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
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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