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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2020)
city news february20 2020 5 Vernonia City News... At the February 18, 2020 City Council Meeting: Staff Removes Parking Fees From Agenda – Staff removed Council’s continued discus- sion from their January 21, 2020 meeting on the plan to charge new businesses a fee if they cannot provide parking on the foot- print of their property. According to a memo, staff recently learned that Council previously adopted Ordinance 886 in 2012 that imple- mented a parking fee for all businesses based on the completion of a study; that study was never conducted and the fee was never im- plemented. After a long discussion Council voted to schedule a workshop on March 2 to discuss the issue further. Council Approves Airport Committee Member – Council approved a request from Georgiana Seager to renew and serve an ad- ditional term on the Airport Committee. Citizen of the Month City Administrator Report – City Adminis- trator Josette Mitchell told Council the plain- tiffs and defendants in the Nickerson Ridge Estate lawsuit are required to attend a second court mandated Settlement Conference on February 21, 2020, and said Council should expect a report in an Executive Session at their March 2, 2020 meeting. Mitchell told the Council that staff is working with the School District to connect with the architect who designed the covered Play Shed at Spencer Park, so contractors bidding to repair the roof can see the original plans. Mitchell said she will bring back a contract for repairs after all bids have been received. Mitchell updated Council on the City’s plans to assist citizens in Arrests/Reports Taken completing the 2020 Census. • February 5, 2020 Detained on a Mayor Rick Hobart honored Sandy Welch as Citizen of the Month. Sandy is a lifelong resident of Vernonia, and has served as the Executive Director of Vernonia Cares since 2001, and has been the Secretary for the Senior Center for 10 years. Police Blotter February 1-15, 2020 Missouri Avenue Parole Violation near Rose Avenue The Transfer Station is scheduled to be open on the 2 nd and 4 th Saturday January - October February 22 March 14 & 28 Dates and times are subject to change due to weather Vernonia City Council Meetings and Closures Citation/Other • February 5, 2020 Cited for Driving While Suspended near Bridge Street • February 12, 2020 Cited for Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance near Vernonia Police Department responds to calls that do not always end in Arrest, Report, or Citation. 02/01/2020 through 02/15/2020 VPD had 103 calls for service. City Council Meetings are scheduled for 7:00 pm: Monday, March 2, 2020 Monday, March 16, 2020 City Closures are scheduled for: Monday, May 25, 2020 Memorial Day Holiday Dates and times subject to change Readers Lend Their Voices... Traci Brumbles Chair Columbia County Republican Central Committee DM D Vernonia Dental an charging higher taxes or fees on fuels in metropolitan areas. Even the bill sponsor is uncertain of how this can accurately be accounted for. There is also no discussion that we are aware of regarding the effect of increased fuel costs on goods shipped from metropolitan areas of Oregon to rural areas but common sense dictates that higher fuel costs will lead to higher prices. Carveouts - Any legislation that requires an inordinate amount of carve- outs to garner support is just bad busi- ness. The considerable concessions that are necessary to make this legislation vi- able primarily benefit either big business with no stake in the local carbon market or those with the highest carbon output. The lifeblood and backbone of Oregon is small and medium business and this legislation would put an undue burden on many family-owned enterprises with already thin margins in the form of in- creased supply costs as well as operating costs. In the end, cap and trade is bad policy and far too risky to Oregon busi- nesses and working people. It will create an undue burden on vulnerable popula- tions, the middle class, and small busi- ness throughout the State of Oregon. We urge any and all to phone and write your legislators requesting that they stop any and all work on this bad legislation. e rm To the Editor, The Columbia County Republi- can Central Committee urges the Oregon Legislature to halt the legislation to cre- ate a cap and trade scheme. Since the beginning with HB 2020 this legislation has been fraught with fatal flaws, seem- ing to be more about a political win than an attempt to create prudent environmen- tal policy. In such instances, you can be reasonably assured that foreseen conse- quences are underestimated, and more critically, that there will be unforeseen consequences resulting in grave impact to small business, critical industries, and vulnerable populations. Carbon Markets - Secondary trading of carbon credits will certainly occur if carbon markets are accessible through SB 1530. These complex mar- kets are sparsely regulated and at risk of “pump and dump” schemes as well as the use of exotic derivatives to influence or exploit the markets by speculators or even nations like China or Russia who have no real stake in the local carbon market. All one has to do is look back at the mortgage crisis which nearly took down our entire economy. There was also widespread bi- partisan concern with HB 2020 of a new bureaucracy formed in the state with an independent cap and trade commission. Putting it under the umbrella of the DEQ does not assuage this problem as a new, large bureaucracy would have to be cre- ated within that agency itself. Fuel Costs - The current legisla- tion dubbed SB 1530 is purported to deal with the issue of unduly burdening rural areas with increased fuel costs by only D h . r C r h p o is t M er . h S c eu 622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064 phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881