Page 4
The INDEPENDENT, March 17, 2011
Former mayor, new council members, loudly express differences
Before the regular Vernonia
City Council meeting started at
7:00 p.m. on March 7, the council
held a work session to meet with
Jennie Messmer, Member Ser-
vices Director of League of Ore-
gon Cities (LOC), to begin the
process of using the LOC for the
city administrator hiring process.
The council voted 3-2 to use that
process at a previous council
meeting.
During the work session, in re-
sponse to Councilor Kevin Hud-
son’s statement that some projects
might be slowed down, Councilor
Randy Parrow said the much
needed Health Center, Vernonia
Cares and Senior Center Project
on Rose Ave. could be slowed.
Councilor Willow Burch said she
spoke to someone at CAT (Com-
munity Action Team) and was told
they will still take care of the proj-
ects. Then CAT Director, Jim Tier-
ney, spoke up to say those proj-
ects will be slowed down if they re-
place Bill Haack. Tierney went on
to say that he wouldn’t quit work-
ing on the projects even if it took
10 years to complete.
At one point, Messmer asked if
the council really wanted to move
forward with this recruitment, say-
ing, “It seems you’re dancing
around hiring the interim manag-
er.” Messmer also told council that
Warrenton (a city with a population
of 4,500) is paying their city admin-
istrator $90,000, while Vernonia is
talking about $60,000. By the end
of the work session council gave
Messmer the go-ahead to start the
search for a new city administrator.
When the regular council meet-
ing started, council added a pres-
entation by previous Mayor Sally
Harrison to the agenda. Harrison
told council she and 180 other citi-
zens had concerns about the
council using the LOC process to
look for a new city administrator
when, “We already have a capa-
ble, willing and knowledgeable
person (Bill Haack).” Harrison
went on to say, “We fail to under-
stand why you feel the necessity to
go on a wild goose chase when
what we need is right here. Be-
cause it’s the city and the citizens
who will ultimately wreak the hav-
oc of your decision, we feel you
owe us an honest, clear and con-
cise explanation of your actions.”
Burch responded, “I’m not go-
ing to apologize for my position, I
think we have to go through the
process.” She went on to say that,
in her opinion, Haack was not,
“real forthcoming with information
and he’s been evasive.” After that
exchange, Burch and Harrison
spoke over each other until Mayor
Josette Mitchell used her gavel to
restore order.
“Just be sure you’re speaking
the truth,” Harrison then said, a
statement that caused Burch to
say, “I take offense to being inter-
rupted. I have been voted an elect-
ed official of this city…and I will not
argue with you.”
Hudson’s response to Harrison
was, “My concern is first and fore-
most the dollars. I believe going
through the process is the best
way.”
Councilor Marilyn Nicks told
Harrison, “Under the constitutional
provision, Due Process Clause of
the 14th Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution, you have the right to
an unbiased, impartial decision
maker, a fair process and Bill has
the same right.” (Editor’s Note:
The 14th Amendment Due
Process Clause prohibits state and
local governments from depriving
persons of life, liberty, or property
without certain steps being taken
to ensure fairness.) Harrison fin-
ished her presentation by saying,
“If you don’t do the will of the peo-
ple, the ones who put you into of-
fice can also take you out. I just
want to remind you.”
Speaking from the floor, Sandy
Welch, Bill Sword, Scott Laird, Su-
perintendent Ken Cox, School
Board Member Jim Krahn, and
Ben Fousek all spoke in support of
Haack. The rest of the audience
seemed to mirror that support and
no one spoke in favor of the
search for the new administrator.
Mitchell, with council consent,
appointed the following members
to the newly formed Emergency
Management Committee: Steve
Scott, Fire Chief Dean Smith,
Cindy Ball, Alexis Posley, Jack
Lindsley, Heidi Lindsay, Catherine
Helmer, and Dan Brown.
Council was asked, by Haack,
to determine what to do about a
$245,600 grant ($43,136 has been
used) for the proposed Bicycle
Skills Park. Council gave Haack
permission to 1) negotiate an ex-
tension to Sept. 2013 to use the
funds for an alternative project to
develop the new Spencer Park on
the old school site or, 2) to forfeit
the funds, repaying the $43,136
used. This acknowledges that the
Skills Park is, “no longer a high pri-
ority for the City of Vernonia,” and
will not be completed.
See Council 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 Tuesday
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 Tuesdays
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.