November 2006

OPEN BURNING PERIOD FOR YARD DEBRIS

NOVEMBER 4^th TO NOVEMBER 19^th, 2006

Yard debris may be burned outdoors beginning on Saturday, November 4, and ending on Sunday, November 19. Columbia City residents do not need to obtain a burn permit from the Fire District to burn yard debris during the outdoor burn period. However, they do need to call the "Burn Line" at (503) 397-4800 each day to see if it is a burn day.

The Columbia City Police Department recently received three grant awards.

Certain holidays or extraordinary events may result in higher than usual DUII infractions. A $1,200 federal grant under the DUII Traffic Safety Grant program may be used to pay overtime costs associated with increased staffing for DUII enforcement from time to time throughout the year.

A second $1,200 federal grant under the Traffic Safety Grant program may be used to pay overtime costs associated with high-visibility traffic law enforcement and programs intended to increase public awareness and compliance with Oregon's safety belt and child restraint laws.

A State Homeland Security Grant Award in the amount of $680 will offset some of the department's expenses associated with Homeland Security requirements.

HOME COMPOSTING

It's as easy as 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5. If you do absolutely nothing but dump your yard debris in a big pile, it will eventually turn to compost just as it does in nature. However, if you want compost sooner rather than later, follow these five simple rules:

1. Uniform particle size: Chop all your yard debris down to 1-inch pieces or smaller. Use clippers, chipper/shredder or mower.

2. Mix: Mix equal volumes of browns, (dried leaves, etc.) and greens (fresh grass, weeds, etc.)

3. Pile size: Add enough material to create a 1 cubic yard pile (3' x 3' x 3').

4. Moisture: Add water to pile if necessary so it feels damp, like a wrung-out sponge.

5. Aeration: Turn/stir your pile once a week for several months.

If you do your best to follow these five rules, the microbes that turn your yard debris into compost will be happy and active and your compost pile will begin to heat up in as little as three days. The heat indicates microbial activity and means that compost is happening very fast.

If you don't follow these five rules to the letter, just relax.....compost happens!

The Christmas Ship Parade will visit Columbia City on Saturday, December 16. The ships will assemble at the St. Helens City docks at 6:00 p.m. and motor downriver to Columbia City. New this year - Both the Columbia and Willamette Fleets will be in the parade! The Christmas ships will be out approximately two hours, will stay overnight at the St. Helens City docks and leave Sunday morning via the Multnomah Channel. If you would like additional information, visit www.christmasships.org.

The City of Columbia City is pursuing the establishment of a Quiet Zone in Columbia City. The Federal Railroad Administration allows a quiet zone to be created under certain conditions. In a quiet zone the routine sounding of train horns at railroad crossings is prohibited.

An increase in train traffic and the implementation of new horn sounding regulations have contributed to an increase in noise from train horns in recent years. The industrial developments underway in Columbia County will continue to increase train traffic, and several citizens have approached the Council to request a Quiet Zone.

We'd like to thank the Port of St. Helens for cooperating with us in the creation of the Quiet Zone. Because the Pacific Street train crossing is under the jurisdiction of the Port of St. Helens, they must agree to the creation of the Quiet Zone and sign the application materials.

All the crossings within a Quiet Zone must be equipped with flashing lights, gates, constant warning time devices, and power-out indicators, and crossing arms always fail in the down position. Even so, removing train horns will add some risk to each crossing. Since most traffic across the train tracks occurs during the daytime, and most people are bothered by the train noise during the nighttime, the Council is leaning towards creating a partial Quiet Zone rather than a full Quiet Zone in the interest of public safety. Please keep in mind that a train horn can be used in a Quiet Zone to warn animals, vehicle operators, pedestrians, trespassers, or crews on other trains in an emergency situation.

The Council would like your input about the proposed Quiet Zone. Specifically, they want to know if you would prefer a full Quiet Zone (24 hours), or if a partial Quiet Zone during nighttime hours will meet your needs.

Please share your opinion about this matter by coming to City Hall and completing a survey by November 20th. 

With flu season approaching, the Columbia County Health Department wants to remind you to clean your hands and cover your cough.

Prevent the spread of germs:

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw the used tissue in the garbage.
• If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve - not your hands.
• Clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick, if possible.

When you are at a clinic or hospital:

• You may be asked to wear a mask to protect others.
• Don't worry if you see staff and other people wearing masks. They are stopping the spread of germs.

When you are sick:

• Stay home.
• Don't share eating utensils, drinking glasses, towels or other personal items.
• Avoid close contact with loved ones.

Remember, coughing or sneezing and unclean hands spread serious sickness, like flu. Flu spreads easily in crowded places where people are in close contact.

Get a flu shot! Flu shots can help keep you from getting sick.

LIBRARY NEWS

We are expanding! The room behind the circulation desk is being outfitted with shelves, and we will be using the additional space by early November. Now we’ll have more space for all your wonderful donations! Thank you for all the support from our community and the City that allows us to keep getting better. Come visit us this month!

As always, we could use more volunteers to help us process books and to run the library on Saturdays. If you are interested, stop by the library to fill out the forms. We’d love to have you and get to know you better!

We are always getting great new books in the library. If you spot an article about books you’d like us to try to get, bring it by. We found one in an article called "Murder by the Book: Multicultural Mysteries Bestsellers". The Last Kashmiri Rose by Barbara Cleverly is set in 1920’s India. Scotland Yard Inspector Joe Sandilands has spent six months in 1922 India, lecturing on the newest methods of policing. On the verge of returning to England, he is ordered to investigate the ostensible suicide of a young British Army wife, found floating in her bath with both wrists slit. With the help (and romantic involvement) of the Collector's wife, he finds that four other "memsahibs" have died violently in the month of March, going back 12 years. His search for the killer of these women and attempt to prevent the next death takes him on a journey through the heart of the British Raj, as seen by both British and Indian citizens. Well plotted and drenched in Indian atmosphere, this is an entertaining first entry in a series.

With Cimarron Rose, James Lee Burke launches a powerful new series in the hard-edged style for which he is known, starring a new, enigmatic hero and set in the expansive and beautiful American West. Attorney and former Texas Ranger Billy Bob Holland has many secrets in his dark past. Among them is Vernon Smothers's son Lucas, a teenaged boy about whom only Vernon and Billy Bob know the truth. Lucas is really Holland's illegitimate son, and when Lucas is arrested for murder, Billy Bob knows that he has no choice but to confront the past and serve as the boy's criminal attorney. During Lucas's trial, Billy Bob realizes that he will have to bring injury upon Lucas as well as himself in order to save his son. As a result, Billy Bob creates enemies that are far more dangerous than any he faced as a Texas Ranger.

(Publisher comments)

Friends of the Library Meeting: 11/20/06 7 PM

Novel Quilters Meeting: 11/15/06 6:30 PM

Phone: (503) 366-8020

E-mail: cclibrary@opusnet.com

Staffed Hours: Mon & Sat 10 AM - 2 PM, Wed 4 PM - 8 PM

THANK YOU

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

• Norm Jones for mowing the grass in Datis Park.

• Jean Carulli, Gloria Chinell, Nell Harrison, Shelia Jackson, Betty Jensen, Barbara Jones and Phyllis Moss for helping with the October newsletter and utility billing.

• Betty Jensen for sharing her gardenia blooms.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Planning Commission member, Albert Teasley. We're happy to have Albert serve on the Commission.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on November 14, 2006, to receive written and oral testimony on an application for site development review and variances to fence height and setback for the placement of restrooms in public parks. An approval will permit portable restrooms surrounded by an 8' sight-obscurring fence on 3 sides in Harvard and Jim Bundy Memorial Parks. In Harvard Park, the restroom would be located less than 20' from the property line.

CITY RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD

Columbia City has received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its 2006-07 Budget.

The award reflects the commitment of the City Council and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the award, the City had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as:

• a policy document
• a financial plan
• an operations guide
• a communications device

Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories to receive the award.

Since the inception of the GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program in 1984, approximately 900 entities have received the award. This is the sixth year that Columbia City has received the award.

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