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The INDEPENDENT, January 6, 2011
Old and new Vernonia council members and mayor change places
The Vernonia City Council
that met on December 20 had a
very different make-up than the
one that met on January 3. Out-
going members Mayor Sally
Harrison, Councilor Cindy Ball
and
Councilor
Catherine
Helmer all received certificates
of appreciation for their service,
at their final meeting. Incoming
Mayor Josette Mitchell, and
new councilors Willow Burch
and Marilyn Nicks, all took
oaths of office at their first seat-
ing on January 3.
An amendment to extend Bill
Haack’s contract as Pro Tem
City Administrator to June 30,
2011, was discussed and ap-
proved at both meetings. At the
December meeting, the outgo-
ing council voted to approve
the amendment but for a few
minutes it looked iffy. When
Harrison asked for a motion
there was silence. On her sec-
ond request of, “Do I hear a
motion,” Councilor Randy Par-
row made the motion which
was then seconded and car-
ried. On January 3, the incom-
ing council voted to approve
(with Councilor Marilyn Nicks
abstaining without explanation)
the amendment. The new
council had to ratify the amend-
ment because of a provision
that an outgoing council cannot
bind a contract for an incoming
council.
In December Council heard
an update from Ben Fousek on
the city’s GIS project. Fousek
reported that there is a possibil-
ity that FEMA may use the
city’s GIS for flood mapping,
and that might lower the flood
insurance rates by 20 percent.
Councilor Kevin Hudson
asked Haack to provide an up-
date on the contract for the po-
lice department’s K9 officer, at
the next meeting.
Haack told council he will be
working with the city’s financial
director to find funds for some
council training and the hiring
process for a new City Adminis-
trator. More information will be
provided at the next council
meeting.
In other business, council:
• Approved the second read-
ing of Ordinance 871, making
some changes to the handling
of the water utility.
• Approved the procedure
outlined by the Public Works
Committee to move towards
hiring someone to do a rate
study of water, sewer and sys-
tem development charges.
• Appointed Kevin Hudson
as the 2011 President of the
Council. (Council President
presides when the Mayor is ab-
sent.)
• Approved a liquor license
for the New Hong Kong
Restaurant.
• Okayed a resolution to
transfer funds within the Airport
fund to allow the purchase of
gravel for the road to Airport
Park.
• Heard from Interim Chief of
Police Mike Conner that New
Year’s Eve was uneventful; the
only activity was a couple of
traffic stops.
The next meeting will be
Tuesday, January 18 (due to a
holiday on Jan. 17) at City Hall,
and will start with a work ses-
sion at 6:00 p.m. before the
regular 7:00 p.m. meeting.
Utility rate studies needed to help
assure timely loan repayments
The City of Vernonia Public
Works Committee, the City En-
gineer, and the Interim City Ad-
ministrator have worked to-
gether the past few months to
look closely at current utility
rates and weigh the need for
modification of the rate struc-
ture.
Prior to the 2007 flood, the
Vernonia City Council and for-
mer City Administrator Dick
Kline, formed the Vernonia
Public Works Committee. It
was anticipated at that time
that the Public Works Commit-
tee would make regular reports
to the public about the City’s
public works systems and the
utility rates that pay for them. It
is hoped that these reports can
provide the public with some of
the complex information that
the engineers and the City
Council must digest before
making decisions that impact
utility rates.
From the beginning, the
sewer project has been the 800
pound gorilla in the room. For
most of the last two decades
Vernonia has been under an
enforcement order from Ore-
See Rates on page 5
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 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.