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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 2000)
State gives report cards to school districts and schools State District/School Report Cards have arrived and there are no surprises in their evalu ations for either Vernonia or Banks schools. Schools were rated in two categories: Student Perfor mance, which accounted for 80 percent of the rating, consid ered improvement over time and the percent of students meeting state standards in 1999. Student Behavior, which ac counted for the remaining 20 percent, considered atten dance, plus the dropout rate for high schools. Two additional elements are on the report cards. School Characteristics is based on the percent of students taking state tests. Other Information in cludes the education and expe rience of instructional staff and, for high schools, SAT scores. Probably of more specific in terest to most people, were the Voi. 15, No 4 rankings in elements of the state standards: reading, writ ing, math multiple choice and math problem solving. Vernonia Schools ranked “Satisfactory" overall, except Lincoln Grade School which will not receive a report card until late February because it has no students in grades 3, 5, 8 and 10. Banks Junior High School and Banks Elementary School were both rated “Strong,” just one notch below the top rating of Exceptional. Banks High School ranked Satisfactory, overall. District Report Cards show overall Student Performance, Student Behavior, District Characteristics and Other In formation. “Other" is a table showing the professional expe rience of teachers and admin istrators in the district in the 1998-99 school year. Please see page 13 “ Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley” Repairs are on the way! Car seat check up..............pg. 4 4-H activities starting..... pg. 5 She’s a Champ .................PS- 7 Banks School news. pg. 10-11 February 16, 2000 Water project done, rate increase starts Now that 39,000 linear feet of pipeline has been installed, improvements made on the Corey Hill Reservoir, a booster pump station added, 620 water services and 19 fire hydrants replaced, plus 40 additional hy drants installed, the City of Ver nonia’s water distribution sys tem has been transformed. It is no longer inadequate and it will be able to handle anticipated growth for many years. Additionally, the whole pro ject was completed sooner than anticipated— and that is a mixed blessing. Starting March 1, an increase in rates will af fect everyone who uses city water. JUDY HILL7THE INDEPENDENT This 45-foot break in the Banks-Vernonia Linear Trail, just north of the Beaver Creek The project started in 1996, Trailhead, will soon be scheduled for repairs. Funds have been appropriated for the job, when citizens identified the wa specifications are being prepared and bids will soon be accepted, according to resident ter system as a high priority Park Ranger Scott Green. In addition to destroying the trail, the washout caused by project that needed to be up heavy rains during the winter of 1998-99 uncovered GTE’s fiber optic cable to Vernonia. graded. Among the problems resulting from a 40-60 year-old water distribution system was the loss of 40 percent of the city’s treated water. This not All members of the Vernonia council on changes in the peri scrutiny. only wasted water, it wasted City Administrator Michael City Council agreed, at their odic review process for the funds that were spent on ener Sykes told the council that one Feb. 7 meeting, that weight lim city’s comprehensive plan. gy and labor costs. Senate Bill 543, passed by or two junior or senior Vernonia its are needed on most of the Improvements have resulted city’s residential streets. The the last legislature, exempts High School students will be in about two million fewer gal question that is troubling to cities with a population of 2500 selected each semester to be lons of water used this past Oc them is how to institute weight or less within their Urban placed in a school-to-work op tober and nearly three million limits without unduly imposing Growth Boundary, from the re portunity in the City Hall office. gallons less in November. on people who may drive quirement for periodic review. The positions will be non-paid, When the city received a heavy trucks to their homes In lieu of that lengthy, expen but the students will earn high grant of $631,300 and a loan of and park them there overnight, sive and somewhat cumber school credits by fulfilling the $2,093,700 from the federal particularly in the case of those some, public process, small school-to-work requirements. government, they were also re who operate their businesses cities may now opt to take pro Guidelines and criteria are quired to adopt an ordinance posed changes to their com available at the high school. from their homes. Sykes also announced that that would increase water rates In order to develop a work prehensive plans directly to able ordinance, the council DLCD for review, assistance city planner Julie Coontz, who high enough to pay for all costs asked that a draft be brought to and/or preliminary approval. is an attorney, will assume of the program, including the their next meeting for review. Final approval will remain with some of the in-house duties of loan. The increase amounted They will then set a date for a the Land Conservation and De City Attorney Diana Shera-Tay- to $12 per month, but the city lor. Shera-Taylor will continue opted to institute it in incre public meeting in order to allow velopment Commission (LCDC). At this time, the City of Ver working on contract with the ments. public participation in the final The first $4.00 increase was nonia has nearly completed its city in other capacities, includ ordinance. Rob Hallyburton, of the state periodic review so the council ing that of prosecuting attorney. in October, 1998; the second in The council approved liquor October, 1999. The third seg Department of Land Conserva is undecided whether to opt out tion and Development (DLCD), or continue the process. That license renewals for Cedar ment was to have started in gave a presentation to the decision will receive further Side Inn, Mini Mart and Sentry. October of this year but will Weight limits heavy for council INSIDE: start March 1 because the job is complete and the full in crease must be in effect in or der to close out the loan. “Many homeowners will reap the benefit of lower premi ums for fire protection insur ance, because of the new hy drants,” public works director Robyn Bassett noted. The city has instituted Sys tem Development Charges (SDC) to accommodate future growth. The SDCs are paid when building permits are ac quired for new residences. The funds are placed in a reserve fund that may then be used only for capital improvements, such as a new reservoir. The new rates will be as fol lows: Residential, inside City limits - $28.00 per month including the first 2,000 gallons of water used, plus $1.25 for each addi tional 1,000 gallons used. Residential, outside City lim its - $27.50 per month, plus $2.50 per 1,000 gallons used. Business - $26.50 per month, plus $1.25 per 1,000 gallons used. Senior citizens, 62 or older, will retain eligibility for a 15 per cent discount on water (The discount does not apply to sewer charges.). Rates for master meters and multiple dwellings are available at City Hall. Holiday changes Council schedule The next meeting of the Ver nonia City Council will be held on Tuesday, February 22, in stead of Monday, Feb. 21, which is the Presidents's Day holiday. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, 1001 Bridge Street.
