Attn; Leslie Larson
PRESORTED STANDARD
U .S . P o s ta g e P a id
V e rn o n ia , O R 9 7 0 6 4
UO Library-OMP
1299 University Of Oregon
Eugene OR 97403-1299
Voi. 17, No. 6
“Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley”
March 20, 2002
City, garbage hauler
reach rate agreement
A late snow
A March 17 snowfall made fence posts at the Anderson Park horse corral look very much
like popsicle sticks with a topping of whipped cream.
47J gets good audit report
The Vernonia School District
Board of Directors heard the
auditor’s report, interviewed
and appointed budget commit
tee members, discussed the ar
chitect’s contract, exchange
student programs and much
more on March 12. They were
also engrossed by two presen
tations. Lincoln Elementary
School presented their tradi
tional “100 Days” projects, fol
lowed by a presentation on the
high school Youth Transition
Program.
The district’s new auditor
Larry Grant, of Grove, Mueller
& Swank, P.C., has completed
a thorough analysis of all of the
district’s funds and accounting
operations. According to Grant,
the auditor’s opinion of the dis
FREE
trict’s fiscal operations was
“clean, with nothing out of the
ordinary” in all aspects. Grant
concluded by reporting on an
upcoming change in account
ing procedures that will make
the school’s financial state
ments more consistent with
those used in business. The
change will take place over the
next five years.
The board interviewed four
candidates for budget commit
tee, Jeff Blum, Gregory Kintz,
Noni Andersen and Darlene
McLeod. Blum, who recently
resigned as a board member,
Andersen and McLeod have
served on the budget commit
tee previously. Kintz has been
an Outdoor School instructor
and WGS Site Council mem
ber. The board appointed An
dersen, Blum and Kintz to the
14 member budget committee,
which also includes the seven
board members. Budget com
mittee meetings will begin
soon.
Superintendent Larry Mc
Clellan presented the board
with an extension of the archi
tect’s retainer contract. Costs
for this contract are charged to
the capital reserve fund, which
can be used only for projects
relating to building improve
ment or replacement. Accord
ing to McClellan, since the dis
trict now has on file documents
establishing that the district’s
buildings are not safe, main
taining an ongoing relationship
Please see page 3
After months of negotiations
between the City of Vernonia
and Waste Management of
Oregon, agreement has been
reached that will increase
garbage rates by six percent.
The garbage hauler initially re
quested a rate increase of 10
percent, plus a contract that
would allow them to increase
rates any time that their margin
of profit fell below 10 percent.
That proposal was sufficient to
initiate informal talks about a
municipal garbage service.
The six percent approved by
the Vernonia City Council, fol
lowing a public hearing on
March 18, has two elements. It
includes a two percent increase
in the franchise fee paid by
Waste Management to the City
of Vernonia, plus a flat four per
cent increase in rates. The
franchise fee is now five per
cent.
Under the new rates, the
residential rate for weekly, one
can service will be $17.42 per
month. Commercial rate for the
same service will be $18.36 per
month.
In addition to the usual one
can per week residential ser
vice, residents have several dif
ferent options, including month
ly, every other week and will
call pick-up. There is a list of
commercial options, as well.
Following adoption of the
new rates, City Administrator
Mike Sykes told councilors that
a letter was just received from
the U.S. Department of Agricul
ture, objecting to the City’s
practice of granting a senior
and disabled citizen discount
on water and sewer rates.
Sykes will contact the USDA of
ficial for more information.
Council also heard an infor
mal presentation from Alan
Bogner, Department of Envi
ronmental Quality project man
ager for the Environmental
Partnerships for Oregon Com
munities (EPOC) program.
Bogner explained the Mutual
Agreement and Order (MAO)
between DEQ and the City of
Vernonia regarding wastewater
discharge into the Nehalem
River and required upgrades to
the city’s wastewater treatment
facility. Completion dates are
near for different phases of the
project and the city will have to
work very closely with DEQ to
meet all requirements.
Council also held a Public
Hearing on amendments to the
City’s Transportation System
Plan (TSP). The proposed
amendments are primarily
“housekeeping” changes need
ed to coordinate and comply
with state planning require
ments. The hearing will be kept
open for written testimony until
April 15, 2002.
Council will tour the city Wa
ter Plant, April 15 at 6:00 p.m.
The public is invited to join in.
Easter Egg Hunt set
for Saturday, 10 a.m.
Get Ready...Get Set...Go to
the annual Vernonia Easter
Egg Hunt on Saturday, March
30 in Hawkins Park.
So nobody will be left out,
children will be separated into
four age groups, from 0-3
years (adult help allowed for
toddlers), 4-6 years, 7-8 years
and 9-10 years. Families are
advised to arrive early, as the
action will begin at 10 a.m.,
sharp!
Following the hunt, the East
er Bunny will be in the Scout
Cabin with a bag of treats for
each child.
The event is sponsored by
the Vernonia Area Chamber of
Commerce. Vernonia Sentry
Market is donating the eggs
and volunteers will boil and dye
the eggs. For more informa
tion, call Dolly Keenon at 503-
429-3401.