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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2018)
city news december6 2018 5 Vernonia City News... At the November 19, 2018 City Coun- cil Meeting: Council Approves More Trees for Spencer Park – Council approved the purchase of twenty more Memo- rial Trees for Spencer Park. The request came from the Parks Committee. The purchase will include some evergreen trees. The trees can be purchased by citi- zens from the City as memorials. Council Approves Criminal History Check Process – Council approved Or- dinance 919, which establishes policies for criminal history checks concerning applicants for potential employees, tow truck drivers, liquor license applicants, and certain volunteers. City Administrator Report – City Ad- ministrator Josette Mitchell provided the Council with the written Monthly De- partment Report. Mitchell told the Council that the bio-domes at the waste water treat- ment plant are now operating. A tour of the completed facility has been sched- uled for the Council on December 29 at 11:00 am. Mitchell reported the pavers at the Schaumburg Memorial Picnic Shel- ter in Spencer Park have been installed, and the City has sent in paperwork to Or- egon Parks and Recreation for comple- tion of the project. Mitchell asked the Council to schedule a work session to discuss the sale/repair of the city owned property next to the Memorial Cemetery. The work session will be held after the New Year with the new members of the Council, with the current Council mem- bers also invited to attend and share their knowledge of the project. Mitchell reported that the City has received payment for a code en- forcement process on the property at 720 Riverside Drive. The house on the property was damaged by fire over three years ago, and the City had to force the mortgage company that owned it to have it removed. The City reclaimed expenses involved in the code enforce- ment process as well as court costs. Mitchell said the City has re- ceived a $2,300 refund from the $5,000 cost for new carpet at the Library be- cause of problems with the installation. Mitchell provided the Council with a progress update on the Council’s list of priority projects. Topics From the Floor – Sally Harri- son thanked City staff and the Council for their work to get the Senior Center constructed. She asked the community to attend West Oregon Electric Co-op meetings; she said the co-op is starting to listen to the members and the need for reasonable rates. She also discussed the need to replace the Green Bridge. She said ODOT is renovating the bridge, but has no plans to replace it; cost estimates to replace the bridge are $10-12 million. Harrison asked the Council to have staff work on the replacement of the bridge. Council agreed to add the bridge replace- ment to their list of priority projects. Gretchen Lindauer said no one from the City was in court when the City appeared in the case against the Smejkals concerning the Nickerson Ridge development. She said it would be nice to see some support from the City. She said the case has been on- going for three years. City Administra- tor Josette Mitchell said she could not comment on the case. 18, officially adopting the results from the November General Election. The certified results, provided by the Colum- bia County Elections Division, are as follows: Vernonia Mayor Rick Hobart 585 Jill Hult 306 David Sterner 114 Vernonia City Council Dale Webb 639 JR Allen 593 Richard Traver 281 Mike Seager 216 Council Members Choose Committee Liaison Positions – Two Council mem- bers who will remain on the Council fol- lowing the start of the New Year chose the Citizen Committees they would like to serve as the Liaison to next year. Councilor Bruce McNair will serve as liaison to the Cemetery Committee and Councilor Susan Wagner requested to serve as liaison to the Parks Committee, although she said she needed some time to make a final decision. Newly elect- ed Councilors Dale Webb and JR Al- len, along with Mayor Rick Hobart will make their selections when they take of- fice in January 2019. Police Report – Police Chief Mike Conner told the Council that new officer Abbie Hanson is scheduled to graduate from Police Academy this week. City Administrator Report – City Ad- ministrator Josette Mitchell was on va- cation; there was no report. Topics From the Floor – Richard Stein told the Council the Parks Committee will be bringing them a proposal to use revenue generated from the sale of trees in Ora Bolmeier Park to fund an irriga- tion system for the sports fields at Spen- cer Park. At the December 3, 2018 City Coun- cil Meeting: Council Certifies Election Results – Council voted to adopt Resolution 16- The Vernonia Transfer Station is scheduled to be open on the st 1 and 3 rd Saturday in December 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Returning to regularly scheduled 2 nd and 4 th Saturdays January - October December 15 January 12 & 26 Dates and times are subject to change due to weather Vernonia Police Blotter October 15-31 Reports Taken • October 24, 2018, Report of Criminal Mischief I and II near Vernonia Lake • October 30, 2018, Report of Theft I near Riverside Drive Citation/Arrest/Other • October 25, 2018, Cited for Driving Uninsured near Rose Avenue Vernonia Police Department responds to calls that do not always end in Arrest, Report, or Citation. 10/01/2018 through 10/31/2018 VPD had 194 calls for service. November 1-30 Reports Taken • November 3, 2018 Report of Assault IV near Bridge Street • November 8, 2018 Informational Report taken • November 10, 2018 Report of Criminal Trespass near State Avenue • November 15, 2018 Report of Traffic Accident with injury near Bridge Street • November 19, 2018 Report of Fraud near Jefferson Avenue • November 19, 2018 Arrest on a Warrant near East Alabama • November 20, 2018 Report of Hit and Run near 1 st Avenue • November 26, 2018 Report of Medication Theft near A Street Citations/Arrests/Other • November 23, 2018 Cited for Driving While Suspended near Bridge Street • November 24, 2018 Cited for Violation of the Basic Rule 75/55 mph near Timber Road • November 24, 2018 Cited for Violation of the Basic Rule 71/55 mph near Lone Pine Road Vernonia Police Department responds to calls that do not always end in Arrest, Report, or Citation. 11/01/2018 through 11/30/2018 VPD had 146 calls for service. • Kitchen & Bathroom Remodels • Finish Carpentry • Ceramic Tile Work • Custom Home Construction • Additions • Commercial Tenant Improvements Jim Morrison, Jr. General Contractor CCB# 112057 Ph: (503) 429-0154 MorrisonRemodeling@hughes.net Vernonia, OR 97064 • Licensed • Bonded • Insured
