city news
december7
2017
5
Vernonia City News...
At the November 20, 2017 City Coun-
cil Meeting:
Finance Report – Finance Director An-
gie Handegard presented the Council
with a finance report for the first quarter
of Fiscal Year 2017-18.
Noakes Road Water Leak Discussed
– Council discussed an issue that was
brought forward at their last meeting
concerning a water line dispute on No-
akes Road. Tim Nebergall reported that
it appears he has a leak in his water line,
but is unable to locate it on his property.
City staff told Council that this water
line is a bit of an anomaly as the line was
installed privately about 30 years ago
and attached to the City water system.
The line which services Mr. Nebergall
and property owned by Susan Vande-
hey traverses private property owned by
Ronald Jermann; Mr. Nebergall’s water
meter is on the Vandehey property. City
Administrator Josette Mitchell said the
City will be installing a new main water
line in the next year, but did not offer an
immediate solution to the issue. Council
voted 4-0 to put the issue of payment for
the water leak on hold, with Mayor Ma-
rio Leonetti abstaining due to a conflict
of interest.
Council Schedules Workshop on Cem-
etery Properties – Council scheduled a
workshop on December 11, 2017 at 6:00
pm to discuss options for the house and
properties owned by the City adjacent
to the Memorial Cemetery at the top of
Bridge Street. Council has indicated in-
terest in potentially selling the house and
some property.
Council Schedules Workshop on Me-
dia Policy – Council scheduled a work-
shop on January 8 at 6:00 pm with their
legal counsel to review the City’s media
policy.
Council Discusses Training Options
– Council discussed scheduling several
trainings for themselves, including ses-
sions dealing with ethics, and meeting
procedures, and authorized City Record-
er Stephanie Borst to pursue scheduling
those trainings.
City Administrator Report – City Ad-
ministrator Josette Mitchell told Council
the construction contract for the Senior
Center/Vernonia Cares facility is still be-
ing finalized and will go out to bid soon.
Mitchell said construction is expected to
begin in the spring.
Mitchell told Council that the
City has been notified that a date has
Ten Years After the Flood
As the water on Rock Creek continued to
rise throughout the afternoon, the town was cut in
half, and then into other various sections, stranding
residents, some who had children they were unable
to reach. Roads became impassable into and out of
town, isolating the community and leaving many
residents stranded and surrounded by water. First
Responders made many rescues in boats and SUVs
but eventually had to discontinue rescue efforts in
the early evening, as darkness and strong currents
made it unsafe. Many stranded residents spent the
night of December 3 in the dark, upstairs, helpless
against the water that inundated the ground levels
of their homes. The shelters were overrun with dis-
placed people, and neighbors opened their doors to
help. The rain finally stopped and water began re-
ceding over night.
The immediate aftermath
The Oregon National Guard reached Ver-
nonia the next day, Tuesday, and took over rescue
efforts. Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski arrived
by helicopter to help assess the damage, which
was immense. All three school buildings and the
Head Start building were damaged, along with the
West Oregon Electric Co-op office, the Providence
Health Clinic, the Vernonia Senior Center, and the
been set for June 2018 for the hearing
in the case between the City of Vernonia
and R. Smejkal.
Mitchell said work parties are
being scheduled for volunteers to com-
plete the roof on the Spencer Park picnic
shelter.
Mitchell told Council she will be
on the agenda at the December School
Board meeting and will jointly submit
estimates with Superintendent Aaron
Miller to the School Board for the ex-
pense to shore up or fence off the Green-
man Field Bleachers.
Topics From the Floor – Wendy Sears
updated the Council on the Skate Park
project and said they will be meeting
with two park designers in early Decem-
ber. She also said she is working with
the City Administrator to create a time-
line for construction. She attended the
Parks Committee meeting on November
15 along with the City Administrator,
and discussed including the Skate Park
in a State Park Grant application.
Janet Gray asked Council to
address needed repairs for streets and
sidewalks. She was invited to attend the
Public Works Committee and express
her concerns to them.
At the December 4, 2017 City Council
Meeting:
Council Agrees to Water Rate Review
– Council agreed to a request by the
Public Works Committee to consider a
change in the way water rates are calcu-
lated. Currently customers receive their
first 2,000 gallons of water at no charge,
called an allowance. The Public Works
Committee is recommending removing
the allowance because it creates a sub-
sidized group whose use is paid for by
higher water users. The Public Works
Committee also noted that by discontin-
uing the allowance it will make the bill-
ing process more streamlined for staff.
The potential change to the rate system
will be reviewed by the Rate Review
Committee, a group that includes two
members of the Public Works Commit-
tee, two members of the City Council,
and members of City staff, who will pro-
vide the City Council with data that re-
flects the impact the change will have to
current rates.
Police Report – Patrol Sergeant Shawn
Carnahan sat in for Chief Michael Con-
ner. Carnahan said Conner is recover-
ing well from recent knee surgery and is
awaiting a doctor’s release to return to
duty.
continued from front page
Vernonia Cares Food Bank. Numerous businesses
along Bridge Street close to Rock Creek, and in the
downtown corridor, suffered damage, including the
gas station and the only grocery store in town, as
did hundreds of homes throughout Vernonia and
surrounding Columbia County along the Nehalem.
In the days following the flood, volunteers,
led by Kim and Jim Tierney, along with other vol-
unteers who were not affected by flooding, im-
mediately set up an office at City Hall and began
collecting data and information about residents and
homes that were impacted by the flood. That col-
lected data would be critical for homeowners when
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
arrived and began processing and awarding claims,
and helped to build a case for other state and federal
funding to move essential services.
Once the roads to the community were re-
opened, donations and volunteers began pouring
in to help with the recovery effort. Local citizens
also came forward in droves to assist their friends
and neighbors and filled critical roles in the relief
effort. City Hall was initially the hub of volunteer
management and relief activities. Lincoln School
was turned into a donation center and the Vernonia
Vernonia Police Blotter
November 14-30, 2017
for Failure to Carry Proof of
Insurance near Jefferson
Avenue
• November 15, 2017 Cited
for Failure to Obtain Livestock
and Domesticated Fowl
Permit near Cougar Street
• November 16, 2017 Cited
for Driving While Suspended
and Driving Uninsured near
Bridge Street
• November 29, 2017 Cited
Citations/Other
for Driving While Suspended,
• November 14, 2017 Cited
Failure to Carry Proof of
for Violation of the Basic Rule Insurance, and Failure to
74/55 mph near Nehalem
Maintain Lane near Bridge
HWY South
Street
• November 15, 2017 Cited
Reports Taken/Arrests
• November 16, 2017 Report
of Theft near East Bridge
Street
• November 20, 2017 Report
of a Hit and Run near
California Avenue
• November 24, 2017 Report
of Theft on East Bridge Street
• November 30, 2017 Report
of Theft on East Bridge Street
Vernonia Police Department responds to calls that do
not always end in Arrest, Report, or Citation. 11/14/2017
through 11/30/2017 VPD had 124 calls for service.
continued on page 9
Vernonia City Council
Meetings and Closures
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58605 Nehalem Hwy South • P.O. Box 292
Vernonia, Oregon 97064
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Dates and times are subject
to change due to weather
10-5 Tue-Sat
12-4 Sun
City Council Meetings
are scheduled for 7:00 pm:
Monday, December 18, 2017
City Closures
are scheduled for:
Noon - Friday, December 22, 2017
Christmas Eve Observed
Monday, December 25, 2017
Christmas Day
Noon - Friday, December 29, 2017
New Years Eve Observed
Monday, January 1, 2018
New Years Day
Dates and times subject to change