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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2016)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 Chief: Levy allocated is only for a single employee and vehicle Continued from Page 1A myriad responsibilities: “If you can shoot it, tase it or cuff it, call the cops,” Stearns said. “Fire does everything else.” ³0\ ¿UVW GD\ KHUH ZH got dispatched for a tree DFURVV WKH KLJKZD\´ 6WHDUQV said. “Where I come from, I WKRXJKW µZK\ DUH ZH JRLQJ out on a tree?’” The reason quickly be- FDPH FOHDU ² LI WKH ¿UH GH- partment didn’t remove the tree, it might affect their abil- ity to effectively respond to a call in that area. The nearly all-volunteer Cannon Beach Fire Department also assists LQ ZDWHU UHVFXHV HPHUJHQF\ medical responses and more. %XW WKH GHVLUHG TXDOL¿FD- WLRQVIRUDQHZFKLHIJRZHOO beyond his competence in the ¿HOG %RDUG PHPEHUV VDLG WKH\ ZDQWHG VRPHRQH ZKR FRXOG ZULWH JUDQWV LQVSLUH volunteers, handle a slate of administrative duties, inter- IDFHZLWKWKHFRPPXQLW\DQG more. “I think in a department this size you need everybody to be response capable,” Stea- UQV VDLG ³:KHQ WKH ZKLVWOH EORZV ZH¶UH DOO ¿UH¿JKWHUV The administration side has Andrew Tonry/For EO Media Group Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District Board mem- ber Garry Smith, left, and interim Chief Jim Stearns dis- cuss hiring a new fire chief. WR EH GRQH FRQ¿GHQWO\ DQG ZHOO´ ³:H QHHG VRPHERG\ ZKR does both,” said board Presi- dent Sharon Clyde. $QRWKHU TXDOL¿FDWLRQ D smooth, reassuring presence. “Public relations is going WREHKXJHIRUDZKLOH´6WHD- rns said in a nod to the con- tinued public furor over the ¿ULQJRISUHYLRXV&KLHI0LNH Balzer and the ensuing recall effort. Filling the post Stearns and the board also GLVFXVVHGGLIIHUHQWZD\VWR¿OO the position. Under consider- DWLRQDUHDIXOOWLPHFKLHIÀX- HQWZLWKDGPLQLVWUDWLYHZRUN DQG SDUWWLPH FKLHI ZLWK DG- ministrative support. +RZHYHU WKH WD[ OHY\ funding the chief’s salary is only allocated for a single em- ployee — the chief. “To earmark those for just one position and a vehicle, you’ve kind of tied yourself GRZQ´6WHDUQVWROGWKHERDUG The levy remains in place un- til 2017. 6WHDUQVDOVRGLVFXVVHGZLWK WKHERDUGWKHXSVDQGGRZQVRI hiring in this particular locale. “We’re going to attract a chief to a small department OLNH WKLV WKDW¶V HLWKHU D ¿UVW time chief and using this as a stepping stone,” Stearns said. “Or you get somebody on WKH ZD\ GRZQ WKDW¶V ZDQWLQJ to retire on the Oregon Coast EXWQRWUHDG\WRTXLWZRUNLQJ 7KDW FRXOG EH D ZRQGHUIXO ¿QGEXWLW¶VJRWWREHWKHULJKW ¿QG´ “I think you’re not going to attract a mid-career per- son here at that salary range,” Stearns added. The full-time salary offered is in the neigh- ERUKRRG RI ZKLFK doesn’t include an additional $35,000-to-$40,000 spent on LQVXUDQFHDQGEHQH¿WV Stearns and the board hope WR RI¿FLDOO\ DQQRXQFH WKH opening Feb. 1. On this time- OLQH WKH\ ZLOO DGYHUWLVH XQWLO March 15, and begin inter- YLHZVLQPLG$SULO )URP KLV FRQQHFWLRQV ZLWK ¿UHGHSDUWPHQWVWKURXJKRXWWKH state, Stearns has already been queried about the opening. “We’ve got three viable candidates already interested in the position,” Stearns said. ³,WKLQNZH¶OOKDYHDZKROHORW more.” Port: $JHQF\KDVGD\VZRUWK of cash, investments in reserve Continued from Page 1A The agency increased its personnel costs by $177,000 to more than $2.3 million E\KLULQJ([HFXWLYH'LUHFWRU Jim Knight and other staff. Lanzarotta said the Port is at LWV KLJKHVW VWDI¿QJ OHYHO LQ ¿YH \HDUV DGGLQJ WKDW PRUH staff can help earn more rev- HQXH VXFK DV QHZO\ KLUHG Property Manager Shane Jen- sen helping the Port catch up on outdated leases. How the Port stacks up Lanzarotta compared the 3RUWZLWKRWKHU:HVW&RDVW ports scaled to an equivalent ¿QDQFLDOVL]HLQFOXGLQJODUJ- er entities such as the Port of Olympia, Washington, and Stockton, California. ³7KHJRRGQHZVLV\RX¶UH getting to a positive bottom line, but you’re not on par ZLWK RWKHU SRUWV´ KH VDLG comparing the Port’s $1 mil- lion in net income against a $2 million average for com- mon-sized ports. The Port appeared both haggard and resourceful compared to peers, netting $588,000 from operations and only costing Clatsop &RXQW\ WD[SD\HUV ZKLOH FRPPRQVL]HG SRUWV lost on average $1.1 million from operations and col- lected $1 million from their WD[LQJ GLVWULFWV /DQ]DURWWD asked by Port Commissioner 6WHSKHQ )XOWRQ ZKHWKHU WKH 3RUW VKRXOG FXW LWV WD[ EXU- den further to send a positive public message, said he sees value in county residents be- ing invested in the Port. Hurting the Port most is its inconsistent grant reve- nue. Even in an up year, the 3RUW VHFXUHG RQO\ in grant money, compared to DQDYHUDJHRIPRUHWKDQ million at common-sized ports. The Port also spends about OHVV RQ GHSUHFLD- WLRQ H[SHQVHV FRPSDUHG WR common-sized ports. “That tells me you’re not investing LQFDSLWDODVVHWVWRWKHH[WHQW other ports are,” Lanzarotta said. Five years ago, Lanzarotta said, the Port didn’t have enough liquid assets on hand to last 10 days and had to use lines of credit to cover its ELOOV 1RZ WKH 3RUW KDV EXLOW up about 50 days, or $1.1 PLOOLRQ ZRUWK RI FDVK DQG investments in reserve. Com- mon-sized ports held more than $3 million in reserve, and Lanzarotta said the Port VKRXOG EXLOG LWV VHOIVXI¿- ciency to at least 90 days. Big strides ,Q¿VFDO\HDU¶VDXGLW WKH 3RUW KDG DOVR VKRZQ ELJ strides from previous years. But after auditors accounted for $1.9 million in potential pollution cleanup costs the Port had not, the agency’s net position still decreased by $7,789. Lanzarotta said the Port UHFHLYHGDQXQPRGL¿HG²RU clean — opinion from his of- ¿FH WKLV \HDU DQG LV QHDULQJ the ability to provide all of its RZQDFFXUDWH¿QDQFLDOVZLWK- out the help of outside con- sultants such as CFO Selec- tions, hired by Knight to help ULJKW WKH DJHQF\¶V ¿QDQFLDOV and prepare for Moss Adams’ audits. The Port’s audit still in- FOXGHGVHYHUDOQHJDWLYH¿QG- ings, most prominently a se- YHUHPDWHULDOZHDNQHVVLQWKH DZDUGLQJRISXEOLFFRQWUDFWV The Port, improving its 3LHU RI¿FHV IRU &XVWRPV DOORZHG $VWRULD FRPSD- ny Rickenbach Construc- tion to complete more than LQ ZRUN ZLWKRXW D competitive bidding process. -LP *UH\ WKH 3RUW¶V ¿QDQFH manager, said the Port didn’t LQLWLDOO\UHDOL]HVRPXFKZRUN ZDVQHHGHGWR accommodate Customs until LW ZDV LQ WKH middle of the remodel. The Port Jim Knight also failed to produce the FKDQJHRIZRUNRUGHUQHHGHG WR MXVWLI\ D ZULWWHQ FRQWUDFW for $10,000 that turned into ZRUWKRIZRUN*UH\ said the Port has a change-of- ZRUNRUGHUIRUHQYLURQPHQWDO engineering company Maul )RVWHU$ORQJL H[SDQGLQJ LWV role in helping the Port create a plan to clean up petroleum contamination, but could not ¿QG WKH SDSHUZRUN IRU DXGL- tors. Port staff also failed to provide the necessary pa- SHUZRUN MXVWLI\LQJ D ODFN RI public bidding for bulk pur- chases of petroleum, and for DOORZLQJ RQH WHQDQW WR FRQ- tinue providing services for VHYHUDO \HDUV ZLWKRXW JRLQJ out for a competitive bid as required. ,QDPRUHFRPPRQ¿QGLQJ WR VPDOO DJHQFLHV ZLWK OLP- LWHG ¿QDQFLDO VWDIIV WKH 3RUW IDFHGDVLJQL¿FDQWGH¿FLHQF\ LQVHSDUDWLRQRI¿QDQFLDOGX- ties. But Lanzarotta said Port staff have made substantive efforts to solve that and other issues and recommendations raised by auditors. )L[LQJWKH¿QDQFHV Fiscal year 2015’s audit is part of a continuing effort by Port staff to tighten the agen- cy’s operations and improve its reputation. The Port’s audit from ¿VFDO \HDU KDG FRPH LQ DERXW VL[ PRQWKV ODWH DV the agency questioned and UHYLHZHG WKH DFFXUDF\ RI LWV ¿QDQFLDOV XQGHU )LQDQFH 'L- UHFWRU &ROOHHQ %URZQH ZKR ZDV ¿UHG E\ .QLJKW VKRUWO\ after his arrival in October 2014. Knight then replaced KHU ZLWK *UH\ ZKR ZRUNHG for the Columbia River Mar- itime Museum and Colum- bia Memorial Hospital, and added Staff Accountant Will Isom. The Port contracted Bar- EDUD %OXH RI %XVVHUW /DZ Associates in August to scour WKURXJKWKH¿QDQFLDOVEDFNWR June 30, 2013, and a year ago CFO Selections and Moss Adams. The Port met the Dec. 31 deadline for turning over its ¿VFDO \HDU DXGLW WR WKH state, and Lanzarotta said at WKHFXUUHQWUDWHWKH3RUWZLOO KDYH QH[W \HDU¶V DXGLW LQ E\ the end of November, in time for the Port Commission to UHYLHZ LW EHIRUH WKH GRFX- ment heads to the state. Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian The Astoria City Council voted Tuesday night to reject a new 150-foot Verizon monopole in Shively Park. Tower: Council found simulation inaccurate Continued from Page 1A Narrow votes In a series of 3-2 votes, the City Council found that Verizon’s initial photo sim- ulations of the monopole at 6KLYHO\3DUNZHUHLQDFFXUDWH DQG FRXOG KDYH LQÀXHQFHG approvals by the Historic Landmarks Commission and Planning Commission. The council also held that the monopole should not be OLQNHG WR WKH QHZ WRZHU DW Reservoir Ridge. The council determined that the mono- SROHZRXOGKDYHDVXEVWDQWLDO adverse impact on Shively Park. City Councilors Zetty 1HPORZLOO 'UHZ +HU]LJ and Cindy Price indicated WKH\ZRXOGJUDQWWKHDSSHDOV RI 5RQ =LOOL D IRUHVWHU ZKR lives near Shively Park and LGHQWL¿HG ÀDZV LQ WKH SURM- ect. Mayor Arline LaMear and Councilor Russ Warr voted to deny the appeals. )LQDO YRWHV DUH H[SHFWHG in early February after city SODQQLQJVWDIIGUDIWV¿QGLQJV for the council to sustain Zil- li’s appeals. ³,WKLQNWKHUHZDVDIDWDO ÀDZ LQ WKH SURFHVV ² GH- ceptive photo simulations,” 1HPORZLOO VDLG ³7KH SUR- SRVHGFHOOWRZHULVQRWFRP- SDWLEOH ZLWK D KLVWRULF SDUN DQGZRXOGUHVXOWLQVXEVWDQ- tial adverse impacts. ³$QG,DJUHHZLWK0U=LO- OLWKDWWKHSURSRVHGFHOOWRZHU does not conform to the de- velopment code and should be denied.” But Warr said the mono- SROHDW6KLYHO\3DUNZDVSDUW of a package the city had sought for years to help up- grade emergency communi- FDWLRQV7KHFLW\KDGZRUNHG ZLWK )ULHQGV RI WKH $VWR- ria Column and Converge Communications, a Portland WHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQV ¿UP to help convince Verizon to PRYHRII&R[FRPE+LOODQG DZD\ IURP WKH$VWRULD &RO- umn, the city’s most popular tourist destination. Verizon ZRXOG XVH WKH QHZ WRZHU DW Reservoir Ridge, equipment atop the Astor Hotel, and the monopole at Shively Park to SURYLGH ZLUHOHVV FRYHUDJH across the city. ³6RWXUQLQJWKLVGRZQKDV a much larger impact than MXVWWXUQLQJGRZQDFHOOSKRQH WRZHU´:DUUVDLG³$QG,EH- lieve that it’s detrimental to the larger community. And so I disagree.” /D0HDU ZDV DOVR FRQ- cerned about the practical consequences of the coun- FLO¶V YRWHV 5XOLQJ RXW &R[- comb Hill and Shively Park could complicate plans for D QHZ WRZHU WKDW ZRXOG LP- prove cellphone coverage for UHVLGHQWVZKRVXIIHUWKURXJK spotty service. “We’re running out of hills,” the mayor said. Verizon had argued that 6KLYHO\3DUNZDVWKHFRQVHQ- sus location, but Herzig said “there are other options. This is not the only option of a lo- FDWLRQIRUDFHOOSKRQHWRZHU´ Price said the monopole DW 6KLYHO\ 3DUN ZDV VWURQJ- O\OLQNHGZLWKWKHQHZWRZHU at Reservoir Ridge, making LW GLI¿FXOW WR LQGHSHQGHQWO\ consider the merits of the Shively Park location. Had Verizon asked for a spot at Shively Park only to LPSURYH ZLUHOHVV FRYHUDJH ZLWKRXWWKHSURMHFWEHLQJWLHG to the city’s emergency com- munications needs, she be- OLHYHV³WKDWZRXOGKDYHEHHQ rejected out of hand.” A tranquil park Zilli had accused the city of bias because of the agree- PHQW ZLWK 9HUL]RQ DQG WKH $90,000 the City Council had DXWKRUL]HGWRFRYHUWKHZRUN of the private telecommunica- tions consultant. He had un- successfully sought a change of venue for his appeals. The City Council had made it clear after approving WKH DJUHHPHQW ZLWK 9HUL]RQ last year that elements of the deal, such as the monopole at 6KLYHO\ 3DUN ZRXOG KDYH WR XQGHUJR UHYLHZ E\ WKH +LV- toric Landmarks Commission and Planning Commission and that any approvals could be appealed. Zilli told councilors Tues- day night that a 150-foot PRQRSROH ZRXOG EH RXW RI FKDUDFWHUDQGZRXOGLQWHUIHUH ZLWKYLHZVLQDWUDQTXLOKLV- toric city park. “They’ve really just tried to stuff a square peg in a round hole to broker the deal ZLWK WKLV ZKROH WKLQJ´ KH said. The regular monthly meeting of the Tillicum Foundation (KMUN) will be meeting January 27th at 5:00pm at The Tillicum House , 1445 Exchange . Meetings are open to the public and visitors are welcome. Roley: Her retirement is effective June 30 Continued from Page 1A 5ROH\ ZURWH VKH LV OHDY- LQJ³ZLWKFRQ¿GHQFHWKDWRXU VWXGHQWV ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR EH served by dedicated and tal- ented educators, including teachers, support staff and ad- ministrators, and by a school ERDUGZKRKDVDOZD\VKDGWKH best interest of students as the only real item on the agenda.” “Thank you for your un- ZDYHULQJVXSSRUWIRUDOORIXV DQGIRUDOORZLQJPHWREHSDUW of this special school commu- QLW\´5ROH\ZURWH 'RXJKHUW\ ZKR LV JRRG IULHQGV ZLWK 5ROH\ VDLG KHU retirement did not come as a surprise, as they discussed it in prior conversations. Even still, she has meant a lot to the district, he said. Af- WHUZRUNLQJDVDWHDFKHULQWKH Seattle area, Roley started in Seaside as a science teacher Daily Astorian/File Photo Class of 2014 graduate Parker Riser gives Principal Sheila Roley a big hug while making his way across the stage after receiving his diploma during Seaside High School’s 98th Commencement Exercise at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center. DW %URDGZD\ 0LGGOH 6FKRRO Then she completed the process to get her administrator license. When Dougherty became superintendent for the district in 1998, he said, he selected her to replace him as the prin- cipal of Cannon Beach Ele- mentary School and the kin- dergarten through 12th grade curriculum director. She then became principal of the mid- dle school before moving into the position of high school principal in July 2007. “(Roley) is one of those UDUH SHRSOH ZKR LV XQÀDSSD- ble,” Dougherty said. “She FOHDUO\DOZD\VKDVWKHVFKRRO and students mind.” Whatever is happening at KHUVFKRROZKHWKHULWLVZRUN- ing on last-minute reports or GHDOLQJZLWKVWXGHQWDQGVWDII LVVXHVVKHLV³DOZD\VIRFXVHG on the right thing,” Dougherty said. Additionally, she is “one RI WKRVH SHRSOH ZKR HYHU\ school district looks to.” Not only has she been a PHQWRU ZLWKLQ WKH 6HDVLGH School District, but she’s served that role in other dis- WULFWVDVZHOOKHVDLG 7KH SURFHVV WR ¿QG KHU UHSODFHPHQW ZLOO VWDUW VRRQ 'RXJKHUW\ ZKR DQQRXQFHG KLV RZQ UHWLUHPHQW ODWH ODVW year, said. Enter your baby in The Daily Astorian’s Cutest Baby Contest for 2015 If your baby was born between Jan 1st & Dec 31st of 2015 , you can submit your newborn’s picture either via email at classifieds@dailyastorian.com or drop by one of our offices in Astoria or Seaside and we can scan in the photo for you. Deadline to enter is Tuesday, January 26th at 5:00 pm . Entries will be printed in The Daily Astorian on January 29th.
