July 29,1992, Th© INDEPENDENTPag© 3
Many ideas along with proposed rates
From page 1
a monthly rate of $13.50 per
unit plus $1.25 per thousand
gallons.
• Churches - A monthly
ra te of $5 plus $1 .2 5 per
thousand gallons. Churches
are not currently charged for
water.
• Users outside the city
lim its - a m on thly rate of
$15.50 plus $2.50 per thou
sand gallons.
• S enior citizens, 65 or
older - A 15% discount of the
total water bill to retired se
niors who live in self-owned
homes. The discount would
not apply to sewer charges and
would have to be applied for.
• O utside m aster meter
systems - No change in basic
charges, but an increase to
$2.50 per thousand gallons.
• Inside master meter sys
tems - No changes proposed.
Other suggestions include
the following:
• Dedicate $1 per month
of the business base rate for
curb maintenance and street
sw e e p in g in the b u sin e ss
area.
• Dedicate 500 per month
from each user for construc
tion and maintenance of fire
hydrants.
• Contract for monthly me
ter reading.
• Bill monthly instead of bi
monthly as is currently done.
• Purchase a new comput
er system that can more ac
curately track customer us
age and be easier to operate.
• Replace slow and non
working meters.
• Develop a new shut-off
policy including denial of ser
vice unless at least fifty per
cent of the outstanding bill is
paid by the shutoff date; a
$40 reconnect fee plus half of
the delinquent water/sewer
bill for those whose water has
been shut of.
A public hearing is set for
August 17, 6:30 p.m. in the
city library. Interested c iti
zens are requested to bring
their ideas and proposals to
the hearing.
Antique shop opens for limited
hours without fuss or fanfare
W ithout fanfare or grand
opening formalities, Second
hand Rose, dealing in a n
tiques and collectibles, has
opened its doors for business
on the corner of Bridge and
Je ffe rs o n S tre e ts , in the
space formerly occupied by
Coast Range Bicycles.
O w n e r-o p e ra to r Kathy
Beierschmitt has been a life
Three days of activities at Banks
quired and, for this first year,
will be limited to 100 people.
For reservations call Banks
Parcel & Service, 324-2910
from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The b e e r ha ll and food
Vote scheduling proves difficult, but will happen
From page 1
the "60-days-before" or "90-
d a y s ...’ - tim e required by
state law so changes in local
g o ve rn m e n t c a n n o t
be
ru sh e d th ro u g h w h en the
people aren't looking. The
net effect is that we cannot
get on the November election
ballot, so we will try to put the
merger on the March ballot.
That w ill put us past the
expiration date of the present
fire c o n tra c t, but the rural
board and th e city cou ncil
have informally agreed to ex
tend it. Some people worry
that an extension means rural
taxpayers will pay more than
city taxpayers for fire protec
tion. True - but it's a small dif
ference; city taxpayers have
been paying more for years
and, besides, it costs more to
fight a fire when you're out
past the hydrants. Our law
yer is busily filling out papers
- we will have a vote - and, if
the people approve, we will
have one fire district, hopeful-
ly by the end of th is fisca l
year, June 30,1993.
If the sight of blood makes
you squeam ish, if you faint
while putting a bandaid on
your kid's skinned knee, then
you wouldn't be a good EMT.
But if you can handle that,
maybe you should investigate
joining the ambulance team.
To be an EMT, you have to
ta ke a cou rse and pass a
state test. This takes a fair
am ount of tim e and money
and, after you have qualified,
you have to attend drills and
a n sw e r 'c a lls '. D on't be
scared o ff- ambulance funds
could pay for the course or, if
several people were interest
ed, it could be taught in Ver
nonia. We are also investi
g a ting c h ild c a re a rra n g e
ments for those who need it.
A nyone who m ight be an
EMT, please, visit the station
and talk to Cyndy or Steve, or
call Kathy at 429-1954.
"Golden Spike" awards are presented
From page 1
T ie rn e y also p re se n te d
"Golden Spike" awards (rail
road spikes found along the
a b a n d o n e d rig h t-o f-w a y ,
which were gold-plated) for
exceptional effort in making
the park possible, to Parks
Director David Talbot, Paiva,
Kathy Shutt-Staver, a plan
ner in the Parks Dep't; Andy
K le in of K lein A sso ciate s,
who did the feasibility study
of the park; Babette Horen-
stein, a member of the state
park commission who chaired
the study committee; Vernon
ia newspaper publishers Dirk
& Noni Andersen; and a for
mer Vernonian, Robin Traylor.
A fte r the pre sen tation s,
Tierney was called back to
the podium by Dirk Andersen,
who presented him with one
of the two Golden Spikes the
Andersens had just received,
saying that Tierney's efforts
also deserved special recog
nition.
Park Commission Chair-
long se e ke r of a n tiq u e s -
buying and selling. She does
not specialize in any particu
lar kind of antique.
For now, she will open the
antique store only from Friday
through Monday, 11 a.m. to 6
p.m., while she continues to
share du ties with her hu s
band, Charlie, at Crazy Char
lie's Restaurant.
c o n c e s s io n stan d w ill be
open Friday night.
Saturday, Aug. 14, activi
ties will begin with a benefit
Run/Walk for the Park at 9
a.m. Register at 8:30 a.m. at
Sunset Park. The registration
fee is $2.00.
Other Saturday activities
include two events at the Gun
Club, individual horse shoe
p itch , b e e r g a rde n and a
dance with music by Short-
crew.
Sunday's events start with
the parade at 11 a.m. and in
clude team horsehoe pitch,
horseshoe tournament, trac
tor pull, and special children's
events - greased pole, penny
pitch and frog jump. The fa
mous barbecued beef sand
wiches will be available and
the beer garden will be open
until 10 p.m.
man Brian Booth noted that
visitors to state parks con
tribute $350 million per year
to Oregon's income, much of
it in small towns. There will
be more rail-to-trail conver
sions in Oregon, he added,
and the Banks/Vernonia Park
will be an example of the co
operative effort required to
make them successful.
"After 20 years [without a
new park], Booth said, "it's
nice to know Oregon is back
in the parks business."
Jerry Lionberger, left, a bicyclist and former Vernonian, and
Robb Wilson at the Banks-Vernonia Linear Park opening.
Lionberger came from his Milwaukie home to join other
bicyclists and horse riders at the trail's dedication.
4 2 9 -0 9 9 1
#anjfWeter
Construction
its
Home Improvements
David VanMeter, Vernonia
BB#76454
556-2505
MEAT Co.
CUSTOM f
MEAT
C U R IN G
MOBILE
SLAUGHTER
UNIT
Retail Store
Smokehouse
$20 Beef — $20 Pork
Cut & Wrapped 260 Lb.
All Game Processed - We Make Sausage
Open 7 Days, Mon-Sat 9-6, Sun 12-5
Hiway 30 Bet. Rainier & Clatskanie at Alston Corner