,
and fronting a scenic stretch of Rock
Creek, the Perry’s will provide a full
Lonnie explained how the
Perry’s decided to open an adult foster
care facility. Lonnie says he was working
in Alaska and Vicki was at home, caring
for his elderly mother, who was suffering
from Alzheimer’s disease and has since
Former Vernonia City Councilor
Bruce McNair is back after being
appointed to fill an empty seat on the
Council.
McNair was appointed by the
current members of the Council to fill
the vacancy created when Mayor Josette
Mitchell resigned on March 2, 2015 to
accept the position of City Recorder/
Assistant to the City Administrator.
Council President Randy Parrow was
appointed by the Council to fill the
Mayor’s position and Parrow’s spot on
the Council has remained vacant.
McNair was appointed following
a Special City Council meeting on July
8, which included an interview with
McNair, who was the only applicant for
the open seat.
McNair was originally chosen by
a citizen committee and appointed by the
Council to fill one of three empty seats
on the Council in September of 2011,
along with Donna Webb and current
Councilor Kim Tierney. McNair chose
not to run for election in 2014 when his
original term expired. Instead
he
volunteered to serve on the Public Works
Committee. He brings a solid working
knowledge of the Wastewater Treatment
Upgrade Project, which is just getting
ready to begin construction. He has also
served on the City Budget Committee for
numerous years.
continued on page 10
McNair Appointed to Council
Council Approves Open Air Market Extension
The Vernonia City Council extended the
closure and use of Adams Avenue for the Open
Air Market on Saturday mornings for two more
months at their July 6, 2015 meeting.
Council originally approved market orga-
nizer’s request to locate the market to the new lo-
cation on Adams Avenue, which is closer to down-
town and the Linear Trail, for June and July, and
said an extension for August and September would
be based on a positive report of success.
Market organizer Bill Langmaid told
Council the Market has achieved its goals.
Langmaid reported the market has 13 ven-
dors signed up, has averaged seven per week, and
has several more who have expressed interest.
This assured income will allow the market to help
have placed unoccupied canopies for shade for visitors
share the cost of improvements with the city that
and said his booth has increased business by two and half
they have requested, like picnic tables and a bike rack.
Langmaid told Council they have signage on the times. Brett Costley, another vendor, said his booth has
Linear Trail which is helping draw many new visitors,
continued on page 6
