APRIL 2002 NEWSLETTER

The City Council will hold a public hearing to accept testimony regarding a proposal to increase sewer usage rates. The hearing will be held in the Council Chambers of the City Hall at 7:30 p.m. on April 4, 2002. The increase is needed because the costs associated with operating and maintaining the City's sewer system exceed the revenues collected from sewer usage fees. During past years, sewer usage revenues were also used to pay for a share of the principal and interest payments for the retirement of debt related to the construction of the sewer system. The proposal is to increase sewer usage fees by 25%. If approved, the sewer usage fee for residential users will increase from $18.90 to $23.65 per month.

It has been 10 years since the sewer system was constructed, and current residential sewer rates are 3% lower than they were 10 years ago. Unfortunately, operation and maintenance costs have increased over the past 10 years. The sewer system, which is a small-diameter system, includes 340 septic tanks. These tanks require ongoing maintenance, including routine pumping. Twenty-six homes have small, individual sewer pumps due to elevation problems, and there are ongoing costs associated with the replacement and maintenance of these pumps and their electrical systems. As the sewer system ages, septic tank and pump maintenance costs increase. In recent years, needed routine maintenance has been postponed due to financial constraints.

If approved, the new rates will become effective immediately and will be reflected on the May 26th bills. If you would like additional information about this proposal, please contact the City Hall by calling (503) 397-4010.

PLANNING COMMISSION NEWS

During the March meeting, Wayne Weigandt and Bill Booker were granted a 6-month extension for submittal of the final plat for Pacific Terrace II, which will be due by November 17, 2002. This 41-unit subdivision is located between Highway 30 and Sixth Street, and between "A" and Pacific Streets.

The City has received a $17,000 grant from the Department of Land Conservation and Development to complete the following planning activities:

• Update and unify the Comprehensive Plan, the Zoning Ordinance and the Subdivision/Partitioning Ordinance into a Unified Development Code, including implementation of the Transportation System Plan.

• Amend the Comprehensive Plan and the Comprehensive Plan Map.

• Amend the Urban Growth Boundary Management Agreement.

Work will begin with a draft Unified Development Code document for review during the May 14 Planning Commission Meeting.

The Columbia City Council will hold a public hearing regarding an update to the Parks System Development Charge (SDC). The hearing will be held on May 2, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the City Hall. The proposal is to adopt a new Park SDC of $1,133.60 per dwelling unit as recommended by a recent report prepared by CIDA, Inc. These proposed fees will only apply to new residential construction. Information about the proposed Parks SDC update is available for public inspection at the City Hall, Monday through Friday, during regular business hours. Written input will be accepted prior to the hearing and written and oral input will be accepted during the public hearing.

The City has received a $2,990,500 loan from the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund to assist in completing the design and construction of improvements to the City's water system, including the construction of a 1-million gallon water storage reservoir. The interest rate on this 30-year loan is 1%, which will result in a significant cost savings for this project.

Please join us for our third annual "Down By The Riverside" project in Columbia City! We are looking for volunteers to assist us with this project in Pixie Park on Saturday, May 18, 2002, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Volunteers will be removing blackberry bushes and debris and sprucing up the park as needed. If you are interested in participating in this project, please contact City Hall and sign up!

During their March meeting, the Parks Committee reviewed a proposed landscape and development plan for the Jim Bundy Memorial Park. The proposed park improvements include walking paths, a picnic area, picnic shelter, horseshoe pitching court, chemical toilet, playground, park benches, parking area and more.

As the first step of the park development, the Parks Committee recently approved the removal of some dying and/or dangerous trees. The County Sheriff's work crew will be hired to clean up the park, including cutting up the wood and removing blackberry bushes and other debris.

The Parks Committee plans to schedule work parties this spring and summer to work on completing improvements to the park. If you would like to volunteer your time or make a contribution towards the park, please contact City Hall by calling (503) 397-4010. We appreciate the contributions we have received for the Jim Bundy Memorial Park Fund, and we would like to extend our sincere thanks for each contribution.

Two City Council positions and the position of Mayor will expire at the end of December. These positions will be filled during the upcoming General Election in November. Qualified electors who have resided within the City since November 5, 2001, may run for office. Nominating petitions will be available at the City Hall beginning on June 8, 2002. 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 22, 2002. The Mayor and City Council positions are for a term of four years.

LIVE-TRAPPING CATS

A Columbia City resident has reportedly been live-trapping cats, and turning them in to Animal Control. Animal Control has limited space for cats, and may put the animal down soon after arrival. If the cat looks like someone's pet (healthy, wearing a collar), the Animal Control Officer will attempt to find a home for it, but since cats are not licensed, there is no good way to find the owner. The City has no ordinance against live-trapping animals. If your cat turns up missing, contact Animal Control at (503) 397-3935.

THANK YOU!

Bernadette Albertine, Alice Barchus, Laura Flynn, Dorothy Greyell, Nell Harrison, Phyllis Rowley, Helen Sandstrom and Amy West helped with the February newsletter and utility billings.

Steve Reed was instrumental in the City receiving funds for cleaning up the Jim Bundy Memorial Park.

The Columbia City Police Department offers vacation checks as a free service to City residents. If you are leaving on vacation or just for a few days and want the Police to check your house while you are away, either call or visit City Hall to fill out the appropriate form. The following information is needed: the time period you will be gone, an emergency contact person and their phone number, and a description of any vehicles in the driveway or timer lights inside the house. Each time an officer is on duty, he will drive by each house and check to see if something looks out of the ordinary.

The Rose Festival ships will pass by the City on June 5^th and 6^th. The Caples House will not host their Fleet Day Celebration this year. Watch for more details in the June newsletter.

A VERY SPECIAL VOLUNTEER

Richard (Ziggy) Ziglinski donates a great amount of time to the City, and particularly to the Public Works Department.  He has spent countless hours setting up the computer, installing programs, working to keep them running and up-to-date, and inputting information.  He also assists the Public Works staff with many miscellaneous tasks.  Ziggy's thoughtful and dedicated service to the City has been greatly appreciated, and we'd like to thank him for his valuable contributions.

RICHARD SIMPSON RETURNS TO SERVE AS

INTERIM PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT

Richard (Dick) Simpson has been appointed as the City's Interim Public Works Superintendent.  Dick retired from the Columbia City Public Works Department in January 2001.  We appreciate his willingness to accept this temporary appointment, and we look forward to working with him again.  The City is currently accepting applications for the position of Public Works Superintendent.

PROPANE TANKS

The State Fire Marshall encourages consumers to check their propane cylinders to ensure they are still eligible to be filled with propane as of April 1, 2002. Four to forty-pound propane cylinders are required to be equipped with an overfill prevention device (OPD) no later than April 1, 2002.

Cylinders can be fitted with an OPD or exchanged for an OPD equipped cylinder at exchange sites or licensed propane dealers. Cylinders manufactured prior to October 1, 1998 are not equipped with an OPD and can be fitted with an OPD when the cylinder is requalified.

A cylinder manufactured prior to October 1, 1998, will have a handwheel with five points and the date stamped on the ring around the handwheel. A cylinder manufactured after October 1, 1998, has a handwheel with three points and the date stamped on the top ring. For disposal locations, call 1-866-902-8524. For more information, call (503) 373-1540 Ext. 278 & 274 or look at the following website: www.sfm.state.or.us.

Smoke detectors are now required to have a 10-year battery and a hush feature. For more information check out the state fire marshal's website at www.sfm.state.or.us or call the local fire district at (503) 397-2990.

Hours:

Monday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

April 1st - 7:00 p.m. - Bedtime Story

April 20th - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Book sale at the Columbia Technology Center, 375 South 18th Street, St. Helens

COMING SOON - SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY

Columbia City will be hosting a community Spring Clean-Up Day on Saturday, May 4, 2002. It's time to get rid of all that junk! Bring your yard clippings, tree limbs, appliances, tires, scrap metal, batteries, old furniture, and more! The event details are still being worked out. For finalized event information, including a price list, please contact City Hall in mid-April.

We now have reproducible copies of 2001 Federal tax forms and instructions available at the City Hall. You may obtain copies of the forms and instructions during our regular working hours for $0.15 per page. You may also download forms and information from the IRS's web site at www.irs.gov, or you may order forms and publications by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-3676.

If you purchase a premium-efficiency dishwasher, clothes washer, or refrigerator you may be eligible for a tax credit or a rebate. For more information, check out the Columbia River PUD website at www.crpud.com or call (503) 366-5470.

Oregon's "booster seat" law, passed by the 2001 Legislature, took effect January 1, 2002, and requires drivers who transport children to use approved devices that elevate small children to make standard safety belts fit properly. Violation of this law is a Class D traffic infraction carrying a $77 penalty. The new law requires drivers to use booster seats for children between the ages of four and six AND for children who weigh between 40 and 60 pounds. The law has not changed regarding children under four years and 40 pounds, who must still be secured in child restraint systems.

Lap and shoulder belt systems are 45 percent to 65 percent effective in preventing crash-related death or injury to adults. However, children who are two to five years old and restrained prematurely in adult belts are 3.5 times more likely to suffer significant crash injury than children restrained in child safety or booster seats. Child safety systems reduce the risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers. The new law addresses an age group that falls in between those two categories.

According to Carla Levinski, occupant protection coordinator for the state of Oregon, "Safety belts are made for adults, and they do not fit small children. Improper fit puts the child at increased risk for head, neck, abdominal and other injuries. In some cases, the child slides right out from under the safety belt during a crash. As defined in the law, proper fit means "the lap belt of the safety belt or safety harness is positioned low across the thighs and the shoulder belt is positioned over the collarbone and away from the neck." Levinski warns that "riding on someone else's lap, securing more than one person in a safety belt system, or placing the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back are extremely dangerous practices and are not acceptable under any circumstance."

Even though the new law only applies to children up to six years old and children up to sixty pounds, all children need to ride in a booster seat until the lap and shoulder belt fits correctly. Your child needs a booster seat if you answer "NO" to any of the following questions: 1) Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat? 2) Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat? 3) Does the lap belt fit snugly across the top of the thighs? 4) Does the shoulder belt come across the center of the shoulder and chest? 5) Can the child sit like this for the whole trip?

The law will not apply to those passenger vehicles equipped with only lap belts. The same exemptions include privately-owned commercial vehicles that transport persons for compensation or profit, or school bus or school activity vehicles that are subject to equipment standards.

Booster seats should be available from any retail outlet that also sells child safety seats, and low-income families who are WIC-eligible may receive purchasing assistance from their local health department. Over two hundred certified child passenger safety technicians are available in Oregon to help parents with correct use of booster seats. For more information about booster seats or to locate a technician in your area, contact ACTS Oregon's Child Safety Resource Center, 1-800-722-1315 or www.actsoregon.org. City Hall also has pamphlets at the front desk.

POLICE REPORT

(January 29 to March 23, 2002)

01/29/02 Vandalism. Suspects entered a house under construction, broke out a window, a sky light and damaged two screens.

01/29/02 Parking complaint in the 300 block of Lincoln Street.

01/29/02 Motorist assist at Highway 30 and Pacific Street

01/31/02 Report of a speeding green truck on Second Street near the Grade School. Unable to locate vehicle.

02/01/02 Agency assist on fraud call. Turned over to Portland Police.

02/04/02 Civil dispute in the 1600 block of Fourth Street.

02/04/02 Parking complaint in the 2100 block of Sixth Street.

02/04/02 Assist OSP at Chimes Crest and Highway 30.

02/05/02 Agency assist with an animal complaint.

02/05/02 Agency assist on execution of a search warrant.

02/05/02 Traffic complaint. Leaking load near Highway 30 milepost 33.

02/07/02 Assault. Child hits another with a projectile from a slingshot.

02/08/02 Report of a resident finding broken glass in driveway.

02/08/02 Motorist assist near Highway 30 and "I" Street.

02/08/02 Information given to officers regarding pornographic materials.

02/11/02 Vandalism of a vehicle reported in the 300 block of Pacific Street.

02/11/02 Suspicious vehicle near Highway 30 and Pacific Street. Found okay.

02/14/02 Animal complaint in the 300 block of Spinnaker Way.

02/14/02 Fraud reported in the 1600 block of Fourth Street. Referred to Portland PD.

02/15/02 Lost cell phone reported.

02/15/02 Noise complaint reported near Tahoma Street and Tahoma Court.

02/17/02 Suspicious vehicle near the Grade School on Second Street. Checked okay.

02/18/02 Mentally ill person transported to hospital.

02/18/02 Parking complaint in the 300 block of "M" Street.

02/19/02 Traffic complaint reported near "A" Street.

02/19/02 Traffic complaint reported in the 1600 block of Fourth Street.

02/21/02 Motorist Assist. Truck disabled near Pacific Street and Highway 30.

02/21/02 Silent alarm in the 400 block of Belle Court. Checked okay.

02/22/02 Citizen assist on Highway 30 near "L" Street.

02/22/02 Solicitation violation. Kirby vacuum salesman on Metlako Way. Unable to locate.

02/22/02 Assist OSP with a traffic accident on Highway 30 near "I" Street.

02/22/02 Motorist assist. Vehicle blocking other traffic near Highway 30 and Pacific Street.

02/22/02 Welfare check.

02/22/02 Assist. OSP near Highway 30 and "E" Street.

02/23/02 Abandoned vehicle in the 2400 block of Sixth Street. Vehicle tagged.

02/23/02 Traffic complaint near Highway 30 and Chimes Crest.

02/25/02 DUII arrest near Highway 30 and "E" Street after driver drove off the roadway. No injuries.

02/28/02 Animal complaint in the 300 block of Tahoma Street. Resolved.

02/28/02 Suicide call. Situation checked okay.

02/28/02 Motorist assist near Highway 30 and "L" Street.

02/28/02 Suspicious activity in the 200 block of "I" Street.

03/01/02 Agency assist. Subject escapes from a Juvenile Department Officer and apprehended.

03/02/02 Citizen assist.

03/02/02 Citizen assist in the 200 block of "I" Street.

03/02/02 Suspicious person in the 1600 block of Fourth Street.

03/02/02 Suspicious person. Someone in the field with a flashlight between Metlako Way and Sixth Street. No one found.

03/04/02 Motorist assist near the Post Office.

03/04/02 Citizen assist at the Grade School.

03/05/02 911 hang up calls in the 1300 block of Second Street.

03/05/02 Citizen assist at City Hall.

03/05/02 Solicitation violation. Kirby vacuum salesman reported along Second Street.

03/06/02 Suspicious vehicle in the 1800 block of Ninth Street.

03/07/02 Citizen assist in the 1600 block of Fourth Street.

03/07/02 Motorist assist near Highway 30 and the trestle.

03/07/02 Agency assist. State Services to Children and Families.

03/07/02 Agency assist. Juvenile Department.

03/08/02 Animal complaint in the 200 block of "L" Street.

03/08/02 Traffic complaint on Highway 30. Blue Kia reported weaving. Unable to locate the vehicle.

03/08/02 Agency assist. St. Helens Fire Department at the Four Square Church on Second Street.

03/09/02 Traffic complaint. Attempt to locate blue Ford Taurus speeding.

03/10/02 Report of vehicle with numerous bullet holes in the 1600 block of Fourth Street. Possible Columbia County Sheriff’s Office call.

03/14/02 Traffic/noise complaint reported in the 1600 block of Fourth Street.

03/14/02 Welfare check.

03/14/02 Incomplete 911 call in the 300 block of "L" Street. Checked okay.

03/14/02 Suspicious vehicle near Highway 30 and the trestle. Checked okay

03/14/02 Attempt to locate stolen vehicle from St. Helens.

03/14/02 Road hazard removed in the 300 block of "L" Street.

03/15/02 Checked suspicious vehicle in the 2200 block of The Strand.

03/15/02 Parking complaint near Second and "K" Streets. Owner moved vehicle.

03/15/02 Vehicle found blocking roadway in the 1700 block of Fourth Street. Owner removed the vehicle.

03/16/02 Road hazard checked in the 1800 block of Fifth Street.

03/18/02 Citizen assist near Third and "I" Streets.

03/21/02 Traffic hazard/vehicle blocking roadway in the 1600 block of Fourth Street. Owner removed the vehicle.

03/21/02 Citizen assist in the 2200 block of Second Street.

03/21/02 Suspicious vehicle checked near Sixth and Pacific Streets.

03/21/02 Threats call. No other information available.

03/22/02 Citizen assist at the Columbia City Grade School.

03/22/02 Agency assist. St. Helens Police making arrest in the 1600 block of Fourth Street.

03/22/02 Citizen assist at City Hall.

03/23/02 Ongoing traffic problems in the 1600 block of Fourth Street. One vehicle cited.

BEAR ALERT

Please be aware that there has been an increase in the bear population recently, particularly in the Cascades and Cascade foothills. All hikers, hunters, fishermen and golfers are advised to take precautions and be alert for bears while in or near the mountains this summer. You are advised to wear noise-producing devices such as little bells on your clothing to alert bears. A startled bear is a dangerous bear. It is also suggested that you carry pepper spray in the event of a close encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch for signs of bears. Learn to recognize the difference between black and grizzly bear droppings. Black bear droppings are smaller and may contain berries and possibly squirrel fur. Grizzly bear droppings have little bells in them and smell like pepper spray.

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