AUGUST 2000 NEWSLETTER

WATER QUALITY NOTICE

During the months of June through September, 2000, we will fail to meet the minimum treatment requirements for our drinking water. The problem is caused by inadequate disinfection time before the water enters the system. You can help by continuing to avoid all unnecessary water usage.

Due to the increase in water usage related to the recent periods of hot weather, it has been difficult for us to fill the water reservoirs. Because the reservoir levels were dropping to a dangerously low level for fire protection purposes, we began tapping into the water supply at an earlier point in the line than usual. This was done in order to provide us with the additional supply needed to fill the water reservoirs.

The tapping point is located at the corner of Second and "E" Streets. Tapping into the system at this point puts water directly into the distribution system prior to completion of the required contact time with the disinfectants. An orange cone is placed at the tapping point when we are drawing water into the system.

Areas within close vicinity of the tapping point are more vulnerable to the risks associated with the treatment deficiency. Our engineer has identified the areas east of the Highway to be the most vulnerable.

The United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets drinking water standards and has determined that the presence of microbiological contaminants are a health concern at certain levels of exposure. If water is inadequately treated, microbiological contaminants in that water may cause disease. Disease symptoms may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and possibly jaundice, and any associated headaches and fatigue. These symptoms, however, are not just associated with disease-causing organisms in drinking water, but also may be caused by a number of factors other than your drinking water. EPA has set enforceable requirements for treating drinking water to reduce the risk of these adverse health effects. Treatment such as filtering and disinfecting the water removes or destroys microbiological contaminants. Drinking water which is treated to meet EPA requirements is associated with little to none of this risk and should be considered safe. [OAR 333-61-097(5c) required by OAR 333-61-042(1) for violation of OAR 333-61-032)]

Our treatment deficiency will continue for an undetermined amount of time. When the problem is resolved, we will notify our water users by notice in the local newspapers, KOHI Radio, and posting on the City Hall and Post Office bulletin boards. Your cooperation in conserving water is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions please contact Leahnette Rivers at the City Hall, 397-4010.

Due to recent high water usage. the City has instituted a mandatory water curtailment program that applies to all outdoor watering. Columbia City water users are asked to observe an odd and even watering schedule.

This means households with even numbered house numbers can water ONLY on even-numbered days of the month; those with odd numbered house numbers can water ONLY on odd-numbered days of the month. If your house number ends in zero, you are considered an even-numbered household. Ignore the number of your street if you live on a numbered street; everyone is asked to use their house numbers for this determination.

Any other water conservation measures are also appreciated. Please avoid all unnecessary water use.

This curtailment is necessary due to the increased heat and heavy water usage in recent weeks. Our water pumps are working constantly to keep up with the demand, yet they are unable to pump enough water to fill our reservoirs, which causes concern in the area of fire protection and providing for essential household needs.

This odd/even curtailment will be used and observed until further notice is given. We want to thank all of our water customers for their cooperation in this matter.

Two City Council positions will expire in December 2000. These positions will be filled during the upcoming General Election in November. Qualified electors who have resided within the City since November 8, 1999, may run for office. Nominating petitions are available at the City Hall. The nominating petitions must be signed by 20 qualified electors, and must be filed with the City Recorder by 5:00 p.m. on August 24, 2000. City Council positions are for a term of four-years.

The Columbia City Celebration is scheduled for September 9th, 2000. The Celebration is great fun for the entire family and will include live entertainment, raffle, BINGO, parade, auctions, carnival games, crafts and concessions, and more. Proceeds from the Celebration will be used to staff the Columbia City School and Community Library on a part-time basis.

Parade entry forms and booth application forms are available at the City Hall. To volunteer to help us with the Celebration, please call 397-4010.

The City Council will hold two public hearings during the August 3rd, 2000 Council Meeting. The first public hearing will provide interested citizens with an opportunity to comment on a proposed application for a Technical Assistance Grant and Loan under the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department's 1999 Water/Wastewater Financing Program. The application is for a $10,000 grant and $20,000 loan for the completion of a Water Reservoir Pre-design and Water Rate Study. This report will provide the City with a reservoir siting analysis for a 1-million gallon water reservoir and related preliminary engineering work. Revenue from the sale of water would be used to repay the loan.

The second public hearing is scheduled to obtain public comments about a recommendation from the Planning Commission to rename "B" Street between Sixth and "A" Streets. The proposal is to change the name of the street to Belle Street. If you are interested in obtaining additional information about these items, please contact the City Hall at 397-4010.

The City Council is also considering the adoption of a Water Curtailment Plan. This curtailment plan will provide several levels of water curtailment measures which could be instituted based upon the severity of the water problem. The draft plan is available for public inspection at the City Hall.

On August 17th the City Council will hold a public hearing to obtain comments about a proposed sewer usage fee adjustment. The Council is considering a 5 percent increase in residential sewer usage fees. If approved, the fee increase would take effect on October 1st, 2000. The fee increase is needed because the revenue collected from sewer usage fees is not covering the costs related to operating and maintaining the City's sewage collection system. Under the new rate structure, residential monthly sewer usage fees would increase from $18.00 to $18.90 per month. Commercial and industrial sewer usage fees would be based upon their equivalent dwelling unit value.

City Council Meeting Agendas are available by e-mail. To be added to our e-mail list for agenda mailings, please e-mail us at columbiacity@columbia-center.org.

On June 13, the Planning Commission approved a site design for an Espresso business on commercially- zoned property located at the corner of "A" Street and Highway 30. The business is located north of the new CJ's Grocery and Gas.

A public hearing will be held to receive comments about the proposed expansion of the Columbia City Sports and Recreation Center. The hearing is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on August 8, 2000. The expansion includes the addition of a cardio room, an office and handicapped restrooms.

On September 12th the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. to gather public testimony regarding proposed revisions to the Transportation System Plan (TSP) as recommended by the TSP Work Group. The proposed changes under consideration are as follows:

Delete the sidewalk improvements on "E" Street between Second Street and The Strand.

Delete the sidewalk improvements on The Strand.

Delete the sidewalk improvements on the south side of "I" Street between Second Street and Pixie Park.

Designate "E" Street between Second Street and The Strand as a local street instead of a collector street.

Designate The Strand as a shared roadway for vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

When the "L" Street Bridge is replaced, develop to collector standards with two 12-foot travel lanes and one 5-foot sidewalk on the south side. Any future improvements to "L" Street should be designed in accordance with the size of the bridge.

Add the future completion of the bicycle and pedestrian path to connect the area of Lincoln and Sixth Streets to Highway 30.

The City has received a $20,000 technical assistance grant from the State of Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. The grant funds will be used to hire a planning consultant to update the Comprehensive Plan and implementing ordinances and to create a unified development code.

The City has also received funding in the amount of $1,400 under the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Act of 1998 through the U.S. Department of Justice. The funds will be used to purchase bulletproof vests for the City's Police Officers.

The City recently drilled a test well on property located near the corner of Ninth and "K" Streets. We hit solid basalt formation within the first 50 feet of drilling and drilled to a depth of 490 feet. We hit two water-producing fractures, but at this time we are unsure of the well's production capabilities. We are currently running tests on the water quality. If the quality is good, we will bring in a submersible pump to test the well's flow capacity. Our next steps in this project will be dependent upon the results of the water quality and flow tests.

IT'S FIRE SEASON - PLEASE KEEP WEEDS CUT

Fire season is here and we'd like to remind all residents to keep weeds and grass cut below 10 inches in height. To report weeds and grass that need to be cut, please contact the City Hall at 397-4010.

COLUMBIA CITY SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LIBRARY IS NOW OPEN

Citizens living within the Columbia City School boundaries now have access to a local community library. The Columbia City School/Community Library was made possible through a partnership between the St. Helens School District and the City of Columbia City. To use the library at no cost, you need to reside within the Columbia City School boundaries. Proof of address in the form of mail or a driver’s license will be accepted. If you live outside of the school's boundaries, a $20 fee will be charged.

Books, magazines, and videos may be checked out. There are also eight online computers available. Since the library is in its infancy, you will be asked to check out no more than two books for a minimum two-week period. You are also asked not to leave children unattended in the library.

Donations of books, subscriptions for magazines and the local newspapers, videos and money are still being accepted.

Their summer hours are:

When school is in session (starting August 30^th):

During the summer, each of use uses about 250 gallons of water daily – that’s more than twice what we use in the winter. Research suggests much of that extra use is simply wasted. Water conservation today saves you money on your next water bill, reduces the cost for developing new supplies, and leaves more water in the rivers for fish and habitat. When the heat of summer is upon us, we tend to water our yards and lawns more frequently. With increased outdoor water usage comes an increased water bill. Here are a few tips to help you conserve water outdoors:

When landscaping, choose plants that are low-water users.

Consider replacing turf with ground covers such as junipers or heathers.

Group high-water use plants and water them together by area.

Avoid oscillating sprinklers – they tend to over-water at the ends when they reverse direction. Instead, choose a good stationary sprinkler or soil soaker that will water a large area evenly.

Check hoses for leaks and replace washers in hose connectors.

Keep your lawn in good shape. Keep weeds down as they rob your lawn and plants of nutrients and water.

Mow your lawn regularly to the height recommended for the type of grass you have. Leave the clippings on the lawn as mulch if they aren’t thick and matted.

Cultivate the soil in planted beds regularly so water can penetrate and develop a good root system.

Use mulch in rows and around plants to maintain moisture.

It’s better to water about once a week and provide 1 to 1½ inches of water.

Water before 10 a.m. Watering in the heat of the day allows the water to evaporate and watering late in the day may promote fungus and other lawn diseases.

We would like to thank the following volunteers who distributed water notices to each water customer on the east side of Highway 30: Steve and Betsy Conklin, Barbara Cross, Cap Jensen, Shirley and Dave Proctor, Sharon Rynning, and Ziggy Ziglinski. Larry Fellows, the City's volunteer Incident Commander, helped coordinate the volunteers and also helped distribute the notices. The City Public Works Department especially thanks these volunteers. The previous week, it had taken the three Public Works personnel five hours to distribute water curtailment notices to the whole City during one of the hottest days this summer.

The City held a small "thank you" luncheon for the volunteers who faithfully help to prepare the City's newsletter and utility billings for mailing. Most of the volunteers were able to attend. Following the luncheon Bernadette Albertine, Alice Barchus, Laura Flynn, Judy Hansen, Jackie McCallum, Jane Munson, Phyllis Rowley, Helen Sandstrom and Amy West helped with the June utility billings and newsletter.

Recently, in our City and throughout Columbia County, reports of mail theft from local individual mailboxes have been received. When the mail is taken, the thief looks for any checks written out for payment of bills. The check is washed or bleached to remove the amount and the name of the payee. The thief writes his name in as payee for a larger amount. The bill is unpaid and the victims usually don’t know anything until their bank statements arrive.

The best way of avoiding this type of theft is to take your mail to the Post Office and put it in the drop box. This is a simple and easy solution to avoid financial problems in the future.

05/19 DUII Arrest - Alcohol was found during a traffic stop. The driver arrested for DUII; vehicle impounded.

05/23 Vehicle Impound - Driver found to have no insurance during a traffic stop; vehicle impounded.

05/25 911 Hang-up - Dispatch advised of 911 hang-up at local resident and was unable to reach anyone on call back. Checked and found everything was OK. Changing batteries in phone.

05/30 Citizen Assist - Lawn equipment loaned to neighbor who wouldn't return it. Contacted neighbor and equipment was later returned.

06/02 Phone Harassment - Local resident received a threatening phone call. CCSO originally responded to call. Investigation pending.

06/02 Concerned Citizen - Local citizen concerned about a sales person coming to the back door instead of the front. Thought this was suspicious.

06/13 Theft - Resident on 3000 block of Sixth Street had a check stolen out of their paper box, and it was later washed, written and cashed for a higher amount.

06/15 Animal Complaint - Report of two dogs running loose in the 1400 block of Second Street. Owner was also found looking for the dogs. Warning given.

06/15 Animal Complaint - Found dog at large in area of "G" and Second Streets. Owner was issued a citation.

06/15 Animal Complaint - Report of dog running loose in the 2300 block of Sixth Street and of kids being a hazard to traffic. Contacted kids and dog owner and warning given.

06/19 Theft - Resident on 2300 block of Sixth Street had mail stolen from their mailbox. It was later found in St. Helens along the street. Checks were missing from the envelopes.

06/10 Theft - Boys BMX bike stolen from youths while they were at Pixie Park. Other youths walking by took the bike and headed for St. Helens. Red 20" Harrow.

06/19 Drug Complaint – During traffic stop, the driver was cited for possession of less than 1oz. marijuana.

06/23 Animal Complaint - Report of dogs running loose on Metlako Way.

06/23 Ordinance Violations - Report of abandoned vehicles in the 2300 block of Sixth Street. Owner given copy of ordinance and time period to remove vehicles.

06/27 Lost property - Local citizen reported loosing her diamond necklace at an unknown location.

06/29 Helmet Violation - Three youths given warnings for not wearing bicycle helmets.

06/29 Theft - Resident in the 1500 block of Fourth Street reported his son's bike being stolen again.

Boy's chrome colored BMX Mongoose.

06/30 Noise Complaint - Report of rooster in the 2100 block of Second Street announcing it's wake-up call earlier than it needs to. Warning given to owner.

06/30 Agency Assist - Assisted St. Helens police on reported domestic in their city.

06/30 Agency Assist - Assisted CCSO on reported restraining order violation in Deer Island.

06/30 Agency Assist - Assisted St. Helens police in looking for a suspect from their city.

07/10 Harassment - Citizen reported receiving harassing phone calls. Found that it was also a restraining order violation. Investigation pending.

07/10 Burglary - Citizen in the 1700 block of Sixth Street reported they had money and stereo equipment stolen. Suspect known and investigation pending.

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