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The INDEPENDENT, July 1, 2010
Chief Grace recommends continuing Justice Court for Vernonia
Before the regular Vernonia
City Council meeting, a study
session was held to look at op-
tions for property acquired by
the city through FEMA post-
flood buyouts. Buyout proper-
ties cannot have buildings on
them in the future and council
has considered leasing the
space to adjacent or other
property owners in exchange
for an agreement to mow and
maintain the properties. They
decided to hold another meet-
ing, on this topic, and sched-
uled a workshop for July 12 at
7:00 p.m.
In the regular meeting, coun-
cil unanimously approved a
contract with ColPac for Bill
Haack to serve as Pro-Tem City
Administrator. They then held a
public hearing on the 2010-11
Fiscal Year Budget and re-
ceived a revised Budget Mes-
sage from Haack. Council ap-
proved a tax levy of $5.8163
per $1,000 of assessed proper-
ty valuation (the same rate as
last year), agreed to accept
state revenue sharing (a for-
mality) and adopted the 2010-
11 Fiscal Year Budget as pre-
sented by the budget commit-
tee.
In the adopted budget, the
estimated income for the Gen-
eral Fund is $869,979.00, down
from the first draft budget
amount of $1.2 million. The
new estimate is in line with
amounts received in previous
years and offers a conservative
estimate. Departments de-
pendent on the General Fund
all took cuts to bring the budget
into balance.
The portion of the meeting
set aside for comments from
the floor became a community
conversation after Sam Semer-
jian, owner of the Blue House
Café, read a letter addressing
his concerns with drainage is-
sues from the adjacent Vernon-
ia Community Learning Center
courtyard, along with state-
ments he said had been made
by those working on the court-
yard. Semerjian told council
that the Downtown Association
would volunteer to fix the issue
at no cost to the city. Members
of the Ford Family Foundation
class that is working on the
courtyard responded that they
had the permits and the ap-
provals, and the concrete
would be poured on Friday.
Mayor Sally Harrison asked
Semerjian to wait for comple-
tion of the job and see if that
takes care of his concerns
about drainage.
The next speaker was Sam
Waters, who had issues with
his father’s water being turned
off a few months ago and, after
reciting the history, said, “I have
attorney fees I want to have
paid by the city.” Council had
no response and went on to the
next agenda item.
Councilor Brett Costley, who
was attending his final meeting,
said “It’s been good and it’s
been bad. It’s the worst paying
job I’ve ever had, but it’s been
very rewarding.” He then said
thank you to city staff. The
Mayor said, “I can’t say enough
about the quality of his leader-
ship for the last eight years. It’s
been a real pleasure,” and led a
round of applause for Costley.
Police Chief Frank Grace
handed out summary reports
regarding the discussion about
whether the current Justice
Court or a Municipal Court
would better serve the city. At
the end of the report Grace’s
recommendation included the
statement, “In my opinion, the
Vernonia Justice court offers a
level of service that is afford-
able.”
Grace also reported new de-
partment protocols, effective
June 17, 2010, requiring all vio-
lations to be routed to Vernonia
Justice Court, and that citations
may not be routed to courts
outside Vernonia, without prior
approval from the chief of po-
lice. Council did not discuss the
report at the meeting, or take
any action on the court issue.
After an executive session
held to discuss real estate
transactions and union negotia-
tions, the Mayor said that con-
sensus of council was to go for-
ward with the property sale,
and directed the city attorney to
work with Haack on budgetary
considerations.
In other business, council;
• gave consensus for the
Mayor to appoint Jim Tierney to
the Public Works Committee,
which she then did.
• approved Resolution 29-
10, setting forth the city’s public
records policy and procedures.
The next city council meet-
ing has been rescheduled, due
to the 4th of July holiday, and
will be held on July 12, 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., Library
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
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 503-429-7193
Kiwanis Club
2nd & 4th Wednesday
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Municipal Airport Committee
1t Wednesday
6:30 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 Garden Club
2nd Tuesday
1:30 p.m., Vernonia 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
10:00 a.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
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
American Legion Post #90
Banks City Council
Banks Fire District #13
Banks Library Commission
Banks Planning Commission
Banks School Board
Banks Youth Group
Chamber of Commerce
CPO 14
Everybody’s Hometown Band
Friends of the Library
Lions Club
Sunset Park Assoc.
T.O.P.S.
Friday
Wednesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Wednesday
3rd Tuesday
Last Tuesday
2nd Monday
Sunday, Wednesday
1st Thursday
3rd Monday
Tuesdays
2nd Tuesday
1st & 3rd Mondays
3rd Wednesday
Wednesday
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
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Main Street Post
7:30 p.m., City Hall
7:00 p.m., Station 13
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., City Hall
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
12:30 p.m., Fire District Office
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., BHS Music Room
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., Brown Derby
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg.
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
Wednesday
10:00 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
Columbia Comm Mental Health
1st Tuesday
5”30 p.m., 58646 McNulty Way
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.