PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. Postage Paid
Vernonia, OR 97064
Permit No. 37
Vol. 24, No. 11
“Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley”
June 4, 2009
Bob Young will take the helm as Vernonia City Administrator.
Senator Ron Wyden answered citizens’ questions at his Columbia County Town Hall meeting in Ver-
nonia last month. A report on the meeting is on page 4.
Vernonia budget goes to council Law enforcement
for public hearing and adoption
decimated in
The Vernonia Budget Com- past year, according to Finan-
Columbia County
mittee has approved the 2009- cial Manager Susan Spicer
2010 budget. The next step will
be the the Budget Public Hear-
ing on June 15, for citizen in-
put, adoption of the budget by
the City Council.
The budget summary pre-
pared by Interim City Adminis-
trator Jim Johnson, as of May
11, proposed a total budget of
$11,426,199; this year’s budget
is $8,486,418. The proposed
budget maintained current
services while adding limited
new spending, primarily from
grants. The budget was pre-
pared without being able to ref-
erence the 2007-08 audit,
which hasn’t been completed.
The city’s auditors had not
picked up the financial informa-
tion for the audit as of May 21.
That’s a very late audit, the re-
sult of personnel and financial
data system changes in the
Pond.
Some changes are the addi-
tion of a part-time public works
director, a full-time city admin-
istrator, and the continuation of
a full-time finance director. Ser-
vice levels are expected to stay
the same in all departments,
though street cleaning was not
included in the budget.
One item under considera-
tion by City Council is whether
to restructure the police depart-
ment by hiring a part-time Chief
for administrative (not patrol)
functions, while adding a Cap-
tain’s position, keeping the
Sergeant position and having
two patrol positions. This plan
would allow for 24-hour police
patrol. Johnson will provide a fi-
nancial impact statement on
these proposed changes to the
June 15 City Council meeting.
Fourteen employees of the
Columbia County Sheriff’s Of-
fice have received notice that
they will be laid off, effective
August 1, because of the loss
of more than $1 million in antic-
ipated revenue from jail bed
boarding fees.
A decision by the U.S. Mar-
shals Service (USMS) in Port-
land to divert a large portion of
the current bed usage in Co-
lumbia County to Multnomah
County means that Columbia
County Sheriff Jeff Dickerson
must deal with a $1.2 million
dollar shortfall in expected rev-
enue.
A decision by the U.S. Mar-
shals Service (USMS) in Port-
land to divert a large portion of
the current bed usage in Co-
lumbia County to Multnomah
See Marshall’s, page 5
City administrator announced
Robert L. “Bob” Young has
accepted the position of Ver-
nonia City Administrator. His
first day at City Hall will be
June 22, 2009. Young was one
of three candidates interviewed
for the position on May 17.
Three panels – one made up of
city councilors, one of city em-
ployees and one of community
members – interviewed each
candidate before the job was
offered to Young.
Young was the mayor (1998-
2005) and acting city adminis-
trator (2001-2005) in Bonney
Lake, Washington, before re-
turning to college at the Univer-
sity of Washington to earn his
Master’s degree in Public Ad-
ministration in 2008. Before be-
ing elected Mayor of Bonney
Lake, Young served that com-
munity on the Planning Com-
mission and on the School Dis-
trict Recreation Board, among
other positions. Bonney Lake
has a population of about
16,000 and a budget of over
$50 million.
Young first became aware of
Vernonia over 25 years ago be-
cause of his brother, a retired
Oregon State Patrolman, liked
Vernonia. What does Young
think about 2009 Vernonia?
Young said, “Vernonia is a city
with huge challenges and op-
portunities as it recovers from
the flooding. I have sensed the
optimism of the Mayor and City
Council, as well as the commu-
nity. I look forward to working
with the Council and citizens as
together we face these chal-
lenges and continue to make
Vernonia a great place to live.
There is a great future here,
and I am delighted that I am
going to be a part of it.”
Current Interim City Admin-
istrator Jim Johnson will still be
around to help with Young’s
transition and also plans to stay
involved in several Vernonia
projects.
Look for Young and his wife,
Connie, around town in a cou-
ple of weeks after they move
into their rental home. Vernonia
hasn’t had a local administrator
since 2006.
BHS Graduation, June 5, 7 PM ≈≈ Congratulations Class of 2009 ≈≈ VHS Graduation, June 6, 2 PM