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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 1997)
Consultants say county needs to triple size of jail In twenty years, Columbia County will need a jail that can hold up to 130 inmates, ac cording to a study done by jail consultants Liebert & Associ ates. Columbia County officials have discussed the need for a larger jail for many years. Now, with changes in sentencing that are resulting in longer sen tences for offenders, the need is becoming acute. At this time, the county jail frequently exceeds its capacity Voi. 12, No. 16 of 39 male and 6 female pris One factor in predicting the oners, resulting in early release county’s future jail needs is po of prisoners. Law enforcement tential growth. One population agencies are aso sometimes projection from Portland State hampered by the overcrowding University predicts a 32-per- when they must cite and re cent increase in population, or lease offenders because there more, in the county from 1990 to 2010. is no space in the jail. Renovating and remodeling Another factor is Senate Bill the current jail in the basement 1145, which places all offend of the county courthouse is not ers sentenced to a year or less feasible, the consultants con under the jurisdiction of coun cluded, because it could not ties. At this time, the average meet future needs and would sentence of more than half of not allow adequate expansion. the inmates is 84 days and 81- Yarbor didn’t break election law Highway 47 will be closed to through traffic north of Mist on Tuesday, Aug. 26, to allow installation of a new culvert. The culvert will be placed be tween Mist Store and Mist School. The Oregon Department of Transportation anticipates the project will be completed in one day. The new culvert will increase creek flow and be more compatible with the needs of fish. Logging Show plx...................Pg. 8 Banks BBQ plx.........Pgs. 10-11 4-H Fair results......... Pg. 12 RlverCity racing Pgs. 16 & 20 School News...Pg. 18 August 20, 1997 ' ■ Sidewalk ordinance looked at by council Washington County Dairy Princess Robin Marsh proudly displays the Grand Prize tro phy won by her float in the Banks Barbecue Parade. Hwy. 47 will be closed one day percent of all prisoner days are served by felony offenders. SB 1145 took effect in January. The Board of Commission ers has held open forums on the problem in St. Helens, Rainier and Clatskanie. Three more forums will soon be scheduled in Vernonia, Mist and Scappoose to discuss the current situation and possible options. The forum dates will be pub licized as soon as they are scheduled. ______ ‘Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley” Prize Winner... Columbia County Commis- sisoner Joel Yarbor did not vi olate Oregon election law, as Scappoose resident Mervin Arnold charged, according to INSIDE: a review by the Elections Di vision in the office of the Ore gon Secretary of State. Arnold’s complained that public statements by Yarbor that he would sue Arnold and others for slander, constituted “undue influence” against citi zens who were attempting to recall Yarbor, intimidating them into discontinuing their efforts. To support his complaint, Arnold submitted a letter from Yarbor’s attorney demanding a retraction of “the false and defamatory statements made regarding Mr. Yarbor in the Petition for Recall,” plus video and audio tapes of Yarbor’s statements during a Board of Commissioners’ meeting (The INDEPENDENT, July 16, 1997). “The situation you describe is not ‘undue influence.’ It is not an election law violation for a person who believes they have been damaged by allegedly false and slander ous statements to request a retraction or to state they in tend to file a legal lawsuit against the person(s) making the statements,” the Elections Division concluded, accord ing to a letter dated Aug. 11, 1997. Those involved in the re call effort had alternatives to discontinuing the campaign, the letter said. They could have continued and, if sued, defend their statements in court, or they could have filed a new recall petition with a new statement of reasons. Residents asked the Ver nonia City Council, Monday night, to include in a proposed sidewalk ordinance for exist ing buildings the method by which areas would be chosen for sidewalk construction. Kim Tierney and Christo pher and Ruth Burkett ex pressed concern about how the ordinance would be ap plied because they live on steep downhill lots in older homes with very little setback from the public right-of-way. Though the proposed ordi nance is the same as a prior ordinance which was acci dentally deleted when side walk standards for new con struction were adopted, the council agreed that it would be preferable to spell out se lection criteria. The ordinance was referred to staff for rec ommendations. Two other ordinances were adopted, one regarding regu lation of public rights of way, the other setting system de velopment charges for water and wastewater. The council also agreed to a request by Vernonia Pride to review the ordinance gov erning garage sales, with an eye to reducing the prolifera tion of garage sale signs that are left up long after the sale date. Proposed revisions to the City Charter were accepted by the council and referred to City Attorney Diana Shera- Taylor for a ballot title. It will appear on the November General Election ballot for voter consideration. Copies of the proposed charter will be available in City Hall in ad vance of the election. The city has received 24 applications for the City Ad ministrator position. After re view, they will reduce the ap plications to the top five, then set interviews with those ap plicants. The next council meeting will be on Tuesday, Sept. 2, because the regular meeting date of Sept. 1 is the Labor Day holiday. Federal grant may not provide more deputies for Columbia Co. The Federal government is the additional $100,000 need willing to pay 75-percent of the ed to accept the offer, they cost of four new patrol deputies have applied for a waiver of the and equipment for the Colum 25-percent match. Under the bia County Sheriff’s Office for a grant program, the waiver can period of three years, but the be approved if the county can county may not be able to hire show “severe financial dis them because of lack of funds tress.” to cover the remaining 25-per- County officials are waiting cent. for a response to the request Approval was easily ob for a waiver and have no idea tained because of the county’s what the response will be. It is tremendous need for assis anticipated that an answer will tance in paying for law enforce be forthcoming shortly. ment. The $300,000 in grant “We have the need,” said funds was awarded through Columbia County Commission the COPS (Community Orient er Tony Hyde, “but not the ed Policing System) program. funding.” Because the county lacks
