PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. Postage Paid
Vernonia, OR 97064
Permit No. 37
“Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley”
Vol. 22, No. 7
Fund transfers backfill
shortfall in city budget
Wearing o’ the green
Former owner and co-founder of The Independent , Noni Andersen, was honored as the Grand
Marshall of the 2007 Vernonia St. Patrick’s Day parade. More parade pictures are on page 24.
Open house set
on ODOT plans for
Staley’s Junction,
Hwy 47 interchange
The Oregon Department of
Transportation (ODOT) will
hold its fourth project open
house for a new interchange at
Staley’s Junction on Thursday,
April 12, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.
at Banks Public Library Com-
munity Room, 111 Market St.,
Banks.
ODOT and consultant staff
will be available to answer
questions about the project
and discuss the latest inter-
change concept and access to
local roads – particularly Fisher
Road. This is an informal drop-
in meeting.
ODOT began the planning
phase for the Staley’s Junction
interchange in 2006. Construc-
tion is currently slated for 2009.
For more information about the
project, call 503-731-8247 or
email Lili.D.Gordon @odot.sta
te.or.us.
Vanpooling may work to
ease commute fuel costs
On Tuesday, April 24, at 7:00
p.m., the Vernonia Community
Learning Center will host an in-
formational meeting about van-
pooling options that are avail-
able to commuters in Vernonia
who work in Portland or Wash-
ington County. The presenta-
tion will be given by Mary Ann
Aschenbrenner from Metro,
and will offer possible options
included in the DriveLess/
SaveMore campaign.
A vanpool is a group of five
to 15 commuters with a similar
origin, work destination and
shift, who ride to work together
each day. Vanpooling is a high-
ly efficient and cost effective
way to ride to work, particularly
over long distances. Com-
muters who ride in vanpools
save money by reducing the
cost of maintenance on their
own vehicles and splitting the
cost of gasoline with other rid-
ers. Vanpool riders from Ver-
April 5, 2007
nonia could save as much as
$200 a month. There are also
savings in time. An average
commuter spends eight hours
each week behind the wheel of
a car – equivalent to working
an extra day each week. Van-
pool riders can relax, read,
work on their laptop, or take a
nap. As a member of a vanpool
you will also be doing your part
to reduce traffic congestion and
improve air quality, all while
saving money.
More information about
Metro’s vanpooling program
will be presented at the infor-
mational meeting. ‘
At the March 19 Vernonia
City Council meeting, during a
public hearing on the city’s sup-
plemental budget, City Admin-
istrator Dick Kline outlined the
fund transfers that were adopt-
ed at the April 2 council meet-
ing. Interfund transfers of up to
$200,000 and $65,000 from the
Sewer Rehab Fund to the Gen-
eral and Sewer Funds, respec-
tively; and up to $30,000 from
the Water SDC Fund to the
Water Fund were necessary to
cover the $384,000 shortfall in
the Community Development
Fund and the loan reserves
that were required but were not
in place. The amounts ‘bor-
rowed’ from one fund to anoth-
er will need to be replaced dur-
ing the next fiscal year, and will
be included in the regular
budget process. The amounts
moved represent just under
five percent of the total city
budget of over $7 million.
Waste Management sent a
letter to the city with new rates
to be effective at the Vernonia
Transfer Station starting in
April. The minimum charge will
now be $23.00 for the first cu-
bic yard and $16.00 for each
additional cubic yard. Tires off
rim will be $5.50 while tires on
rim will increase to $11.00.
Semi tires off rim will cost
$12.00 and on rim will be
$24.00. Appliances will be ac-
cepted at a cost of $15.00 and
automotive batteries goes up to
$3.00 each.
The April 2 meeting started
with a Town Hall on lowering
the speed limit on Bridge Street
in the business district (Rose to
Adams) from 25 mph to 20
mph. Five citizens spoke in fa-
vor of lowering the speed limit,
three spoke against and two
spoke who were neutral. Coun-
cilor Steve Whiteman said he
drove the section numerous
times at both speeds and found
that, if he didn’t have to stop or
slow down for pedestrians or
traffic, it took 17 seconds
longer to go from the flashing
light to the Rock Creek Bridge
at 20 mph than at 25 mph. No
final decision was made at this
meeting.
In other business, council:
• gave approval for an ama-
teur botanist who collects spec-
imens for Oregon State Univer-
sity to collect plants in the Ver-
nonia area to increase the col-
lection;
• approved increases in
cemetery fees;
• accepted resignations from
Gina Lende (budget commit-
tee) and Michael Dickey (plan-
ning commission);
• heard that Triad is approxi-
mately two months behind
schedule on construction of
phase I of the wastewater treat-
ment upgrades;
• approved Larry Snethen’s
request to place a second tem-
porary structure by the Old
Sawmill Eatery at Vernonia
Lake to be used as a shaded
rest area;
Please see page 5
Easter Egg hunt will be Saturday
Don’t miss the annual Easter
Egg Hunt in Hawkins Park, Ver-
nonia, presented by the Ver-
nonia Community PTA.
Children up to 10 years of
age are invited to hunt for eggs
on Saturday, April 7, starting at
10:00 a.m. (don’t be late, they
really do start on time). There
will be separate areas for spe-
cific age groups.
The Easter Bunny will be
available for pictures with the
children so bring your camera.