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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.