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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 2015)
4 letters to the editor/community bulletin board august20 2015 Readers Le Their V To the Editor, If I were a conspiracy theorist... From 1998 - 2000 in the building of Nickerson Ridge Estates subdivision, the developer ignored: 1 - City planners, City engineers 2 - Columbia County Road Department 3 - Local and state construction standards 4 - Unified fire codes 5 - And even his own engineers As the investigation into these matters has progressed it has uncovered: 1. City Public Works, and his own engineers issued letters of concern for internal lot drainage, lacking compaction and construction standards. 2. Columbia County letters regarding a promised half street improvement in front of the subdivision 3. At least two outstanding citations for a reported $16,000 from the Department of State Lands involving the moving of Nickerson Creek, destruction of wetlands, and installation of a undersized culvert structure, all without any kind of engineering or permit. 4. Letters of concern from the city and then Fire Chief Paul Epler involving undersized water lines and low “Fire Flows” at all three hydrants servicing this subdivision and adjacent home owners. All this documentation of non compliance, and yet our City’s previous administration signed off on the final plat and registered it with the county. Despite the short comings listed by these departments with almost no exception each one indicated that “NO BUILDING PERMITS” should be issued until these matters had been addressed. And yet permits have been issued and homes have been built. This brings us to present day. After weeks of investigation, inter agency interviews, conference with the city attorney and discussion over multiple council meetings, our City Administrator was finally days away from bringing all parties to the table for an open and candid discussion on how these matters can be remedied. After two executive closed door meetings by our council on Aug 5 th and Aug 11 th the Mayor and Councilman McNair at 8:00 am on August 12 th walked into the City Administrator’s office and fired him, took his keys and his password for his computer. He was released from his duties “ Without Cause.” We the public are not allowed in the information loop as to his performance review. And while contractually speaking Council is within its right, I see this kind of termination in poor taste. It is no way to treat a human being. Additionally he was not permitted to summarize or complete his investigation. And now it has been Columbia Humane Society Featured Pet HI guys! I’m Bailey! I love people, and I dream about the day that I get to have a (respectful, quiet) human family of my own. I seem to get along with all dogs that I meet, but I really don’t like cats! They say I’m a funny lady, always up for tricks and work- ing hard to impress you. Just look at my smile, it’ll surely brighten your most gloomy of days. I could be your # 1 lady, going on car rides to the store, snuggling on the couch for some T.V. or just keeping you company. Come by the shelter and visit me, I’d love to meet you! We are looking for a home that is willing to take on Bailey's extra special medical needs. She will need to be on heart medication for the remainder of her life as she has an enlarged heart. If interested please call or email. Web: www.columbiahumane.org Phone: 503-397-4353 2084 Oregon Street Email: animalwelfare@columbiahumane.org St. Helens, OR 97051 Do You Need Help? Call for meeting times and locations Columbia Community Mental Health Call 503-397-5211 -or- 1-800-294-5211 For after hours Crisis call: 1-866-866-1426 http://www.ccmh1.com/crisis.html Narcotics Anonymous NW Region 503-345-9839 http://portlandna.com/ Alcohol Anonymous NW Region 503-366-0667 http://www.pdxaa.com/ dropped for this council meeting’s agenda. In our last council meeting one council member suggested I have an axe to grind against the developer. The “axe I have to grind” has two edges. Yes this developer, as the City’s current investigation seems to support, did what he wanted, where he wanted, how he wanted . Not only did his actions affect the welfare and safety of those who will buy into his own development, but it also affects the adjacent land owners, the citizens of Vernonia. By his own words he has no intention of repairing or rectifying any of it, and lays responsibility at the feet of the city. But the other edge to this “axe” I have to grind is with the city administration past and present, for turning a blind eye to so many building codes and requirements. It can no longer be ignored that every piece of documentation, Planning Commission files, permits, inspection reports, DEQ, Department of State Lands, County reports and, “development as builds,” have been removed from this City’s records, save for the few documents we found and have submitted to Council. This was no accident. If I were a conspiracy theorist I would see a pattern that could not be ignored. One council member in the last open meeting, suggested he had knowledge of poor water flows. “on all the tree streets” on the east side of the Nehalem River. If he has real information or documentation on this Vernonia Weather July 2015 DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Ave/Tot HIGH 92 93 91 95 95 84 85 88 80 76 70 78 79 80 77 76 84 95 93 82 72 67 77 80 68 71 74 85 95 101 98 83.3 LOW 48 48 46 47 48 53 55 55 55 53 56 55 43 43 56 43 43 44 50 56 55 45 42 58 49 44 42 42 48 44 40 48.6 PRECIP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T T T .04 0 0 T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .15 .06 T 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 Weather data is collected at the U.S. Weather station at the Vernonia Water Plant Upcoming Events Vernonia Open Air Market - Every Saturday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm on Adams Avenue at Bridge Street. Bear Creek Run - Saturday, August 22, at Anderson Park. Contact: kelliem@westoregon. org or register online: http://www. signmeup.com/108401 Community Wide Garage Sale - Saturday, August 22, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. To sign up contact Helen Bateman at 503-429-6203. West Oregon Electric Co-op Annual Meeting - Saturday, August 22, register 10:00 am; meeting 11:00 am at the Cabin in Vernonia. Columbia City Show & Shine - Saturday, September 19, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm at Columbia City School. All vehicles welcome. Pancake breakfast, book sale, quilt show, music, food and vendors. Benefits Columbia City Community Library. For more info contact Gordon at (503) 396- 5658. matter it is required of him to bring it forward. And it is time to discuss why we are releasing any building permit for the entire area in question. The charges set forth in this investigation are real. And I feel confident that if ALL information is brought into the light of day and then challenged by an unbiased, knowledgeable inspection process the Developer will need to come to the table to finish what he started. Tony Schrader Vernonia Editors note: Mr. Schrader read this letter into the record at the August 17, 2015 Vernonia City Council meeting. When he asked that it be published as a Letter to the Editor, he asked Vernonia’s Voice to add City staff’s response to his comments. City Recorder Josette Mitchell told Schrader that the City Attorney and the Developer of Nickerson Ridge Estates had a conference call scheduled for Thursday, August 20 to discuss the issue and that interest in this issue has not been dropped by Council. She also told Schrader the City Building Inspector is working with staff to understand what is required from the developer. She also noted that no new building permits have been issued for the development since he came forward with his allegations. HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your thoughts, opinions and ideas. Please include your name, address and phone number, limit your letters to 300 words or less. Vernonia’s Voice reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted. We will print letters space permitting. Deadline is the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Email: scott@ vernoniasvoice.com or mail to: Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064.
