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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 2010)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, November 4, 2010 Council okays K9 lease renewal, dithers on Parks, picks attorney The item that garnered the most attention at the November 1 Vernonia City Council meet- ing wasn’t on the advance agenda, but was added at the beginning of the meeting. The attention-getting item was that K9 Officer Krueger was taken off duty last Friday when it was found that his lease contract had expired in June. Council was told the con- tract had been written for a one-year period with three ex- tensions. The last extension ran out in June and the contract expired without notice. According to Sergeant Mike Kay, the city leases the use of his dog for $12.00 per year and the cost of liability insurance. Kay also said the dog has two national certifications, one as a patrol dog. Asked when Krueger could be back to work, Interim City Administrator Bill Haack responded, “I’m perfect- ly comfortable in entering a contract.” Council unanimously approved entering into a new contract as soon as one can be drawn up. Council discussed a report from the Ad Hoc Budget Com- mittee on how much work would be done by Public Works employees in the city parks from now through next Febru- ary, based on the cost to the city. It was decided to try to keep the hours to around 20 per month, though Haack said more might be needed to keep the parks safe (such as leaves on walkways). Council agreed to discuss this item further to determine what the budget can handle starting March 1. During budget planning last spring, both the Budget Com- mittee and the Council ap- proved a Parks Committee pro- posal to hire a lower paid em- ployee, in March, to work in parks most of the time, but who would be available during win- ter to handle ordinary building maintenance, with park hosts and volunteers to handle ordi- nary tasks now. The Parks budget now pays higher salaried Public Works employ- ees (with water and waste wa- ter certifications) to do such things as raking leaves. A new city attorney was se- lected when city council direct- ed Haack to negotiate a con- tract with Alexandra E. Sosn- kowski, PC. Councilor Kevin Hudson spoke to say that, based on the cost difference, he thought Sosnkowski should be selected. Sosnkowski charges $140 per hour and does not charge for travel time. The other applicant, Beery El- sner and Hammond LLP charges $200 per hour (for the two people most likely to work on the city’s business) and charges for travel time. When council voted, Randy Parrow voted nay and Cindy Ball ab- stained (giving her absence at the interviews as the reason). The letter discussed by Community Action Team, at the last meeting, in response to a “finding” about the city’s Com- munity Development Block Grant administration, was re- sponded to by the representa- tive of Infrastructure Finance Authority (IFA). IFA stated, “We have determined that the infor- mation satisfies the require- ments and the Finding is now cleared.” The letter also said, “I want to commend your efforts to comply with federal and state requirements.” In other business, council: • Heard Mayor Sally Harri- son read a proclamation speci- fying October 29, 2010, as Banks-Vernonia State Trail Ap- preciation Day. She previously read the proclamation at the of- ficial trail opening ceremony in Banks; • was told that the City of Maupin sent $1,000 for the Ver- nonia Schools Project. Said amount has been forwarded to the school district; • approved an amendment to an Intergovernmental Agree- ment (IGA) with the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security’s Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant program; • approved an IGA with Co- lumbia County for solid waste disposal; • approved two resolutions on specific flood acquisitions so the properties can be pur- chased using FEMA and grant funds, then buildings can be demolished. The next council meeting is scheduled for November 15, 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 3rd Thursday 6:30 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.