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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2016)
city news august18 2016 Vernonia City News... At the August 15, 2016 City Council Meeting: Nickerson Ridge Update – City Administrator Josette Mitchell updated Council and the audience on the de- velopment at Nickerson Ridge Estates. Mitchell said the owners of the vacant properties sent a letter to the City requesting they accept the streets in the develop- ment. The City engineer did an inspection on August 8 to see if the streets meet city code and is formulating a report outlining issues that he observed that will need to be corrected before the City takes responsibility for the streets. Council Approves Cemetery Urn Garden Plan – Council approved a recommendation from the Cem- etery Committee to begin the process of platting an urn garden at the Memorial Cemetery. The plan is to replat 88 full size plots into 252 urn plots, with two 48 niche columbarium, and pathways. The Committee noted in their recommendation that, due to changes in how families are handling the disposition of human remains, the plan will convert $88,000 worth of low demand plots into over $320,000 of potential value for the City. Cost to replat the plots is $3,900 and will come from the sale of the Cemetery caretaker’s house which is no longer in use. 5 Council Approves Letters to Law Enforcement Agencies – Council approved draft versions of letters to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Wash- ington County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police in North Plains, requesting enhanced traffic en- forcement on Highway 47 following numerous recent vehicle accidents. Council authorized Mayor Randy Parrow to sign the letters on their behalf. Police Department Report – Chief Mike Conner told Council that Jamboree weekend went smoothly with minimal issues and thanked the Oregon State Police, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Columbia Council Authorizes Renewal of Planning Contract City Police Department for their assistance throughout – Council authorized the renewal of a contract with Council Approves Bollard Installation at Cemetery the weekend. Conner noted that there were only two Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST) – Council approved a recommendation by the Cem- arrests during the weekend and that his Department did who has been providing planning services to the City. etery Committee to install eleven posts with decorative handle over 30 calls for service during the celebration. The current one year contract expired on July 31, 2016. Conner told the Council his Department as- sleeves at strategic points at corners in the road to pre- CREST had notified the City that, due to budget needs, vent vehicles from driving on grave sites. Council ap- sisted with the Intel Picnics at Cedar Ridge during the they had reduced their staff, resulting in the layoff of proved up to $1,000 to purchase the bollard materials weekend of August 12-14. Ryan Crater who had been handling several projects Conner told Council that he is currently ac- for the project. for the City of Vernonia. According to CREST, Crater cepting applications for Reserve Officers. would be replaced by Garrett Phillips. After authoriz- Council Approves Travel Trailer Permit – Council ing the one year renewal of the contract and confirm- approved a request by Eleanor Thompson to allow a City Administrator Report – City Administrator ing it contains a 30 day termination clause, Council family member to stay in a travel trailer on property Josette Mitchell updated Council on the Wastewater directed staff to investigate other options for providing she owns on Washington Avenue until October 1, 2016. Treatment Upgrade Project and said the project remains planning services. under budget and will have funds left over in the grant Readers Lend Their Voices... been quite disconcerted at how high our electric rates are. After all, isn’t the Co- op supposed to be the most efficient form of electric utility? Aren’t we supposed to have the lowest rates of all other forms, including PUDs and Municipals? Well, the answer is yes, we should! So why don’t we. Well, that’s the wrong question too. I don’t care about the WHY, I only care about what we need to do to get back in line with all the other Oregon Co-ops. The aver- age Oregon Co-op can provide their members electricity at well less than half what WOEC charges. And, the next least inefficient Oregon Co-op charges their members only a little over half (54%) what WOEC charges us. Really! If we were just the second worst Co-op in the state, the average WOEC residential member would save $60 every month! So back to my ennui. What can I do to help change this, that my opponent hasn’t already tried? Answer; I don’t know. I’ve had a devil of a time getting him, or any other member of our WOEC Board of Directors to sit down and dis- cuss this subject. So I really don’t know what I The Vernonia Transfer Station is open on the 2nd and 4th Saturday August 27 September 10 & 24 October 8 & 22 Dates are subject to change due to weather continued from page 4 can do any better than what has already been tried. All I know, is that what’s been going on doesn’t seem to be effec- tive. At the very least I can be the thorn in the side of the other Board members. My first effort will be to get everyone to admit we have a problem. Then narrow it down; just where is the money going that other Co-ops seem to be able to deal with more effectively. Then study just how those successful Co-ops operate, steal their game plans, and then bring it home to WOEC land. If it were only that simple. I do truly rue that we will have to lose Bob Paleck as a board member if I am to gain a position on the Board. But I hope Bob will continue to attend Board meetings; they are open to the public. I will surely benefit from his counsel. But for change to take place, change has to be made. I’m willing to play a little less pinochle and put some time in to help Vernonia City Council Meetings and Closures City Council Meetings are scheduled for 7:00 pm: Tuesday, September 6, 2016 Monday, September 19, 2016 continued on page 6 our Board of Directors come up with a better plan. Nicholas R. Galaday/CANDI- DATE FOR WOEC BOARD OF DI- RECTORS, DISTRICT 5 I offer up my extensive mana- gerial and engineering skills toward our common goal of efficiently providing re- liable power for our members, now and into the future. I am a fourth generation electrician, and have developed, owned and operated a number of businesses in- cluding electrical and mechanical con- struction firms. My degrees and background in the sciences led me through many ca- reers starting with meteorology while in the Air Force, as a commercial pilot, math and science teacher in the Arctic, and finally serving as the energy man- agement and conservation engineer at Microsoft World Headquarters in Red- mond, WA, where I managed a $16 mil- lion/year electric budget. My wife and I chose to retire to Vernonia ten years ago. I moved to the Portland area in 1979 after having lived in Cleveland, Arizona and Alaska. I spend a lot of my time in the support of fellow veterans and supporting the Oregon Electric Vehicle Association (as well as playing a lot of pinochle!). I look forward to visiting with you. You can contact me at: Nicholas.Galaday@ gmail.com Nicholas Galaday Vernonia NOTICE - CITY OF VERNONIA OPEN POSITIONS 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. City Closures are scheduled for: Monday, September 5, 2016 Labor Day Dates and times subject to change due to conflicts of schedules Need more room? See us for the lowest prices GUARANTEED! Debit/Credit now accepted Police Blotter August 1-15, 2016 REPORTS TAKEN Anderson Park. • August 1, 2016 Assist Other Agency • August 2, 2016 Report of possible Theft CITATIONS/OTHER on Bridge St. • August 1, 2016 Citation for Driving While • August 9, 2016 Arrest for a Warrant near Suspended/Uninsured near Keasey Rd. North St. and Grant Ave. and Stoney Point Rd. • August 16, 2016 Animal complaint near Vernonia Police Department responds to calls that do not always end in Arrest, Report, or Citation. 08/01/2016 through 08/15/2016 VPD had 136 calls for service. 5x10 $39 10x10 $69 10x20 $99 RV Storage $149 Outside storage available Totally fenced and gated Padlocks available 58605 Nehalem Hwy South • P.O. Box 292 Vernonia, Oregon 97064 (503) 429-7867 10-6 Tue-Sat 12-4 Sun
