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.”
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got dispatched for a tree
DFURVV WKH KLJKZD\´ 6WHDUQV
said. “Where I come from, I
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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
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medical responses and more.
%XW WKH GHVLUHG TXDOL¿FD-
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beyond his competence in the
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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.
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ZHOO´
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does both,” said board Presi-
dent Sharon Clyde.
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smooth, reassuring presence.
“Public relations is going
WREHKXJHIRUDZKLOH´6WHD-
rns said in a nod to the con-
tinued public furor over the
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Balzer and the ensuing recall
effort.
Filling the post
Stearns and the board also
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the position. Under consider-
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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
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The levy remains in place un-
til 2017.
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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
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to retire on the Oregon Coast
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“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-
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doesn’t include an additional
$35,000-to-$40,000 spent on
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Stearns and the board hope
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opening Feb. 1. On this time-
OLQH WKH\ ZLOO DGYHUWLVH XQWLO
March 15, and begin inter-
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¿UHGHSDUWPHQWVWKURXJKRXWWKH
state, Stearns has already been
queried about the opening.
“We’ve got three viable
candidates already interested
in the position,” Stearns said.
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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
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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-
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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
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competitive bidding process.
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manager, said the Port didn’t
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ZDVQHHGHGWR
accommodate
Customs until
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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-
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engineering company Maul
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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.
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WR VPDOO DJHQFLHV ZLWK OLP-
LWHG ¿QDQFLDO VWDIIV WKH 3RUW
IDFHGDVLJQL¿FDQWGH¿FLHQF\
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ties. But Lanzarotta said Port
staff have made substantive
efforts to solve that and other
issues and recommendations
raised by auditors.
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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
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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
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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.
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ÀDZ LQ WKH SURFHVV ² GH-
ceptive photo simulations,”
1HPORZLOO VDLG ³7KH SUR-
SRVHGFHOOWRZHULVQRWFRP-
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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.
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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
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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-
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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-
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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-
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7KH SURFHVV WR ¿QG KHU
UHSODFHPHQW ZLOO VWDUW VRRQ
'RXJKHUW\ ZKR DQQRXQFHG
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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.