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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 2009)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, January 15, 2009 Johnson will continue as Vernonia Interim administrator With Vernonia’s new City Council in place, the first regu- lar city council meeting of the year took place on January 5. The only change to the council is that Kevin Hudson replaced Steve Whiteman. Mayor Sally Kevin Hudson, above, is the newest Vernonia City Coun- cilor. Harrison and Councilors Randy Parrow and Kevin Hudson had already been sworn in at an emergency meeting on Janu- ary 1. That meeting was neces- sitated by storm forecasts (see related story on recent weather events). Councilor Cindy Ball was elected council president. The council president presides over meetings whenever the mayor is unable to attend. Vernonia’s Interim Chief of Police Mike Kay swore in the newest member of Vernonia’s police force, Sean Carnahan. Carnahan had been volunteer- ing as a reserve officer during December and went on the payroll as of January 1. New members were appoint- ed to city committees. Dan Brown and Sharon Parrow were re-appointed to the Plan- ning Commission and a new member, Alan MacComb, was appointed. With these appoint- ments, there is still one opening on the Planning Commission. Karen Wall-Mains was appoint- ed to the Vernonia Community Learning Center Committee and Jerry Keenon and Scott Laird were re-appointed to the Parks Committee. Michael and Jenny Skillin, who have been Anderson Park Hosts for about a month, told council they were unsure why they have been asked to leave and requested an extension. Interim City Administrator Jim Johnson told the Skillins that the City has decided to “look at a different direction” for park hosting and approved a 30-day extension for the Skillins to re- locate. After one letter from a multi- unit rental owner and one in at- tendance at the meeting told council that their utility bills went up $360.00 and $540.00, Johnson told council that this was caused by the city chang- ing over to charge per equiva- lent dwelling unit (EDU) rather than per meter. Johnson agreed to send this issue back to the Public Works Committee for review. In other business, council; • heard that the second reading of the “dangerous building” ordinance would be delayed while the city attorney reviewed the impact of an exist- ing ordinance (855) on this new ordinance. • heard from Johnson that he will be able to continue as Inter- im City Administrator for up to another six months, if needed, while council continues work to hire a city administrator. The next regular council meeting will be held January 19 at City Hall starting at 7:00 p.m. Community relieved that preparations were not needed From page 1 dle School cafeteria, and about 170 citizens were given infor- mation about the preparedness measures that were in place. Shelters were ready if needed, school was cancelled for Thursday, January 8, to reduce traffic in case of high water. Cit- izen comments were positive about the efforts made to pre- pare, the CAN phone system and the public meeting. When morning came on January 8, it was obvious that the storm had stalled over Washington, which experi- enced heavy flooding. Vernon- ia area residents heaved a sigh of relief as the Nehalem crest- ed at 11 feet, again causing only minor flooding to low-lying areas. With that storm past, subsequent forecasts have been for mostly clear skies and no large storm systems. 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 2nd Wednesday 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, 3rd & 4th Tuesday 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 Tuesday Times vary, 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.
