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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 2007)
The INDEPENDENT, July 19, 2007 Page 5 Skills Park project obtains $245,000 grant, 40% match is needed From page 1 Andersen said the Parks Com- mittee understood at that time that there would be follow through on this, but it continues and she finds it distressing. The flagpole, though in a city park, is owned by the Vernonia Lion’s Club. Scott Laird told council that the Bicycle Skills Park is under development and that they just found out they received a $245,000 State Parks grant, which will be used for Phase II of the project, thanks to Bill Hansen’s work on the grant writing. The $245,000 grant re- quires a city match of 40 per- cent (stated as $123,000 though 40% of $245,000 is $98,000) in in-kind donations. Laird went on to say the city has two years to find funding to make that match. Phase I is al- ready fully funded, according to Laird, after receiving $15,000 in grants that don’t require a match. A $4,800 contract (part of received grants) for Ric Bal- Hazardous waste collection on July 28 Fairview Police Officer Doug Absoe with Thor, a son of Ver- nonia’s police dog, Kreuger, relaxing outside Vernonia City Hall before Thor was presented to the Fairview Department. Burn season restrictions in effect From page 1 tection District: • Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in closed vehi- cles on improved roads. • Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warm- ing fires, except at designated locations. Wood burning de- vices used in conjunction with temporary dwellings, including tents and trailers, is prohibited. Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are al- lowed. • Non-industrial chain saw use is prohibited, except as waived by the Forester. Current waiver allows power saw use until 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, or after 8:00 p.m. in the eve- ning. The following equipment must be provided with each power saw as a condition of the current waiver: a .023” spark arresting screen in good condi- tion and fit; a long handled shovel and an 8 oz. or larger fire extinguisher; in addition, a 60-minute fire watch is required following power saw use. • Use of motorized vehicles, including motorcycles and all terrain vehicles, is prohibited, except on improved roads. • Possession of the following fire fighting equipment is re- quired while traveling, except on state and county roads: one gallon of water or one opera- tional 2-1/2 pound or larger fire extinguisher and one shovel. • Use of fireworks is prohibited. • Cutting, grinding and weld- ing of metal is prohibited. In addition, the Industrial Fire Precaution Level for forest operations moved to Level II on July 9. This level, commonly called a “Partial Hootowl”, re- quires shutdown of certain ac- tivities between the hours of 1:00 and 8:00 p.m. For current information, con- tact the Columbia City office of the Oregon Department of Forestry at 503-397-2636 or go to http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/ FIRE/precautionlevel.shtml. The July monthly Household Hazardous Waste collection will be held Saturday, July 28, 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Co- lumbia County Household Haz- ardous Waste (HHW) Intake Facility at 1601 Railroad Ave., St. Helens, near Wal-Mart). The HHW facility can accept the following items: Paints and stains; pool and spa chemi- cals; pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and poisons; motor oil, antifreeze and other automotive fluids; thinners and solvents; household cleaners and disin- fectants; batteries; art and hob- by chemicals; aerosol spray products; propane tanks or bot- tles from barbecue grills; fluo- rescent lamps and ballasts; mercury (ie., thermometers, etc.). Unacceptable items include radioactive material; standard household garbage; explosives including ammunition; bio- medical waste. Water-based latex paints, antifreeze, used motor oil and automotive batteries can be re- cycled at the Transfer Station anytime. For more information about contact Columbia County Solid Waste Administrator Bill Potter at 503-397-7213. four to continue as project man- ager was to be reviewed by the Parks Committee at their July 18 meeting. Administrator Kline told council that he is working on converting the budget system to the new software, but does not yet have the payroll or bill paying portion ready to go. Councilor Brett Costley re- ported to council that the gate- way project did not overspend its funds. He said costs for the pocket park project were incor- rectly credited to the gateway project, but this has been ad- justed. In other business, council; • approved the second read- ing of Reimbursement District Ordinance changes required due to scrivener’s errors, • approved transfer of $18,100 in funds needed to lease two police cars with cam- eras, • approved (with Costley vot- ing nay) a letter to be sent to ODOT asking them to change the speed limit on Bridge Street, from Rose Ave. to the Rock Creek Bridge, from 25 mph to 20 mph, • declared a 2001 Crown Victoria, used by the police, as surplus property for disposal, • approved a request from Dana Roach of Black Bear Cof- fee Company to close the pock- et park beside his business, during Jamboree, in order to keep beer and wine from leav- ing the area.
