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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 2009)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, October 15, 2009 Vernonia Council accomplishes little during raucous meeting The audience participation portion of the October 5 Ver- nonia City Council meeting was quite a show. First, after hear- ing that a pinning ceremony for Sergeant Mike Kay’s promotion to Captain and Officer Mike Conner’s promotion to Ser- geant would be postponed until the next meeting, audience member Colleen Posley took council to task, saying, “You are postponing someone’s promo- tion and raise,” after berating council by saying, “So…based on the meetings we’ve held for, like, eight months about this, you didn’t remember all those facts. There were too many de- tails for you?” Prior to the last statement, Posley took excep- tion to what she perceived as Mayor Sally Harrison interrupt- ing her, though Posley went on to interrupt the Mayor four times. Harrison told Posley that the promotions were not being delayed, just the pinning cere- mony and Councilor Kevin Hudson agreed with the Mayor when she said that the council had expected more information before a Captain was named. Audience member Ed John- son was then given the floor and said, “Now that we’re on the subject of the police depart- ment, I’d like to discuss changes. First of all, I have a handout for everyone.” At that point, the Mayor interrupted Johnson, saying “We’re not go- ing to be discussing anything about personnel here at this meeting.” She then told John- son that if he had problems with the police department to take it the chief or city administrator. When Johnson said he already had done that, Hudson said, “if you have an issue and you’re not getting your satisfaction from those two gentlemen, you’ll have to go some place else.” When Johnson asked, “Kevin, where do you suggest I go.” Hudson suggested an at- torney, before City Administra- tor Bob Young broke in to say this is not an issue for the coun- cil. Johnson then said, “The public has a right to know,” be- fore three or four voices rode right over him, with Hudson’s the loudest as he exclaimed, “Council doesn’t deal with em- ployee issues. You've been told that a number of times, I would suggest you stop now or we’ll ask that you be removed from the room.” Johnson responded by saying, “Well, you know, Kevin, you’re not doing your job then.” When the end of that sentence was drowned out by Councilor Cindy Ball and Hud- son both shouting at once, Johnson said, “Both of you should resign.” Young then fin- ished the mess by suggesting Johnson take it to the District Attorney. At that point, Clark McGaugh was given the floor and said, “I’m appalled…you should at least let him be heard.” So many loud, angry voices re- sponded then that it was im- possible to tell who said what. Then McGaugh said, “Point of order,” a request to acknowl- edge that he was still speaking. Hudson stood and loomed over the council dais shouting, “No, I’m calling a point of order, I have the floor, I’m the one sit- ting on the bench up here. I’m saying it’s a public meeting at- tendance law, not a public par- ticipation law.” McGaugh’s re- sponse was, “…I had the floor, you took it from me. You don’t want to hear what I have to say, good night.” He then left the meeting. At that point, Posley jumped back in to give council her rec- ollection of the city attorney’s comments about public partici- pation a few months ago. Later in the meeting, Ball (Posley’s mother) gave the finger across the throat sign and no more was heard from Posley. Before all the excitement, Brian Cole, a representative from MacKay & Sposito, Inc. engineering firm, gave a pres- entation on their plan for the Bi- cycle Skills Park. They will do the engineering on the bath- room, bike wash, road, water and sewer portion of the park. Public Works Director Bob Ruhl asked Cole for information on maintenance and upkeep costs for these additions. The expec- tation is that surveying and conceptual plans will be com- pleted in time for an early spring bid process, followed by summer construction. In other business, council; • approved Synda Allen missing cemetery meetings while she’s in night school. • approved Res. 21-09 using county grant funds for building demolitions in the city. • approved Res. 21-10 de- claring the 1984 public works truck surplus. The next council meeting will be held October 19, starting at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. 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 Quarterly For Info call 503-397-7211 Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm. 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.