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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2005)
Page 20 The INDEPENDENT, October 20, 2005 47J board also hears Middle School update and changes to OSAA From page 1 Closing the workshop, the board convened regular ses- sion and heard from finance clerk Dawn Plews that the dis- trict purchased the lunchroom finger scanner that had been returned last year after nega- tive public response to the pro- gram. Plews said the scanner purchase was authorized by Superintendent Mike Funder- burg last summer, but it can be returned again if the board chooses not to implement the program. Board member Kim Wallace said the lines in the cafeteria are horrendous and that she had opposed the scanner the last time, but that something must be done about the lines. She also said she had not un- derstood, previously, that stu- dents can “opt out” of participa- tion. Wallace added that she’d like to go to a school that uses the system and see how it works. The board will review this item at the next meeting. Middle School update In a report on the status of the Middle School, Bob Jensen of O’Brien Constructors said that work is almost complete on sealing the concrete floors. He explained that seams in the floors are there for expansion so the floors don’t develop large cracks. Vernonia City Administrator Robyn Bassett presented a list of five items that need to be ad- dressed before the city will sign off on the project. Items cited by Bassett in- clude a requirement for addi- tional parking spaces and in- stallation of a paved 5-foot walkway to connect the street and the school. The school must also provide a map of util- ities for approval, a landscap- ing plan needs to be submitted and approved by the city’s planning department, and a re- view of traffic flow needs to be completed with ODOT and the Planning Commission. An open house will be planned for the community after the building is complete. OSAA changes Athletic director Gordon Jar- man told the board that the Oregon School Activities Asso- ciation (OSAA) has recom- mended changing from four to six classifications to make things more even across the board. The recommendation would put Vernonia in 3A clas- sification. The OSAA Board will vote on the recommendation at their October 24 meeting. Policy review Board Chair Randy Hansen said he would like the board to start reviewing a couple of dis- trict policies at each meeting. He asked the board to look at policies on complaint proce- dures with special considera- tion on how board members or staff, who are also parents, should handle complaints. Board members were asked to bring suggestions for policy changes to the next meeting. Another policy discussed was the supervisory termina- tion process, which is not ad- dressed. Hansen asked for a committee to look at options. Directors Wallace and Cari Levenseller, and principal Nathan Underwood volun- teered. Citizen request A person identifying herself only as a member of “Vernonia Citizens” stood up during audi- ence comments to tell the board that they request that Gretchen Lindauer be reinstat- ed. Lindauer was the district’s food service supervisor. Bell schedule changes Changes in the bell schedule were approved to reflect the times children are actually ar- riving at school, to reduce the time difference between the schools’ release times, and to provide up to 30 minutes addi- tional class time per week. The new schedule calls for WGS to have first bell at 8:00 a.m. in- stead of the current 8:05 a.m. Tardies will still be marked from 8:15 a.m. The other change calls for students to be re- leased on Fridays at 1:35 p.m., instead of 1:30 p.m. Other business The board unanimously ap- proved the Consolidated Im- provement Plan (CIP) as pre- sented. The CIP is due in Salem on October 17. Michelle Eagleson was unanimously approved as men- tor to new K-5 teachers. The next meeting of the board will be at 6:00 p.m. on October 19 for a public work- shop on the superintendent search process. The next regu- lar board meeting is scheduled for November 10 at 6:00 p.m. More on property taxes and how they work, plus pay by November 15 for best value From page 1 year due to an increase in the Scappoose School District’s L bonded debt levies and the for- mation of the new Columbia Health District. The City of e o n e t t i ’ s P i z z a & G r i l l 721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018 VERNONIA INN Enjoy a quiet weekend with us. FULL SIZE, IN ROOM HOT TUBS Queen Beds • Private Bath • Separate Entrance Cable TV • Phones • Handicapped Access CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 1-800-354-9494 / 503-429-4006 Gift Certificates Available 900 MADISON AVE., VERNONIA, OR 97064 Just one block off scenic Nehalem River Hwy. (Oregon 47) Saint Helens was also affected by the Health District, but had a much smaller consolidated tax rate increase of 1.99 percent. Most tax bills for typical resi- dential and commercial proper- ties inside the City of Rainier will increase 2.54 percent. A total of $42,320,947 in property taxes is being billed for the county, cities, schools and special districts. That amount is 7.5 percent more than was billed last year. In ad- dition, $1,628,687 will be col- lected for such things as drainage districts assessments and the Oregon Department of Forestry’s fire patrol special as- sessments. County wide, the market val- ue of all taxable property in- creased from $3.81 billion to $4.06 billion, an increase of 6.68 percent. The largest resi- dential increase in market val- ue, based on sales prior to Jan- uary 1, 2005, was Scappoose, where vacant land values in- creased by 16 percent and im- proved properties increased by 6 percent. Commercial and Industrial property values in the rural ar- eas of the county as well as in the cities of Rainier, Clatskanie and Vernonia increased 10 per- cent. Most of the remaining market values in the county in- creased by no more than 5 per- cent. Columbia County Asses- sor Sue Poling pointed out that property taxes are based on assessed values, not on real market values (RMV). The as- sessed value is the lower of real market value or the maxi- mum assessed value. Columbia County’s total as- sessed value this year is $3,259,470,631 or 5.43 percent higher than last year. The in- crease is a combination of the three percent increase in as- sessed value and new con- struction. At least one third of the tax bill is due by November 15. Payments that are mailed need to be postmarked by the 15th. The second and third install- ments are due by February 15 and May 16, however the County does not send out statements for the February or May due dates. Property owners who pay the entire amount due by No- vember 15 will receive a three percent discount. If two thirds of the bill is paid by November 15, a two percent discount of that amount will be allowed. Payments can be made at any branch of the St Helens Federal Community Credit Union, Wauna Federal Credit Union’s Clatskanie, Vernonia and St. Helens branches, and Bank of the West in St Helens. Payment cannot be taken by the banks, if taxes are owing from previous years. Property owners may appeal the value of their property. However, if the appeal results in a lower market value, there would be a reduction in the tax- es due only if the market value falls below the assessed value. The deadline for filing an ap- peal is January 3, 2006. Appeal forms are available from the county clerk or county asses- sor’s offices.