city news
At the March 7, 2016 City Council
meeting:
Council Holds Public Hearing on
Sewer Rate Adjustment – Council held
a Public Hearing on proposed changes
to the current structure for sewer rates.
During the hearing there were no com-
ments in favor or against the proposed
changes. Scott Laird provided neutral
testimony and thanked the Public Works
Committee for their hard work in pre-
paring the information for the hearing.
Later in the meeting, Council instructed
staff to prepare an ordinance to adopt a
new sewer rate structure. (See full story
on front page.)
Council Approves Parks Fee Increas-
es – Based on a recommendation from
the Parks Committee, Council approved
changes to the parks fee schedule, which
provides slight increases to most camp-
ing fees and brings fees in line with other
regional park facilities. The new park
fees will be part of a new Master Fee
Schedule that Council will be asked to
adopt at their March 21 meeting.
Council Approves High Water Mark
Sign – Council approved a request by
the Army Corp of Engineers to install a
high water mark sign for the 2007 flood
at the corner of Bridge Street and Wash-
ington Avenue as a way to remind peo-
Vernonia City News...
ple that floods do occur in this area. This
sign project is an initiative of the Silver
Jackets, an interagency group that looks
for solutions to flooding issues and to
increase flood preparedness awareness.
Installing the sign helps with the FEMA
community rating system and earns the
City points toward lowering flood insur-
ance rates.
Vernonia’s commitment to put healthy
options within reach of all residents
through the HEAL Cities Campaign by
supporting the local Open Air Market
farmers market, increasing bicycle and
pedestrian connectivity and safety, and
providing healthy programs for City em-
ployees.
the water used during the spring, summer and fall sea-
sons when customers will be using water that does not
go to the treatment plant.
The City initially hired FCS Group to perform
a sewer rate study in 2013 to determine the necessary
rates required to support the proposed wastewater treat-
ment plant upgrade project that is currently being con-
structed, along with the funds required to operate the
utility service for the community.
Following the initial study it was determined
that the data used in the study was inaccurate and an
extensive ground truthing project was undertaken
by the City to determine the exact number of utility
connections in the City system. In addition, the City
decided to split fixed and variable costs to calculate
income needed to operate the system.
Oregon’s Presidential Primary:
May 17
(including local and County elections)
You can find a voter registration card at Vernonia
City Hall, Vernonia Library or county elections
office. You can also ask the Columbia County
Last day to register by mail:
April 26 elections office to mail you a card:
230 Strand St.,
To register to vote online or to update your voter St. Helens, OR 97051
registration go to:
(503) 397-7214, (503) 397-7266 fax,
http://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/voteinor.aspx Office Hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm (M-Th)
REPORTS TAKEN
• March 4, 2016 Arrest on a Warrant near
Scappoose Vernonia HWY
• March 5, 2016 Arrest on DUII and cited
for Driving While Suspended and Driving
Uninsured
• March 4, 2016 Report of Found Property
CITATIONS / OTHER VIOLATIONS
• March 13, 2016 Cited for Speed Racing
near Bridge St.
Vernonia Police Department responds
to calls that do not always end in Arrest,
Report, or Citation.
03/01/2016 through 03/14/2016 VPD had
51 calls for service.
5
fund for the project. An account has been
set up at U.S. Bank to accept donations.
Fire Chief Presents Levy to Council –
Chief Dean Smith of the Vernonia Rural
Fire Protection District (VRFPD) told
Council a bond levy has been placed on
the May 17 election ballot to raise fund-
ing so VRFPD can hire a Training Cap-
tain to be responsible for working with
volunteers, and responding to calls when
on duty. Smith said a second paid re-
sponder is necessary due to a shortage of
volunteers and department burn out. He
said staff and 12 volunteers responded
to 548 calls for service last year. Smith
told the Council that if a Training officer
is hired VRFPD could try to recruit ca-
dets to help cover volunteer shifts.
continued from front page
In February 2016 FCS delivered the results of est the City would pay over the life of the debt service.
Instead the Council chose to keep the current
a second rate study, using the new data from the ground
truthing project. The second rate study outlined the debt payment schedule and agreed to revisit the refi-
number of connections, the amount of the annual debt, nancing option once the current construction project is
the amount of annual revenue/expenses, and the subse- completed.
Council is scheduled to discuss approval of a
quent fees needed to operate the system and to repay
debt. This is the rate study the City is now using to final version of the ordinance that will include the new
rate structure at their March 21 meeting.
create the new rate structure.
In addition the City considered an option to
refinance the current debt
payments, which would
NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING
have lowered current rates
but would have extended
A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the City of Vernonia, Columbia County,
the number of years needed
State of Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017,
to pay back the debt and in-
will be held at the Cabin in Vernonia, 901 Park Drive, Vernonia OR 97064.
The meeting will take place on April 12th at 6:30pm
crease the amount of inter-
Upcoming Election Info
March 1 - 14, 2016
2016
Hydrants Not Providing Enough Pres-
sure on Knott Street – City Adminis-
trator Josette Mitchell told Council that
a test of fire hydrants had revealed that
a hydrant on Mist Drive provided 1,130
gallons per minute (gpm) of pressure,
but that the hydrant at 1359 Knott Street
only provided 800 gpm, and the hydrant
at the Nickerson Ridge development
only provided 700 gpm. Mitchell told
Council that based on those test results,
Council Forgives Water Fee for Ridge any new development in the area would Topics From the Floor – Mike Buf-
Riders – Council approved a request by need to include fire suppression sprin- fum told Council that he agrees with
the Ridge Riders equestrian group to for- kler systems.
the Time, Place, and Manner Ordinance
give a bill for water usage that occurred
regulating marijuana businesses the City
in December 2015 from a broken pipe at Lions Club Presents Pool Restoration is proposing. He said he would like to
the horse arena. The Ridge Riders had Project – Rick Hobart, representing the be able to sell glassware in his store and
shut off the service but the City failed Vernonia Lions Club, made a presenta- was told there are no rules restricting
to lock the meter and someone tried to tion on the Dewey Pool Project to the him from doing so.
turn on the water service, resulting in Council and explained the Lions plan to
Amanda Rose Sicard, represent-
102,000 gallons leaked due to a broken replace the liner and fence at the kiddie ing the VHS leadership class, updated
pipe. The meter has since been locked.
pool, and to fix the steps and seating area. the Council on activities at the high
Hobart told Council the Lions are donat- school, including winter sports, robotics,
Council Approves Healthy Options ing $7,500 to the project, and they have band, and student council.
Resolution – Council approved Resolu- received $1,700 in donations. Council
tion 19-15, which sets forth the City of committed up to $3,000 from the Parks
Council Approves Contract for Sewer
Feasibility Study – Council approved
a proposal from OTAK, the City’s En-
gineering firm, to perform a feasibility
study for the addition of a sewer spur that
could service development on California
Avenue and also redirect sewage from
the Spencer hill area. Cost is $5,000 and
work will begin immediately.
Council Moves Forward With Sewer Rate Change
Police Blotter
march17
Vernonia City Council
Meetings and Closures
City Council Meetings
are scheduled for 7:00 pm:
Monday, March 21, 2016
Monday, April 4, 2016
City Closures are scheduled for:
Monday, May 30, 2016
Memorial Day
Dates and times subject to change
due to conflicts of schedules
The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget message, the Budget Document and to estab-
lish the agenda for future meetings. No deliberation will take place at this meeting.
An additional, separate meeting of the Budget Committee will be held to take public comment.
Any person may appear at that meeting to discuss to proposed programs
with the Budget Committee.
The meeting for public comment will be on:
Date: April 19th, 2016 Time: 6:30 pm Location: Cabin in Vernonia
A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained on or after April 12th, 2016
at City Hall, 1001 Bridge St, between the hours of 9am - 5pm Monday - Friday
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