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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2009)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, August 6, 2009 New complaint is brought to council about interim police chief Horse poop was discussed at Vernonia’s City Council meetings at both the July 20 and the August 3 meetings. On July 20, many humorous ideas were put forth for dealing with horse manure on the path from Anderson Park to the lake (Webb Way) and around the lake. At the August 3 meeting, George Bellingham, a member and past president of the Ver- nonia Ridge Riders, told coun- cil that the Ridge Riders have hired a crew to police Webb Way for horse poop. Belling- ham went on to say that when he has seen people not clean- ing up after their horses he has explained to them the reason cowboy boots are also called “s-kickers”. Vernonia has a new Reserve Police Officer after Brent Thompson was sworn in at the August 3 meeting by Interim Chief Mike Kay. Mayor Sally Harrison had the honor of pin- ning on Thompson’s badge. Thompson graduated from Ver- nonia High School in 2007 and is enrolled in the Criminal Jus- tice program at Monmouth Uni- versity. Bill Sword spoke from the floor, on July 20, to tell council, “I just got some information that thrilled me no end. When the people were here from FEMA, I talked to them and told them Mayor Harrison congratulates new Vernonia Police Depart- ment Reserve Officer Brent Thompson. the flood was incremental, not an ‘event’ and,” their accept- ance of that fact increased the dollars they will give us by about 50%. Two councilors, Brett Cost- ley and Kevin Hudson, spoke at the July 20 meeting in re- sponse to what Hudson called, “false and inaccurate informa- tion presented in one of he lo- cal publications.” Hudson went on to say, “I whole heartedly support and believe in the right to express your opinions freely and openly, and I encourage everyone to do so.” He went on to emphasize, “There is a dif- ference between expressing your opinion and making false accusations or unsubstantiated claims.” As in the past, no specifics were presented as to what the ‘false accusations or unsubstantiated claims’ were, nor have there been any re- quests that corrections or clari- fications be printed. Interim Police Chief Mike Kay came under fire, again, at the August 3 meeting. Former Vernonia resident Milton Den- nis told council that on Wednesday, July 29, he ran into previous police chief Jim Walters who suggested that some items stolen from Dennis years ago might be at the po- lice station. Dennis then saw Mike Kay finishing a traffic stop and asked him about checking for that stolen property. The of- ficer asked for the serial num- bers and Dennis told him those should be on file from the origi- nal report. Dennis said the offi- cer got very rude with him, threatened to arrest him, threatened to pepper spray him and told him he was under ar- rest. In Dennis’ words, “We got into a p---ing match and he was disrespectful. I don’t think the city needs a lawsuit. I will file a report.” At the City Attorney’s See Council, page 5 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.