city news
october19
2017
5
Vernonia City News...
At the October 16, 2017 City Council
Meeting:
Council Hears Presentation on Skate
Park – Council heard a presentation
by Wendy Sears about a proposal to
construct a skate park in Spencer Park.
About 60 community members were in
attendance in support of the proposal.
(See full story on front page.)
Council Receives Results of Smoking
Survey – Council received the results of
a survey they sent out concerning pro-
posed smoking restrictions in City Parks.
153 people responded to the survey, with
83 saying they opposed the restrictions,
67 saying they favored the restrictions,
and 3 saying they favored the restric-
tions but with changes. (See full story
on front page.)
Topics From the Floor – Jeremy Sim-
mons addressed the Council in support
of the skate park proposal and told the
Council he had 82 signatures on peti-
tions that had recently been circulated in
support of the project. He read several
positive comments the project had re-
ceived from other citizens.
Kim Tierney asked the Council
to approve the ordinance that restricts
smoking in city parks. She said 80%
of Columbia County residents do not
smoke, and it would be appropriate to
limit places in parks for smoking. She
said that times have changed and smok-
ing is no longer allowed in places like
bars, in cars with children, and it makes
sense to limit in parks where children
congregate.
Scott Laird also spoke in favor
of smoking restrictions in parks. He
said signage can act as an enforcement
tool and reminded the Council that long
time resident and former City Councilor
Shirlee Daughtry used to complain about
cigarette butts in Hawkins Park around
the Scout Cabin and ask when the Parks
Committee was going to do something
about smoking in parks.
Michelle Moline updated the
Council on progress to address drainage
issues at the Lincoln School where she
runs several businesses and has had con-
flicts with neighbors.
Brittanie Roberts thanked the
City and staff for installing baby chang-
ing stations in restrooms around the city.
Jack Harvey asked if the busi-
ness at the Lincoln School has a business
license and said the property is a garbage
dump. He said it’s time for the City to
rethink the rezoning of the property as
“Commercial.”
Council Approves Seismic Monitoring
Equipment Placement – Council ap-
proved the placement of seismic moni-
toring equipment at Airport Park. The
equipment is being placed by the Pacific
Northwest Seismic Network, Depart-
ment of Earth Sciences, University of
Oregon, who were looking for a place
in the Vernonia area that was publicly
owned and away from heavy traffic.
Council Approves Irrigation System
for Spencer Park – Council approved
a recommendation from the Parks Com-
mittee to purchase the equipment needed
to create an irrigation system to water
sports fields at Spencer Park. Cost of the
system is estimated to be $3,000.
Council Approves Water Depart-
ment Rules – Council approved the first
and second reading of Ordinance 915,
amending Ordinance 895. The Ordi-
Skate Park Advocates Pack
City Council continued from front page
which likes to work with underserved
communities to help with fundraising
and generating community involvement.
She said her group would like to
build a 3,500 square foot concrete bowl
facility with jumps, slides, and a snake.
She says she has had early discussions
with several skate park architects, in-
cluding Dreamland and Evergreen. Cost
is estimated to be between $30-$40 per
square foot, or about $150,000 total.
While the site where the group
is seeking to construct the facility is not
in the Flood Way, it is in the Flood Zone,
so construction will require a “zero
gain” of materials; an equal amount of
material must be removed as is added.
A park with a bowl would help achieve
that.
Sears listed other benefits of the
skate park and its proposed location, in-
cluding easy visibility, location near the
linear trail, getting kids off the couch
and physically active, and building a
sense of community and cooperation.
She said the park project would sup-
port exercise, discipline, and rewards,
and would have the potential to gener-
ate local events, classes, and training. It
would keep kids engaged, off the streets,
and reduce street skating.
Sears told the Council that the
Oregon Legislature recently reinstated
Recreational Immunity with the passage
of SB 327 in July of 2017, which says
landowners are free from responsibility
if they make their property available for
use for free and keep the facility main-
tained. She said City Administrator
Josette Mitchell is in discussions with
the City’s insurance carrier to find out
more specific details. She cited the cit-
ies of Reedville, Tualatin, Forest Grove,
Tigard and Scappoose that have skate
park facilities and said none have ever
been sued.
Sears had previously made pre-
sentations to the Vernonia Parks Com-
mittee and the Vernonia Lions Club.
The Parks Committee raised concerns
about past efforts that had failed, lim-
ited funding to help get the project start-
ed, and whether the park would receive
enough use to merit the investment. She
said she had discussed the possibility
with the Parks Committee of working
together to be part of an application to
the Oregon State Parks Local Govern-
ment Grant program for funding.
Sears asked the Council for ap-
proval to move forward with planning
and fundraising for a skate park that
could be open all year round. She said
her group would begin fundraising ef-
forts as soon as they had that approval.
The Council appeared receptive
to the idea but took no official action.
nance was previously read at the October
2, 2017 City Council meeting, but due to
the absence of City Recorder Stephanie
Borst, proper proceedure was not fol-
lowed, and it needed to be done again.
The ordinance allows city staff to adjust
a customer’s bill following the discovery
and correction of a water or sewer leak
that is the customer’s responsibility.
City Administrator Report – City Ad-
ministrator Josette Mitchell updated the
Council on several current projects that
have seen minimal progress in the last
two weeks, including the Wastewater
Treatment Plant, Rose Avenue Project,
Spencer Park Picnic Shelter, street pav-
ing projects, and the Mile Bridge (Green
Bridge).
Council Discusses Lake Pump – Coun-
cil discussed a recommendation from the
Parks Committee that the City request a
report on the operation of the pump at
Vernonia Lake from ODFW who paid
for and installed the new pump system.
The system has not operated correctly
since it was installed and is currently un-
able to pump water from the Nehalem
River into the Lake. City Administra-
tor Josette Mitchell said she has already
contacted the ODFW representative re-
sponsible for the project and requested
an update.
Council Holds Workshop on Green-
man Field, Ora Bolmeier Trees –
Council held a workshop and discussed
potential future uses of the Greenman
Field and the stadium bleachers. The
property is owned by the City of Verno-
nia but is leased to the Vernonia School
District for sports events. The bleachers
are currently not in use as they have been
deemed unsafe by a structural engineer.
The City has received a bid for $15,000
for a temporary shoring up to keep the
roof from collapsing. A permanent fix
will be much more expensive, and the
City has not yet received a bid. The
Council discussion ranged from tearing
down the bleachers to putting on a new
roof. Discussion also centered on poten-
tial community uses and revenue gener-
ation to re-coop the cost for repairs. The
discussion also touched on whether the
lease with the School District holds them
responsible for maintaining the facility.
Council scheduled a joint workshop
with the Parks Committee to further dis-
cuss potential uses and assess bids on
October 30 at 6:00 pm.
Council discussed whether trees
in Ora Bolmeier Park have root disease
and need to be removed because of po-
tential liability. Council instructed City
Administrator Josette Mitchell to hire a
professional arborist to assess the situa-
tion.
Police Chief Report – Police Chief
Mike Conner said he has been in con-
tact with ODOT concerning the yellow
center lines on Bridge Street that extend
into the intersection of Rose Avenue at
the flashing light. Conner said he was
told it was done on purpose by ODOT
as a safety measure to protect vehicles
sitting at the red flashing light on Rose
Avenue from vehicles turning off Bridge
Street and cutting the corner too closely.
Conner told the Council that it
looks like Officer Cody Pesio will be
leaving the Department for a position
with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Of-
fice, and that Conner has begun the pro-
cess for hiring a replacement in case Of-
ficer Pesio accepts the offer.
Police Blotter • October 1-16, 2017
Reports
• October 3, 2017 Report of Illegal
Burning near “F” Street
Citations/Other
• October 1, 2017 Cited for Careless
Driving and Failure to Maintain Lane
near Nehalem HWY N
• October 3, 2017 Cited for Driving
Uninsured near Nehalem HWY S
• October 4, 2017 Cited for Violation
of the Posted Speed 55/35 mph near
North Mist Drive
• October 8, 2017 Cited for Driving
The Vernonia
Transfer Station
is open on the
2nd and 4th Saturday
from 8am-2pm
October 28
November 11
Dates and times are subject
to change due to weather
While Suspended and No Insurance
near East Bridge Street
• October 10, 2017 Cited for Violation of
the Posted Speed near Rose Avenue
• October 13, 2017 Cited for Driving
While Suspended and Failure to Carry
Proof of Insurance near Rose Avenue
Vernonia Police Department
responds to calls that do not always
end in Arrest, Report, or Citation.
10/01/2017 through 10/16/2017 VPD
had 125 calls for service
Vernonia City
Council Meetings
and Closures
City Council Meetings
are scheduled for 7:00 pm:
Monday, November 6, 2017
Monday, November 20, 2017
City Closures
are scheduled for:
Friday, November 10, 2017
Veterans Day Observed
Dates and times subject to change