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The INDEPENDENT, November 17, 2005
Wastewater improvements will require increased sewer rates
A public hearing on Waste-
water Rehabilitation preceded
the Vernonia City Council
meeting on November 7. Infor-
mation presented by Kennedy/
Jenks Consultants showed
that, in order to meet the limits
set by DEQ and other stan-
dards, upgrades and new facil-
ities are needed to add enough
storage capacity to avoid dis-
charging partially treated water
into the Nehalem River be-
tween May 1 and October 31.
New pumps will be needed
at the main pump station, plus
a better metering system and
flood proofing. Pump station 2
on Mist Dr. needs air vacuum
release valves, a flowmeter
and a bypass. A new pump sta-
tion needs to be added near the
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treatment plant with a pig
launch (pig launch is the term
used for the site where a pipe
cleaning instrument is loaded
into the system).
The treatment facility needs
a new screen to pick up ‘rags’
(the term used for paper in the
sewer system) and compact
them, so they can go into a
dumpster for pick up and re-
moval. The lagoons need to be
enlarged and have propellers
added to decrease oxygen de-
mand and help them work
quicker. Some work is needed
in lining lagoons; a new chlo-
rine chamber and membranes
need to be installed to remove
waste particles, algae and tur-
bidity. Additional land is needed
for an infiltration cell and irriga-
tion field. Other uses for the
cleaned water (not drinkable)
also need to be found.
The cost for the wastewater
upgrade is estimated at $9.5
million plus ongoing additional
expenses of up to $400,000 per
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
4:00 p.m., City Hall
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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year in operating costs. Fund-
ing will derive from a combina-
tion of grants, increased sewer
fees, and increased property
taxes. Users may see sewer
fees go up from $37.00 per
month to $74.00 per month or
more.
During the council meeting
after the public hearing, Ver-
nonia resident Pat Sipes told
council she had slipped and
fallen on the bridge at Ander-
son Park and the city’s insurer
told her that Oregon law (ORS
105.676 and 105.682) gives
recreational immunity to the
city against liability for injuries
that occur on recreational land.
Sipes said she would like to
see the bridge maintained to
reduce the likelihood of injuries
and/or a sign warning people
that the bridge is slippery.
Mayor Sally Harrison ap-
pointed Robyn Bassett, Jeff
Burch, Paul Epler, Mathew
Workman, Glenda DeLemos,
John Lewis, and Dan Brown to
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a Hazard Mitigation Committee.
City Administrator Robyn Bas-
sett explained that Columbia
County has done most of the
work on a Hazard Mitigation
Plan but that it needs to be tai-
lored for Vernonia.
In unanimous votes, council
directed staff to determine
available opportunities for de-
velopment of city properties for
purposes of economic develop-
ment and to ensure that the Joy
Theater is identified as a poten-
tial public facility and to begin to
evaluate the feasibility of devel-
opment.
In other business, council:
• Set a workshop on the
Parking Plan for November 21
at 7:00 p.m.
• Granted a variance to John
Fry to live in a trailer parked on
private property on Adams Ave.
He will need to reapply for the
variance within the time frame
specified in the city ordinance.
• Agreed to ban remote con-
Please see page 5
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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
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JANUARY 2006
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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.