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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 2011)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, February 17, 2011 Council approves continuing $12 fee to start paying sewer loan Before the regular February 7, Vernonia City Council meet- ing began at 7:00 p.m., the council met at 6:00 p.m. in a study session, where they weighed the pros and cons of three different options for hiring the next city administrator. The three options discussed were: 1) Use the League of Ore- gon Cities process (which costs money), 2) self-manage the process themselves (the process used to hire Bob Young), or 3) hire current Interim City Administrator Bill Haack. After making lists and some discussion, the consensus of council was to consider the op- tions further before making a fi- nal decision at the next regular city council meeting. At the start of the council’s regular meeting, Mayor Josette Mitchell presented a certificate of appreciation to Donna Webb for her many volunteer efforts on behalf of Vernonia (see full story starting on page 1). Leonard Simmons appeared before the Council with addi- tional information on his con- cerns about the water flow of Bear Creek. Interim City Ad- ministrator Bill Haack told Sim- mons he had met with Maggie Peyton, from the Upper Ne- halem Watershed Council, and with the Watermaster. Haack said his understanding after those meetings was that landowners along the creek would get a letter from the Divi- sion of State Lands; Haack suggested that landowners need to get together to discuss what could be done, after get- ting direction from the state. The Public Works Commit- tee made a recommendation to council to continue the $12.00 per month loan repayment fee in the sewer rates. The $12.00 fee was put in place in 2006 to repay a DEQ loan for phase I of the wastewater project. That loan will be paid off this month or next. However, there is an- other outstanding DEQ loan, that has been partially used and is accruing interest of $10,000 per month, though no repayment has begun. The first payment was due in 2008 and was not made. With money al- ready set aside, and the $12.00 fee continuing for the next 20 years, the loan can be repaid. Council unanimously approved the continuation of the $12.00 fee. As part of this process Council also approved Resolu- tion 03-11 to authorize the re- payment of interfund loans from the General Fund to the Sewer Rehab Fund. Council went into an execu- tive session to consider records exempt from disclosure by law. After the session, which was closed to the public and is not reportable, the council returned to open session. City Attorney Alex Sosnkowski then told council members they can come to city hall to review the records discussed. In other business, council: • Approved the appointment of John Cahill to the Vernonia Community Learning Center Committee; • heard a proclamation to designate February 2011 as Ki- wanis Children’s Cancer Cure Month; • accepted the donation of a small parcel of land on the bank of Rock Creek behind the Health Clinic building (.06 acre) previously owned by the Mar- garet Aldrich Living Trust; • approved a lease agree- ment with the school district for Spencer Park, to be in effect until the property actually changes hands; • approved a property lease for land on Lone Pine Road where the Vernonia Boosters will put in and maintain ball fields that can be used until new fields are built at the exist- ing school site; • approved Ordinance 872, amending Ord. 582 on gam- bling, as Ord. 582 did not allow for gaming (such as Texas Hold’em) outside of private homes; • approved Resolutions 4-11 and 5-11 updating the Vernonia Police Dept. manual. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for March 7, 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 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.