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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1999)
Tensions dominate Banks City Council meeting Sparks flew among Banks City Councilors several times during the regularly scheduled city council meeting at Banks City Hall on Tuesday, October 12. Tension escalated through the evening and ended with vi olations of protocol and the stormy departure of councilor Judy Clifford. The first hint of trouble came about an hour into the meeting when councilors divided on how to proceed effectively to accomplish a park survey plan for Banks. Council members Clifford and Norma Stewart ex pressed frustration that the top ic has been discussed, without progress, since February. The current sticking point was whether or not to hire a survey or as a first step. The council ultimately instructed City Engi neer Dale Merrill to prepare a preliminary project plan by the next council meeting, which will be Wednesday, October 20. Other issues seemed to po larize the council between those seeking active solutions and those wanting to maintain the status quo. Questions concerning reso lution of noise complaints caused by increased nighttime train activity, also divided the council into two factions. One side feels there is no recourse beyond phone calls already made to the Port of Tillamook, which operates the railroad. The others want to try negotiat ing to see if timing and fre quency of trains could be al tered. Mayor Raymond Deeth agreed to draft a letter, in con junction with City Attorney Jim INSIDE: Lucas, to produce more pro ductive communication with the railroad. Whether or not to officially censor Quail Valley Golf Course, for allowing nudity vis ible from public roads, pro duced visible emotional strain on the part of council mem bers. Stewart read a strongly- worded letter she proposed sending to the golf course, de crying the effect the incident might have had on Banks youngsters. She stated that the Please see page 10 Homecoming History.... pg. 6 Fire danger poses threat.... pg. 8 Police, Court reports...pg. 12 Blood Drive today at VHS..... pg. 20 BULK RATE U S. Postage Paid Permit No. 37 Vernonia. OR 97064 Voi. 14, No. 20 FREE “ Voice o f the Upper Nehalem River Valley”______________ October 20, 1999 Over the river and through the woods... King’s Crane Service align the 25,000 pound section precisely on the footings. The ruck in the background is carrying the east section of the bridge. More photos may be found on page 4. Official opening o f Vernonia City Hall, Public Library and Linear Trail Bridge Saturday, October 23, 1999, at 11:00 a.m. Join the celebration! Property tax bills in the mail this week Voter approved levies for a new county correctional facility and improvements for the Co lumbia 9-1-1 Communications District have resulted in higher tax rates throughout Columbia County, ranging from 4.58 per cent to 12.10 percent. “The voters indicated that they were willing to pay for these improvements, and that results in higher property tax es,” said Columbia County As sessor Tom Linhares. "All of us would like to see property tax es go down every year, but new facilities and programs to serve a growing population cost money.” The typical tax bill will in crease by 8.31 percent in the City of Vernonia. Rural Vernon ia areas and property owners in the Mist-Birkenfeld Fire Dis trict will see an 11.81 percent increase. The average tax rate (not percent) increased by $0.9855 cents per thousand, from $9.8640 to $10.8495 per thou sand dollars of assessed val ue, or 9.99 percent. While each taxing district has a permanent tax rate for operating purposes under Measure 50, the actual tax rate can vary from year to year depending on the amount of Western Oregon Severance Tax (WOST) that offsets, or re duces, the rate for non-educa tion districts. Tax rates for bonded levies can also fluctu ate from year to year, Linhares explained. County-wide, the market value of all taxable property in creased by 4.85 percent, from $3.06 billion to $3.21 billion. The market value of most resi dential properties in Vernonia, Scappoose, St. Helens and Columbia City increased by four to five percent. Rural Ne halem Valley properties, how- ever continue to appreciate in value at a more rapid rate, as market values for those proper ties have increased ten per cent. Despite the increases in market value, property taxes are based on assessed values limited by Measure 50. Passed by voters in May, 1997, Mea sure 50 reduced assessed val ues for the 1997-98 tax year to the 1995-96 market value less 10 percent. Each year after 1997-98, the assessed value is limited to a three percent in crease unless the property is improved, subdivided, rezoned or disqualified from a special assessment or exemption. County-wide, the total as sessed value is 5.26 percent higher than last year. While the total value of all utility property increased over $6 million from last year, different parts of the county will see different results. Taxing districts in the Rainier area will see a drop in the amount of property taxes they can collect because of a $20 million decrease in the as sessed value of the Trojan nu clear power plant. On the other side of the coin, taxing districts in the Nehalem Valley will ben efit from Northwest Natural Gas Company’s Mist gas field operation, which increased by $16.65 million. Under Measure 50's rate- based system, property tax col lections are directly tied to the assessed value of property within each distict. ‘The Rainier RFPD, which will collect $2,965 less this year than last year, probably thinks the system is awful,” Linhares said. “On the other hand, Mist- Birkenfeld RFPD, which will collect $36,465, or over 28 per cent more this year, is probably Please see page 5
