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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2002)
Attn: Lesli© Larson UO Library-OMP 1299 University Of Oregon Eugene OR 97403-1299 “Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley”January 16, 2002 Voi. 17, No. 2 Councilor explains background of KKK Nature’s silver touch Local temperatures in the low 20s trans formed the appear ance of some every day sights, with the frost-laden spider web, above, looking like woven strands of platinum, while the rhododendron at left appears to be bloom ing in the middle of winter. More cold weather is forecast with, per haps, a small amount of snow. Vibrant downtown is vision for Citizens of Banks had an op portunity to see their communi ty in a new way at a meeting presenting the work of an Ore gon Downtown Development Association (ODDA) ’•esource team on January 11. An excit ing vision showed the future of the downtown area as an ac tive, vibrant central hub for community life. The ODDA team is com posed of specialists who review existing plans and studies and other information prior to visit ing a town. The team conduct ed interviews with local busi ness owners and residents, ex U S. Postage Paid Vernonia, OR 97064 amined the business mix and development, public space de sign including streetscape, parking and traffic, private space, façade design, and downtown housing. The pre sentation included recommen dations for development within an implementable and cohe sive framework. Brad Sinn, of ODDA, began the presentation by telling the audience that the key to suc cessful growth is planning. Ac cording to Sinn, Banks is uniquely situated to capitalize on the traffic from the highways on either side of town. The area anks defined as “downtown” begins at the five-way intersection of Sellers Road, Banks Road and Highway 47, and extends south along Main Street to the Scout Cabin. Treva Hunter, of Marketek, spoke to nearly every business in town and said that she great ly enjoyed the positive, pedes trian friendly atmosphere. Her work examined the mix of busi nesses currently operating in the city, the lifestyle character istics of the population, and the existing competitive advan tages and disadvantages of the Please see page 8 Because one line on a sign that listed historic events in Vernonia has attracted unwar ranted media attention, Ver nonia City Councilor Shirlee Daughtrey explained at the Jan. 7 meeting, that the Ku Klux Kian came to Vernonia in 1922 along with personnel for the Oregon-American Lumber Company. “They were from the south, they brought it with them and that was the way they were," Daughtrey said, “but Vernonia is not racist.” Daughtrey, who is nearing her 65th birthday, is the only member of the city council who was born and raised in Vernonia. The councilors generally felt that media reaction to a letter in The Independent that asked about the entry on the sign, was ridiculous or insulting, or both. In other business, the Coun cil was pleased to hear that its financial house is in good order in more ways than one. After months of negotiation and a session with a mediator, the City and the association that represents the City’s po lice officers have finally reached a collective bargain ing agreement. The new con tract is basically the same as that accepted by the municipal workers, with a cost of living raise of about three percent and additional increases based only merit. The police associa tion had been seeking a pack age of increases that would have totalled about nine-and- one-half percent. The annual audit report w g So 2 made only one corrective sug gestion - for improved use of the utility billing softwear - and expressed pleasure at the work of finance clerk Cindy Naillon. Council agreed to amend regulations prohibiting gasoline motors on boats on Vernonia Lake so Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters could practice with a rescue boat that was donat ed to the district. The former U.S. Coast Guard rescue boat was donated to the local fire district by the Forest Grove Fire Department. The ordi nance will be reviewed and the practice sessions will be limit ed under the modifications, in cluding a “no wake" provision. Public hearings set on Vernonia market analysis There will be plenty of op portunity to ask questions and make suggestions at two pub lic hearings on the Vernonia Marketing & Business Analy sis, prepared by the Oregon Downtown Development Asso ciation. This analysis is partic ularly important to downtown businesses and property own ers. The first hearing will be on February 7, at 6:30 p.m., be fore the Vernonia Planning Commission. The second hearing, before the City Coun cil, will be on February 19 at 7:30 p.m. Both hearings will be held in the Council Chambers at Ver nonia City Hall. School news....... Banks news........ Weather report...
