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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 20, 2006)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, July 20, 2006 Vernonia citizens show continued interest in Council meetings The July 17, Vernonia City Council meeting started with comments from citizens. After an explanation from Mayor Sal- ly Harrison that action cannot be taken on items brought up during this comment period (see related information in the Opinion section on page 2) Cindy Ball commented on the fact that at this meeting, there was no council packet for the audience. Helen Johnston then said, “Since we are being edu- cated, can we know how to get something on the agenda?” Mike Seager then told council it was unacceptable that the pub- lic cannot get a packet of infor- mation in order to be informed and that it is unacceptable to have to pay $12.00 for said packet. Interim city administra- tor Dick Kline told the audience that this is the first community he has been in where council packets were generally avail- able, due to costs, but that the packet will be available in PDF form online at the city’s website the Thursday or Friday before meeting dates. Helen Johnston spoke again to say, “Being as we are going to start running a meeting like it’s supposed to be run when is there a question and answer period for citizens, when can an exchange take place?” Mayor Harrison an- swered that town hall meetings are for information exchange with citizens. George Tice told the audi- ence that he had met with Mr. Kline and a representative from Kennedy/Jenks (the engineers on the sewer project) and Mr. Kline now has a book in his of- fice, Everything you want to know about Vernonia Sewer . Tice went on to say the first meeting of the sewer advisory committee would be held this Wednesday (July 19). Mayor Harrison reinstated the Airport Advisory Committee that recently met and asked them to continue to meet and advise the council on recom- mended actions for best use of the airport. Kline told those in atten- dance that his door is open, the phone works and he likes to get information where and when he can and likes to give informa- tion. He went on to say that the community is to be congratulat- ed on being an active, involved community that has accom- plished many things. After two executive ses- sions, council came back to unanimously approve, with two changes to the language, the police contracts. On the final agenda item, council voted to pay a 3-day penalty (no addi- tional information on this item was provided) and to re-open the Director of Public Works 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 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 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 7:00 p.m., WGS Library Vernonia Grange 3rd Monday 7:00 p.m., Grange Hall Vernonia Health Center 2nd Monday 6:00 p.m., 510 Bridge St. Vernonia Learning Center 1st & Last Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Parks Committee 3rd Tuesday 6:30 p.m., City Hall 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 2nd Friday 1:00 p.m., Senior Center Vernonia Transfer Station 2nd & 4th Saturdays 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.Behind VHS 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 S M 2 9 16 23 30 3 10 17 24 31 position instead of waiting for the regular city administrator to be hired and then to hire for this position. In other business, Council: • re-appointed Don Wallace to the Planning Commission. • approved the interim su- perintendent contract. • told the planning commis- Kline keeps “Open door policy” that it’s appropriate and re- sponsive.” He went on to say he is very impressed with the level of motivation and enthusi- asm shown by the City Council. Kline and his wife, Mary, live in Cornelius and have five grown children, four daughters and one son. Look for him around town, or go visit him at City Hall, he has an “open door” policy for the citizens of Vernonia. From page 1 to prioritize the other projects the city has going, so decisions can be made about what to do with the available staff and dol- lars. When asked about his man- agement style, Kline respond- ed, “I like to work with people, I’m a retailer at heart, I like to be involved with committees and commissions. I’m not a loner. I like to make sure when I’m representing government JULY 2006 T W T F 5 12 19 26 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 sion to look at drafting an ordi- nance on “regulated uses,” which include gambling, adult book shops and other adult businesses. The next regularly sched- uled council meeting will be Au- gust 7, at 7:00 p.m. at Vernonia City Hall. 6 13 20 27 S 1 8 15 22 29 S M 6 13 20 27 7 14 21 28 AUGUST 2006 T W T 2 3 1 9 10 8 15 16 17 22 23 24 29 30 31 F 4 11 18 25 S 5 12 19 26 S 3 10 17 24 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 SEPTEMBER 2006 T W T F 1 5 6 4 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29 M S 2 9 16 23 30 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 7:00 p.m., Methodist Church Alcoholics Anonymous Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Methodist 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. 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.
