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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
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503-429-9410
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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.