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The INDEPENDENT, October 20, 2005
Gifts to City: Paid intern and Cycle Oregon earnings
City administrator Robyn
Bassett introduced Ben Shu-
maker to the Vernonia City
Council at the start of the Octo-
ber 17 council meeting. Shu-
maker, an intern financed by a
grant from Resource Assis-
tance for Rural Environments
(RARE) will work with the city
for eleven months. His primary
responsibilities will be work on
planning and other projects.
“I like the way the communi-
ty looks and I am proud to be a
part of it,” Shumaker told the
council.
The council recessed for a
workshop on fireworks displays
at Vernonia Lake. The impact
of fireworks on wildlife, the
economy/tourism, fire safety,
quality of life/events, domestic
animals and the environment
were identified by those pres-
ent. Council identified addition-
al information they would like to
have before completing the
workshop process.
After reconvening the regu-
lar meeting, Bassett reported
that, beginning in July 2006,
the city will assume the building
permit duties that the county
has been handling for Vernon-
ia. By that time, the city must
have inspectors and building
code information available to
the public. Bassett said she ex-
pects this to be a positive
change for Vernonia residents,
eliminating the need for them to
go to St. Helens for information
and inspections.
Council set November 7 as
the date for a public hearing on
the needed upgrade of the city’s
wastewater facility. Bassett told
council that, in 2001, the esti-
mate for the upgrade was $6.4
million; that figure is now $12.4
million due to increased materi-
al costs. The city is looking for
grant alternatives, but may have
to put a bond measure on next
spring’s ballot.
Mayor Sally Harrison pro-
claimed the month of October
as Vernonia Give Our Troops a
Burt Tschache presented a $500 check from Cycle Oregon to
Mayor Sally Harrison for the Vernonia Learning Center.
Hug month. Vernonia resident
Catherine Ross has placed
drop boxes for cards and letters
to troops at US Bank, City Hall,
Vernonia Auto Parts (NAPA)
and in the U.S. Post Office.
Heather Giles and Randy
Parrow were appointed to the
Airport Committee.
Bassett told council that the
city has received a $25,000
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., Head Start Bldg.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Saturdays
7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg.
American Legion Post #119
2nd Thursday
627 Adams Avenue
Arts & Crafts Society
2nd Thursday
2:00 p.m., City Library
Booster Club
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., VHS Library
Boy Scout Troop 201
Tuesdays
7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin
Boy Scout Troop 860
Wednesdays
7:00 p.m., LDS Church
Cemetery Beautification Comm.
2nd Thursday
7:00 p.m., Leonetti’s Grill
CERT
4th Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-6033
Chamber of Commerce
2nd Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-6081
Community Coalition
2nd Monday
12:30 p.m. School District Ofc.
Cub Scout Pack 201
Scout Cabin
For Info Call 503-429-8133
Doll Club
4th Tuesday
1:00 p.m., Senior Center
Friends of the Library
1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library
Hands On Art Committee
1st & 3rd Thursdays
7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg.
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 503-429-7193
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays 6:30 p.m., Buckhorn Restaurant
Nehalem Valley Car Club
For Info Call 503-429-4074
Pioneer Museum
For Info Call 503-429-3713
Preschool Story Hour
Mondays
10:30 a.m., City Library
Upper Nehalem C.P.A.C.
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Venturing Crew 201
1st & 3rd Thursdays 5:30 p.m., Buckhorn Restaurant
Vernonia Airport Committee
3rd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Cares Directors
For Info call 503-429-1414
Vernonia City Council
1st & 3rd Mondays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Community PTA
3rd Thursday
6:30 p.m., WGS Library
Vernonia Grange
4th Saturday
10:30 a.m., Grange Hall
Vernonia Health Center
2nd Monday
6:00 p.m., 510 Bridge St.
Vernonia Planning Comm.
1st & 3rd Thursdays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Pride
3rd Thursday
1:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Ridge Riders
Last Thursday
7:00 p.m., Senior Center
Vernonia RFPD Board
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia School Board
2nd Thursday
6:00 p.m., District Office
Vernonia Sr. Center Board
3rd Friday
1:00 p.m., Senior Center
Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st Thursday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters
2nd Monday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
WOEC Directors
3rd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., WOEC
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SCA grant to be used in 2006
to resurface East Avenue.
The next meeting of the Ver-
nonia City Council will be at
7:00 p.m. on November 7 at
city hall.
Loans are available from the
Washington/Columbia County
Farm Service Agency (FSA) for
qualified women and minorities
to buy and operate family-
sized farms. FSA reserves a
portion of its loan guarantee
funds to assist socially disad-
vantaged applicants.
Socially
disadvantaged
groups are those whose mem-
bers have been subjected to
racial, ethnic or gender preju-
dice because of their identity
as members of the group with-
out regard to individual quali-
ties. For purposes of FSA’s
loan programs, socially disad-
vantaged groups are women,
African Americans, American
Indians, Alaskan Natives, His-
panics, Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders.
These funds are available to
individuals and entities that are
primarily and directly engaged
Please see page 5
OCTOBER 2005
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MIST-BIRKENFELD
M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg.
2nd Tuesday
M-BRFPD Board Workshop
4th Tuesday
M-B Ambulance Drill
1st & 2nd Thursdays
M-B Fire Drill
1st & 2nd Wednesdays
M-B Helping Circle
2nd Monday
M-B SAR Drill
3rd Wednesday
M-B Volunteer Assoc.
1st Tuesday
Natal Grange
2nd Wednesday
T.O.P.S.
Mondays
Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-2401
DECEMBER 2005
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7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall
6:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Fridays
8:00 p.m., Methodiist Church
American Legion Post #90
2nd Tuesdays
7:30 p.m., Main Street Post
Banks City Council
2nd Tuesday
7:30 p.m., City Hall
Banks Fire District #13
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., Station 13
Banks Planning Commission
Last Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Banks School Board
2nd Monday
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
Banks Youth Group
Sundays, Wednesdays
7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
Chamber of Commerce
1st Thursday
12:30 p.m., Fire District Office
CPO 14
3rd Monday
7:00 p.m., City Library
Friends of the Library
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Library
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Mondays
7:00 p.m., Brown Derby
Sunset Park Assoc.
3rd Wednesday
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
T.O.P.S.
Wednesdays
7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg.
Women’s Aglow
2nd Thursday
7:00 p.m., City Library
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
Wednesdays
10 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
Columbia Soil & Water District
3rd Wednesday
7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes
County Fair Board
2nd Monday
7:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg.
County Parks Commission
3rd Monday
6:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St.
Mental Health Advisory Comm.
3rd Tuesday
10 a.m., 2nd Floor, Courthouse
Comm. on Children & Families
3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 550 N. Hwy. 30
Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm. 2nd Tuesday
3:00 p.m., 2nd Floor, Courthouse
Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The
INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.