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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (June 17, 2010)
The INDEPENDENT, June 17, 2010 Is FEMA adding to budget woes? by Jim Tierney, CAT Deputy Di- rector In the last few weeks, no doubt because the city is going through its budget process, I’ve heard several statements as- signing the city’s flat or declin- ing tax base in part to the FEMA home buyout program. Because it’s been a very long time since we discussed this publicly, I thought it might be helpful to revisit how the buyout program serves the city. Starting in 1988, the city adopted a flood ordinance dic- tated to us by FEMA. Without that ordinance in place, no one in Vernonia could buy flood in- surance through FEMA’s Na- tional Flood Insurance Pro- gram (NFIP). NFIP provides 90% of the flood insurance in the country. Since FEMA subsi- dizes the NFIP rates by paying two-thirds of the actual cost, they are pretty serious about the city being in compliance with its flood ordinance. One of the requirements of that ordinance is that homes that have been “substantially damaged” must be moved off site, elevated or torn down within four years. The city has to enforce this rule in order to stay in compliance. So, some time in about a year-and-a-half, the state and federal govern- ments are going to ask us to re- port on how many substantially damaged buildings are still standing. The owners of those remaining un-elevated sub- stantially damaged homes, See FEMA on page 22 Peets, Lee announce engagement Rose Peets and Jacob Lee, both of Vernonia, have an- nounced their engagement. They plan a September wed- ding, followed by a honeymoon in Hawaii. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pat- rick Peets, formerly of Vernon- ia. She graduated from Vernon- ia High School in 2002 and re- ceived a Masters degree in oc- cupational therapy from Pacific University in 2009. She is cur- rently employed at Meadow Park Health & Specialty Care in St. Helens. The groom-elect is the son of Jim and Gayle Lee of Ver- nonia and Pamela and Brien Blankenship of Mist. He gradu- ated from Vernonia High School in 2002 and works as a Utility II with the City of Hills- boro Parks Maintenance De- partment. S OUL F OOD S ERVED H ERE . Page 7 Vernonia Senior Center News Those attending the first day of craft lessons at the Senior Center, last Friday, enjoyed the etched glass session so much that it will proba- bly be repeated at a future date. There won’t be a craft class tomorrow, howev- er, because instructor Rosie McCoy will be at the My Fair Lady luncheon in Warren. Yes, Rosie will be representing Vernonia at the annual county- wide recognition of, and appreciation for, senior ladies’ many contributions to our communities. The My Fair Lady Pageant will be held during the Columbia County Fair in July. Watch The Inde- pendent for more information. If you enjoyed the pinochle and board games, also last Friday, then you can continue the fun to- morrow, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. If enough people express an interest, games may also be offered one night each week. Let us know whether you are interested in an evening of games. Lunch is served Monday through Friday at noon. A $3.00 donation is suggested for those 60 and older, and $4.00 for those under 60. If you prefer lunch to go, for only $4.00 you can call ahead and place your order. The Birthday Lunch is always on the last Fri- day of each month. For June birthday celebrants, that will be June 25. And on the last Wednesday of each month, Wauna Federal Credit Union makes a good lunch even better by providing diners with free ice cream. The Golden Oldies also provide great musical entertainment on Wednesdays; if you haven’t enjoyed one of their performances, you’re missing a great local show. Happy Father’s Day, June 20 Call Rosie for information on Meals on Wheels for those who are home-bound. Free blood pressure checks are available on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. to noon. Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. until closing, needleworkers enjoy the company of others while they work on everything from embroidery to quilting. Fridays feature great breakfasts at the Senior Center, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. Breakfast for all ages is $3.50 per person, and maple bars that are made fresh daily, are $1.00 each. You can also order maple bars for any gathering by call- ing a day or two ahead and placing your order. Lots of choices and some remarkable bar- gains are available from the center’s Thrift Shop and, especially if your budget is tight, don’t forget that the already low prices are 50% off during the last week of each month! If you’re in need of a wheelchair, we have some that can be loaned out. Call Pauline Coff- man at the number below to make arrange- ments. Also, we would appreciate donations of any unused canes that you would like to get out of your closet. Vernonia Senior Citizens Center: 446 Bridge Street Senior Information Assistance Rep: Rosie McCoy Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thrift Shop Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Phone: 503-429-3912 Featuring Mariolino’s Ice Cream Banana Splits, Sundaes, Root Beer Floats Thick Milk Shakes, Hot Fudge Sundaes 721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018 Organic Compost Bark Dust Plant Mix Rock Available by the scoop or by the yard Robert J. Watts Construction, Inc. 503-429-5504 CCB# 166815