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9A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2016 Dam: Engineering plan characterizes dam as unsafe Continued from Page 1A The water district will seek a city permit to remove the dam, setting up a poten- tial confrontation with nearby property owners who claim the dam could be nec- essary for lood control. Mayor Mark Kujala’s family, who own property near the dam, and the politically inlu- ential Nygaard family, who own Warrenton Fiber, have urged the city to take control of the dam. The water district and CREST are disappointed and perplexed by the City Commis- sion’s 2-2 vote against an agree- ment. Mayor Kujala recused himself. The commission had twice voted in the past to sup- port the deal, which would have given the city a 54-foot-long, 16-foot-wide emergency access bridge to replace a gravel road over the dam. “I feel like the city has given a very clear message to the dis- trict and to CREST and they’ve said, ‘No, thank you,’” said Denise Löfman, the task-force director. The Kujala family and oth- ers had pushed for a wider bridge last year to enable future development, but have since pivoted and joined the Nygaard family in arguing that the dam needs to be saved for lood control. Expired lifespan The dam, built by the federal government in 1963 for lood control, was transferred to the water district when its 50-year lifespan expired. The state has questioned the dam’s value for lood control and described the structure as likely a signiicant hazard. The water district’s engineer- ing plan characterizes the dam as unsafe, ineffective and expen- sive to maintain. The dam also acts as a barrier to ish passage, restricts water low and impedes water quality. Bruce Francis, the water dis- trict’s vice chairman, said he would be willing to give the dam to the city for $1 — an offer the water district made several years ago — to shed the liability. If the city were to take ownership, the responsibility for maintenance and the liability would shift to city taxpayers. “Now is the time to get away from it, and just get rid of it,” Francis said. The water district’s board has also thought about installing a gate and security cameras to shut down the gravel road while the dam’s fate is debated. The city would get keys to the gate for emergency access. “We’re not trying to punish the city, we’re trying to decrease our liability,” Scheller said. Dick Hellberg, a former city commissioner who has The Daily Astorian/File Photo The Skipanon Water Control District wants to remove the Eighth Street Dam on the Skipanon River in Warrenton. lived near the dam since 1971, doubts that the dam has ever been particularly useful for lood control. “I can’t even understand why the two commissioners voted ‘no,’” he said of Commission- ers Pam Ackley and Rick New- ton, who had supported the deal last year. Commissioners Henry Balensifer and Tom Dyer voted to renew the agreement with the water district and CREST to get the bridge. “I don’t really under- stand what their argument was because the dam is really not a part of our diking system other than it’s connected to it,” Hell- berg said. “It has virtually nothing to do with the height of the water in the areas that we’re worried about.” Denise Löfman Dick Hellberg Tessa Scheller Proposals: Commission will make recommendations in June Continued from Page 1A Food fest The Chamber of Commerce requested $50,000 for a culi- nary, beverage and music fest and an inaugural night market, planned for April. The festival would be held annually, while the night market would be monthly for ive months of the year, the chamber’s executive director Court Carrier said. “It’s been a very success- ful event in many other loca- tions,” Carrier said, pointing to the popularity of outdoor din- ing. “We know we’ve got some great food and beverages here. We have an incredible opportu- nity to tap into that market.” The chamber also requested $25,000 for marketing on the North Coast, $20,000 to expand the website and social media and $15,000 to create videos for marketing. Last year, the chamber received about $81,000 for three projects. Make us laugh Tolovana Arts Colony requested $6,500 for a week- end Cannon Beach Comedy Festival, a new event proposal scheduled for winter 2017. The festival could include stand-up comedians, impro- visational troupes or sketch troupes throughout the city. Comedy is a “profound and connective art form” not found The Daily Astorian/File Photo Elaina Calbaum, right, of Seattle, Wash., gets a pour of a white blend from Savor Cannon Beach volunteer Tracy Abel, while her husband, Steven Calbaum, left, waits his turn during the Battle of the Blends at last year’s event. in Cannon Beach, the proposal stated, and comedy festivals have been successful in resort towns like Aspen. Tolovana Arts Colony also requested $25,000 for the sixth annual Get Lit at the Beach, a three-day spring event featuring bestselling authors from a range of literary genres. Last year, Tolovana Arts Colony received more than $20,000 for Get Lit. Columbia River and heading over Tillamook Head to Can- non Beach. The event would provide 50 hikers and nature lovers the opportunity to explore Oregon’s beaches and coastal ecosystems, according to the proposal. Clatsop Animal Assis- tance requested more than $46,000 for the eighth annual Savor Cannon Beach, a four- day wine, culinary and arts festival in March. The event taps into the culinary tourism trend and “introduces Can- non Beach to a new, younger and afluent demographic,” the proposal reads. In past years, Savor helped raise money for the Cannon Beach Children’s Other options North Coast Land Conser- vancy proposed a September event, CoastWalk Oregon. The organization requested $5,000 to fund part of the three-day, 30-mile hiking event on the Oregon Coast Trail, starting at OSAA 4A GIRLS TRACK & FIELD STATE Center, which closed in April. Last year, the children’s center received about $38,000 from Savor. Friends of Haystack Rock requested $60,000 for the Cannon Beach Yoga Festival, a four-day event with yoga, dance, art, music, environ- mental and wellness planned in February. Friends of Hay- stack Rock received more than $38,000 last year. It is difi- cult to book in-demand teach- ers in advance when funding is received annually, festival director Christen Allsop said. The Coaster Theatre requested about $55,000 for special event concerts, six theat- rical productions and a celebra- tion of the organization’s 45th anniversary. The theater’s interi- ors are also being upgraded with new seats, curtains and carpets. The Coaster Theatre received $35,000 last year. The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum proposed $27,000 for the 14th annual Cottage & Garden Tour, an event that has grown signii- cantly and includes a lun- cheon, lecture, concerts and more. The event, scheduled for September 2017, attracts about 500 attendees and provides 20 percent of the history center’s annual income, according to the proposal. Last year, the his- tory center received $17,000, The Cannon Beach Arts Association requested $24,000 to create three juried shows and a new series of “art week- ends” that encourage visitors to stay for a longer period. The events are planned from November to June 2017. The goal is to expand the organization’s artist commu- nity to include visiting art- ists, nonresident members and “engaged cultural tour- ists,” program director Jane Brumield wrote in the pro- posal. Last year, the associa- tion received almost $13,000 for juried exhibitions and spe- cial events. The Cannon Beach Gallery Group requested $53,000 for the Spring Unveiling Arts Fes- tival and the Plein Air & More Arts Festival. “We have estab- lished both festivals as via- ble events with great potential for continued expansion,” the proposal read. Last year, the gallery group received about $40,000. The commission will make recommendations to the Can- non Beach City Council in June. Hi Casual Cannabis ad Bring in t d his et today an g % 15 FF *limit one per customer We are a recreational and medical cannabis dispensary. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is dedicated to helping you fi nd the quality medicine that suits your needs. With over 25 strains ranging from high CBD to high THC and 193 Marine Drive everything Astoria, Oregon in between. 503-741-3119 CELEBRATING VETERANS CELEBRATING FREEDOM Congratulate the Astoria High School Lady Fishermen winners of the OSAA 4A Track Championship Your 3-line message to the Lady Fishermen championship team and you business name 45 $ Deadline: May 31 Runs: June 1 in The Daily Astorian Contact Holly at 503-325-3211 Follow the Old Soldiers Trail and learn the story of Fort Stevens the Defender at the River of the West. Weekend Raffle tickets will be sold for the chance to help fire Civil War cannons. FORT STEVENS STATE PARK HISTORIC AREA SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MAY 28 & 29 • 11AM-4PM PARK HOURS 8AM-6PM How do I get there? The Fort Stevens Historic Area entrance is approximately one mile north of the Fort Stevens State Park camping entrance on Ridge Road. Head west at the 4-way stop. O LD F RIENDS OF F ORT S TEVENS , I NC . 503-861-1470 Ft. Stevens State Park, Hammond, OR email: foofs@teleport.com Click on: www.visitfortstevens.com STEVEN RT S O F 1863 1947 OREGON’S DEFENDER