community
october4
2018
7
Vernonia Candidates Questionnaire Responses continued from page 6
throughout the County. I would like to
stay connected to the economic issues
we face as a City from job development
to growing the budget.
J.R. Allen: The City of Vernonia is cur-
rently finishing up a large sewer upgrade
that will bring our treatment plant into
compliance and reduce water discharge
temperatures. The City is also work-
ing to develop Spencer Park. Both of
these are important to the livability for
everyone and this seems to be working
well. My priorities if elected will always
be what is best for our City. I will look
to spend each tax dollar and other City
funds like the valued gift that it is from
you. I also think it’s time to focus on
the new Senior Center/Food Bank. Our
Seniors and our Food Bank are valuable
and deserve a new home.
Michael Seager: We have an effective
and community minded City Adminis-
trator that lives in and knows the City
well. Our Police Department is fully
staffed and operating very well. Our
Code Enforcement Officer has done re-
markable work in helping enforce quali-
ty of life rules that help maintain our tax-
payer’s property values and keep Verno-
nia the “mountain gem” that she is. The
parks are looking terrific and maintained
and monitored better than ever. We have
knowledgeable Committees that are very
active and involved with the City. Sewer
and water rates have reduced somewhat
and we are hopeful for similar progress
in the future.
Dale Webb: Vernonia has been through
a lot in the last decade and a half, I be-
lieve we need to be careful before tak-
ing on any new large projects, we need a
rest, but we must also move forward to
maintain services to our residents. I be-
lieve our City Hall staff is working very
efficiently; our water and sewer billing
programs are rock solid and producing
accurate data and billings for the first
time in our history. It appears our new
sewer upgrades are working success-
fully; we have several firsts in Oregon in
this project. We have a water meter re-
placement program for the first time that
will eventually lead us into lower meter
reading costs and savings for ratepayers.
City streets are #1 on my priority list, we
need to move forward on a streets main-
tenance/storm drain plan that is cost ef-
fective and timely, yes we all will have
to contribute some monies to achieve
this, but the preliminary plan so far looks
very doable.
A concern I have is how a town
Vernonia’s size can retain valuable staff;
we many times act as larger cities train-
ing program, we need to figure out how
to break this cycle or at the least mitigate
it.
5. The City is currently trying to build
a new Senior Center/Vernonia Cares
facility. Please explain what you know
about the current situation regarding
this project?
Rick Hobart: The City was awarded an-
other CDBG grant two years ago in an
amount of two million dollars for con-
struction of the new Senior Center. The
lowest bid exceeded the block grant and
even after other FEMA funds were paid
out, after the removal of the previous
center, the City has still come up short.
Jill Hult: Even if you are new to Verno-
nia, I can’t imagine you have not heard
our story about the devastating flood
on December 03, 2007. So, most will
know that flood severely affected two
Know Before You Go, Hunters!
Follow fire restrictions
and closures
Oregon’s most popular hunt-
ing season (centerfire deer) opened
Saturday, September 29 statewide with
warm, dry weather still in the forecast.
“We have had a very tough
fire season with the number of human-
caused wildfires well above average,”
says Oregon Department of Forestry’s
Tom Fields. “Fire danger remains high
in many areas and the slightest spark
still carries a great deal of potential to
turn into a large fire.”
Fire restrictions and closures
are still in effect in some areas. It is
each hunter’s responsibility to know ac-
cess conditions and restrictions before
heading out. Here are some places to
find that information:
• Oregon Department of Forestry, https://
gisapps.odf.oregon.gov/Firerestrictions/
PFR.html. Click on any area in the map
to see a list of fire restrictions in areas
protected by ODF. Click within public
lands areas to find out the land manager
and contact info.
• Corporate Closures, http://www.ofic.
com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/2018-
Closure-Form.pdf (pdf) (Covers several
private industrial timberlands in Oregon)
• Keep Oregon Green, https://keepore-
gongreen.org/
• US Forest Service, https://www.fs.fed.
us/
• Bureau of Land Management, https://
www.blm.gov/oregon-washington
•
InciWeb,
https://inciweb.nwcg.
gov/ (Current fires and fire-related clo-
sures in Oregon)
Here are some of the most com-
mon fire restrictions according to ODF:
• Campfires are either prohibited or only
allowed in approved campgrounds in
many areas.
• Exploding targets, tracer ammunition,
smoking, and off-road driving (incl. mo-
torcycles and all-terrain vehicles) are
prohibited in most areas.
• Vehicles must have either a gallon of
water or a fully charged and operational
2½-pound fire extinguisher and shovel
(except when travelling on state high-
ways or county roads).
• ATVs must have a charged and opera-
tional 2½-pound fire extinguisher.
Fields with Oregon Department
of Forestry also notes these other fire
prevention measures to keep in mind:
• Keep vehicles in good working condi-
tion. Hot particles exiting exhaust sys-
tems through faulty catalytic converters
can ignite multiple fires along roadways.
• When towing, keep chains from drag-
ging and generating sparks.
• Where campfires are allowed (ap-
proved campgrounds), be sure to fully
extinguish the fire before leaving or go-
ing to bed.
• In lieu of campfires, use portable cook-
ing stoves that use liquefied fuels (check
local restrictions).
critical social services; the Food Bank
and the Senior Center. Fortunately, the
Food Bank has been able to stay in the
American Legion Hall, however, it is
not the best location as it is still in a
high flood risk area. The Senior Center
also opened in its original location but
did agree to a buy-out so a new home
would need to be planned. The City and
the Senior Center entered into an agree-
ment to lease the former VCLC for op-
erations and local restaurants stepped in
to create a way to still provide Meals on
Wheels to our most vulnerable citizens.
It is imperative both services be relocat-
ed to a more secure and dry location so
those vital services can continue and be
a resource and source of comfort should
another disaster ever happen rather than
among the many victims of such events.
A lot of work and negotiation went into
securing the land for the new site which
many may know will be next to the Ver-
nonia Health Center. A CDBG (Commu-
nity Development Block Grant) was ac-
quired through the State of Oregon and
a grant administrator was hired. There
is a lot of preliminary work to be done
for a CDBG such as environmental as-
sessments, community input, and many,
many more! Those initial requirements
were completed and the City issued a
RFP (request for proposals) and a few
contractors responded. Unfortunately,
the bids were well above our estimates.
This has delayed the project a bit but we
are determined to move forward and get
the right contractor that will do the work
within the budget.
J.R. Allen: The City of Vernonia lost our
former Senior Center due to the flood of
2007. I have read articles in the Voice
and also Council meeting minutes. The
Voice article stated that the Community
Development Block Grant was awarded
and the 8,200 plus square feet Senior
Center/Food Bank estimated at $2.1 mil-
lion. I have read there will be non-grant
costs for various construction topping
$500,000. I don’t have all the details as
to why things have not progressed faster.
I do know the City sent out an RFQ and
the low bid was more than expected. If
I’m elected I feel this is the perfect area
for me to really help out Vernonia. I will
work hard to see this project built.
Michael Seager: The Vernonia Senior
Center is presently building a new facil-
ity and has received all the grants and we
have the plans it needs to move forward.
Presently we are in the bidding process
and hope to break ground on the build-
ing in the spring of 2019.
Ten (10) years ago, this City was
in trouble, today it is administered pro-
fessionally and with the respect of our
Council and community. I would like to
continue to serve my City as a volun-
teer and finish the work we have made
in making Vernonia a better place to live
and raise our children.
Dale Webb: I understand the current
bids came in high over our funding, but
that a review of the bids showed some
inaccurate costs, that could get us back
closer to budget. It is sounding like a
call for new bids may be asked by the
City. I would like to add that I take a
very pragmatic view of projects like
this, they all need to have very clear and
sound business plans before I would like
to see the City moving forward on them,
this includes projects that come from
solely grant funding that are turned over
to the City, we must look forward to the
maintenance costs of these projects into
the future and how they are going to be
funded. I believe it is unfair to ask the
citizens for funds to maintain projects at
a latter date without having those discus-
sions up front and a plan in place.
Support our Seniors
SOS DONATION
Vernonia Senior Citizens
939 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064
Office Telephone 503-429-3912
501 (c) (3) TID: #23-7422295
Donor’s Name
____________________________________
Mailing Address ___________________________________
City, State, ZIP
____________________________________
_____ Enclosed is my $60 donation towards the Senior Meal
Program (Sponsors one monthly meal pack containing
10 meal certificates)
_____ Enclosed is my donation towards two meal packs ($120)
_____ Here is my donation for another amount $________
_____ $15/year annual senior citizen membership for those 60 yrs
old and over
_____ You have my permission to list me as a Champion of the SOS
program (amount will not be posted)
_____ My check will serve as my receipt
OR
_____ I would like a tax deductible receipt mailed to me at the above
address
THANK YOU FOR BECOMING AN SOS CHAMPION!