city news
Vernonia City News...
At the May 2, 2016 City Council Airport Fund in the form of a loan which
Meeting:
will be paid back by the Airport Fund
from the sale of a trailer and in annual
Council Hears Report on Sewer
payments over the next five years.
Feasibility Study – City Administrator
Josette Mitchell presented Council with City Discusses Streetscape Trees –
the results of an 80 page feasibility study Council discussed the plan to remove
prepared by Tetra Tech, for installation and replace the streetscape trees that
of a new sewer line and manholes on line Bridge Street. Ben Fousek of the
Spencer Hill connecting to California City Planning Department provided a
Avenue. The project would reroute and detailed map of the downtown corridor
more efficiently handle sewage from for the Council. The trees that were
homes on Spencer Hill and also provide originally planted were not the correct
infrastructure for the new industrial species and are growing too large
development on California Avenue. The and damaging sidewalks and could
owners and developers of the industrial potentially damage utilities located
site on California Avenue would also under the sidewalks. Six trees have
pay to install infrastructure on their already been removed by Public Works
property. Cost of the total project would crews. 40 trees remain in the four
be over $190,000. Council asked for block stretch. Fousek recommended
time to review the report and asked staff no more than three trees on each side
to separate the cost for the Spencer Hill of the street in each block and said the
part of the project and the California City has identified three species of trees
Avenue part of the project.
that are recommended as streetscape
trees, based on the constraints of Bridge
Airport Culvert Replacement -
Street. Council is considering whether
Council approved the purchase of 200
to cut down trees and replace them with
feet of 30 inch culvert to replace the
new trees in the ground or replace them
culvert that crosses the runway at the
with above ground containers. Council
Vernonia Airport. Council approved
instructed staff to prepare a survey for
transfer of the funds needed for the
local business owners and invite them to
purchase from the General Fund to the
a workshop, scheduled for Monday, June
13 at 6:30 pm.
City Administrator Report – City
Administrator Josette Mitchell updated
the Council on several items she is
working on.
Mitchell told Council that some
hairline cracks have appeared in the
new DAF building that is part of the
Wastewater Treatment Plant Project.
Mitchell said the contractor will make
repairs and then do a test to confirm the
fix. Mitchell also told Council the goal
is to have the Webb Way Linear Trail
reopened by the end of May.
Mitchell told Council staff had
compiled some preliminary figures
on the impact to water and sewer
revenues if all six customers that took an
application replaced their water meter
with a smaller meter. Staff estimated
reductions in revenues of $1,734 in
water usage, $814 in water loan charges,
$4,599 in sewer usage, and $10,600 in
sewer loan charges. Staff told Council
that they plan to review water and sewer
revenues annually since fees are now
based on consumption, and any needed
adjustment to rates would be made at
that time.
may5
2016
5
Mitchell told Council they
received two Statements of Qualification
for the Grant Administration for the
Rose Avenue Project and four Requests
for Proposals for Engineering for
California Avenue and said staff would
be determining who to award the two
contracts to in the next week.
Staff and volunteers completed
clean up and landscape projects on Make
Vernonia Shine Day at Dewey Pool, the
Vernonia Library and at Airport Park.
Mitchell told Council that staff
and Mayor Randy Parrow met with David
Smejkal, Bob Smejkal, Douglas Wolf,
and Sharon Bernal to discuss required
improvements to fix the Nickerson
Ridge Estates subdivision and allow the
City to being issuing building permits.
Mitchell told Council they are waiting to
hear back from the owners.
Mitchell told Council there is
still firewood for sale at Airport Park for
$40 a pickup load. Anyone interested
should contact City Hall.
Council Enters Executive Session –
Council entered into Executive Session
under ORS 192.660 (2)(d) To consider
information or records that are exempt
continued on page 13
An Opinion: Election 2016-Big Decisions continued from page 3
he supports veterans’ needs, living wage
jobs and economic development. A
small business owner, he has proposed
several ideas for economic stimulus,
like creating a county wide ordinance to
allow property owners to build “mother-
in-law suites” and encouraging the Port
of St. Helens to sell property in order to
help bring new industry to the county,
but otherwise he seems to agree with
the status quo on most current county
business.
Unfortunately, none of these
candidates, with all their differing
opinions and ideas, has really done or
said enough to make me feel comfortable
endorsing them, and I am still deciding
who I will vote for.
County Commissioner Position 3
Tony Hyde, Alex Tardif
If Alex Tardif was running
for Position 1 I would vote for him in
a heartbeat. He is young, smart, and
passionate with a good understanding
of finances and has an outsider’s
view of how governments function.
A professional tax consultant, he has a
keen eye for analysis and management
and brings energy and many fresh ideas
to the table. He says Columbia County
needs transparency, accountability, and
new leadership. Unfortunately, his lack
of boots-on-the-ground governmental
experience and the possibility of two
new Commissioners taking office at the
same time are causing me to hesitate. If
Tardif doesn’t win this election I hope he
will find a way to become more involved
in Columbia County government -
serving on the Budget Committee where
his finance experience would be a real
benefit, or some other place where he
can work closely with the Board of
Commissioners, because he has a lot to
offer this county.
Tony Hyde says the county has
weathered the economic downturn and
is bouncing back thanks to his continued
leadership. I agree when he points to
expanding local businesses and the
new Oregon Manufacturing Innovation
District in Scappoose as signs of
the county’s successful economic
development policies. Port Westward
provides a huge opportunity to bring new
industry to the county and Hyde has been
key in the expansion and recruitment
Monday, May 16, 2016
Monday, June 6, 2016
City Closures are scheduled for:
Monday, May 30, 2016
Memorial Day
Dates and times subject to change
due to conflicts of schedules
The Mist-Birkenfeld RFPD Board
of Directors will meet Tuesday,
May 17, 2016 at 7:00 pm at the
Main Station, 12525 HWY 202,
Mist, OR. Agenda items include
but are not limited to usual order
of business, citizen input, Fire
Chief’s report, financial reports
and any other business needing
to be discussed.
William DeJager
-Board President
and entrenched position at the top of the
county heiraarchy raise concerns. But
with the ongoing and new development
and potential for growth at this time, I feel
the county needs experienced leadership
who can navigate and negotiate on our
behalf. This may be Hyde’s last run for
public office and I think he has earned
an opportunity to continue his work on
behalf of our citizens.
Vernonia Police Blotter
April 1-30, 2016
REPORTS
• April 6, 2016 Report of an
Abandoned Vehicle near Lakeview Dr.
• April 7, 2016 Arrest on a Warrant
near Texas Ave.
• April 7, 2016 Arrest on a Warrant
near Grant Ave.
• April15, 2016 Report of Criminal
Mischief on Weed Ave.
• April 18, 2016 Outside Agency Assist
on Noakes Rd.
CITATIONS/OTHER
• April 6, 2016 Cited for Driving While
Suspended/Uninsured
• April 14, 2016 Cited for Driving
Vernonia City Council
Meetings and Closures
City Council Meetings
are scheduled for 7:00 pm:
there. His connections at the state and
federal level have been invaluable. His
hometown connection to Vernonia also
make him an asset to this community.
Hyde has been serving as a
County Commissioner for 20 years and
the thought that it might be time for some
new and fresh ideas has resonated with
many voters. Tardif appears to some
to be just the answer to Hyde, whose
perceived connections to big business
While Suspended
• April 20, 2016 Cited for Driving
While Suspended
• April 21, 2016 Cited for Driving
While Suspended
• April 28, 2016 Cited for Driving
While Suspended
• April 28, 2016 Cited for Driving
While Suspended
Vernonia Police Department
responds to calls that do not
always end in Arrest, Report, or
Citation.
04/01/2016 through 04/30/2016 VPD
had a 178 calls for service
NOTICE OF POSITIONS OPEN
CITY OF VERNONIA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the General Election will be held on the 8th day of
November 2016, at which time the legal voters of the City of Vernonia will be entitled to
vote for candidates to certain city offices.
OFFICES OPEN FOR ELECTION:
VERNONIA MAYOR TWO YEAR TERM
VERNONIA COUNCIL MEMBER FOUR YEAR TERM
VERNONIA COUNCIL MEMBER FOUR YEAR TERM
Election packets are available at the office of the City Recorder, 1001 Bridge St, Vernonia,
OR 97064. Nominating petitions can be filed no sooner than June 1, 2016, and filed
no later than Friday, August 26, 2016, by 4:00 pm with the City Recorder. For more
information call Stephanie Borst, City Recorder at 503-429-5291 ext. 104.
The City of Vernonia is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
