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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 26, 1995)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, July 26,1995 _______________________________________________________________ Banks residents show little interest in lack of law enforcement “Glad to hear the city is considering law enforcement. It is BADLY NEEDED!" The above statement was re ce ive d in response to a questionnaire that was sent out by the City of Banks to s o lic it input reg ard in g the community's feelings about a need for locally controlled law enforcement. The question naire accompanied every city water bill. Written response was one thing, but only three citizens were concerned enough to attend a public hearing July 13 to discuss the issue with city officials. At the hearing, O regon State Trooper Jeff Dickerson, of the Banks Outpost, pre sented a breakdown of 67 in cidents responded to by State Police in the Banks area dur ing the past year. He also noted that the Washington County Sheriff’s Department file d an a d d itio n a l 112 re ports. The community would ben efit from the presence of local law enforcement officers who would be fa m ilia r w ith the people and the area, Dicker- son emphasized, comparing that to the current situation wherein an officer who patrols Explanation of current fire regulations There are few exceptions to outdoor burning, according to Oregon Forester Dan Lo gan and Vernonia Rural Fire District Chief Steve Weller, but to elim inate confusion about what is and isn’t allow able at this time, they have offered the following informa tion: • Recreational fires are al lowed at properly prepared residential and recreational (parks, etc.) locations. They must be kept under responsi ble supervision and control at all times, however. • Barbecues are allowed, but briquets must be th o r oughly extinguished with wa ter. They can appear to be out, then flare up with a small breeze. • Trash and debris burning are not allowed regardless of whether the burning is done in the open or in a burn bar rel. • Outdoor fires are not al lowed in any forested area. • Som e are a s in and around Vernonia are, or will be, posted prohibiting smok ing and ATVs. • Tall grass and weeds that contribute to fire danger are a violation of City of Vernonia safety ordinances. It is best to cut the m b e fo re th e y dry enough to create a problem. Property owners who fail to maintain a safe area may be cited and fined. The e x c e p tio n s noted above are contingent upon weather conditions. If, at any time, the State Fire Marshall bans all outdoor burning, that will include a ban on recre ational fires and barbecues. Anyone who would like an inspection of the ir property before enjoying a recreational Kidsport Co-op activities listed Activities available for chil dren during the remainder of the summer include the fo l lowing sponsored by Verno nia Kidsports Co-op: Tuesdays, 5 p.m., trisbee g o lf at W ashing to n G rade School. W ednesdays, 5:30 p.m., soccer at WGS. Thursdays, 5 p.m., croquet at Hawkins Park. Saturdays, 10 a.m., soccer at WGS. Volleyball will be added at a later date. For additional information, call Robb Wilson, 429-3713. fire in their yard, may call the following numbers: Vernonia (rural and city)— 429-8252; Forestry Depart ment (Pittsburg station)- 429- 2501; Forestry Department (Columbia City office )- 503- 397-2636. For special situations dur ing Vernonia’s annual Friend ship Jamboree, see the Ver nonia Jamboree tabloid. vast areas must make deter m inations from inform ation gathered in a short period of tim e. The p a tro l area fo r som e W ashington C ounty S heriffs D eputies may e n compass 400 miles, Dicker- son noted. Because of financial con straints, the city council can not make any de cisions at this time concerning the es tablishm ent of a police de partment. Additionally, without concrete evidence of concern shown by the city’s residents about the lack of law enforce ment, it is not likely that there will be much effort to change the present situation. Jeff Dickerson Driver cited for rear end collision No one was injured in a m otor vehicle accident last F rida y th a t de m o lish e d a small pickup on Highway 47 south of Vernonia near mile post 66. According to Oregon State Police, a southbound 1991 Nissan pickup driven by Tra cy Bishop Jordan, 46, of Ver nonia, slowed to make a right turn and was struck from be hind by a 1992 GMC flatbed truck belonging to Parr Lum ber Co. The impact forced the pickup off the road, over an embankment and into a field. The unloaded truck, driven by M atthe w Eugene A n- dresen, 29, Forest G rove, ended up p a rtia lly off the road. Andresen was cited for careless drivinq. A new first response foam and rescue unit for the Vernonia Rural Fire District utilizes the chassis of an old ambulance. Council gets architectural bids Following requests for ar chitectural services to remod el and modernize City Hall, the City of Vernonia has re ceived nine proposals rang ing in cost from $2,500 to $26,150. Proposed remodeling for the b u ild in g includes co n stru ctio n of a com bination council chamber/court room in the area which form erly housed am b u la n ce s, plus new restrooms with access for the disabled, enlarging the police department and adding a holding cell. The building also needs major maintenance work, in cluding repairs to the south wall and either re-roofing the existing flat roof or building a pitched roof. C onverting to natural gas for heating is also under consideration. Council members will re view the architectural propos als and discuss them at the next meeting on August 7. Special parade viewing areas set Handicapped persons who would like to watch the Ver nonia Jamboree Parade from the comfort of their cars can do so this year. Areas will be designated along the parade route for people who need this service. There will also be an area fo r w heelchairs and senior citizens who want to sit in the shade, the new sidewalk in front of M eyer’s Auto Body and Bob’s Auto Repair will be the shade area. It will be cor doned off and available on a first come basis. Reservations for the shade area or a car view ing spot can be made by calling Bill Yeo at the S e n io r C enter, 429-3912 or by calling Robb Wilson at the Museum 429- 3713. Insurance against pink flamingos A unique fu n d ra ise r w ill soon be in operation for the Jamboree Court. Be on the lookout for pink flyers posted about town to see how you can protect your lawn from the “pink flamingos that are coming to town.” T h is is ju s t one o f the fundraisers for the 1995 Ver nonia Jamboree Court. Court members area earning mon ey for expenses and espe cially for the $500 scholarship the King and Queen will each be awarded after their coro nation. The Court consists of one junior, one senior and fou r June graduates from Vernon ia High School. Form er Jam boree C ourt m em bers are invited to be special guests at the corona tion. Anyone who was on a prior court, or knows some one w ho w as, is a ske d to contact any mem ber of the Court Committee. The coronation will be held Friday, Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. in the W ashington G rade School Gym. The Coronation Dance will follow on the High School tennis court. Vernonia Police Sgt. Gene Baska looks over a small pickup that lost in an encounter with an unloaded lumber truck. No one was injured. WOEC nominating meetings set Two open no m in a tin g meetings have been sched uled for directorships of West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Districts 2 and 5. D istrict 2 m em bers w ill m eet M onday, A u gu st 7, 7:00-7:30 p.m., at the Natal Grange Hall on Highway 47, three miles south of Mist. The position is currently held by Robert VanNatta of Apiary. D istrict 2 includes Hwy. 47 from S ca pp oose ju n c tio n north to, and including Mist, Birkenfeld, Fishhawk Lake, the Jewell area on Hwy. 202 only, Olney and Apiary. District 5 meeting will be Aug. 14, 7:00-7:30 p.m., at Sunnyside Deli on Hwy 47 two miles south of Vernonia. The position is currently held by Tom Budge. District 2 in- eludes th e Rose A venue, Corey Hill, Capitol Hill and Noakes Road portions of Ver nonia, Hwy. 47 south to the Washington County line, Tim ber Road, Timber, Glenwood and Strassel. In keeping with WOEC by laws, General Manager David Seuss will call the meeting to order and act as chairman. The m eetings w ill adjourn promptly at 7:30 p.m., Seuss assured. “This is an opportunity for you to participate in your co operative. I encourage you to attend this important meeting. If you would like information on the duties of a d ire cto r please feel free to contact me," he added. Elections will be held at the annual meeting Septem ber 30. Vernonia Friendship Jamboree & Logging Show Aug. 4 -6 ,1 9 9 5 Join in the Fun
