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The INDEPENDENT, July 16, 2009
Council meeting leaves Interim Police Chief red in the face
Vernonia’s City Council, at
their July 6 meeting, approved
a new ordinance establishing a
non-smoking area within the
swimming area at Hawkins
Park. This ordinance went into
effect on July 7 and signage
was expected to be in place
that same week.
Most of the rest of the meet-
ing was dedicated to various
police issues. Two citizens, He-
len Hudson and Phyllis Krieger,
spoke up to thank the police.
Hudson said the police did a
good job on the 4th of July.
Krieger said she had, “been
reading articles and other stuff
in the paper. I don’t know if the
letters and stuff are correct but
I know they have been respon-
sive to me. Anytime I or any-
body I know has needed them,
they’ve been there (flood,
snow, whatever).”
Interim Police Chief Mike
Kay provided council with a
copy of the department’s new
Service Level Goals, which in-
clude a goal to respond to high
priority calls in less that 5 min-
utes (on average) and respond
to at least 75 percent of calls
immediately. Another goal is to
have a high profile/high visibili-
ty police patrol: Kay said,
“That’s why we took the time to
get all the cars painted the
same and marked the same.”
Kay told council that the city
needs a School Resource Offi-
cer, but that position will be
filled only if a three-year stimu-
lus grant is received. “I believe
our schools ought to be the
safest place on earth for our
kids,” Kay said. He also told
council that the Vernonia Police
Dept. had 200 police calls for
service at the Vernonia schools
between September 1 and
June 15 of this school year.
Using an agenda item listed
as “Rumors”, Kay went on a bit
of a tirade, at one point red in
the face, voice raised and glar-
ing at recent police critic Ed
Johnson, who was in the back
of the room, while saying “An-
other rumor is that our officers
aren’t committed to this com-
munity. That’s not true, that’s
wrong, our officers are dedicat-
ed. My question to the commu-
nity is ‘Do you want us to go, if
so, what are you going to do
when we’re gone?’” apparently
referring to a letter to the editor
saying that officers should live
in Vernonia. Before that Kay
said, “Regarding the article
about an unjust beating in the
paper…one author said he’s
never called for police, we have
responded there 16 times and
have 11 police reports on the
person we tasered; drug
abuse, runaway. I think the citi-
zens should know the facts. An-
other article in the paper that
was rumor was that the subject
who called for service has had
over 130 calls from that one
household, one involving her
son and a gun. The subject is
also under a stalking order,
she’s the stalker.” Council ap-
peared to appreciate Kay’s
comments, giving him a stand-
ing ovation when he finished
speaking.
After that, the new City Ad-
ministrator, Bob Young, handed
out a letter to the editor (See
page 3 for the version of the let-
ter that was submitted for publi-
cation) regarding the police and
their handling of a recent ar-
rest.
In other business, the coun-
cil:
• approved the second read-
ing of Ordinance 859, repealing
Ordinances 123, 618, 633, 669,
695, 795, 709, 710, 711. 721,
798, 804, 833, and 851. Ordi-
nance 859 now incorporates all
of those previous ordinances
into one land use and develop-
ment code,
• heard Mayor Harrison ap-
point Janelle Cedergreen to fill
a vacancy on the Vernonia
Community Learning Center
Committee,
• were told that the Airport
Committee has approved Mike
Seager’s request to build a new
hangar at Vernonia Airport and
that new lease papers will be
drawn up for this hangar,
• approved a declaration of
surplus on miscellaneous play-
ground equipment and a 500
gallon heating fuel storage
tank,
• heard that the city has a
new Emergency Preparedness
Committee and that members
are being sought. The deadline
for applications for the commit-
tee is today.
The next City Council meet-
ing is scheduled to start at 7:00
p.m. at City Hall on July 20.
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., 410 North Street
Alcoholics Anonymous
Thursdays (Big Book Study) 7:00 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
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
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.