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.