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The INDEPENDENT, December 21, 2011
Vernonia Council completes 2010 business Small business problems studied
The Vernonia City Council
took care of two items of busi-
ness deemed necessary, at
short meetings on December 9
and December 19.
At a work session on De-
cember 9, one item of business
was added and unanimously
passed. Resolution 29-11 out-
lines the rules for water service
under Ordinance 871, requiring
compliance with Ordinance
845 – Flood Damage Preven-
tion. This resolution affects per-
sons purchasing substantially
damaged, foreclosed homes,
and outlines the needed agree-
ment to raise such houses in
order to obtain city water and
sewer services. The City sees
the need for this resolution in
order to stay in compliance with
FEMA regulations.
At a short regular council
meeting, on December 19, with
only one item on the agenda,
council unanimously agreed to
sign an intergovernmental
agreement (IGA) with the State
of Oregon. This IGA to allows
the State of Oregon to begin
improvement work on Hwy. 47/
E. Bridge Street, that is needed
for access to the new school
site.
The next Vernonia City
Council meeting will be held at
7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 3,
at city hall. The meeting will be
held on Tuesday, as city hall
will be closed on Monday, Jan-
uary 2, for the New Year’s holi-
day.
Haack provides Vernonia update
by Bill Haack, Vernonia City
Administrator
On Tuesday December 13,
the City of Vernonia conducted
a mandatory pre-submission
meeting with firms interested in
responding to a Requests for
Qualifications to provide design
and final engineering services
for the Wastewater Treatment
Plant Improvement Project.
The City had provided infor-
mation to twenty-five firms that
expressed interest in the proj-
ect. Of those firms, six firms at-
tended the mandatory pre-sub-
mission meeting. These six
firms have now each met the
first step in our selection
process, as only these six firms
are eligible to submit a re-
sponse to this RFQ offering.
These responses are due no
later than end of business De-
cember 22.
The City will review the ap-
plications the week of Decem-
ber 26.
A new study examining im-
pediments to growth in the
small-business sector reveals
that 72 percent of small-busi-
ness owners would like to ex-
pand by adding employees
within the next five years, but
various impediments are cur-
rently standing in their way.
According to Growth – Ex-
ternal Factors, a report pre-
pared by the National Federa-
tion of Independent Business
(NFIB) Research Foundation,
uncertainty and weak sales are
the two primary impediments to
small-business growth.
“There is no question that
small businesses are responsi-
ble for a significant portion of
the job creation in our econo-
my,” said William J. Dennis, re-
port author and senior fellow at
the NFIB Research Founda-
tion. “Their growth and success
is often contingent upon a
litany of factors beyond their
control – but within the purview
of policy-makers in Washing-
ton. Impediments to growth
may not be easily overcome,
but if we are ever to bridge the
gap between desired and actu-
al growth, government officials
must look at the problems
small businesses face. Under-
standing the challenges should
help with the formulation of
policies that would help them to
thrive.”
The study found that busi-
ness uncertainty and weak
sales – identified as the two pri-
mary impediments to small-
business growth – are current-
ly limiting the ability of many
owners to expand. While eco-
nomic concerns rank high in
the minds of owners, a large
number of small businesses
also report that uncertainty is a
significant factor in making
business decisions. Not sur-
See Study on page 7
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
Emerg. Preparedness Comm.
4th Wednesay
6:30 p.m., WOEC
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
Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-0869 7:00 p.m.,Vernonia Grange
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 Comm. Learning Center 1st Wednesday
5:00 p.m., VCLC
Vernonia Parks Committee
3rd Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Planning Comm.
1st & 3rd Thursdays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Ridge Riders
Last Thursday
7:00 p.m., Senior Center
Vernonia RFPD Board
2nd Tuesday
7:00 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
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
7:30 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 9-1-1 Board
3rd Thursday
9:00 a.m., 9-1-1 meeting room
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.