Ending 2020 on a Good Note

2020 was a challenging year in many ways. As we move forward into 2021, let’s take a moment to recognize the things we accomplished in the past year so we can start 2021 #OnAGoodNote.

St. Helens had many successes during 2020. The City made progress on long term projects, City employees were recognized for their accomplishments, and departments rose to the challenge of adapting to the shifting requirements of COVID-19. Here are just a few of those accomplishments:

• Council members from St. Helens, Scappoose, and Columbia City began South County Leadership Collaborative Meetings with Columbia County and Port of Columbia County Commissioners. The goal is to create more effective partnerships among county governments and other agencies to work together on unified goals and collaboratively solve weaknesses.
• The City adopted and implemented a strategic workplan. This workplan forms a map for City departments to strategically work on specific projects or goals which have targeted timelines for completion.  
• Your participation in a comprehensive Community Survey helped us assess how you feel about the services we provide you and what areas we need to focus on for improvement.
• We hosted our first annual State of the City meeting at the beginning of the year to help keep residents informed about our accomplishments in 2019 and the projects we would focus on in 2020.
• The City won a $37,000 Moda Assist Program Grant to select new all-abilities playground equipment to be installed at McCormick Park. The annual grant is awarded to an Oregon city each year through a competitive community voting process. Thank you for helping us win these funds!
• A grant allowed the City to install and expand the 5th Street Trail, which provided connections to the nature trails at Nob Hill Nature Park and included raised boardwalks for easier pedestrian travel.
• Deputy City Recorder Lisa Scholl earned her Master Municipal Clerk designation.
• Officer Jamin Coy was awarded The Chronicle’s gold medal in the Police/Fire/EMT category voted on by the community.
• Building Official Mike DeRoia was awarded the Silver Sparky Award by State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple.
• The St. Helens Public Library offered its first digital Summer Library Challenge as a way to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions and provide activities for youth during the summer.
• The Library partnered with the Recreation Program to create COVID-safe youth activities as well as offering over 3,000 take-and-make kits for pickup during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Recreation Program earned a grant from Columbia Pacific CCO to hire part-time staff, create activity kits, and plan activities for the community.
• The North Vernonia Road Sidewalk Project Construction began at the end of this year. This will install sidewalks in a much-needed area of the city and offer safe passage to nearby Campbell Park for pedestrians.
• The Public Safety Facility Ad-Hoc Committee began meeting to review funding options for a new public safety facility and created a recommendation for the St. Helens City Council to review at their January 2021 meeting.
• The North 7th, 9th, and 11th Street Waterline Project was completed. This project installed over 1,700 feet of new six-inch and four-inch ductile iron waterline pipe along North 7th Street, North 9th Street, and North 11th Street.
• Public Passageway permits allowed businesses to expand outdoors to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
• As part of the Campbell Park Sports Court Grant Project, public works demolished the old tennis courts to make room for improved facilities. A contractor will install new flex courts. Improved drainage and additional parking will also be added.
• Grey Cliffs Park received upgrades to the Wyeth Street Staircase to make pedestrian passage safer.