3A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016
City Council approves budget
Water, sewer
rates going up
By DERRICK
DePLEDGE
The Daily Astorian
The Astoria City Council
on Monday night approved a
budget for the next fi scal year
that contains water and sewer
rate increases and leverages
tourism money to help main-
tain city parks and attractions.
The $37.7 million spend-
ing plan for the fi scal year that
begins in July is down from
$41.3 million this fi scal year.
Water and sewer rates will
increase 6 percent. The city
has estimated that the rate
increases will raise the aver-
age monthly residential bill
for customers who use 7,500
gallons of water by about
$6.76.
The city has said the rate
hikes are necessary to help
cover cost-of-living raises for
public workers and higher
costs for materials.
This year, water and sewer
rates increased 2 percent and a
surcharge used to help fi nance
a sewer improvement project
climbed 5 percent.
The budget also devotes
$98,000 from the Promote
Astoria fund for private con-
tractors to mow and main-
tain the Astoria Riverwalk, the
Smith Point roundabout and
other small downtown parks
and triangles.
The shift to private con-
tractors is meant to help the
city build capacity and allow
city staff to concentrate on
more traditional parks.
City Councilor Drew Her-
zig wanted to move $50,000
in tourism money from the
Astoria-Warrenton Chamber
of Commerce to the Promote
Astoria contingency fund to
help maintain the Astoria Riv-
erwalk during the busy sum-
mer months.
But Herzig’s motion failed
when no other councilor
agreed to second the idea.
The City Council voted 3-1
to approve the budget, with
Herzig voting “no.” Councilor
Zetty Nemlowill was excused.
In other business Monday
night, the City Council:
Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian
The Astoria City Council
recognized Laura A. Rog-
ers with a historic preser-
vation award for her work
at 3720 Duane St .
• Recognized Laura A.
Rogers with a Dr. Edward
Harvey Historic Preservation
Award for her work at 3720
Duane St . in Uppertown.
The house is known as the
Andrew Young House.
The awards are presented
annually to encourage the
preservation of the city’s
architectural history.
• Took no action on a
liquor license for a new Irish
pub in Uniontown.
Erica Miltenberger plans
a Workmans Irish Pub at
the site of the former Cafe
Uniontown.
Astoria Police recom-
mended that the council vote
against the license because of
a history of fi ghting, drunk-
enness and other problems
at Miltenberger’s Workmans
Irish Pub in Tillamook.
An emotional Milten-
berger told councilors that the
new pub will have more of a
family-friendly atmosphere
with food and music.
City Councilor Cindy
Price recommended the coun-
cil vote against the license,
but her motion died for a
lack of a second. City Coun-
cilor Herzig recommended
approval of the license, but his
motion also failed to receive a
second.
The City Council then
voted 3-1 to take no action on
the license, with Price voting
“no.”
The Oregon Liquor Con-
trol Commission, which has
fi nal regulatory approval over
liquor licenses, considers a
“no action” vote the same as
an approval.
The City Council took
a similar vote in May on an
expanded liquor license for
Annie’s Saloon strip club, with
Price voting in opposition.
Idaho man arrested for attempting
to abduct young girl in Astoria
Girl was with
family watching
sea lions at
mooring basin
By KYLE SPURR
The Daily Astorian
An Idaho man was arrested
Monday afternoon for attempt-
ing to kidnap a 5-year-old girl
while she was watching the
sea lions
with her
f a m -
ily at the
East End
Mooring
Basin in
Robert John
Astoria.
Miller
Rob-
ert John Miller, 29, of
Rupert, Idaho, reportedly
approached the girl and
directed her to leave with
him. The girl’s father, who
was visiting from Portland
with his children, was able to
intervene .
Astoria Police responded
at about 10:54 a.m. and found
Miller on the dock. He was
arrested without incident and
booked into jail for a charge
of fi rst-degree attempted
kidnapping.
Police encourage par-
ents to talk to their children
about safety issues involving
strangers.
“The parent in this situation
immediately recognized the
problem, engaged others in the
area to help him and kept an
eye on where the man went,”
Astoria Deputy Chief Eric
Halverson said. “A witness
snapped a photo of the suspect
while another called for help.
That was a great help to our
offi cers in locating Mr. Miller.”
Parents looking for infor-
mation about child safety are
encouraged to visit the web-
site for the National Cen-
ter for Missing and Exploited
Children.
Astoria man arrested for arson
Johnston, who became police
chief in November 2014, offered
to reimburse the city for any
tax consequences. But the City
Council agreed Monday night
that the police chief should not
By DERRICK DePLEDGE have to pay because his employ-
The Daily Astorian
ment contract specifi cally allows
him to use the Charger for per-
Astoria Police Chief Brad sonal and family reasons .
Previous city employment
Johnston’s use of his police vehi-
cle for personal reasons and fam- agreements with police chiefs
ily travel in central Oregon and were even more expansive,
Washington state did not violate allowing unrestricted or 24/7 use
city policy or state law but will of a vehicle.
The city could clarify John-
have tax consequences.
Akin Blitz, a Portland labor ston’s employment contract and
narrow the geographic
attorney,
investigated
scope to something less
Johnston after some on
than the entire states of
the City Council and in the
Oregon and Washington.
community confi dentially
The city will also make
approached City Manager
adjustments to ensure any
Brett Estes with concerns.
personal use of a police
Johnston’s employ-
vehicle in the future is
ment contract allows the
Brad
properly documented as
police chief, who also
Johnston
income.
serves as assistant city
Johnston declined to com-
manger, to use his Dodge Char-
ger for personal and family rea- ment, preferring to let Blitz’s
sons in Oregon and Washing- fi ndings stand.
Blitz reported that his inquiry
ton state. The rationale behind
the contract provision is that it found no evidence that might
is in the city’s best interest to call into question the police
have the police chief available chief’s honesty or integrity. The
at all times to respond to crisis report describes Johnston, who
has been with the Astoria Police
situations.
However, Blitz found that since 1992, as highly regarded
Johnston’s personal use of among his law enforcement
the vehicle should have been peers. He serves on the faculty of
reported by the city and the the Oregon Department of Public
police chief as income for tax Safety Standards and Training’s
purposes because it is part of the police academy.
Blitz’s use of the term “rookie
chief’s compensation.
“Chief Johnston’s vehicle chief mistakes” was a refer-
use for travel to distant destina- ence to former Police Chief Ron
tions for family and for purely Louie, who he said often made
personal reasons carries income the characterization.
“I offer this characterization
tax implications,” Blitz found.
“However, his choices do not here without intent to demean
or undervalue Chief Johnston’s
refl ect public corruption.
“Certainly he made unfortu- qualifi cation, integrity or career
nate mistakes which must be cor- potential in any way,” the attor-
rected. His errors rise to the level ney wrote. “Rather, Chief Lou-
of ‘rookie chief mistakes’ and ie’s wisdom often helps to regard
should not be regarded as more complex matters in proper con-
text and is apropos here.”
concerning.”
Employment
contract allows
personal use
You
Visit us online at
Tube
www.DailyAstorian.com
Knappa fi re d epartments
assisted at the scene.
Several residents were
relocated because of signifi -
cant damage to the building.
The American Red Cross
Cascades Region responded
Monday to help one adult and
one child who were affected
by the fi re.
Astoria Police are con-
tinuing to investigate.
Discover the secrets of packing light
for any trip. Including how to:
• Pack for a two week trip in an
18lb carry-on
• Prepare for airport security
• Protect personal data with
RFID products
• Pack for a cruise
W A NTED
Saturday, June 11 th
Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber
9:00am and 12:00pm
N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A
AAA North Coast
Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500
IO R
An Astoria man seen
jumping from a second-story
window at the Emerald
Heights Apartments Sun-
day night was arrested for
allegedly setting the complex
on fi re.
Christopher Young, 44,
was arrested and booked
early Monday morning for
fi rst-degree arson and reck-
less endangering.
Astoria Police were called
to a disturbance at about 10
p.m. Sunday at the two-story,
four plex apartment. Police
arrived and found the build-
ing in fl ames and a gas can on
fi re in the street.
Three men came out of
the apartment building say-
ing another person was still
inside .
An offi cer was attempt-
ing to enter the front of the
building when witnesses told
him Young had jumped from
the second-story window and
was believed to have started
the fi re.
Young reportedly ran back
into the building, which was
fully engulfed , before he was
evenutally detained . Young
was incoherent, accord-
ing to police, and was taken
to Columbia Memorial
Hospital.
Astoria Fire had the fi re
under control at 10:30 p.m.
The fi re gutted the interior
of the complex and caused
smoke and water damage to
neighboring units.
Warrenton, Lewis and
Clark, Olney Walluski and
JU N
By KYLE SPURR
The Daily Astorian
Police chief cleared after
probe of vehicle use
S H A N G H A I E D IN ASTORIA 2016
Learn secret tips and tricks to packing
from travel expert Anne
McAlpin .
Tw o w eeken ds on ly!
JUN E 10-12 • 17-19
Frid a y a t 7p m
D oors open in g a t 6:30
S a tu rd a y & S u n d a y a t 2p m
D oors open in g a t 1:30
Directed by Bill Ca r
a n d perfo rm ed
by o u r yo u th thea tre tro u p
Tickets $10 Ad u lts | $5 K id s (n o o ther d isco u n tin g )
Events are open to the public and free to attend.
Please RSVP, as space is limited.
Young’s Bay Plaza
135 South Highway 101
Warrenton, OR 97146
RSVP: 503.861.3118 or
northcoast@aaaoregon.com
OSAA 4A GIRLS
TRACK & FIELD STATE
ASOC Playhouse
FRIDAY PERFO RM AN C ES O N LY $5
129 Bond St., Astoria | 503-325-6104
P urch a se on lin e a t w w w .a storstreetoprycom pa n y.com
or ca ll 503-325-6104 | P urch a se tickets a t th e door 1 h our
before sh ow tim e, but reserva tion s recom m en ded
Spo n so red by
W a u n a Fed era l Cred it Un io n
CO AST AL
CO M I N G
J U N E 2016
O U R 9TH
A N N UA L
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
your business name
45
$
C op ies d istrib uted throug hout the year to n orth coast hotels, m otels,
cham b ers of com m erce, visitors b ureaus, cam p g roun d s, restauran ts
an d stores an d in serted in T he D aily Astorian & C hin ook O b server
RESERVE Y OUR A DVERTISING SPA CE TODA Y ! D E AD L IN E : JUN E 8, 2016
Con ta ct you r a dvertisin g sa les con su lta n t for m ore in form a tion :
OR E GON : 5 03 -3 25 -3 211• W ASH IN GTON : 800-6 4 3 -3 703 • SE ASID E : 5 03 -73 8-5 5 6 1
Deadline: Friday, June 10
Runs: Monday, June 13
in The Daily Astorian
Contact Holly at
503-325-3211