city news
august17
2017
5
Vernonia City News...
At the August 7, 2017 City Council
Meeting:
Council Hears Update on Picnic Shel-
ter Construction – City Administrator
Josette Mitchell updated the Council on
the Spencer Park Picnic Shelter and ex-
plained that the covered basketball court
was used to construct the trusses for the
shelter because it was the only flat level
space large enough to build the jig that
was used to construct the trusses. City
staff and volunteers will be cutting down
oversized beams with help from Mike
Pihl Logging to move the beams. Mitch-
ell said construction is hoped to be com-
pleted by the end of August.
Council Receives Update on Bridge
Street Trees – City Administrator Jo-
sette Mitchell told Council that the
stumps along Bridge Street have been re-
moved and the tree wells in the sidewalk
have been temporarily filled with gravel.
Mitchell said all of the brick pavers will
be removed and reset, but a timeline
was unavailable as it has been difficult
getting a contractor. Mitchell also said
the City is redesigning the garbage re-
ceptacles. Mitchell said once the pavers
are all reset, the issue will be returned to
Council to make a final decision about
what to do about the streetscape.
Council Hears Presentation on Art in
the Park – Council heard a presenta-
tion from Brittanie Roberts about a pro-
posal she is working on to have art stu-
dents from the Vernonia Schools create
art projects installed in Vernonia Parks.
Roberts told the Council she has had ini-
tial discussions with the School District
and the Parks Committee and wanted to
keep the Council informed of her prog-
ress. She is proposing an initial project
that would decorate garbage receptacles
in selected parks.
Council Approves Contract for
Wastewater Project – Council autho-
rized the City Administrator to sign a
contract with Wastewater Compliance
Systems, Inc. for the installation of 48
Bio-Domes in the sewer lagoons, which
will remove ammonia before the dis-
charge from the City plant. Cost for the
project is $301,500 and will be paid for
with grant funding the City has already
obtained. The installation is expected to
be complete by November.
Mayor Appoints Two to Parks Com-
mittee – Based on a recommendation
from the Parks Committee, and with ap-
proval from the rest of Council, Mayor
Mario Leonetti appointed Steve White-
man and Richard Stein to the Parks
Committee.
Council Approves Grant Applica-
tion – Council approved an application
from the Public Works Department for
an ODOT Special City Allotment grant
to repave a section of Louisiana Avenue
from Mississippi Avenue to Oregon Av-
enue, and a short section of B Street in
the same area.
Topics From the Floor – Terry Lindau-
er, who lives on Nickerson Avenue, ad-
dressed the Council and expressed dis-
appointment that the City has not made
any progress in resolving the conflict
at the Nickerson Ridge Estates hous-
ing development. The City is currently
not approving any new building permits
until the developers correct issues with
Citizen Files Pending Tort Claim
Against City continued from front page
Sterner’s notice to file a tort
claim includes numerous claims, in-
cluding that both City Administrator
Mitchell and Councilor McNair made
false allegations, that Mitchell attempted
to mislead the public at large with her
statements, that the official minutes from
meetings “contained serious errors and
omissions,” and that the entire Council
“knowingly violated their respective
oaths of office, by failing to adhere to
and defend the statutes and rules involv-
ing conflicts of interest, despite being
fully aware of the ongoing violation of
those statutes and rules.”
At their August 7, 2017 City
Council meeting Council recessed to
Executive Session under ORS 192.660
(2)(h), “To consult with counsel con-
cerning the legal rights and duties of a
public body with regard to current liti-
gation or litigation likely to be filed.”
The City’s attorney Ruben Cleave-
land was in attendance at the meeting.
Following a return to open session,
Cleaveland told the Council that he
will be turning the notice of a pending
tort claim by Mr. Sterner over to CIS,
the City’s insurance company.
The Annual Picnic of the
Vernonia Society, VHS “Old Grads”
and Oregon-American Alumni
Place: Anderson Park, Vernonia
Date: Sunday, August 20, 2017
Please Come and Bring your Friends.
All current and former Vernonia people and families
are welcome! Bring your own picnic lunch.
Coffee will be provided.
drainage and sidewalks that were part
of original construction over 15 years
ago. The City‘s legal counsel is cur-
rently attempting to get compliance by
the developers, but has not received any
return correspondence from them for
many months. Lindauer owns two lots in
the development, one with a home and
one where he has been unable to build
a planned workshop, because he cannot
get a building permit. Lindauer told the
Council that while the original construc-
tion took place before any of them were
in office, “...you’re in office now. Our
lack of not being able to obtain a build-
ing permit is not only because of the
development issues, it’s also because
City government at many levels dropped
the ball. The problem is here, like it or
not. The time is now to fix it. We’ve
been patiently waiting for a resolution
to these issues. Your passive approach
is not working.” Lindauer proposed that
the City address specific drainage issues
so he can build his shop, and still hold
the developers responsible for the other
issues while continuing to deny them
building permits.
Brett Costley addressed the
Council about several issues, including
the operation of water fountains at Ver-
nonia Lake, the need for a stop sign at
Jefferson Avenue where it crosses the
Linear Trail, and encouraging the City to
use social media as a way to share infor-
mation and to address concerns of citi-
zens. Costley also praised the Council’s
willingness to find a compromise and
work to create stricter smoking regula-
tions in parks without completely ban-
ning it.
Council Discusses Legal Issues with
Attorney – Council recessed to Execu-
tive Session under ORS 192.660 (2)(h),
“To consult with counsel concerning the
legal rights and duties of a public body
with regard to current litigation or liti-
gation likely to be filed.” The City’s at-
torney Ruben Cleaveland was in atten-
dance at the meeting. Following a re-
turn to open session, Cleaveland told the
Council that he will be turning the notice
of a pending tort claim by Mr. Sterner
over to CIS, the City’s insurance com-
pany (See full story on front page); that
he will continue to work with the attor-
ney from WOEC concerning communi-
cation the City has received; and that he
will continue to pursue compliance on
Nickerson Ridge issues.
Police Department Report – Officer
Cody Pesio, sitting in for Police Chief
Mike Conner, told the Council that Jam-
boree weekend was mostly uneventful,
with only two DUII arrests and few oth-
er disturbances or incidents.
City Administrator Report – City
Administrator Josette Mitchell told the
Council that the Public Works Commit-
tee completed a tour of the Wastewater
Treatment Plant.
Mitchell told the Council that
CDBG is reviewing the Environmental
Review for the proposed Senior Center/
Food Bank, and once approval is re-
ceived the City can move forward ob-
taining bids for construction.
Mitchell told Council that the
City has received no correspondence
from the developers at Nickerson Ridge.
Police Blotter • August 1-14, 2017
Reports Taken
• August 1, 2017 Suspect held on a
Detainer Warrant near Jefferson Avenue
• August 2, 2017 Report of Criminal
Mischief 2 near California Avenue
• August 8, 2017 Report of Reckless
Driving on Nehalem HWY S
• August 11, 2017 Report of Medical
Assist near Bridge Street
Citations/Arrests/Other
• August 6, 2017 Cited for Dog as a
Public Nuisance near N Mist Drive
• August 8, 2017 Cited for Driving While
Suspended/Uninsured and Violation of
the Basic Rule 75/55 mph near Nehalem
HWY S
• August 8, 2017 Cited for Violation of
the Basic Rule 97/55 mph near Nehalem
The Vernonia
Transfer Station
is open on the
2nd and 4th Saturday
from 8am-2pm
Registration begins at 10:00 am
August 26
September 9 & 23
Hot Dog lunches (hot dog, chips and drinks)
will be available for purchase.
Dates and times are subject
to change due to weather
HWY S
• August 9, 2017 Cited for Violation of
the Basic Rule 52/35 mph near Nehalem
HWY S
• August 10, 2017 Cited for Violation of
the Basic Rule 76/55 mph near Nehalem
HWY S
• August 10, 2017 Cited for Violation
of the Basic Rule 76/55 mph, Careless
Driving, Driving While Suspended, and
Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance near
Nehalem HWY S
Vernonia Police Department responds
to calls that do not always end in
Arrest, Report, or Citation. 08/01/2017
through 08/14/2017 VPD had 143 calls
for service
Vernonia City Council
Meetings and Closures
City Council Meetings
are scheduled for 7:00 pm:
Monday, August 21, 2017
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
City Closures
are scheduled for:
Monday, September 4, 2017
Labor Day Holiday
Dates and times subject to change