community
september7
2017
Bonamici Visits Vernonia
7
continued from front page
problem they were trying to
newly installed Dissolved Air
solve?’ and does the rule that
Flotation (DAF) system; both
was written actually solve the
allow the City to discharge
problem they were address-
cleaner effluent into the Ne-
ing?” asked Bonamici.
halem River.
Bonamici promised
“This is an amazing
to look into the rules govern-
example of how you can do
ing the use of facilities that
what you need to do with your
receive CDBG funding. “It
wastewater system while also
doesn’t make sense that you
protecting the river, the habi-
can’t do some of these things,
tat and the fish,” said Bonami-
and it’s my job to change
ci. “This is really innovative
those rules,” she added later
with all the different pieces.
in the conversation. “We can
It’s a partnership with all the
certainly ask questions about
innovation, the hard work of
what the reasoning is for this
your board and committee,
rule, and ask if they are aware
and the federal investment
that it doesn’t really work in a
and the networking of those
rural community. Maybe we
agencies.”
should be having a conversa-
Federal funds through
tion about going through the
DEQ and USDA helped the
process of changing the rules
City of Vernonia raise the
or getting exemptions. May-
walls of the dykes and up-
be there needs to be a ‘not
grade the three sewer lagoons
one-size-fits-all’ solution.”
including perimeter fencing,
U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici received a tour of
Bonamici also asked
install the DAF system, in-
the recently upgraded Wastewater Treatment plant.
questions about current fund-
stall the hyporheic discharge
that visit the Congresswoman also met
ing streams for the Senior
system - another pilot project
Center, noting that with homeowners who had benefitted which uses natural filtration to clean ef-
she was involved in from the program.
fluent, and install the bio domes.
Following her conversation
the passing of the
“There was no way this commu-
Older Americans Act concerning the Senior Center/Food nity could have afforded to make these
several years ago and Bank project, Bonamici took a tour of upgrades and be in compliance with
offered assistance in Vernonia’s Wastewater Treatment facil- DEQ,” Mitchell told Bonamici.
looking for additional ity. City Administrator Josette Mitchell
“This is another example of how
explained
the
treatment
process,
includ-
operating funds for the
federal dollars can make a big difference,
Senior Center through ing the soon-to-be-installed bio dome especially in small, rural communities,”
ammonia treatment system which is a said Bonamici.
available programs.
This is not the pilot project in Oregon, along with the
first time Bonamici
has visited Vernonia
to talk informally with
locals involved in lo-
cal programs. As a
member of the House
Education and Work-
force
Committee,
Tuesday, September 19
in 2015 she visited
6:30 pm
Vernonia’s Summer
Vernonia Public Library
Meals Program and
Tyler Dougherty of the Vernonia Public Works Department
explains the operation of the Wastewater Treatment
sat down with local
plant recently upgraded using federal funds.
volunteers to discuss
children’s health and
Presentation by Oregon Military Historians
first five years of operation. Those rules welfare.
Warren W. Aney and Alisha Hamel.
limit both organization’s ability to raise
In 2015 she visited with staff
Oregon Military History is a title in the
funds through space rental, fundraisers from Community Action Team (CAT)
Images of America book series,
and other activities, including the Senior in St. Helens to discuss CAT’s Self-Help
published in October 2016.
Center’s popular thrift store, the orga- Acquisition Rehabilitation Program
nization’s major source of operational (SHARP) which provides low interest
This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Vernonia Public Library.
funding.
financing for the purchase and rehabili-
“Sometimes when I hear about tation of existing homes in Columbia,
Vernonia Public Library • 701 Weed Avenue • 503-429-1818 • library@vernonia-or.gov
things like this, I wonder, ‘What is the Clatsop, or Tillamook County; during
also proposed to eliminate.
City Administrator Mitchell
agreed with Bonamici’s assessment of
the importance of CDBG funding. “For
rural communities it really is their only
chance to make asset and infrastructure
improvements that they wouldn’t other-
wise be able to pay for themselves,” said
Mitchell.
Mitchell noted that CDBG fund-
ing has been used in Vernonia in the past
to help with FEMA buyouts following
the 2007 flood and to fund early portions
of the Wastewater Treatment Upgrade
Project.
“That’s one of the benefits of
CDBG funds – that there is the flexibil-
ity because different communities have
different needs,” said Bonamici.
Bonamici was particularly inter-
ested in the restrictions the facility will
face following completion of construc-
tion. According to CDBG rules the Se-
nior Center portion of the building will
only be available to provide services for
citizens over the age of sixty, while use
of the Food Bank is restricted to use by
low to moderate income families, for the
Oregon Military History
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