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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 18, 2002)
The INDEPENDENT, July 18, 2002, Page 11 anks water users again ignore public hearing on rate increase Attendance at a second pub lic meeting, July 9, on a rate in crease for City of Banks water users, was identical to the at tendance at the first meet ing...zero. Since no one was at the special meeting, it was ad journed shortly after opening, to convene the regular meeting of the Banks City Council. Health insurance problem averted The city was recently in formed that their health insur ance carrier, CCIS, would not renew the policy, effective Au gust 1, 2002. In spite of the short notice, the City was pre pared because the council had previously asked for informa tion on alternative policies and the city’s insurance agent, Waltz, Sheriden, Crawford, Inc. (WSC), had already started a comparison of various plans. Representatives from WCS had also met with city employ ees (on a hot day when the air- conditioning died) to discuss what the employees wanted in their health benefit. After considerable discus sion, council approved a Kaiser medical plan with a standard ODS dental plan for the 2002- 03 enrollment year. Councilors Katie Murdoch, Gary Coffey, Ryan Birr and Teri Brandstitr voted in favor of the plan; Judy Clifford and Tim Hardie were opposed. The approved plan includes chiropractic benefits and will also allow participants e d a r S aturday , A ugust 3 rd D u r in g t h e V e r n o n ia R id g e Music D ancing Greenhouse waiver ’S. from 7 :0 0 - 10:00 pm F r ie n d s h ip J a m b o r e e F e a t u r in g : B o b M a n n in g , N a s h v ille W e s t a n d A c e s H ig h A d m is s io n ADULTS K ID S ( 7 - 1 2 ) UNDER 6 Food. V olleyball $7 $4 FREE P la g Circa. Sw im m ing G ates O pen B ee r Garden a t 6 PM F O R M O R E IN F O R M A T IO N C A L L 5 0 3 . 8 8 5 . 2 8 2 0 O R V IS IT U S AT W W W .V IS IT C E D A R R ID G E .C O M SUNSET LAUNDRY Ye Olde Dingheiser Pub & Restaurant VISA - MC - ATM FOOD. KEGS & ICE TO GO W ash...$1.00 Dry.. .25# Lunch & Dinner 180 S. Main St. Banks, Oregon COCKTAILS • BEER • WINE Feds approve water plant improvements Public Works Superinten dent Tim Grossnickle told coun cil that administrators from the State/Federal Revolving Loan program had completed their fi nal inspection and verification of improvements at the water treatment plant. Grossnickle said that he was impressed with the administrators’ meticu lous review of both the support ing paperwork and the physical project. Grossnickle has also been working with timber consultant Bill Davidson on the recently completed timber cut. The cut included more board feet ot timber than had been anticipat ed and may provide the city with increased income, Gross nickle told the council. C o u n tr y J u b ile e ok C to “swing-out" of the Kaiser sys tem and choose an outside provider if they desire. The new plan will cost about 35-percent more than the current plan. For purposes of comparison, if CCIS were going to renew the current policy, the increase in the premium would be about 26-percent. However, CCIS will not renew the policy. problem solved A discussion of findings of fact to support the waiver of fees for Banks Elementary School’s land use application to build a green house was re moved from the agenda. Last month representatives from the greenhouse project appeared before council to ask that the land use fee be waived. When they initially applied to Wash ington County for a building permit they were told that they would need to get land use ap proval to build on school prop erty. The city charges a fee of $850 to cover costs of the process that was waived by city council in June. On the advice of City Attorney Jim Lucas, council was to have a discus sion about why the fee was waived in this case in order to narrow the possibility that the waiver could be used as a precedent in the future. How ever, according to Mayor Bob Orlowski, the county has now decided that the greenhouse is a temporary structure and is a conditional use of the school property. City Planner K.J. Won has the discretion to grant con ditional use permits within the planning commission process without charging a fee. There S trassel ’ s A uto R epair S a t-S u n 9 am - N oon A series of six-hour, hands- on workshops taught by OSU Master Food Preservers, will be held on Saturdays, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Washington County Extension Office located at the Capital Center, NW 185th and Walker Road, entrance D-1, 1411 East. Class is limited to ten per sons. The cost is $10.00 per workshop, or free with presen- OUTDOOR STORE IN BANKS! H u n tin g , F is h in g & C a m p in g S u p p lie s , IV B a it b y L e n ! C o m e s e e u s to d a y ! J & S O u td o o r 165 N. Main, Banks 503-324*1113 T u e -S a t 6 a m - 5 :3 0 p m SUNDAYS 5-8 PM CASH PRIZES!! M anning Yard Decor & H ydraulic H oses B IN G O J All L o tte ry G a m e s CLOSED MONDAYS 4710« NW SUNSET IIWY. MANNING • 324-4848 2-4-6 S piral W ire F lange H ead • S uction H oses A daptors - 3/16" to 2" B ulk O il P roducts 276 S unset , B anks 503-324-9808 Air conditioning improvements Mayor Bob Orlowski told council that the city’s 14-year- old heat pumps that provided city hall and the police depart ment with air conditioning had failed last month. He had the air conditioning units replaced, at a cost of $4,326. Orlowski told council that the money was tak en from the general fund main tenance budget. In other business, council: • Approved a re solution au thorizing final payment to Pro- Teck Construction for Wilkes Street improvements in the amount of $81,122. • Heard from Lucas that a re sponse had been filed in the Kelley property lawsuit. A future executive session will be held to further update council. • Authorized Orlowski and Lucas to negotiate a lease with Salmon PCS for property adja cent to the city’s water tower as a cell tower site, subject to council approval. Extension offers food preserving workshops D a ily 11:00 am - C lo sin g Breakfast fore the discussion was re moved from the agenda until Won and Lucas can review the situation to determine if further action needs to be taken by council. N e w Stock W eekly! Hll F o u n tain s • S ta tu a ry Benches • B ird b ath s & M o re HOURS: Sat. 10 AM - 5 PM • Sun. 10 AM - 4 PM pjhl Road @ Sunset Highway • 503 324-4015 tation of a current Oregon Trail Card or proof of WIC program participation. On July 27, the workshop will cover pressure canning vegetables, plus freezing and drying. August 3, pickles and chut- neys will be the topic. Tomatoes, salsa, flavored oils and vinegars will be fea tured on August 24. The September 14 work shop will cover canning, freez ing and smoking fish and game. For more information and to register, call 503-725-2040. Also available through OSU Washington County Extension is Pressure Gauge Testing, on Thursdays, July 25, August 15 and September 12, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. For more informa tion, call 503-725-2300. The Oregon State University Extension Service Food Safety & Preservation Hotline is avail able July 15 through October 1 at 1-800-354-7319.
