city news
september21
2017
5
Vernonia City News...
At the September 18, 2016 City
Council Meeting:
Council Tables Smoking Restrictions
Ordinance – Council tabled a vote on
Ordinance 914, which would regulate
smoking and use of inhalant delivery
devices in City of Vernonia Parks, until
their November 6 meeting. Council
instructed staff to distribute a survey
to utility customers and receive more
public input. The results of the survey
will be discussed at a future City Council
meeting. (See full story on front page.)
Council Reviews Leak Forgiveness
Ordinance – Council reviewed a draft
of an Ordinance that would detail how
water leaks and associated charges are
handled by the City. Council has heard
numerous requests during the last year
for forgiveness for charges after leaks
were found on the customers’ property.
According to current City policy, if a
leak is found on the street side of the
meter, the City is responsible for the
repair and use. If the leak is found on
the property side of the meter, the prop-
erty owner is responsible for the repair
and any usage that occurred during the
time of the leak, and any request for for-
giveness had to be approved by Coun-
cil. Council has been agreeing to split
the difference for the cost of the water
used during a leak with the property
owner, based on the average usage dur-
ing the previous four months. The new
Ordinance would establish guidelines
for staff to adjust a customer’s billing
based on the amount of time between the
discovery of the leak and the repair and
creates a form for customers to fill out to
request forgiveness. Staff will bring the
Ordinance back to Council for approval
at their next meeting.
Council Approves Street Closure
Request – Council approved a temporary
street closure request submitted by Holly
Vaughn. The request is for October 7
from 12 - 9:00 pm on Madison Avenue at
Cougar Street for a neighborhood block
party.
Topics From the Floor – Gretchen
Lindauer and Terry Lindauer both ad-
dressed Council and expressed disap-
pointment in the City’s handling of de-
velopment issues at Nickerson Ridge Es-
tates. The Lindauers own a home in the
subdivision and have been waiting two
years for approval of a building permit
to build a shop, while a conflict between
the City and the original developer has
not been resolved. Gretchen Lindauer
said she feels “betrayed” by the City, and
COMBINED NOTICE
Finding of No Significant Impact
Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds
September 18, 2018
City of Vernonia, 1001 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064
503-429-5291
This Combined Notice shall satisfy two
separate but related procedural require-
ments for activities to be undertaken by the
City of Vernonia.
Request for Release of Funds:
On or about October 9, 2017 the above-
named entity will submit a request to the
Oregon Business Development Department
(OBDD) for the release of federal Com-
munity Development Block Grant funds
under Title I of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974 (PL93-383), as
amended, to undertake a project known as:
ROSE AVENUE SENIOR CENTER &
FOOD BANK
The building will house senior citizen
programming and services and emergency
food service for low to moderate income
individuals needing food assistance.
Estimated Funding: $2,000,000 (2 million
dollars)
The project will be located at 547 Weed
Avenue, Vernonia, OR 97064
Finding of No Significant Impact
The City of Vernonia has determined that
the project will have no significant impact
on the human environment. Therefore, an
Environmental Impact Statement under the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) is not required. Additional project
information is contained in the Environ-
mental Review Record (ERR) on file at
the above address and is available for
public review/examination or can be copied
weekdays 8:00a.m.-12:30p.m. / 1:30p.m.-
5:00p.m. upon request.
Public Comments
Any individual, group or agency disagree-
ing with this determination or wishing to
comment on the project may submit written
comments to the City of Vernonia, Office of
the City Administrator, whom is responsible
for receiving and responding to comments.
Such written comments should be received
at the above address on or before Friday,
October 6, 2017. All such comments so
received will be considered by the City of
Vernonia prior to authorizing submission of
a request of release of funds. Comments
should specify which Notice they are ad-
dressing.
Release of Funds
The City of Vernonia certifies to OBDD that
Mario Leonetti in his official capacity as
Mayor, consents to accept the jurisdiction
of the Federal Courts if an action is brought
to enforce responsibilities in relation to en-
vironmental review process and that these
responsibilities have been satisfied. The
legal effect of the certification is, upon its
approval, the City of Vernonia may use the
Grant funds, and OBDD will have satisfied
its responsibilities under the National En-
vironmental Policy Act of 1969 and related
laws and authorities.
Objection to Release of Funds
OBDD will accept objections to its Release
of Funds and the City of Vernonia certifica-
tion for a period of fifteen days following
the anticipated submission date or actual
receipt of the request for release of funds
(whichever is later) only if they are on one
of the following bases:
A.
The certification was not executed
by the Certifying Officer, Mario Leonetti
B.
City of Vernonia has omitted
a step or failed to make a decision or
finding required by HUD regulations at 24
CFR Part 58
C.
City of Vernonia has committed
funds or incurred costs not authorized
by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a
release of funds by OBDD
D.
Another federal agency acting
pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has
submitted a written finding that the project
is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of
environmental quality.
Objections must be prepared and sub-
mitted in accordance with the required
procedure (24 CFR Part 58), and shall be
addressed to OBDD at 775 Summer Street
NE, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301-1280.
Objections to the release of funds on bases
other than those stated above will not be
considered by OBDD.
Potential objectors should contact OBDD
to verify the actual last day of the objection
period. It is estimated that any objection
received after Thursday, October 26, 2017
will not be considered by OBDD.
Certifying Officer: Mario Leonetti
Mayor of Vernonia
1001 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064
Terry Lindauer told the Council fixing
the issues in the development needs to
be a priority, and the City and Council,
“need to do the right thing.”
Sam Poetter told the Council he
is a neighbor of the old Lincoln School
property and is unhappy with the travel
trailer restoration business on the prop-
erty. He said the City has done noth-
ing about a trailer that has been sitting
in front of the property for four months,
which the owners were told needed to be
moved. Poetter also said the City needs
to do something about the covered play
area at Spencer Park, and clear it out for
use by youth.
Michelle Moline, who owns the
travel trailer restoration business with
her husband at Lincoln School, told the
Council their business plan is within
City guidelines and the property is zoned
commercial. She said water run off from
properties above the school on 4 th Street
have been an issue and kept them from
moving trailers or installing a fence.
Casey Mitchell told the Council
he would like them to approve the smok-
ing restriction ordinance, which he be-
lieves is a good compromise between an
outright ban and no rules.
Susan Armstrong appealed the
$100 fee she had to pay for a Travel
Trailer Habitation Permit and said she
should not have to pay to live on her own
property. Armstrong also read a letter
on behalf of Del Allen asking Council
to vote against the smoking restriction
ordinance, and said she was also against
the ordinance.
Tom Miller asked Council to
vote against the smoking restriction
ordinance, calling it controversial, and
suggested the City put it to a vote of the
citizens.
City Recorder Stephanie Borst
read four letters into the record concern-
ing the smoking restriction ordinance,
with letters from Natalie Williams, Terry
Whittlier, and Richard Carver all saying
they were against the restrictions, and
Tim Daugherty saying he was for the
restrictions. Councilor Susan Wagner,
who was unable to attend the meeting,
sent a letter suggesting the City send out
a ballot to receive more input from the
community.
City Administrator Report – City
Administrator Josette Mitchell told the
Council the City is waiting for delivery
of the final bio-domes for the wastewater
treatment plant, which will be installed
and tested as part of the sewer lagoon
system by November 8.
Mitchell told the Council the
Environmental Review for the Senior
Center/Vernonia Cares project has been
approved. The City must now notify the
public they intend to request a release
of funds from CDBG and take public
comment; that process will end on
October 24 and the City can then open
an RFP (Request for Proposal) process
for contractor services.
Mitchell told the Council the
main timber beam construction for
the picnic shelter at Spencer Park is
scheduled for September 23, which will
be followed by separate work to install
the trusses and roof.
Mitchell told the Council she
will be meeting with Vernonia School
District Superintendent Aaron Miller to
discuss the grandstands at Greenman
Filed. (See full story on front page.)
Mitchell said work on paving
projects identified as priorities by the
City is scheduled to start on October 2.
Police Blotter • September 1-17, 2017
Reports Taken/Arrests
• September 1, 2017 Arrest on a Warrant
near Rose Avenue
• September 7, 2017 Arrest on a Warrant
near Bridge Street
• September 9, 2017 Arrest for Driving
Under the Influence,and Reckless Driving
near Rose Avenue
• September 14, 2017 Arrest on a Warrant
near Nehalem HWY South
• September 16, 2017 Informational
Report Taken
• September 16, 2017 Report of Criminal
Mischief II near Alabama Avenue
• September 17, 2017 Report of Non
The Vernonia
Transfer Station
is open on the
2nd and 4th Saturday
from 8am-2pm
September 23
October 14 & 28
Dates and times are subject
to change due to weather
Injury Motor Vehicle Accident near North
Mist Drive
Citations/Other
• September 9, 2017 Cited for Driving
Under the Influence,and Reckless Driving
near Rose Avenue
• September 12, 2017 Cited for Driving
Uninsured near Nehalem HWY South
Vernonia Police Department responds
to calls that do not always end in
Arrest, Report, or Citation. 09/01/2017
through 09/17/2017 VPD had 154 calls
for service.
Vernonia City
Council Meetings
and Closures
City Council Meetings
are scheduled for 7:00 pm:
Monday, October 2, 2017
Monday, October 16, 2017
City Closures
are scheduled for:
Friday, November 10, 2017
Veterans Day Observed
Dates and times subject to change