Humanity on
display in Au Naturel
Blazers great
Jerome Kersey dies
COAST WEEKEND
SPORTS • 7A
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015
142nd YEAR, No. 167
ONE DOLLAR
Enterprise zone offers a tool for growth
Incentive would offer
property tax breaks
to draw business
By DERRICK DePLEDGE
The Daily Astorian
Hoping for a sweetener that might
attract new or expanded business, Clat-
sop County, the Port of Astoria, War-
renton and Astoria might collaborate
on an enterprise zone that would offer
property tax exemptions for three to
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The tax breaks could help draw
businesses to portions of the county that
are prime for development but lacking
interested suitors.
A preliminary map of a Clatsop
Enterprise Zone covers an industrial
parcel in Knappa, Tongue Point, the
ENTERPRISE ZONE MEETING
Experts will discuss a potential Clatsop Enterprise Zone at a public meet-
ing 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Judge Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial
St. in Astoria.
downtown corridor of Astoria, the Port,
the Astoria Regional Airport, the North
Coast Business Park in Warrenton, oth-
er industrial land in Warrenton and a
mill parcel near Olney.
Clatsop County Manager Scott
Somers and others behind the enter-
prise zone are not pitching the idea as
a panacea, but a carrot that could make
the county, which lacks a metropolitan
labor pool and is isolated from the I-5
corridor, Portland International Air-
port and rail, more attractive to busi-
ness.
“It’s a tool,” Somers said. “It’s a tool
to help promote investment.”
Each of the four jurisdictions that
might co-sponsor the enterprise zone
are expected to consider resolutions in
March. The county’s application is due
with the Oregon Business Development
Department in April.
Aware of concerns about corporate
welfare, Somers and others are stress-
ing that the tax breaks would only ap-
ply to new investment, so the incentives
would not diminish the existing prop-
erty tax base. They are also emphasiz-
ing that the enterprise zone would not
change local zoning.
See ENTERPRISE, Page 10A
Daily Astorian file
The Astoria Regional Airport in Warrenton includes three run-
ways, several banks of recreational airplane hangars, two
large hangars housing Lektro and industrial land to the south
housing several businesses. The airport is included in the pre-
liminary map of the Clatsop Enterprise Zone.
Port is
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months
WINTER
WARMTH
Northwest enjoys high temperatures
Audit looms, but
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appears clearer
By MANUEL VALDES
The Associated Press
S
EATTLE — Flowers are blossoming. Bees are
buzzing. The sky is blue. Sunsets have been stunning.
Temperatures have crept north of 60 degrees, and joggers
are going shirtless.
This isn’t a typical February in
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While the Northeast is buried
under snow, the opposite corner
of the country has been hosting
the opposite of the winter weather
spectrum. The Northwest has had
a record-breaking winter, but for
warm temperatures.
Records highs were logged
Monday and Tuesday in parts of
Washington and Oregon as one of
the mildest winters continues in the
Northwest.
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
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the consent calendar portion to the
Tuesday Port Commission meeting,
which would have made them an ac-
tion item to be voted on by the com-
mission. But Executive Director Jim
Knight, who has said he hasn’t been
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statements after June 2013, moved
them to a nonaction advisory item,
adding that they’re still not ready to
be voted on.
“I would say we’re still at an 80
percent accuracy rate,” said Knight,
having new Finance Manager Jim
Grey, who replaced the recently
On Tuesday, meteorologists re-
ported record highs of 61 degrees
at Sea-Tac Airport, 63 in Hoquiam,
59 in Bellingham and 65 in Quil-
layute, Washington, while in north-
west Oregon, McMinnville hit a
record for the day of 66 degrees.
On Monday, the National
Weather Service reported record
highs of 59 at Sea-Tac Airport, 60
in Olympia, 62 in Hoquiam and 62
in Vancouver. In Oregon, record
See WINTER, Page 2A
See PORT, Page 10A
Photos by GARY HENLEY — The Daily Astorian
A day off, plus a strong east wind, equaled good kite surfing conditions at Trestle Bay in Fort Stevens State Park Monday.
Riverwalk Inn owner
beholden to many
Brad Smithart owes a lot of
money to a lot of people. Smithart
is owner and operator of the Astoria
Riverwalk Inn at the Port of Astoria
through Hospitality Masters.
The Port of Astoria’s counsel
mailed a letter Feb. 9 giving notice
of default to Smithart, and Execu-
tive Director Jim Knight publicly
announced the action Tuesday at
a Port Commission meeting. The
Port’s Finance Manager Jim Grey
estimated that Smithart owes the
Port about $179,000.
The Port’s counsel is still re-
searching when the process turns
from a notice of default to the evic-
tion process.
Smithart also owes the city an
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room taxes. The city doesn’t know
how much, Financial Analyst John
Snyder said, because Smithart
hasn’t given the city reports to
gauge the taxes owed since June.
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tice of federal tax lien against Smi-
thart Jan. 14, claiming that he owes
$16,402.62 in back taxes.
Smithart, who also opened the
Arc Arcade in downtown Astoria
See SMITHART, Page 10A
Sunset Empire Park
and Recreation
Board begins
recruitment process
By KATHERINE LACAZE
EO Media Group
Hotelier owes Port, city of Astoria and IRS
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Cutler
resigns
Seaside
GM post
EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian
Hotelier Brad Smithart, who operates As-
toria Riverwalk Inn through Hospitality
Masters, owes a percentage of his gross
revenues to his landlord, the Port of As-
toria, transient room taxes to the city of
Astoria and back taxes to the IRS.
SEASIDE — After about three
years as the Sunset Empire Park and
Recreation District General Manag-
er, Justin Cutler has resigned, effec-
tive March 18, to take a position in
Colorado.
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letter of resignation at the district
board’s meeting Wednesday.
“This is a bittersweet move for
me and my family,” Cutler said.
“I am proud of what our team and
board has accomplished the last
three years, from grants to growth of
programs and a focus on facility up-
dates. My family and I will miss our
friends and colleagues.”
See CUTLER, Page 2A