Page 4
The INDEPENDENT, July 5, 2012
Economic Development Committee persons all quit
Michael Calhoun spoke to
the Vernonia City Council at
their July 2 meeting, to tell
them he is applying for Vernon-
ia to become a Tree City USA
through the Arbor Day Founda-
tion. Calhoun told council that
he is soliciting for members of
a tree board and that board
plus an city tree ordinance will
be needed for this project to
get started.
The Mayor accepted a letter
of resignation from all five
members of the city’s Econom-
ic Development Committee,
which effectively ends this
committee. No reason was giv-
en in the letter for disbanding
the committee, though the
committee’s June 19 minutes
“cited a lack of time for the pe-
riodic, long term commitment”.
Police Chief Michael Conner
provided the council with
charts, plus all citizen com-
ments, of the police survey that
was in the April water bill to all
households. Conner has not
yet evaluated the results for
any possible changes, but will
be looking at that next. 122 sur-
veys were returned to the city
of the 800 sent out.
City Administrator Bill Haack
told council that he has hired a
temporary grounds mainte-
nance person for the next two
months. The hiring process for
this part-time contract position
is currently starting. The tem-
porary person replaced an em-
ployee who was recently termi-
nated.
Council approved Resolu-
tion 26-12, the formal paper-
work needed to establish an
Airport Committee under the
changes recently implemented
for size and organization of city
committees.
The Master Fee Schedule
was updated by council’s ap-
proval of Resolution 27-12
which included the new water
rates that went into effect in
June and were reflected in the
bill the city sent out dated June
26.
After an executive session
(closed to the public) to “con-
duct deliberations with persons
designated to carry on labor
negotiations”, the council re-
turned to open session. Coun-
cilor Webb made moved to
adopt the Vernonia Police As-
sociation agreement as pre-
sented in executive session.
Council unanimously agreed.
The next regular council
meeting is scheduled for July
16, at 7:00 p.m., at city hall.
Top 10 consumer complaint list
According to the Oregon De-
partment of Justice (DOJ) the
Top 10 Consumer Complaints
for 2011 include telemarketing
calls, telecommunications, in-
ternational money transfer
scams, financial services,
homeownership issues, collec-
tion agencies, motor vehicle
sales, internet sales, health
products, and auto repair com-
panies.
Every day the Department’s
Consumer Protection Section
helps consumers who have lost
money due to fraudulent and
deceptive business practices.
In 2011 the Department re-
ceived nearly 12,500 written
complaints alleging fraud in the
marketplace and helped con-
sumers recover $2,720,931.
The Attorney General’s Con-
sumer Hotline, at 1-877-877-
9392, is staffed by a team of
volunteers who fielded 37,467
calls in 2011.
Because of increasing fraud
and scams throughout Oregon,
DOJ has unveiled a completely
redesigned and updated con-
sumer protection website fea-
turing videos, smart consumer
tips and how-tos for exercising
consumer rights. The site is
available at www. oregonattor-
neygeneral.gov/consumer.
The Department’s online
complaint research database,
Be InfORmed, allows users to
conduct business searches by
zip code or geographical area.
Be InfORmed can be found at
https://justice.oregon.gov/com
plaints/.
Below are some highlights
from the Top 10 Consumer
Complaint List for 2011.
Telemarketing – This is the
first time in five years that an
industry other than telecommu-
nications ranked #1 on Ore-
gon’s Top 10 Consumer Com-
plaint List. With 1,341 written
complaints, Oregon consumers
want to silence a recent surge
in unwanted telemarketing
See Top 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., WGS 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
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 Comm. Learning Center 1st Wednesday
5:00 p.m., VCLC
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 Library Board
1st Wednesday
9:00 a.m., Sept-June, Library
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.
3rd 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
7:30 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.
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.