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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2016)
DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016 143RD YEAR, NO. 169 ONE DOLLAR Activist proud of CB recall petition MESSY RUCKUS AT SUNSET LAKE ‘If you don’t speak up, you can’t complain’ By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian County, DEQ demand changes at low-income RV park By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian W ARRENTON — Sunset Lake Resort & RV 3ark, a controversial low-income housing center in a bucolic, lakefront set- ting south of Warrenton, faces several challenges from outside and in. The state Department of Environmental Quality has ¿ ned the park’s owner, Ken Hick’s Resources Northwest Inc., over sewage over- À ow for the third time in two years, ordering the company to lower the À ows or decommission the park’s sewage system. Meanwhile, the county is trying to replace Hick with a receiver, while one resident under an eviction notice has been protest- ing just outside the park entrance. Photos by Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian Sunset Lake Resort & RV Park south of Warrenton faces the decommis- sioning of its failing septic system by the state, while the county wants to replace the owner, Resources Northwest Inc., with a receiver. Bad septic “Since September of 2015, the system has been failing,” said Esther Westbrook, an environmental law specialist with the state, about the sewage sys- tem at Sunset Lake. “It’s been discharging sew- age that’s either untreated or partially treated into the ground. That’s what happens when there’s too much waste coming through the system.” The park has a 4,500 -gallon-a-day À ow limit under its Water 3ollution Control Facilities permit. But Westbrook said the park has intermittently been topping the limit since 2009, with reports showing the park has been over the limit every month last year. The most recent penalty was $6,825 for sew- age overÀ ows and operating a failing system. The penalty included a compliance order saying the park has to consistently lower the À owage to allow- able levels by March 15 or decommission the entire sewage system by April 15. See RV PARK, Page 12A CANNON BEACH — The petition drive to remove three Cannon Beach Rural Fire 3rotection District directors was driven by the efforts of Cannon Beach resident Susan Neuwirth, angered by the sudden ¿ r- ing of former Chief Mike Balzer in October. “I never wanted to do this,” Neuwirth said . “But at the end of the day, I’m proud of it. Too often people sit around and bitch and moan about local pol- itics. If you don’t go to meetings and you don’t speak up, you can’t complain.” Susan Board of direc- Neuwirth tors 3resident Sha- ron Clyde, Linda Beck-Sweeney and Garry Smith are named in the recall petition; a fourth director, Bob Cerelli, who voted against Balzer’s removal, was not. A ¿ fth director’s seat is vacant after a retirement and remains to be ¿ lled. Clyde, Beck-Sweeney and Smith have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to either resign or submit a written statement of Musti¿ cation to the Clerk’s Of¿ ce. See RECALL, Page 12A ABOVE: Anthony Smith, a resident under an eviction notice at Sunset Lake Resort & RV Park, has been protesting outside the park what he claims is retaliation for his reporting of safety and health issues. BELOW: State wastewater regulators say the septic system and drainage field at Sunset Lake Resort & RV Park is failing and in danger of being decommissioned because of too much flow . No coal, more sun and wind Competing energy bills up for Senate vote By HILLARY BORRUD Capital Bureau SALEM — Lawmakers in the Oregon Senate could vote on two competing bills Wednesday to double the state’s renewable energy mandate, thanks to maneuvers by Democrats and Republicans to either fast track or delay the legislation. The controversial legislation, which is a top priority for utilities, environmental groups and Democrats in both chambers, could be among the last major policy pro- posals lawmakers vote on before the end of the short legislative session. Both bills would require 3aci¿ Corp and 3ortland General Electric to use sources such as solar and wind to serve 50 percent of their customers’ energy demand by 2040. The bills would also require the two inves- tor-owned utilities to stop using coal power to serve their Oregon customers. However, there are also signi¿ cant See ENERGY BILLS, Page 12A Surviving spouses tax -break bill heads to governor for signature ony assault warrant. The fallen of¿ cer is survived by his wife and two daughters. The state House on Monday unan- “This is not a mandatory require- imously passed a bill that allows ment for counties, but it does give counties to grant prop- local government of¿ cials erty tax breaks of up to the option to waive prop- $250,000 to the surviving erty taxes in support of sur- spouses of police of¿ cers viving spouses,” state Rep. and ¿ re¿ ghters killed in the Deborah Boone, D-Can- line of duty. non Beach , said Friday. The bill saw unani- “As I think about the recent mously support in the state tragedy involving Seaside Senate last month. 3olice Sgt. Jason Goodding, The legislation could I’m glad this legislation has bene¿ t Seaside 3olice Sgt. been receiving universal Jason Jason Goodding’s wife, approval.” Goodding who would be eligible for The bill, which now the tax relief. goes to Gov. Kate Brown, Goodding was shot and killed last was also supported by a slew of law month trying to arrest a man on a fel- enforcement associations. The Daily Astorian Recognition sought for Goodding 911 dispatchers Dispatch team worked without respite were spelled by members of outside agencies who came in to ¿ ll their spots. SEASIDE — When Dispatchers however, only Sgt. Jason Goodding was a had a brief time to attend the service and other func- shot and killed the night of tions, Brown said, but over- Feb. 5, the ¿ rst person to all they worked through take the call was a Seaside the week . “Anything that police dispatcher. comes in to the department The dispatchers on duty goes through them, calling that night were veteran 911 Stacey in and dispatching of¿ cers operators, Dispatch Super- Brown to the incident, ” she said. visor Stacey Brown . That Brown hopes to didn’t make their jobs any encourage the community to easier. Over the next days, most Seaside See DISPATCHERS, Page 12A police and emergency responders By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian
