Page 4
The INDEPENDENT, May 21, 2009
FEMA changes will benefit more Vernonia homes, Council told
Jim Tierney, from the Colum-
bia County Unmet Needs Com-
mittee, gave Vernonia’s City
Council some good news at
their May 18 meeting. Tierney
told council that FEMA has de-
termined that homes that were
not ‘substantially damaged’ in
the Flood of 2007 but have a
Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) of
1.0 or above should be able to
receive funds to elevate. Ac-
cording to Tierney, the BCAs
are now based on the premise
that the Flood of 2007 was a
44-45 year event, rather than
what’s termed a “100 year
event” (which doesn’t mean it
won’t happen again for 100
years).
“We thought we could lift 20-
25 houses, now we could prob-
ably lift every house in town,”
said Tierney. As a result, he
asked for and received council
approval on a cap of $10,000
per home from CDBG (grant
funds) to help pay the 25 per-
cent that FEMA doesn’t fund for
these elevations. Tierney also
received approval from council
to set $40,000 as the cap for
CDBG funds for acquisitions
(buyouts). This is an increase
from the amount previously ap-
proved.
Howard Webb, Director of
the American Council on Crimi-
nal Justice Training (ACCJT),
reported to council on his in-
vestigation (on behalf of the
city’s insurance company) into
the Taser use by Vernonia Po-
lice on March 20. He said one
person “jumped up, became
combative, made threats, was
cuffed, then uncuffed to use the
bathroom, then became com-
bative and a Taser was used.”
Webb said the Taser use was
within guidelines and his only
criticism would be of the
younger officer who removed
the handcuffs. “That allowed
the subject to become combat-
ive again, but it’s better to err in
trying to help a person,” said
Webb. “If anything, they used
less force than they could have,
they used great restraint. I
would have used more control,”
Webb concluded. Interim City
Administrator Jim Johnson said
that a report from another
source will be coming in about
two weeks. The reason for two
use of force reviews wasn’t
stated, but the fact that Interim
Police Chief Mike Kay referred
to himself on several websites
as an ACCJT Asst. Director, as
recently as July 2008, may
have played a role in the deci-
sion.
Johnson also asked council
to think about reorganizing the
police department so they can
discuss the matter further at a
future meeting. He suggested
that hiring an ‘administrator’
chief part-time while having a
captain, sergeant and two pa-
trol officers might be a better
use of funds and resources
than hiring a ‘patrol’ chief.
In other business, council:
• Approved fireworks to be
held June 20 across from
Hawkins Park in conjunction
with the KUPL event;
• received a plaque from
Metro West Ambulance in
thanks for allowing them to
serve Vernonia;
• gave consensus to the
Mayor who then appointed
Grant Williams to the Planning
Commission. Williams recently
sent a letter to the city express-
ing his interest and willingness
to serve on the commission;
• accepted the only bid of-
fered ($300) for the Public
Works truck surplused about
three months ago. Usually
Council would not be involved
in surplus sales, but was asked
for approval because the sole
bid was from the son of a city
employee;
• unanimously approved the
second reading of an ordinance
removing the requirement for
citizens to obtain a permit from
City Hall before holding garage
sales;
• held a budget meeting. The
next budget meeting (open to
public comment) will be May
21, starting at 7:00 p.m. at City
Hall.
The next council meeting is
scheduled for June 1.
Blog and Twitter add
to county disaster
communications
Columbia County Emergen-
cy Management is reaching out
to citizens using new forms of
media.
The agency, which deals
with local disaster prepared-
ness and response planning,
has recently started a blog that
it will use to provide updated in-
formation about preparedness
and disaster information to the
citizens of Columbia County.
See BLOG, page 5
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
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
2nd 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
Upper Nehalem Watershed Council
For Info Call 503-429-0869
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 429-0869
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
9:00 a.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
1:00 p.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
6:00 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.