city news
august16
2018
5
Vernonia City News...
At the August 6, 2018 City Council
Meeting:
Senior Center/Food Bank project
on Hold – City Administrator Josette
Mitchell told the Council the City Re-
ceived two bids for construction of the
Senior Center/Food Bank, but said both
were far above the proposed budget.
(See full story of front page.)
Lease Back Flood Properties – Mitch-
ell told the Council that properties owned
by the City that were part of the buyout
following the 2007 flood are now free
to be leased back to adjacent property
owners for a small fee. Those proper-
ties still have restrictions based on flood
plain ordinance rules. Mitchell said the
City is still finalizing the legal draft lease
agreement. Mitchell said a number of
the potential properties are not owned
by the City, but are owned by Columbia
County and said she is working with the
County to transfer those properties to
City ownership, although she said the
process could take up to a year.
Mayor Extends Planning Commission
Appointment – Mayor Mario Leonetti,
with approval from the rest of the Coun-
cil, appointed Erika Paleck to another
four year term on the Vernonia Planning
Commission.
Council Appoints Wagner to County
Public Safety Council – Based on a
request from Columbia County District
Attorney Jeff Auxier, the Council agreed
to appoint Vernonia City Councilor Su-
san Wagner to the Columbia County Lo-
cal Public Safety Coordinating Council.
According to a letter sent by Auxier to
the City Council, ORS 423.560 requires
every Oregon county to convene one
of these groups with the duty of “coor-
dinating local criminal justice policy.”
The statute mandates that each county
include a variety of leaders including:
a state court judge; the county Sheriff;
a police chief; a representative from the
Oregon State Police; members from the
community corrections, county juvenile
and mental health systems; and a City
Councilor or Mayor. Wagner will fill
the City Councilor position. “I saw this
is an opportunity to engage your city,
which due to its size and geographic lo-
cation is often underrepresented in our
local justice system,” stated Auxier’s let-
ter to the Council.
Council Approves Naming of Dog
Park – Based on a request from the Dog
Park Committee and a recommenda-
tion from the Parks Committee, Council
voted 5-0 to approve the name “Archie
Dass Dog Park,” in honor of the long-
time citizen who passed away this past
Dog Park to be
Named for Archie Dass
The proposed dog park in Ver-
nonia, located on an open property
along Mist Drive between Ivy Street and
Heather Lane, has a name – the Archie
Dass Dog Park.
The Vernonia City Council ap-
proved the name at their August 6 meet-
ing, based on a request from the Dog
Park Committee, a group of volunteers
advocating for the creation of a dog park
in the Vernonia community, and a rec-
ommendation from the Parks Commit-
tee.
The Dog Park Committee has
been working for several years to raise
funds to fence the property, owned by
the City of Vernonia, and is waiting to
hear if they’ve been awarded a grant
from Oregon Parks and Recreation.
Edward “ Archie” Dass was a
lifelong resident of the Vernonia area
who passed away in March 2018. He was
born in 1937 on the family homestead
farm in Vernonia and attended school
in the one room Natal Grange School
house, Mist Grade School, and later
graduated from Vernonia High School in
1955. In 1968 he was united in marriage
to Margaret “Janette” Olson. He started
working in the woods directly after high
school, honing his skills as a logger. Af-
ter learning all he could from various
loggers he started his own business, Ar-
chie Dass Logging, which he owned and
operated for over 40 years. Archie was a
member of the Forest Grove Elks Lodge
B.P.O.B #2440. Among his special in-
terests, he enjoyed spending time with
his wife and family. He enjoyed being
in the outdoors and loved hunting. He
was known as a hard working and loving
family man who would help anyone in
need when asked.
Archie Dass was an amazing
person that will always be remembered
and now his name will be connected to
Vernonia’s newest park.
A sign will be placed at the park
location in the near future. To follow the
park’s progress go to “Friends of Ar-
chie Dass Dog Park” Facebook page.
An account is set up at Wauna Credit
Union if you would like to donate to
the project.
NOTICE OF POSITIONS OPEN
CITY OF VERNONIA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the General Election will be held on the 6 th day of
November 2018, at which time the legal voters of the City of Vernonia will be entitled
to vote for candidates to certain city offices.
OFFICES OPEN FOR ELECTION:
• VERNONIA MAYOR TWO YEAR TERM
• VERNONIA COUNCIL MEMBER FOUR YEAR TERM
• VERNONIA COUNCIL MEMBER FOUR YEAR TERM
Election packets are available at the office of the City Recorder, 1001 Bridge St, Verno-
nia, OR 97064. Nominating petitions can be filed no later than Thursday, August 23rd,
2018, by 4:00 p.m. with the City Recorder. For more information call Stephanie Borst,
City Recorder at 503-429-5291 ext. 105.
The City of Vernonia is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
year. Holly Vaughn and Michal Smith
both addressed the Council earlier in the
meeting during Topics From the Floor to
explain the name. (See full story on this
page.)
Topics From the Floor – Dale Webb
updated the Council on the operation of
the pump at Vernonia Lake, which was
installed and has been run by Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife. Webb
says he has been monitoring the pump
and said a repair was made recently.
Webb says he thinks the City is ready to
take over operations of the pump.
Council Approves Park Name Change
– Council voted 3-2 to approve Resolu-
tion 13-18, officially changing the name
of Airport Park to Nehalem River Park
and Campground. Councilors Bruce
McNair and Mike Seager voted against
the resolution.
Council Approves Fee Schedule
Changes – Council approved Resolution
14-18, amending the Master Fee Sched-
ule. Changes included: correcting Secu-
rity Deposit amounts for water service;
adding a 6” meter rate to sewer utility
billing; increasing the fee for printing at
City Hall; and adding a headstone instal-
lation fee to Cemetery Fees.
Police Department Report – Vernonia
Police Chief Mike Conner told Council
that Jamboree was a little bit busier than
recent years for law enforcement, and
noted the following calls: one DUII ar-
rest, one arrest for a felony warrant, one
criminal citation for driving while sus-
pended, four fights, one report of naked
male, one suspicious activity at Hawkins
Park involving juveniles. Conner said
the VPD received assistance throughout
the weekend from Oregon State Police,
Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, St.
Helens PD, and Columbia City PD.
Conner updated the Council on
the stop sign that ODOT placed at the in-
tersection of Bridge Street and Rose Av-
enue, telling Council that he has asked
ODOT to review the placement for other
options. He said ODOT staff has stated
that no travel permits will be denied be-
cause of the sign.
Grandstands Update – Following a
Council workshop with the Intercultural
Society of Vernonia and the Save the
Grandstands Committee, City Admin-
istrator Josette Mitchell is working on
an amended draft lease agreement. The
groups are all scheduled to meet again
on August 21.
Vernonia Ballots May Be
Crowded This Year continued from front page
kiddie pool a new liner and paint job
a few years ago, and has also recently
been active in helping beautify certain
properties in the community, including
the landscaping at the Vernonia Post Of-
fice. Hobart has also been active in the
Save the Greenman Field Grandstands
campaign.
Sterner may be remembered
as the citizen that approached the City
Council with a proposal to site an ice
cream truck on City property in early
2017. When the City offered a differ-
ent location than he requested, Sterner
withdrew his proposal and filed com-
plaints with the Oregon Government
Ethics Commission against Councilor
Susan Wagner and Mayor Mario Le-
onetti, claiming both had undeclared
Conflicts of Interest. Sterner later sub-
mitted a Notice to File a Tort Claim
against the City of Vernonia, naming
Vernonia City
Council Meetings
and Closures
City Council Meetings
are scheduled for 7:00 pm:
Monday, August 20, 2018
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
City Closures
are scheduled for:
Monday, September 3, 2018
Labor Day Holiday
Dates and times subject to change
Mayor Leonetti, all four Vernonia City
Councilors, and City Administrator Jo-
sette Mitchell, and seeking damages of
$180,000. Sterner’s complaint against
Councilor Wagner was dismissed with-
out an investigation as having “no mer-
it,” while his complaint against Mayor
Leonetti remains under investigation by
the State. Sterner has yet to take further
action with his threatened suit.
Dale Webb, a current mem-
ber of the City Public Works Commit-
tee, who has been actively involved in
studying water and sewer rates in the
City of Vernonia, and helped craft the
plan that recently saw rates reduced
slightly for City utility customers, has
indicated he is running for City Coun-
cil. Current Council member Mike
Seager said he will be running for re-
election.
The Vernonia
Transfer Station
is scheduled
to be open on the
nd
2 and 4 th Saturday
January - October
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
August 25
September 8 & 22
Dates and times are subject
to change due to weather