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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 2016)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 Wheeler says energy loan program needs bailout services such as education, joint committee, will ensure public safety and human ser- that these issues are addressed vices programs,” the Ore- responsibly and carefully. As Gov. Brown has SALEM — State Treasur- gon State Treasury said before, while er Ted Wheeler sent a letter to wrote in a press re- we want to move Gov. Kate Brown Thursday lease. expeditiously, we morning calling on the gov- Chris Pair, must ensure that we ernor to stop the state Depart- Brown’s press sec- do it right.” ment of Energy from issuing retary, said Thurs- Wheeler asked any new small scale loans day that the Gov- Brown to suspend because the loan fund has a HUQRU¶V 2I¿FH ZDV the loan program so PLOOLRQ GH¿FLW DQG ZLOO examining the loan the state can review program as part of require a taxpayer bailout. it and issue recom- The program was sup- a broader review of Treasurer Ted mendations to the posed to be self-sustaining, the Department of Wheeler Legislature on how but loan defaults and delin- Energy. to proceed. “Gov. Brown quent payments have left it without enough money to has concluded that lingering residual issues have interfered cover its costs. Created in 1981 The bailout will likely be- with the Department of En- The state created the small gin in 2019 and could cost ergy’s ability to focus on Or- scale energy loan program in taxpayers at least $15.3 mil- egon’s future energy-related 1981 to provide low-inter- lion, according the Oregon needs,” Pair wrote in an email. est loans to governments and State Treasury. The cost could “The agency review currently businesses. The program’s increase if more loans go into being conducted by the Gov- problems are not new and de- HUQRU¶V 2I¿FH LV DVVHVVLQJ spite its name, the loans were default. “As a result, to cover loan the Small Scale Energy Loan not what many people would payments, money will be allo- Program and, along with the consider small. Wheeler pointed to the cated away from vital public Legislature’s recently-formed By HILLARY BORRUD Capital Bureau default several years ago of an $18 million loan to an ethanol plant in Clatskanie, which went bankrupt, as an example of why the program now requires a bailout. Other large loans have since gone into default and been written off as non-collectible, “which has further deteriorated (the program’s) balance sheet and reserve balances,” Wheeler wrote in the letter to Brown. The State Debt Policy Ad- visory Commission, which includes members of the state House and Senate, repeatedly raised concerns about the loan defaults, including last year, when the commission warned in a report that payments by loan recipients might not cov- er debt. Wheeler said in his letter to Brown that he asked former Gov. John Kitzhaber three years ago for money to offset losses from defaults in the program. “In 2012, after a review of projected loan payments ver- sus debt service requirements, I recommended to Gov. Kitzhaber that the program’s depleted loan-loss reserve be replenished to safeguard the State against future potential defaults,” Wheeler wrote. “In- stead, the program continued without augmented reserves.” at the agency. The governor also announced in December that she planned to pursue a review of the agency. The state Department of Justice has an ongoing crimi- nal investigation into the en- ergy agency’s handling of tax credits. In September, a top ad- ministrator at the Department of Energy who was brought Recommendations in to run the loan program and pending other renewable energy and Wheeler, who is an ex-of- HI¿FLHQF\LQFHQWLYHVUHVLJQHG ¿FLRPHPEHURIWKHFRPPLV- Wheeler wrote that the sion, will formally present Department of Energy has recommendations on the ener- committed to “tightened loan gy loan program at the com- underwriting standards and mission’s scheduled Jan. 19 pursued delinquent borrow- ers,” but those actions would meeting. 7KH 7UHDVXUHU¶V 2I¿FH not affect the need for a bail- sent the letter to the governor out of existing bad loans. DZHHNEHIRUHWKH¿UVWVFKHG- The Capital Bureau is a uled meeting of a new legis- collaboration between EO lative committee which will Media Group and Pamplin consider whether to overhaul Media Group. Hillary Borrud or eliminate the Department can be reached at 503-364- of Energy, following years of 4431 or hborrud@eomedia- news reports about problems group.com. Rental regulation on the menu in Gearhart 2I¿FLDOV recognize need for rules ties, stressing homeowner ac- countability and the need for a balance “between community and privacy.” City Councilor Kerry Smith referenced the city’s comprehensive plan, which By R.J. MARX makes the need for regulation The Daily Astorian “quite apparent.” “We need to set the stan- Gearhart city councilors teamed with planning com- dard, because this has been missioners Wednesday at going on forever,” Planning a work session to consider Commissioner Richard Ows- steps to regulate short-term ley added. Septic woes garnered rental properties. “They need regulations,” much discussion in a city Mayor Dianne Widdop said. where most homes rely on “There are certain things septic systems, but some still that need to be adhered to.” rely on cesspools for waste 7KH ¿UVW VWHSV RI¿FLDOV processing. “If you’re going to rent VDLGZLOOEHWRDGRSWVWDWHGH¿- nitions and to begin collecting here, you have to know we have septic systems here,” lodging taxes on the books. To do so, they must re- City Councilor Paulina Cock- peal a city code exemption rum said. “If you want to take for rental of single-family three showers a day, go to the homes from the necessity of Sunset Empire Recreation pool.” a business license. “Letting 16 to 20 peo- The city may also seek to identify “low-hanging ple stay in a home with a fruit” — health, safety and 1,000-gallon septic tank — parking rules — and address it’s a disaster waiting to hap- those issues by the summer pen,” Widdop said. “It could end with us needing a sewage season. “This is a menu,” Chad treatment plant. It’s money Sweet said. “You get to out of our pocket.” In addition to potential choose your appetizer, your health hazards, Widdop and entrées and your aperitifs.” others said they feared specu- lators who may purchase sin- Septic problems, Dwight Caswell/For The Daily Astorian Darren Orange works on a painting in his studio. Art a Oa carte Eene¿ts LiEerty 7Keater Artwork by renowned and emerging artists all priced at $99 The Daily Astorian Works by emerging As- toria and Cuban artists will be among the art gracing the walls of the Columbia River Maritime Museum’s Barbey Center Jan. 16 for the Liberty Theater’s Art a la carte sale. All works are priced at $99, and some 75 pieces of art will be for sale. Doors will open at 2 p.m., and buyers are urged to make an early appearance. The works are unsigned, which adds to the adventure of the sale. Many of the artists will be at the event to sign their work following purchase. In addition to the art, there will be food, wine and music by Acústica World Music. Prominent local artists such as Noel Thomas, Eric Weigardt, Darren Orange and Carol Riley have given works for the sale. The Cuban aspect of the event was generated by Christine Lolich, vice presi- dent of Liberty Restoration, Inc. On her December trip to Havana, Lolich purchased art, which she has donated to the sale. Emerging artists also are participating in the Artist in Residency program, spon- sored by Astoria Visual Arts. During the artists’ three- month term here, their com- O P E N 2 4 / W 7 N O munity responsibility includes a weekend open studio event. This program is currently limited to visual artists of the greater Astoria area. Renowned Astoria artist Darren Orange is the Artist in Residency committee chair. Orange was elected to the Liberty Board in December, and he is helping organize the Art a la carte event. This term’s artists in resi- dence are Sarah Henrickson, H. Elizabeth Koch, David Coyne, Liz Harris, Kinzi Gor- don, Blaine Verley and Annie Eskelin. Art a la carte is 2 to 3:30 p.m. Admission is $15 and tickets are available at the door or in advance at the Lib- HUW\7KHDWHU%R[2I¿FH 2I¿FLDOV XQDQLPRXVO\ supported regulation of short-term rental proper- W A NTED 6-PACK 6 $ N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 80 Darrell Davis +dep. 4 P 2 / $ 3 49 E VERYDAY 2 ◊ $ 79 RICE Milkshakes 8.4oz. +dep. 2 1 5 /gal. 2%, 1% & Low-fat +dep. G et you r FISHIN G LIC EN SES here! Bait: Blu e & Gre e n He rrin g $ 6 99 W e ca rry a ll kin ds of ba it /tray E VERYDAY P RICES Steamer Clams (Willapa Bay) Petrale Sole ½ PRICE MONDAYS Razor Clams (Seaside - Local) Dungeness Crab (Local) Salmon (Washington 5 DAILY SOUP & LUNCH SPECIALS LOTTER Y 5 /pack 5 Carton $48 99 carton /2 packs 1 pack only $5.49 4 Wire to CASH PRICE Office hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday • Sat & Sun by appt. 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R e m e m b e r e d e f i L A Heaven’s Honor Roll Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber H ot D eli o n a i n • W a r r e n t In case of ¿re Sweet presented options requiring a contact number for each short-term rental, a 24-hour owner representative or someone available within 30 minutes to respond within an emergency. The city could also require homeowners to notify all neighbors of their intent to rent out their prop- erty, or to post contact infor- mation on the exterior of a building. “That would be very help- IXOIRUSROLFHRU¿UH´6ZHHW a Gearhart Fire Department volunteer, said. “Maybe the vacation home is not occu- SLHG7KHUH¶VDELJOHDNRU¿UH That could go a long way to address that.” speculators feared L ook w ho’s 2 8 0 16 oz. S . M gle-home properties with the intention of turning them into short-term rentals. “I have a great problem with transient rentals, the rent- als that are one or two nights,” Widdop said. “There’s no continuity. Those kind of rent- als belong in a hotel in Sea- side or somewhere else. It’s not part of the Gearhart thing. People are buying homes like crazy to make vacation homes because it’s a money-making thing. It’s like buying a chain of motels, and I’m totally against it.” 1 BLOCK OFF BROADWAY • 1 BLOCK FROM BEACH 20 N. COLUMBIA, SEASIDE • 503-738-4331 NormasSeaside.com CALDWELL’S FUNERAL & CREMATION ARRANGEMENT CENTER 113 N. Holladay • Seaside • (503) 738-9936 Office hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday • Sat & Sun by appt.
