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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 2010)
The INDEPENDENT, August 5, 2010 Page 5 Refresher course in Banks for adult drivers Buying a home? Be sure any Banks drivers with clean records could trim their auto in- surance premiums and be- come better drivers by taking a safe driving course. The AARP Driver Safety Program is a key element in ef- forts to support “livable commu- nities” that ensure, enhance, and sustain mobility and hous- ing options, enabling people age 50 and older to remain in their homes. As the number of older drivers swells during the next few decades, the AARP Driver Safety Program will be there to help individuals keep their driving competencies as long as possible. As opposed to younger driv- ers, whose typical violations in- clude speeding, reckless driv- ing, and DWI offenses, older drivers’ typical infractions in- clude failure to yield the right- of-way, improper turning, and incorrect lane changing. Gen- erally, older drivers have prob- lems in driving situations that require quick responses, full vi- sion, and interaction with other drivers. So the program teach- es participants how to adjust their driving in response to those changes. If interested in becoming a defensive driver, Banks Fire District is hosting a class Au- gust 18-19, 2010. This is an 8- hour course that is taught over two days, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day. Call Banks Fire District at 503-324-6262 to register. The cost is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members. Payment is to be made at the door. Partici- pants must take both portions to receive a certificate. Class size is limited to 24. City over budget, starts new expense process From page 1 meeting as a sub-committee of the Economic Development Committee. Although no public testimony was planned for the July 19 meeting, council al- lowed Willow Burch, a Down- town Association member and business owner, to speak. As a result of Burch’s concerns, the language in the sign ordinance was amended to allow use of internal illumination restricted to “indirect halo”, “push- through” or substantially similar illumination techniques (italics used to indicate the language changed during the meeting). The sign ordinance was then unanimously approved and will take affect 30 days from July 19. Councilor Kevin Hudson read a memo (on July 19) from the Ad Hoc Budget Committee stating that in week two of the budget year, the city is already over budget and, as a result, the committee proposed a 90- Fire regulations From page 1 proximately 8 inches wide. 6. Fireworks are prohibited. 7. Cutting and welding of metal is prohibited. Current information on local fire season regulations can be obtained by calling the Colum- bia City ODF office at 503-397- 2636, Forest ODF at 503-357- 2191, or your local fire district. Vernonia, 503-429-8252; Mist- Birkenfeld, 503-755-2710; Banks, 503-324-6262. day emergency procedure. New handling will include any expenditure over $100 being approved by the Financial Ad- ministrator before the money is spent and any proposed ex- penditure of over $1000 must go before council, accompa- nied by an evaluation report, for approval. At the August 2 meet- ing, two reports were presented by Haack for expenses over $1000. Both were for items that had been included in the budg- et and council approved the ex- penditures. At the August 16 meeting, Council will be looking at a pro- posal by Police Chief Frank Grace to institute a “Fix-It-Tick- et” and parking ticket program that would allow for some tick- ets to be dropped if the item is taken care of and a $25 fee paid. Some tickets, such as fail- ure to have windshield wipers, can cost $215. Under the pro- posal, if the windshield wipers were installed in a timely man- ner, the ticket could be re- moved with the payment of $25. The $25 would be split 50/50 between the City and the Justice Court. In other business, council: • Heard from a resident near Ora Bolmeier Park who contin- ues to have concerns about dead trees in the park. At the August 2 meeting, Haack told council that he had an arborist look at the trees and is waiting for the final report to present some options; • voted to allow D.A.D.’s Re- cycling an extension to October 31 to get relocated; • appointed Tim Bero to rep- resent the City on the Columbia County Economic Team; • heard that James Baraibar has resigned from the Planning Commission, citing job obliga- tions as the reason; • was told that ODOT will re- quire the “Vernonia is Down Here” sign to be removed, sometime in the next few months, from its current loca- tion by Staley’s Junction, now that the state owns that land; • heard that City Hall will close at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow, August 6, to allow employees to participate in Jamboree. The next regular meeting of the council will be at 7:00 p.m. on August 16 at city hall. uncertified woodstove is out Oregon’s new woodstove law designed to protect home- buyers and clear the air of un- necessary wood smoke pollu- tion took effect on August 1. The law requires the removal and decommissioning of any uncertified woodstove or fire- place insert from a home when it is sold. In 1986, when Oregon first passed a law requiring emis- sions certification to control smoke from these devices, woodstoves produced approxi- mately 70 percent more pollu- tion and burned wood far less efficiently than today’s newer, cleaner certified woodstoves. Oregon is the first state to formally establish a woodstove change out requirement upon the sale of a home. It was also the first state to adopt wood- stove certification and emission limits. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency later adopt- ed and implemented this certifi- cation nationwide. “Wintertime residential wood burning is a significant source of air pollution, including fine particles and air toxics,” said Rachel Sakata, project manag- er for DEQ’s Heat Smart pro- gram. “Removing uncertified woodstoves from service and replacing them with more effi- cient models would help Ore- gon’s efforts to restore and pre- serve healthy air and reduce heating costs.” For more information about the requirements for uncertified woodstoves visit: www.deq. state.or.us/aq/burning/wood stoves/heatSmart.htm . County employment little changed Columbia County’s season- ally adjusted unemployment rate was 11.7 percent in June, essentially the same as the previous month (11.9%) but lower than the year before (13.7%). The rate was above the statewide rate (10.5%) and the national rate (9.5%). Total employment inched up by 19 to 21,467 but the number of un- employed people rose by 54 to 2,880. Total employment this June was 17 more than one year before and there were 556 fewer people unemployed this year. Keep Jamboree Safe Don’t Drink and Drive VERNONIA’S BIGGEST CLASS REUNION Sunday, August 15th - 10:00 a.m. - 5:00p.m. Prizes ~ entertainment ~ Tours ~ Food ~ Fun $5.00 Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. at the School cafeteria Food & Drinks will be available for purchase Please RSVP by July 15th to: VernoniasReunion@yahoo.com Or mail to; Vernonia’s Biggest Reunion c/o Vernonia School District Office 475 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064 For more information visit www.VernoniaClassmates.com or our Facebook Group, Alumni & Friends of Vernonia Schools ~ Vernonia’s Biggest Reunion Tax Deductible Donations may be made at www.vernonia.k12.or.us or at Wauna Federal Credit Union – Vernonia Education Foundation/Alumni Funds This is a fund raiser for our new schools.