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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2011)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, January 20, 2011 Councilor disrupts meeting as he loudly demands information The Vernonia City Council meeting on January 18 fea- tured a temper tantrum by Councilor Kevin Hudson before the agenda was even accept- ed. Hudson was red-faced and loud, with arms crossed over his chest, as he “demanded” that the K9 contract discussion be added to the agenda, either in open or executive session. Mayor Josette Mitchell had to take Hudson to task twice for rudely interrupting her. Hudson was told that the K9 contract was a personnel issue and therefore inappropriate for dis- cussion by council. Mitchell told Hudson, “No individual council member may request staff to do anything, it has to be the whole council.” Other council members remained silent dur- ing the entire episode. Hudson twice demanded, “I want to see the contract,” be- fore being told by Interim City Administrator Bill Haack that, 1) the K9 lease contract was be- ing extended to the end of Feb- ruary, that “We will have the full discussion of the parts we can discuss on February 7”, and 2) that it’s a personnel issue to which council is not privy, and 3) that, as a citizen, Hudson has the same right as anyone else to submit a public record request to the city. Interim Police Chief Mike Conner offered to provide a copy of the collective bargain- ing agreement to Hudson. Mitchell asked Hudson, “Will that satisfy you?” Hudson said, “Yes,” and, though obviously not satisfied, did settle down so the meeting could get under- way. Leonard Simmons spoke to council asking for help with the drainage of Bear Creek during high water events, as the creek has been backing up into his and other neighborhood yards more this year than most. Haack offered to meet with Simmons, Maggie Peyton (from the Upper Nehalem Valley Wa- tershed Council) and any inter- ested neighbors to see what remedies can be found. Council discussed council training by the League of Ore- gon Cities and agreed they would like to pursue the six hour session once city staff re- views the budget to see if funds are available for the training, which costs just over $1,200. Haack agreed to work on scheduling this training as soon as possible, perhaps as early as February 12. Another item on the agenda brought a request from Hudson for additional information. The item had to do with a site re- view report by the city planner on a request from the Blue House Café for some remodel- ing. Hudson was told that staff reports are not subject to being overseen by council when Haack told him, “It’s not your responsibility to do anything but your role is to accept the docu- ment your planner has pre- pared after approval by the Planning Commission.” In other business, council: • Approved Sally Harrison’s request to be appointed to the Economic Development and the Airport Committees; • approved a liquor license request for All In Pub & Eatery (formerly The Lyon’s Den); • approved a temporary trav- el trailer being parked by the Christian Church; • approved staff to sign a rate schedule and an amend- ment on Community Develop- ment Block Grants and proj- ects; • approved Resolution 02-11 honoring fallen Police Chief Painter of Rainier. The next meeting scheduled is a council work session, at City Hall, on February 24 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on goal set- ting and the hiring process for the next city administrator. The next regular council meeting will be February 7, starting at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. Action Ads INEXPENSIVE – EFFECTIVE 503-429-9410 $4.50 for the first 10 words, then just 10¢ for each additional word 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.