The INDEPENDENT, August 17, 2011
Vernonia council, now with only
two on board, plans next steps
“I would not have any trou-
ble bringing Bill Haack back as
our administrator,” Councilor
Randy Parrow declared at the
August 15 Vernonia city council
meeting.
Mayor
Josette
Mitchell replied that she and In-
terim City Administrator Jim
Johnson discussed that option
but wondered whether the new
councilors would want to be in-
volved in that decision.
Johnson then pointed out
that Dennis Rhodes, who was
interviewed for city administra-
tor in the last round of inter-
views, was still interested in
being considered for the posi-
tion. Johnson also noted that
any decision made by current
council could be changed when
there is a new majority of coun-
cil, since one council can’t bind
the next with far-reaching deci-
sions.
Based on these discussions,
and their availability for inter-
views, Mitchell and Parrow de-
cided to hold a special meeting
on Monday, August 29, to se-
lect and swear into office the
three new councilors, in hopes
of being able to go into city ad-
ministrator interviews on Au-
gust 30 and/or August 31. The
city administrator candidates
will need to be contacted for
availability for interviews on
these dates, so those dates are
tentative.
Johnson put forth two op-
tions for staffing the Vernonia
Police Department. Option 1
listed a police chief and three
officers with a total estimated
savings of $40,368.77 over the
amounts in this year’s budget.
Total salaries for this option are
estimated at $318,155.23. Op-
tion 2 includes a police chief, a
sergeant, and two officers for
an estimated savings of
$17,176.72 over the budget
amounts. Mitchell and Parrow
moved and approved Option 1,
and then moved and approved
promoting Michael Conner to
Interim Police Chief and re-
quested Conner to start the re-
cruiting process to hire two new
police officers. The motion also
stated that Johnson would re-
turn to council in September to
suggest considering Conner for
the position of regular (not in-
terim) Police Chief.
In other business, Mitchell
and Parrow:
• Approved a change in the
open space lease insurance
language. The original lan-
guage stated the lessee must
hold insurance equal to the
Oregon Tort Claim limit. John-
son has found that private in-
surers, such as State Farm, do
not offer that option and so the
language was changed to the
regular homeowner amount of
insurance;
• approved flood buyouts
and necessary steps for the
buyout on three Mist Dr. resi-
dences;
• approved a funds verifica-
tion request for $10,300 to pur-
chase the software necessary
for the city’s GIS program. This
was an anticipated expenditure
in this year’s budget.
The meeting was over in lit-
tle more than 30 minutes. The
next meeting is a special meet-
ing on August 22, followed by
another on August 29, before
the regularly scheduled meet-
ing at 7:00 p.m. on September
6 (moved to Tuesday due to
Labor Day) at city hall.
Vernonia Schools
Start Thursday,
September 1.
Please drive
carefully!
Page 5
Business Notes
Williams Metal Fab has
been solving metal problems in
Vernonia and the surrounding
area since 1999, when Rob
Williams opened his metal fab-
rication shop.
Williams moved to Vernonia
from California in 1992. He
came to the area to visit rela-
tives, went to lunch, stopping in
front of Vernonia Realty to look
at the homes available. He saw
his property and made an offer
that was accepted.
His training started at the
community college level after
he got out of the Army when he
was 21 years old. After finish-
ing Advanced Metal Fabrica-
tion courses he started working
as an apprentice. Three years
later, he became a Journey-
man Sheetmetal Worker, fol-
lowed by a four-year appren-
ticeship to earn his Journey
Boilermaker title. Williams
moved to Vernonia a few years
later and worked in a number
of area metal fab shops. In the
meantime, he set up a home
shop and, when he was laid off
the next job, started Williams
Metal Fab.
His first job was a one piece
boat motor enclosure with
seats. On starting his business,
Williams said, “I’d like to thank
John Shaw. He was a big help
when I was starting out…
helped me out quite a bit.”
Some of the Williams Metal
Fab work you may see around
town includes the toothbrush
holding up the Vernonia Dental
sign, the trailer for the “This
way to Vernonia” sign that, until
recently, sat alongside Hwy 26
by Staley’s Junction. Another
early job was, “For those who
remember the old cooler door
Wu resigns and
election date set
From page 1
general election allows the vot-
ers of the First Congressional
District full participation in se-
lecting a replacement.”
State law mandates that a
primary election be used to se-
lect Republican and Democrat-
ic nominees because the Janu-
ary 31, 2012 general election is
more than 80 days after Rep.
Wu’s August 3, 2011, resigna-
tion date.
Rob Williams of Williams Metal Fab shown, in his shop, be-
side the frame and more he built for this custom motorcycle,
along with a custom picnic table he is fabricating for anoth-
er customer.
in Crabtree’s with bullet holes,
etc.,” Williams made a new
metal sheath for the door, just
in time for Jamboree. Crab-
tree’s is now the All In Pub &
Eatery.
The satisfaction for Williams
is in the art of metal work, “to
take a flat piece of metal and
turn it into a custom whatever,
having the opportunity to do
such a variety of projects and
getting to make just what the
customer wants.” He’s done
everything from lawnmower
deck repairs, railings and
stairs, to work on race cars.
WIlliams Metal Fab specializes
in stainless steel and restau-
rant equipment but, Williams
says, “If you can think it, I can
do it.”
In addition to repairs and
custom fabrications, Williams
Metal Fab offers 24-hour emer-
gency repairs and portable
welding.
Williams Metal Fab is locat-
ed at 17819 Noakes Rd, Ver-
nonia. Call 503-429-8431, or
stop by for a free quote or to
talk about your metal needs.