JANUARY 2003 NEWSLETTER

HIGHWAY 30 ENHANCEMENT PROJECT

The Oregon Department of Transportation is accepting grant applications for Transportation Enhancement projects. This program provides federal funds for projects that strengthen the cultural, aesthetic and environmental value of the transportation system. The program requires a minimum local match of 10.27%. The local match may consist of cash, donated property, materials or services, and work performed by the City.

The City Council appointed a Committee to design a project for submittal under the Transportation Enhancement Program. This Committee was asked to develop a proposed project for consideration by the Council and the public.

Members of the Committee discussed how best to improve the Highway 30 area within Columbia City. They expressed an interest in making changes that would improve our identity as a community, and improve vehicular and pedestrian safety. They also wanted the changes to be aesthetically pleasing.

The Committee is proposing a project consisting of the following elements:

• Welcome to Columbia City entrance signs

• Raised median planting strips in Highway 30

• Inlaid median in Highway 30

• Removal of blackberries and weeds

• Attractive, low-maintenance landscaping

• Pedestrian lighting along the walking path

• Deer crossing signs

A public hearing has been scheduled to obtain citizen input about the project. The public hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 16, 2003, in the Council Chambers of the City Hall. Please join us to learn more about the proposed project, and/or to make comments about the proposal. Please feel free to contact the City Hall for additional information about the project.

The Planning Commission continues to review the draft development code. Presently, the different zones are being discussed, and changes to the Urban Growth Boundary will be considered. The January meeting has been rescheduled from January 14^th to January 7^th at 7:00 p.m.

You are invited to an open forum. St. Helens Superintendent of Schools, Walt Blomberg, will address the importance of Measure 28 on the January ballot, and its impact on the education of the children of the St. Helens School District. Please join them Thursday, January 9, 2003, at 7:00 p.m. in the Columbia City School gymnasium.

The City has received assistance under the Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation (HBRR) Program to reconstruct the "L" Street bridge. The existing bridge has substantial rot in the pilings, has been load posted, and is both structurally and functionally obsolete. The project will receive approximately $1.2 million in federal funding.

The HBRR funding will cover 80 percent of the project costs. In addition, Portland & Western Railroad has agreed to help with the project by removing the existing structure. The City recently applied for additional funding under the Small Community Incentive Fund in an effort to fill a remaining funding gap in this project.

The design engineering for this project is expected to begin within the next six months, and bridge reconstruction is scheduled for 2004.

Water Reservoir Project: The geotechnical investigation report is available, and the project is in final design. The construction drawings and specifications are 60 percent complete at this time, and are available for public inspection. Construction is expected to begin in March 2003.

Well Development Project: Drilling is currently underway at the Harvard Park site.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission is holding its 9^th annual essay contest, with a special category for poster artists. This year's theme is "Party Time....It's Easy to Be Alcohol Free!" In a 400-word essay, describe what kind of food, soft drinks, games, and music you would have at an alcohol-free party - and why drinking under 21 is a bad idea. Tell how alcohol can spoil a party, using scientific data, legal, health, and safety arguments.

For the poster art contest, create an 81/2 x 11-inch poster to tack on the front door, alerting your friends that the party inside is alcohol-free.

$500 and $300 Series E savings bonds will be awarded to the top two essayists in the 6^th-8^th grade and 9^th-12^th grade categories. A $200 savings bond will go to the poster art contest winners in each age group.

Entries will be accepted from now until Friday, March 7, 2003. Mail to: OLCC, P.O. Box 22297, Milwaukie, OR 97269-2297. Ken Palke can answer questions at (503) 872-5002 or 1-800-452-6522.

Essays may be typed or handwritten - on one side only - and must include student's name, address, telephone number, grade level and school at the top to be considered. Essays or posters without complete information will not be accepted.

Essays will be judged on ideas/content, organization, effective word choice, sentence fluency and writing conventions; posters on artistic merit and subject matter.

Winners will be asked to sign releases stating they are the sole creators of their essay or poster. They will be asked to read their essays or show their posters during the OLCC's April awards activity.

Winning essays/posters may be published in Oregon newspapers or industry publications.

Physical exercise is good for you. I know that I should do it daily, but my body doesn't want me to do too much, so I have worked out this program of strenuous activities that do not require physical exercise. You are invited to use my program without charge.

1) Beating around the bush

2) Jumping to conclusions

3) Climbing the walls

4) Swallowing my pride

5) Passing the buck

6) Throwing my weight around

7) Dragging my heels

8) Pushing my luck

9) Making mountains out of molehills

10) Hitting the nail on the head

11) Wading through paperwork

12) Bending over backwards

13) Jumping on the bandwagon

14) Balancing the books

15) Running around in circles

16) Eating crow

17) Tooting my own horn

18) Climbing the ladder of success

19) Pulling out the stops

20) Adding fuel to the fire

21) Opening a can of worms

22) Putting my foot in my mouth

23) Starting the ball rolling

24) Going over the edge

25) Picking up the pieces.

Whew! What a workout! I think I'll exercise my caution now, and sit down.

lice Barchus, Laura Flynn, Nell Harrison, Phyllis Moss, Phyllis Rowley, Helen Sandstrom and Claudia Yoes helped with the December bills and newsletter.

Laura Flynn provided a tray of delicious homemade Christmas cookies and candy.

Molly Hruska and Finos Lunsford provided calendars for 2003.

Waste Management provided a tower of goodies from Harry and David.

Barbara Jones and Vickie Hagan, representing the Garden Club, brought a beautiful Christmas wreath for the front door of City Hall.

MSA, the City's Engineering Group, provided a box of Mrs. See's candy.

Jean LeMont brought by some homemade party mix.

Pieper-Ramsdell Insurance Agency brought by a calendar, weekly planner, and gourmet coffee.

New books for a New Year:

George and Laura: Portrait of an American Marriage by Christopher Andersen. Take a look at the marriage of the president and first lady.

Jackie, Ethel, and Joan: Women of Camelot by J. Randy Taraborrelli. This biography captures their special sisterhood while telling about their roles in the powerful Kennedy clan.

Upcoming Events:

Monday, January 6th at 7 p.m. - Bedtime Story read by Superintendent Walt Blomberg.

Tuesday, January 21st at 7 p.m. - Friends of the Library Meeting.

Tax forms are here! Get a jump on your tax return.

ALL ABOUT AMMONIA

In November, the Coastal Chemical Plant north of the City limits experienced a shut down, which caused a small amount of ammonia to be released into the atmosphere. The safety representative contacted City Hall personnel and residents who had called with complaints.

Ammonia can be detected at very low concentrations. Residents do not usually smell ammonia, because it goes into the atmosphere and dissipates. Last month, the weather allowed the ammonia to descend instead of ascend causing residents to smell it. As soon as the calls started, the Health and Safety Representative began taking readings in the areas most affected by the release and contacting residents.

The body produces about 17 grams (17,000 milligrams), or one tenth of an ounce of ammonia every day. Approximately 4 grams (4,000 milligrams) of this internally produced ammonia are absorbed into the body's circulation system; the rest is excreted.

Ammonia is essential to the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, which are the basic building blocks of life. Bacteria in the digestive tract break down other food compounds to form ammonia.

Ammonia is processed in the liver, kidneys and skeletal muscle. The liver has the capacity to convert over 130 grams (130,000 milligrams) of ammonia into urea each day although it normally operates at less than one eighth of that capacity.

Exposure to ammonia from sources outside the body comes from eating proteins and certain foods containing ammonium salt additives, and from water, air and direct contact with the skin.

Ammonia is used in food preparation as a stabilizer, leavening agent, and food additive; the average human intake of ammonia from these sources is about 18 milligrams per day (mg/d).

Since ammonia is water soluble, inhaled ammonia dissolves in the lining of the nasal passages and is swallowed. Consequently, very little inhaled ammonia reaches the lungs.

Ammonia levels in the air ranging between 5 and 50 parts per million (ppm) can be recognized by odor. The least amount of ammonia reported by OSHA to be irritating to the eyes, nose and throat of the most sensitive individuals is 35 ppm.

Since ammonia is constantly present in our bodies at significant levels, no long-term health effects from inhalation exposure to low levels of ammonia would be expected.

Exposure to low levels of ammonia does not aggravate the condition of people suffering from chronic obstructive respiratory disorders, such as asthma.

At room temperature, ammonia is a colorless, pungent-smelling gas, which is lighter than air. At minus 28 degrees Fahrenheit, ammonia becomes a liquid. Ammonia will readily dissolve in water. For more detailed information, City Hall has a free pamphlet entitled, "Health Effects of Ammonia."

10-24-02 Suspicious Person. Near Park Drive and Lincoln Street. Extra patrol requested.

10-24-02 Stolen bike reported. Unable to followup.

10-24-02 Telephonic Harassment. In the 2200 block of Fifth Street. Unable to followup.

10-28-02 Citizen Complaint. Hypodermic needles found on the bike path by Highway 30 and Pacific Street.

10-28-02 Citizen Complaint. Sign stolen in the 1500 block of Fourth Street.

10-28-02 Possible Burglary. 1500 block of Fourth Street. Contact made; no burglary.

11-05-02 Vandalism. Ruth Rose Richardson Park sign destroyed.

11-6-02 Dog Complaint. Aggressive dog in 1600 block of Sixth Street taken to pound. Owner cited.

11-6-02 Dog Complaint. Barking dogs in the 1800 block of First Street.

11-7-02 Animal Abuse. Citizen states dog in the 2400 block of Fifth Street has no food, water or shelter. Officer did not find the dog.

11-10-02 Attempt to locate. Officer has felony warrant to serve on person known to be in the 700 block of James Street.

11-10-02 Motor vehicle accident. Attempt to locate near MP 33; unable to locate.

11-14-02 Dog Complaint. Transported small, black Border Collie with a white face and white feet to the pound. Found at Columbia City School.

11-15-02 Felony suspect. Arrested person on felony warrants.

11-15-02 Altercation. 1800 block of Sixth Street. No charges pressed.

11-15-02 Suspicious person. Mini Mart. Person left.

11-16-02 Agency assist. Stop sticks used to stop car being pursued by St. Helens Police.

11-21-02 Citizen complaint. Dirt bikes on the bike path and City streets. Riders warned.

11-24-02 Citizen request. Motion detector in the 1700 block of Sixth Street activates at night. May be animals, but requested increased patrol.

11-24-02 Theft. Lawn ornaments broken at intersection of "E" and Fifth Streets.

11-24-02 Theft attempt. Persons in white import vehicle attempted to steal a flag. Suspects fled.

11-24-02 Stolen property. Resident reported a ceramic rabbit was placed in the front yard by unknown person. Rabbit seized as found property.

11-24-02 Citizen alert. Citizen in 1500 block of Fourth Street reported his neighbor's front door open. Checked okay.

11-26-02 Bad checks. Mini Mart received two bad checks; turned over to Police.

12-9-02 Disturbance. Mini Mart reported belligerent man. Gone before officer arrived.

12-13-02 Criminal mischief. Three reports taken about someone putting butter on vehicles. No suspects.

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