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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 17, 2009)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, September 17, 2009 Hearing held on City urban growth expansion for schools siting The packet of information for the September 8 Vernonia City Council meeting was more than half an inch thick. Most of the paper related to the public hearing on the expansion of the city’s urban growth boundary (UGB) to allow for schools to be built on the ‘boot site’, which in- cludes Spencer Park, plus the land behind and to the right of the park. Prior City Administrator Jim Johnson presented the infor- mation to council for the UGB hearing. For the city’s part, the change would be an amend- ment to the Vernonia Compre- hensive Plan that expands the UGB by three tax lots. These three tax lots are not currently inside the city limits and Ore- gon land use laws require a very complicated process in or- der for cities to expand. The re- ports presented gave back- ground, discussed the school district’s decision-making pro- cess for choosing the site and concluded with, “The proposed plan amendment package com- plies with applicable Statewide Planning Goals and provisions of the Vernonia Comprehensive Plan.” Testimony in favor of the UGB change included a state- ment to the council by Vernonia school board chair, Jim Krahn, that if this change doesn’t hap- pen, “You won’t be here, as there won’t be a city…please move this forward with no changes as quickly as possi- ble.” School district Superinten- dent Dr. Ken Cox said that, if the bond was to fail, they will try again to get a bond passed, and he encouraged council to move this item forward. No one spoke in opposition to the UGB change and the first reading by title of the change was approved. There will be a second reading of the new Or- dinance 862 at the next council meeting. The next step in the process of siting the schools, is that Co- lumbia County must approve the designation of this property as urban, approve the annexa- tion and the zone must be changed. Later in the meeting, council approved a resolution in sup- port of the $13 million school bond. Council approved a resolu- tion taking money from contin- gency funds to back-fill budget- ed amounts for police, airport, Vernonia Community Learning Center and streets. These were necessitated by information gained when the audit for the year ending June 30, 2008, was completed. Due to person- nel and system changes caus- ing delays, the audit was not completed until August 20, 2009. The correct final ending balances, and thus the new starting balances, were not known until the audit was re- ceived. Police Chief Frank Grace told council that Officer Shawn Carnahan earned the Out- standing Shooter Award during the Basic Police Class he suc- cessfully completed on August 21. DeAnna Pearl, of the Ver- nonia Prevention Coalition, handed out information about upcoming classes, including one for parents and youth (10- 14 years) on strengthening families, that will start October 5 and run for seven sessions. Pre-registration is available by calling Sonia Spackman at 503-429-6540. In other business, council; • with their consensus, heard the Mayor appoint DeAnna Pearl as ex-officio member of the Vernonia Community Learning Center committee. • with their consensus, heard the Mayor appoint Tony Gilbert- son to the Public Works Com- mittee. • approved a resolution up- dating the Columbia County Multi Jurisdictional Hazard Miti- gation Plan. • approved a resolution mak- ing changes to the city’s work- ers compensation program for volunteers. The next council meeting will be held on September 21, start- ing at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall. RECALL: Clatsop Co. From page 1 tifying their actions. If they do not resign, then the recall elec- tion must be held by October 27. More information about the District 1 recall effort is avail- able at www.recallJeffHazen. org or 503-298-3006. For Dis- trict 5 information, contact www.Did5.org or 503-755- 2415. 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.