Between April 15^th and September 30^th of any year, weeds and grass cannot exceed 10 inches in height within the City limits. Blackberry bushes cannot extend across property lines or into the City’s right-of-way, including streets, alleys and sidewalks. Property owners or other persons in charge of the property must keep weeds, grass and other noxious growth, such as poison oak, cut and maintained to prevent them from becoming unsightly and a fire hazard, and to prevent them from maturing and going to seed. Violators may be cited into Municipal Court, or the City may abate the nuisance and lien the property for the costs. To report violations, please contact City Hall.

We are currently accepting applications to serve on the Budget Committee. The Committee meets infrequently during the spring, and members serve a four-year term.

The Budget Committee is responsible for reviewing the proposed annual budget, hearing public testimony about the proposed budget, approving the tax rate and tax levy, and approving an annual budget. The Budget Committee may occasionally review a proposed supplemental budget.

The Budget Committee will meet at 7:00 p.m. on May 11, 2006, to review the proposed 2006-07 budget. To qualify for service, a person must be entitled to vote within Columbia City. Applications to serve on the Budget Committee may be obtained by contacting City Hall.

The City plans to drill a new groundwater well behind the Public Works Shop building on Second Place. In preparation for the well drilling project, our crew will be constructing a retaining wall behind the City Shops along Third Street. A section of Third Street will be closed to through traffic during a portion of the construction period, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. This well drilling project is funded by a low-interest (1%) loan from the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund.

A recent increase in loose dogs has prompted us to once again remind residents that we have a leash law in Columbia City. City ordinance requires the owners or keepers of dogs to maintain control of the dogs at all time. It is unlawful to allow any dog to run at large on public streets or private property owned by others. Please help us enforce the ordinance by reporting violators to City Hall.

The City has a sewer system that requires holding tanks for most properties. In some cases, a single tank is shared by more than one household. The tanks hold the solids while the sewer main line collects the effluent, which is piped to St. Helens for treatment. In most cases, the City maintains the tanks and has the tanks pumped periodically.

To find out if you are on a septic tank and whether or not the City is maintaining your tank, contact the City Hall by calling (503) 397-4010. To report sewer backups outside of regular working hours call dispatch at (503) 397-1521.

It is very important to treat the septic tank and sewer system with care. It is unlawful to put fats, greases, explosive liquids, sand, mud, kitty litter, and other materials that are harmful or may cause a blockage into the system. Violators may be fined and charged for any resulting damages.

Household greases and fats should be poured into a container or allowed to cool so the fat or grease can be removed with paper toweling and disposed of with household garbage. Buildup of grease in the septic system may cause a blockage, and it increases treatment costs.

We'd like to extend a very special thank you to:

• Marian Calnon, Gloria Chinell, Nell Harrison, Dolores Heinz, Shelia Jackson and Phyllis Rowley for helping with the March newsletter and utility billing.

• Norm Jones for mowing and cleaning up Datis Park.

• Mabel Pennel for the box of chocolates.

• Stan Hopkins, Marian Calnon, and Nell Harrison for working in Jim Bundy Memorial Park.

Now is the time to get rid of that unwanted junk - old metal appliances, scrap metal, yard debris, old furniture, solidified latex paint cans, etc. The annual Spring Cleanup Day will be held on Saturday, May 6^th, 2006, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Columbia City School. You can drop off your yard debris, trees, and limbs for free. Extra bulky waste or hard-to-dispose-of items, such as old furniture, lawn mowers, mattresses, etc. will be accepted for a fee. The following minimum charges apply to other items:

Please note the site does NOT accept the following items:

• No wet garbage
• No burn piles
• No painted wood
• No lumber or construction debris
• No sod
• No hazardous waste materials

Please keep the length of yard debris (limbs) to six feet and under. Wet garbage, lumber or construction debris, burn piles, building materials and hazardous household waste will NOT be accepted. Seniors needing assistance may call (503) 397-4010 prior to the day of the event.

Avoid over watering. Grass needs water when it is pale green and it stays flat after it has been stepped on.

Water slowly until the lawn is soggy. Use a hose; sprinklers allow the water to evaporate before the soil can absorb it. If you must use a sprinkler, use one that makes large drops of water.

Water in the morning. Sun and wind can evaporate much of the water before it reaches the soil.

Let the grass grow higher in dry weather – it saves burning and saves water.

Before planting, add compost or a mulch to the garden. Compost absorbs water and fertilizes plants. Mulches also absorb water and prevent the spread of weeds.

Toilets are the single biggest water consumer, accounting for 40-45% of all household use. Leaks in the toilet can double or even triple over-all water consumption wasting thousands of gallons a month. Often leaks are silent and go undetected.

Toilet leaks usually occur in the toilet tank where water either drains down the overflow pipe or drains past the plunger ball.

Overflow pipe leaks can be detected by visual inspection and will occur in two forms. First, the water level in the tank may be too high and water is overflowing down the pipe. Second, the small tube running from the ball cock assembly to the overflow pipe may have a continuous stream of water coming from it.

Plunger ball leaks can be detected by adding food coloring to the toilet tank. If after a period of 30 minutes food color appears in the bowl, the plunger ball is leaking.

If you experience an abnormally high water bill and suspect the usage may be accounted to a leak, a good place to start your search is with your toilet.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR WORK PARTY IN BUNDY MEMORIAL PARK

The Parks Committee invites you to join them for a work party in Bundy Memorial Park on Saturday, April 29, 2006, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They plan to collect the woody debris that fell during the winter in preparation for the mowing season, and volunteers are needed! Refreshments and work gloves will be provided for volunteers. For more information contact please City Hall by calling (503) 397-4010.

The City Council approved a water rate increase following a public hearing in March. The rate increase will take effect on March 26, 2006, and will be reflected on the April 26, 2006 billings.

For a residential customer within the City limits, the new rates include a $1.50 increase in the minimum monthly charge, a $0.15 increase in the first volume charge, and $0.20 increase in the second volume charge, for an overall average increase of 5.3%.

The rates for commercial, industrial and outside City water users received similar adjustments. For detailed information about other rate classes, please contact City Hall by calling (503) 397-4010.

LIBRARY NEWS

Our library is packed with not only current best sellers, but also award winners from the past. We have 67 Caldecott winners, which are illustrated books for young children. We have 117 Newbery winners, (literature for older children) including all those from 2005 and 2006, and going as far back as 1923. If you want to read a really good book, but don’t have a lot of time, you should try a Newbery winner even if you are an adult! Some of these will be books you remember from when you were in school.

We have begun labeling award winners in the adult fiction collection. Look for a slip paper-clipped to the front cover with the award information.

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood won the Hammett award (crime fiction) in 2003. The Blind Assassin opens with these simple, resonant words: "Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge." They are spoken by Iris, whose terse account of her sister's death in 1945 is followed by an inquest report proclaiming the death accidental. But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura's story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a-novel. Entitled The Blind Assassin, it is a science fiction story told by two unnamed lovers who meet in dingy backstreet rooms. When we return to Iris, it is through a 1947 newspaper article announcing the discovery of a sailboat carrying the dead body of her husband, a distinguished industrialist. Brilliantly weaving together such seemingly disparate elements, Atwood creates a world of astonishing vision and unforgettable impact. (Review from Reading Group Guides online.)

High Country Fall by Margaret Maron won the Agatha award (mystery fiction) in 2004. Read without knowledge of the music and you will enjoy a perfectly fine mystery. Add knowledge of the music and you will find a literary basis seldom if ever achieved in the mystery genre. High Country Fall contains enough layers and permutations, allusions and metaphors to rank in the top level of literary efforts. For example, the country music mentioned in the novel is more than just good music; the words enhance and deepen the characterizations of various characters. "The Brown-Eyed Handsome Man" (written by Chuck Berry and recorded originally by Waylon Jennings) speaks volumes of Judge Deborah Knott's depth of feeling for Dwayne Bryant. "You Are My Sunshine" and "Muhlenberg County" express themes central to the development of the characters and the story. (Review from About Contemporary Literature online.)

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie won a 2005 Rita award for contemporary romance. Min Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man who asked her to dinner to win a bet. Cal Morrisey knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs. When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again. But Fate has other plans, and it's not long before Min and Cal are dealing with a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kremes, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a mutant cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed. This is a story about long shots, risk management, great shoes, and true love. (Review from Powells.com online.)

11 a.m. every Monday

7 p.m. on April 5th

7 p.m. on April 17th

7 p.m. on April 19th

Monday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Wednesday, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Library is still looking for Saturday volunteers!

Automatic bill payment pays your water and sewer utility bill through an automatic deduction from your bank account. You'll still receive your monthly utility bill showing your water usage and other charges, and the amount due will be deducted from your checking or savings account on the bill's due date (on or after the 10th of the month). Automatic bill payment is easy to set up, and even if you're on vacation or ill, you'll never have to worry about paying your bill again. To sign up for automatic bill payment, please return a completed authorization form, along with a voided check, to City Hall.

02/01/06 Traffic complaint of vehicles speeding in the 400 block of "A" Street.

02/01/06 Suspicious person reported looking in windows at the Mini Mart.

02/01/06 Motorist assist on Highway 30 near "A" Street.

02/01/06 Attempted to locate a theft suspect from Safeway headed northbound on Highway 30. Subject not located.

02/02/06 Motorist assisted near Highway 30 and "L" Street.

02/02/06 Disabled vehicle/hazard on Highway 30 near "A" Street. Vehicle pushed into parking lot at the Mini Mart.

02/02/06 Abandoned vehicle reported.

02/02/06 Loose dog reported as a traffic hazard on Highway 30 near "I" Street. Dog was not located.

02/02/06 Assisted St. Helens Police with a domestic dispute involving one subject reportedly on drugs. Foot pursuit ensued with subject being caught on Westshire near Sykes Road.

02/02/06 Alarm at the Mini Mart reported. Checked and found to be a false alarm and the building was secure.

02/03/06 Traffic complaint of vehicles running the stop sign at Fourth and "I" Streets.

02/03/06 Assisted St. Helens Police with a domestic dispute involving several subjects. One subject reportedly had a gun and was threatening to assault police.

02/03/06 Assisted St. Helens Police with a fight in progress involving several subjects in the parking lot of Taco Bell. On arrival, found over 50 people present and running in all directions.

02/06/06 Report taken of a man looking like a police officer and threatening to shoot the reporting party's dog.

02/06/06 Report of vandalism (dog let out and tire flattened) at a residence in Columbia City.

02/06/06 Vehicle impounded after traffic stop and driver found to be suspended near Highway 30 and "L" Street.

02/06/06 Motorist assisted near Highway 30 and Pacific Street.

02/06/06 Motorist assisted near Highway 30 and "I" Street.

02/06/06 Traffic complaint of vehicles running the stop sign at Second and "I" Street.

02/07/06 Truck and chipper left blocking traffic near "J" and Fifth Streets. Officer set flares. Driver later moved the vehicle.

02/09/06 Theft of fuel from the Mini Mart reported.

02/14/06 Possible arson reported near Fifth and Pacific Streets.

02/14/06 Spray paint used to vandalize newly constructed homes near Fifth and "I" Streets.

02/14/06 Possible sex abuse reported and being investigated.

02/15/06 Suspicious person checked. Advised to get a solicitation permit from City Hall.

02/16/06 Assisted Oregon Employment Department with investigation.

02/22/06 Traffic complaint of speeding vehichle heading northbound on Highway 30 near Chimes Crest.

02/23/06 Assisted motorist who was out of gas.

02/25/06 Theft report taken in the 400 block of "M" Street.

02/25/06 Theft report taken in the 200 block of "K" Street.

02/25/06 Assisted Clark County, Washington, Sheriff's Office with search warrant.

02/28/06 Parking complaint on Pacific Street near Park Drive.

03/01/06 Telephonic harassment reported.

03/01/06 Complaint of dog reportedly leaving deposit in reporting party’s yard.

03/02/06 Traffic complaint near Sixth and "C" Streets.

03/02/06 Assisted motorist with a possible propane leak from motor home on Highway 30 near "I" Street.

03/03/06 Trespass complaint of juveniles in newly constructed homes in the 1900 block of Fifth Street.

03/03/06 Report of loose dog near Second and "E" Streets.

03/03/06 Animal complaint in the 3400 block of Fifth Street.

03/04/06 Warning issued to skateboarders skating down hill and across Sixth Street.

03/04/06 Assisted St. Helens Police in the 400 block of South 12^th Street, St. Helens.

03/06/06 Injured dog transported to County Animal Shelter.

03/06/06 Report of black lab loose on school grounds. Gone on arrival.

03/06/06 Parking complaint of semi truck parked in the 300 block of Spinnaker Way.

03/06/06 Letter sent to resident for several City ordinance violations.

03/06/06 Animal complaint of loose dog found in the 1300 block of Second Street.

03/07/06 Telephonic harassment reported.

03/07/06 Report of juvenile related issues at the Columbia City Sports and Recreation Club on "A" Street.

03/07/06 Solicitor reported in violation of City ordinance on Ninth Street.

03/08/06 Several vehicles reported running the stop sign at the intersection of Second and "I" Street at a high rate of speed.

03/08/06 Agency assist. Checked a red Cherokee parked near the Public Works shop.

03/08/06 Ill citizen assisted at Highway 30 and "L" Street.

03/0806 Assisted State Police with a motor vehicle accident on Highway 30 near Tide Creek Road.

03/08/06 Animal complaint in the 3400 block of Fifth Street.

03/11/06 Animal complaint of loose dog on Highway 30.

03/11/06 Assisted St. Helens Police with a pursuit on Pittsburg Road.

03/11/06 Report of suspicious persons. Kids hiding in the bushes near Highway 30 and the railroad trestle.

03/14/06 Theft report in the new McBride Meadows Subdivision.

03/14/06 Checked business license at new home on The Strand.

03/14/06 Three suspicious persons checked in the 1800 block of Ninth Street.

03/15/06 Traffic complaint of vehicles speeding on Second Street near "L" Street.

03/15/06 Parking complaint in the 600 block of Franklin.

April 1st dawn First day of open burning

April 5th 7:00 PM Water Committee Meeting at City Hall

April 6th 7:30 PM Regular City Council Meeting at City Hall

April 11th 7:00 PM Parks Committee Meeting at City Hall

April 13th 7:30 PM Municipal Court at City Hall

April 16th dusk Last day of open burning

April 17th 7:00 PM Friends of the Library Meeting at the Library

April 20th 7:30 PM Regular City Council Meeting at City Hall

April 27th 7:30 PM Municipal Court at City Hall

April 29th 9:00 AM Work Party in Jim Bundy Memorial Park

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