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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2008)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, August 7, 2008 Council appoints Cindy Ball to vacancy, identifies City priorities Prior to the start of the July 21 Vernonia City Council meet- ing, the council held interviews with the five applicants for the open council position created when Shirlee Daughtry re- signed. The five applicants were Mike Seager, Karen Wall, Andy Nebergall, Cindy Ball, and Kevin Hudson. After inter- viewing each and deliberating amongst themselves, the coun- cil unanimously voted for Cindy Ball. As Councilor Brett Costley put it, Ball “has experience and can hit the ground running.” Ball previously served as a councilor and was mayor when citizen complaints resulted in a mediated town hall meeting, af- ter ongoing issues with then Chief of Police Cahill were not resolved by council action. Cahill eventually quit to train police officers in Afghanistan and Ball finished her term, but did not seek re-election. Discussion, started on July 21, regarding cracks in the walls at City Hall was complet- ed at the August 4 meeting, af- ter an engineer was brought in to assess the building. The structural engineer’s report in- dicated that the cracks are cos- metic in nature and probably a result of the building continuing to settle, and that no action is required at this time. Interim City Administrator Jim Johnson told council that Dick Kline’s last day has come and gone and that City Planner Aldie Howard resigned effec- tive July 18. Howard’s resigna- tion letter said, “It is with a sigh of relief and a moment of regret that I herewith tender my resig- nation from the position of Planning Director for the City of Vernonia, Oregon, effective im- mediately. What a great trip it has been for me…little rough in spots but overall an experience that I will cherish forever. Good Luck in the future.” Gene Winningham told council that he would like to see golf cart use be permitted as they are cheaper to use, and encouraged council to see if legislation can be changed to allow their use prior to the po- lice department “getting strong- ly into enforcement.” At the July 21 meeting, council completed question- naires, provided by Johnson, on city priorities. At the August 4 meeting Johnson and council discussed the resulting priori- ties list. The items listed as the highest priority included finan- cial forecasting of General Fund resources, work on natu- ral water storage basin (to re- duce water flow in winter and in- crease in summer), updating the Wastewater Facilities Plan then on to the design phase, sludge removal from the wastewater la- goons, participating with Oregon Solutions on school siting, and finding funding to replace the fourth police officer position in the budget, and finding grants or other funding for police equip- ment, etc. Council approved awarding a contract to S-2 Contractors for street repairs on portions of Weed Ave., Maple St., Adams Ave., State Ave., Heather Lane, part of the intersection of Mist Dr. and Birch St., and Washing- ton Ave. Repair costs of $132,810.50 will be paid by FEMA and a special public works grant from the State of Oregon. In other business, council: • agreed to solicit applica- tions for a community member to serve on the Unmet Needs Committee. • agreed to extend the dead- line for relocating D.A.D.’s Re- cycling from July 31 to August 31 while the DeWebers work on other siting options. Council asked the DeWebers to keep them updated on their progress. • heard Garrett Abney’s (Gadget’s Gadgets) opinion that a heat pump should be in- stalled to replace City Hall’s broken air conditioner unit. • saw schematic drawings of the plan for this year’s work on the Bicycle Skills Park. Council approved spending $931 of grant funds on this work. The next council meeting will be August 18, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. Town Hall meeting on hazard mitigation From page 1 and subjects of these meetings will be available at City Hall, Columbia County Flood Relief Center (The Vernonia Commu- nity Learning Center), as well as on their websites, www.ver- nonia-or.gov and www.vernoni- aflood.com, approximately one week before each meeting. Community Calendar VERNONIA Alcoholics Anonymous Monday 6:30 p.m., 410 North Street American Legion Post #119 2nd Thursday 7:00 p.m., 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 6:30 p.m., City Hall CERT 4th Wednesday For Info Call 503-429-3018 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 503-429-4250 Friends of the Library 1st Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2 For Info Call 503-819-0143 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 Municipal Airport Committee 4th Thursday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Narcotics Anonymous Saturdays 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street Pioneer Museum For Info Call 503-429-3713 Public Works Committee 4th Tuesday 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 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 Wednesday 6:00 p.m., VLC Vernonia Parks Committee 3rd Wednesday 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 6:00 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 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 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 7:30 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 Library Commission 3rd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Library 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. Quarterly For Info call 503-397-7211 Comm. on Children & Families 3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30 Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm. Quarterly For Info call 503-397-7211 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.
