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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1996)
WOEC negotiating lower wholesale rate from BPA By Jim Buxton West Oregon Electric Co operative board of directors has agreed in principle to a new power sales contract with Bonneville Power Admin istration (BPA). The action took place last night during the regular Au gust board meeing, after the directors met behind closed doors with WOEC corporate attorney Charles Fadeley. Before the vote, Director David Hess, a member of the Voi. 11, No. 16 board’s Power Supply sub- committee, described the process to members present at the meeting. According to Hess, WOEC had broken ground last year by successfully negotiating a unique contract with BPA, providing stable rates for WOEC members. The contract is no longer unique, however, since other utilities have followed suit, ne gotiating even lower rates from BPA. Now WOEC and BPA are about to agree to a better deal for WOEC. Elements of the new agreement include: • Reduction in the whole sale power cost to WOEC, to 2.463 cents per kilowatt-hour, starting in September. • Elimination of built-in 2.75 percent rate increases, as in the present contract. • No demand charge. • Extension of the contract to 2001. INSIDE: • WOEC must purchase power exclusively from BPA, except... • Option to purchase power from other suppliers for cus tomers who draw over 10 megawatts. • WOEC will not be re quired to pay “stranded costs” if it does not continue to pur chase power form BPA in the future. • No change in the conser vation plan. Please see page 16 “ Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley" Meet new VHS principal .............see pg. 7 Are Vernonia schools ready for classes? .............see pg. 8 Banks Eagle Scout .............see pg. 9 August 21, 1996 M illio n -d o llar road levy will be on ballot A two-year, $1 million seri al levy will be on the Septem ber 17 ballot to fund Columbia County road repairs and maintenance. The levy is intended to help finance road work that the county has been unable to do because of the massive damage caused by February flood. The flood damage has taken precedence, by neces sity, but much more work is needed. While much of the flood-re lated damage will be covered by federal agencies, the county estimates that its por- tion of the cost will exceed $400,000. In addition, the road department has been falling steadily behind in its maintenance schedule be cause of inadequate rev enues. Simply put, road usage has increased at a more rapid pace than road department revenues. The serial levy, which would generate $500,000 per year for two years, is expect ed to cost 20.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. City sets public meeting about hazard mitigation The Hazard Mitigation Committee has identified Good news: City grant is approved Courthouse security measures The Columbia County Courthouse has begun to in stitute building security mea sures. Recently posted signs at the entrances to the court house warn persons not to bring weapons or hazardous substances into the building. These include guns, mace, pepper spray or the following described knives: "Any knife having a blade that projects or swings into position by force of a spring or by cen trifugal force and commonly known as a switchblade knife, any dirk, dagger, ice pick, slung shot, metal knuckles, or any similar instrument by the use of which injury could be inflicted upon the person or property of any other person." A person who brings a firearm into the courthouse is in viola tion of Oregon Revised Statutes. Anyone appearing in court who wishes to present a weapon as evidence in a criminal proceeding may turn it in to the Sheriff’s Office, in the basement of the court- house. Anyone else who comes to the courthouse with a weapon should secure the weapon in the trunk of their vehicle. Additional security mea sures are being planned for implementation at a later date. Filing time extended-------- Vernonia residents wishing to file for election as either a City Council member or May or may continue to do so until August 26 at 5:00 p.m. Monday night, the Vernon ia City Council extended the time for filing from the previ ously announced July 29 to August 26, after it was brought to their attention that the early closing date could unnecessarily prevent poten tial candidates from taking out nomination papers. The City of Vernonia re ceived good news with ap proval of their grant request ed for a thorough feasibility study of a “Vernonia building” that can combine city offices, police department, library, courtroom, visitor information center and more. In addition to approving the $47,500 grant, the Northwest Oregon Economic Alliance also agreed to hold a $37,500 grant previously awarded to the Vernonia Chamber of Commerce so it can be used to help with the Vernonia building after the design phase is complete. Even more exciting to city officials, was a request by NOEA that the city return in the fall to seek construction funds. City Administrator Vergie Ries has assured the council that the grant request will be ready. goals to be incorporated in the mitigation plan. Some of the goals are to: • Encourage growth out of the flood way and flood plain. • Raise structures deter mined to be substantially damaged. • Acquire greenway by buying out structures sub stantially damaged • Expand Urban Growth Boundary out of flood plain. • Diligently adhere to flood plain development regula tions. These goals will affect everyone living, or owning property, in the flood plain and may affect many others. For that reason, the first public informational meeting on nazard mitigation within the City of Vernonia will be held August 27, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., in the Fire Hall meeting room. The meeting has been set to answer questions about mitigation requirements and to provde residents with the opportunity to make sugges tions.
