143RD YEAR, NO. 195
DailyAstorian.com //
JEWELL SPRING
TRACK PREVIEW
PAGE 11A
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016
ONE DOLLAR
KHS SPRING
SPORTS PREVIEWS
PAGE 10A
Council
Voters douse Cannon Beach recall eff ort says no
need to
ban weed
Pot shops get green
light in Cannon Beach
By R.J. MARX
The Daily Astorian
Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
Election workers count ballots in the Judge Guy Boyington Building on Tuesday regarding the recall of three members of the Can-
non Beach Rural Fire Protection District Board of Directors, Sharon Clyde, Garry Smith and Linda Beck-Sweeney.
Cannon
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directors will
stay on board
CANNON BEACH — The path was
cleared for licensing the sale of cannabis in
Cannon Beach, one of the last cities in the
South County to do so.
By voting down a ban, the city opened the
door to dispensaries and recreational sales.
Despite the success of state Measure 91
allowing recreational sale and posses-
sion of small amounts of marijuana
— approved by 63 percent
of Cannon Beach voters
in November 2014 — the
city only licenses busi-
nesses which abide by
local, state and federal
law, which excludes
pot. After hearing opin-
ions from both sides of the
issue , councilors considered
an array of options, includ-
ing to opt out of state law and maintain a
ban on marijuana sales.
Voters “can override our proposed ban,
or they can override our acceptance,” Coun-
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Mayor Sam Steidel and councilors George
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lader in voting to overturn the prohibition.
Wendy Higgins was the sole councilor to
vote to renew the ban.
Limitations, tax ahead
By LYRA FONTAINE and
R.J. MARX
The Daily Astorian
C
ANNON BEACH — Three
directors of the Cannon Beach
Rural Fire Protection District
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Submitted Photo
in Tuesday night’s election.
Sharon Clyde, Garry Smith and Interim Fire Chief Jim Stearns, right, at a January meeting of the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Dis-
Linda Beck-Sweeney will remain trict Board of Directors. Three directors, Linda Beck-Sweeney, Sharon Clyde, Garry Smith are the
LQRI¿FH7ZRRWKHUGLUHFWRUV0DUN subject of a recall drive.
Mekenas and Bob Cerelli, were not
subject to the recall.
by a 55 percent to 45 percent mar-
Clyde said she was “extremely gin, according to the Clatsop
happy” with the vote. “I would like &RXQW\&OHUN¶V2I¿FHZKLOHYRWHUV
to thank all the mem-
were behind Smith and
bers of our district that
Beck-Sweeney 57 per-
supported all three of
cent to 43 percent.
us that were subject to
The history
this recall attempt,” she
Cannon Beach res-
said in a statement. “We
ident Susan Neuwirth
won’t let you down.”
organized the recall
Interim Fire Chief
drive after Neuwirth
Jim Stearns congratu-
and others criticized the
lated the directors. “I am
board’s handling of Bal-
happy that folks who are
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willing to give up their
Sharon
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time and serve on a vol-
Clyde
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unteer basis can con-
the recall by submitting a statement
tinue doing that,” he said.
The vote was a strong valida- RI MXVWL¿FDWLRQ DQG IDFLQJ YRWHUV
Submitted Photo
WLRQRIWKHERDUG¶VGHFLVLRQWR¿UH instead of resigning.
Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District Director Garry
Balzer in October.
See RECALL, Page 12A Smith, left, and interim Chief Jim Stearns.
Voters opposed recalling Clyde
Zachary Seidel, who tried to
make citizen’s arrests on Astoria
Mayor Arline LaMear and Police
Chief Brad Johnston at a City Coun-
cil meeting last June, was convicted
Tuesday of interfering with a police
RI¿FHU
A jury found that Seidel, 30,
refused to obey Johnston’s order to
leave City Hall. But the jury acquit-
ted Seidel of disorderly conduct and
criminal trespass.
Clatsop County Circuit Court
Lawmakers hesitant
to raise taxes, fees
without ODOT review
By HILLARY BORRUD
Capital Bureau
See SEIDEL, Page 12A
See ROAD REPAIRS, Page 12A
Joshua Bessex
The Daily
Astorian
Judge Cindee Matyas sentenced
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for time served, and 18 months pro-
bation. The judge also ordered Seidel
to have a mental health evaluation at
Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare and
to stay away from the mayor and
Delay may
put brakes
on road
repairs
city councilors while on probation.
Seidel will be allowed to send
written correspondence to the City
Council on political or public-pol-
icy issues, Matyas ruled, “because I
Zachary
Seidel
looks on
during his
trial at the
Clatsop
County
Courthouse
Tuesday.
By DERRICK DePLEDGE
The Daily Astorian
See WEED, Page 12A
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launch a performance review of the Oregon
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months after Gov. Kate Brown called for the
inquiry.
The delay could hamper efforts in the
Legislature to pass a major transportation
funding package in 2017, because some law-
makers are only willing to approve higher
taxes and fees on drivers if the Department
of Transportation can demonstrate it is oper-
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Tammy Baney, chair of the Oregon
Transportation Commission, said during a
meeting in Salem on Tuesday that the state
could begin soliciting contractors to conduct
the review in the next few weeks.
“The oversight committee has met,” said
Baney, who is also a Deschutes County com-
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the scope of work. And they are currently
looking to draft to send out.”
It was unclear what oversight committee
Baney was referring to, and staff at the Ore-
gon Department of Transportation and the
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Man who tried to arrest mayor convicted
Must have mental
exam, stay away
from City Council
In coming months, the council will con-
sider time, place and manner rules regarding
where marijuana may be sold within the city.
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the downtown commercial area.