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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2016)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2016 A promise made, a promise kept to save senior dogs Angels for Sara offers sanctuary By EVE MARX For The Daily Astorian Jacque Pressly got the idea to start Angels For Sara, a sanctuary for senior dogs, while working for the Clat- sop County Public Works Department. “I cleaned the Clatsop County Animal Shelter a couple of times a week in the evening,” she said. “There was an old Rottweiler there named ‘Sara.’ She came to the shelter because her owner had passed away and the fam- ily didn’t want her. She spent most of her time in the lobby or one of the ofices.” When Pressly arrived for work, Sara followed her around. “One evening I arrived and she wasn’t there,” Pressly said. “I was so excited because I thought she inally got her forever home.” She soon learned Sara had been euthanized because her health was in such decline. “My heart broke,” Pressly said. “If I had only known, I would have taken her home with me to keep her comfort- Submitted Photo Freedom, a 12-year-old dachshund whose own- er had to go in a nursing home. Submitted Photo able and loved instead of her having to live out her days in a cold shelter with no one to love her.” Pressly said she cried all that night as she worked. “When I went outside to take out the garbage, I saw it was a beautiful night and the stars were so bright. I looked up at them and made Sara a prom- ise that some way, some how, I was not going to let this happen again.” Pressly is a big believer that things happen for a rea- son. A few days after learn- ing of Sara’s death, her friend Jackie Beerger, a Cannon Beach resident who worked as a volunteer at the Clat- sop County shelter, came to her with an offer to rent Bonnie, about 12, and Clyde, about 13, are looking for a new home after the death of their owner. an 89-acre property with a mobile home. Pressly imme- diately thought it would be a good place to have a senior dog sanctuary and began doing the necessary paperwork. ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ In 2013 Angels for Sara became a nonproit corpo- ration. “In January 2014 I moved on to the property,” Pressly said. “And in June 2014 our irst senior dogs, Bonnie and Clyde, came to live there.” Angels For Sara is a small group providing quality care to senior dogs that have been abandoned to shelters. Made up of a dedicated team of volunteers, sponsors, and veterinarians, Angels for Sara is funded by grants, sponsorship and donations. The sanctuary offers hospice care to dogs and promotes awareness regarding long- term care and responsibil- ity for senior dogs. Annual events and fundraisers are held to offset the medical costs and day-to-day care for otherwise abandoned older dogs. Working closely with local shelters, Angels for Sara rescues senior dogs deemed unadoptable to ensure they Submitted Photo Bailey the cocker spaniel, 13, is looking for a good home. will live out their days in lov- ing and safe environments. They also are a resource to pet owners wishing to create a will or trust that includes long term care for their pets. No stranger to animals Pressly is no stranger to taking care of animals. She is the owner-operator of her own pet-sitting business, All Critter Pet Sitters, where she cares for pets from Cannon Beach to Astoria. While liv- ing in Colorado, she became involved with Colorado Peke and Pom Rescue, becoming the organization’s vice pres- ident, training volunteers, handling adoptions, foster- ing dogs herself and work- ing with aggressive dogs. “I was always drawn to the senior dogs in the rescue and wanted to work with them the most,” she said. Despite the sanctuary’s size, because of land use codes, it can only accom- modate a limited number of dogs. “That’s where foster volunteers come in,” Pressly said. “We’re still new, so we only have a couple of fosters.” Elderly dogs accepted to the sanctuary will stay with her for the remainder of their lives. Other dogs she may take in might be able to be adopted out or go into a per- manent foster home situa- tion. “Working full-time as a professional pet-sitter gives me more time with the sanc- tuary dogs and their needs,” she said. “Plus, we have the wonderful help of our volun- teers who come over to play with the dogs and help out a couple times a week.” Hunsinger corrected on details of Bornstein loan Port project manager resigns for the loan in exchange for paying down the principal by $390,000. The decision was $390,000 saved the agency contingent on the state agree- nearly $250,000 in additional ing it could be applied to debt interest over the life of the loan. payments. “I’m not trying to criticize,” “The biggest thing (Exec- Jensen said, adding meeting By EDWARD STRATTON utive Director) Jim Knight minutes from the 2013 meet- The Daily Astorian has been told to do is get our ing exposed “a fundamental money,” Hunsinger said Tues- misunderstanding about the Port of Astoria Commis- day, adding the money should transaction.” sioner Bill Hunsinger, who have been put into an inter- In other news: has repeatedly called on staff est-bearing account to be used • The Port Commission, to pursue Bornstein Sea- by the Port. Meanwhile, the after entering an impromptu foods for collateral and bal- company’s co-owner Andrew executive session — its sec- loon payments he claims the Bornstein periodically laughed ond of the night — in the company owes the Port, was at and corrected Hunsinger’s middle of the public meet- corrected by staff statements from ing, approved of staff tak- Tuesday after cre- the back of the ing out up to $1.75 million ating two agenda audience. loan from Key Government items regarding the “Mr. Bornstein, Finance Inc. The loan will company. are you laugh- pay for a new stormwater The Port took ing just because treatment system required out a $10.5 mil- you’re cute?” asked by the state Department of lion loan from the a visibly annoyed Environmental Quality to state’s Infrastructure Hunsinger, before prevent copper from enter- Finance Author- being reined in by ing the Columbia River from ity in 2004 to help Chairman Robert Pier 3 and large portions of Bill Hunsinger Bornstein Seafoods Mushen. the central waterfront. Staff build a new pro- In May, Born- will negotiate with Key for cessing plant at the stein Seafoods further possible financing of foot of piers 1 and 2. Included completed the swap, pay- a second phase of stormwa- as collateral for the loan were ing $390,000 to release the ter collection incorporating piers 2 and 3, the Warrenton Buoy Beer building as collat- piers 1 and 2. Deep Sea seafood market and eral. The money went toward • The commission Bornstein Seafoods’ former the principal on the Port’s loan. approved releasing a request processing plant in downtown Jensen said the interest-bear- for proposals for legal coun- Astoria, which now houses ing account would have pro- sel, with a preference for Buoy Beer Co. duced less than the interest firms acquainted with Clat- Hunsinger irst said Born- payments to the state, and that sop County. stein was required to make multiple balloon payments of $2 million as part of the orig- inal loan, which he added would have signiicantly low- Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber ered the Port’s debt. After N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A talking to all the commission- Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 ers he served with since the original loan, he said, “none Fre of them remember any amend- e ll ast Est F Ca ime i mat t ments in the lease.” y es n A In September 2009, Hunsinger — the chairman at the time — and commis- • Residential sioners Floyd Holcom, Jack • Commercial Bland, Dan Hess and Larry •Cedar Roof Treatments Pfund voted to authorize staff • Interior & Exterior to amend the Port’s loan, elim- Over 20 years local experience inate several balloon pay- ments and have Bornstein Jeff Hale, make monthly payments. Jack Contractor Crider, who was the Port’s executive director at the time, said the pending balloon pay- al ments were hindering the 18 th Annu Port’s ability to seek inancing for other projects. “I’m not sure why we gave away those balloon payments,” Hunsinger said at Tuesday’s meeting after Property Man- SEASIDE CONVENTION CENTER ager Shane Jensen explained 415 FIRST AVENUE • SEASIDE, OR the decision. “I’ll have to look into that.” Robert Evert, the Port of Astoria’s permit and project manager, resigned Friday. Jim Knight, the Port’s executive director, declined to give a reason for the res- ignation, citing the privacy of personnel issues. Evert was hired under interim Executive Director Mike Weston in 2014. He was helping oversee a mul- timillion-dollar expansion of the Port’s stormwater collec- tion and treatment, as well as more than $10 million in claims the Port has for reim- bursement of storm damage from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. While working for the Questions about inancing for processing plant By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The Daily Astorian Permit and Project Manager Robert Evert resigned from the Port of Astoria Friday. Port, Evert has also formed a partnership with weld- ing students at Knappa High School, who have been fab- ricating railings as part of the agency’s continuing efforts to keep sea lions off the docks at the East End Mooring Basin. Evert could not be reached for comment about his departure. Knight said the Port will bring in outside consultants to help cover Evert’s duties, while environmental consul- tant Maul Foster Alongi will oversee development of the agency’s stormwater system. clatsop community college presents its 3 rd annual Conference on extraordinary living for people 50+ W A NTED Lunch provided $10 suggested donation Live Life to the Fullest Jeff Hale P ainting 503-440-2169 LICENSED BONDED INSURED CCB#179131 IDE GEM, MINE SEAS JEWELRY SHO RAL W AND AUGUST 19, 20, 21 Not the Port’s money Hunsinger has on sev- eral occasions claimed the Port might have an ownership interest in Buoy Beer’s main building on the Astoria Riv- erwalk, because it was once worth $390,000 in collateral on the loan the agency took out from the state for Born- stein Seafoods’ new ish plant. In September 2013, the Port Commission voted to swap the collateral held in the building FRI & SAT • 10AM TO 6PM SUNDAY • 10AM TO 4PM BEADS • CRYSTAL • FOSSILS • GEM STONES • JEWLERY MINERALS • OPALS • PETRIFIED WOOD • ROUGH SLABS SPHERES • SUN STONES • THUNDER EGGS Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016e, 8:30am-4pm Clatsop Community College, Columbia Hall Keynote address from Jill Harding from Lewis & Clark NHP “Hey Doc - What’s Up?” Q&A with health providers and experts on aging 18 Informative Breakout Sessions: • • • • • • • • • • Advocating for Your Own Health Mindfulness & Life Coaching Tips Estate Planning Educational & Volunteer Opportunities Frauds & Scams Disaster Prep/Stormy Weather AARP: Disrupt Aging Discussion Nutrition for the Sunrise Years Seniors on the Move with Travel Transitioning into Retirement • • • • • • • • County Events Extraordinaire Genealogy at your Fingertips Hiking on the North Coast Posture Analysis/Yoga Personal Technology A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls Veteran’s Beneits/Social Security/ Medicare/Medicaid Intro to Acupuncture & Alternative Medicine Free lu shots while supplies last, sponsored by Family Care Health Register by Sept. 1 Contact Evy at 503-338-2566 or eberger@clatsopcc.edu FREE STRAND OF PEARLS FOR THE FIRST 75 LADIES DAILY FREE ADMISSION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE LE Drawing for Septarian Nodule from Morocco Sunday at 2pm Tickets $1 each / 6 for $5 Clatsop Community College is an airmative action, equal opportunity institution. ADA Accessible.