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The INDEPENDENT, March 21, 2012
Vernonia council told law on golf carts
February job rate remains flat
The March 19 Vernonia City
Council meeting started with a
public hearing and decision on
new water rates (see article on
page 1).
The council heard a presen-
tation by Sean McGilloway, of
ISoutsource, who provides
computer IT services. The city
has been having trouble with
one of their servers and McGil-
loway has determined it is fail-
ing. ISoutsource will replace
the existing servers with two
upgraded servers, one always
running and one for backup.
Costs are expected to be
around $16,000 for hardware,
licensing, and labor. The plan
met with council’s approval and
will be started as soon as hard-
ware is chosen.
Mayor Josette Mitchell ac-
cepted resignations from Carol
Davis, Janelle Cedergreen and
Jill Hult, all on the Vernonia
Community Learning Center
Columbia County’s season-
ally adjusted unemployment
rate was 9.7 percent in January
essentially unchanged from the
previous month (9.9%) but low-
er than the year before
(11.9%). The rate was higher
than the statewide rate (8.8%)
and the national rate (8.3%).
(VCLC) Committee. Each left
stating concerns about having
no dedicated city staff to help
run the VCLC and improve the
usage of this building. Mitchell
included her thanks to these
citizen volunteers for their serv-
ice.
Council had asked Police
Chief Michael Conner to look
into the use of golf carts on city
streets. Conner reported that
golf carts can be used only with
an ODOT permit and only on
roads with speed limits no high-
er than 25 mph. They also can
not be used to tow trailers. The
police will be making contact
with golf cart users to educate
them about these laws and to
work with them on permitting
requirements. The ORS laws
that apply are 801.331,
807.210, and 807.010.
In other business, council:
• Approved a new IGA (Inter-
governmental Agreement) with
the school district related to the
demolition of the old schools.
• Were informed that the po-
sition of mayor, and the council
positions held by Randy Par-
row and Kim Tierney will be up
for new terms in the November
6 General Election. Anyone
wishing to run for these offices
can file their intention between
May 30 and August 28.
• Set a Work Session/Spe-
cial Meeting, for March 26, at
7:00 p.m. at city hall to discuss
the IGA with the school district
and new Spencer Park. They
also agreed to hold a Work
Session to discuss open
spaces and the FEMA buyout
process, on March 31 from 1-3
p.m., location not yet deter-
mined.
The next regularly sched-
uled city council meeting will be
April 2, at 7:00 p.m., at city hall.
Total employment dropped by
213 to 22,294 and the number
of unemployed people rose by
225 to 2,606. Total employment
this January was 444 more
than one year before and there
were 443 fewer people unem-
ployed this year.
Vernonia City Update
Theft at demolition sites is a crime
by Bill Haack, Vernonia City
Administrator
The City of Vernonia has
been informed that Custom Ex-
cavating and Trails End Recov-
ery will no longer allow people
to salvage materials from the
houses and businesses that
they are demolishing.
This decision comes as a re-
sult of people in the community
who are trespassing and re-
moving materials from the
buildings without permission
and leaving them in unstable
condition, which increases their
cost to demolish.
The City will now provide
oversight to these properties,
strictly enforcing trespass and
theft charges against individu-
als found to be on the property
without permission and who
may also be found to be in pos-
session of materials salvaged
from these same sites.
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 Wednesday
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
6:00 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
7:00 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
2nd Thursday
4:00 p.m., 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.